A smile and a

These cheeky mountain and moorlands have banished the assumption that the hardier types are the source of an easy ride. Alex Robinson speaks to some of the riders who have channelled their ponies’ unique temperaments

YOU would not be a fool for assuming that Amy Canavan-Smith’s working hunter superhero Laburnum Richard (Pedro) is a dream of a pony to own and produce. The way he glides around up-to-height tracks found at the major championships with ease impresses both spectators and judges alike, and currently the bay Connemara has four Royal Windsor, two Royal International (RIHS) and two Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) championships to his name.

But Amy has never been afraid to admit that her pony of a lifetime is a curious creature with his own idiosyncrasies.

“It’s his quirkiness, his sharpness and how switched on he is that makes him so good,” confirms Amy, who bought the now 17-year-old from Clifden Connemara sales as an unbroken three-year-old. Amy had initially intended to sell Pedro, but she couldn’t find a buyer.

“I did a bit with him before advertising him for around £2,000, but not a single person was interested,” she continues.

“At the beginning he wasn’t a ‘wow’ pony and even today his real talent doesn’t come out until the jumps are over 1.10m. He could have been a real showjumping pony if we’d gone down that path.”

Amy says that Pedro has always been reactive and a little sensitive.