Parco offspring in dressage?

[adelmo95]

Hello everyone,

I am curious to know if there are many Parco offspring competing in dressage. I have a 3 year old I purchased a couple of years ago as a jumping prospect and have been having so much fun playing with him at a dressage barn that I am tempted to see how well he can do. He is undeniably bred to jump (sire’s side Parco x Calido I mare, dam’s sire Cassini I and L dam line…) but I wanted a solid foundation of flatwork on him prior to him reaching an age to start jumping.

He definitely has one of the best minds of any youngster I have ever met, I am just curious whether many horses with this jumping breeding have crossed over into dressage. I figure it is fitting that when I had a dressage bred Hanoverian I expected him to be a jumper, and now I have a jumper bred RPSI gelding at a dressage barn…

[sixpoundfarm]

I have not heard of any, but if the horse has the talent and desire to do it, why not!? I have a Parco coming 3yr old, and would agree with you on the mind. (At least seemingly similar in an unstarted young horse)

[adelmo95]

If your coming 3 year old is anything like my guy it will be the easiest youngster you have ever started. He did not react the first time I sat on him - steering took a couple extra days as he didn’t quite understand that I still got to pick where we were heading even though he couldn’t see me so our path looked like a drunken zig zag for a couple rides, he was great on trail rides, great at the show I took him to (training level champion first time out without even doing all of the classes in the division as it was just for off the property experience and I didn’t want to tire him out mentally or physically), and loves everybody. Here is a clip of his first dressage test https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152578373699406&set=vb.501539405&type=3&theater I realized after getting to the show that he had likely had less than 50 rides total at that point.

I realize he is not going to be the next Valegro but I also know I am not destined to be the next Charlotte Dujardin so that is ok :). I am just excited to see what the future holds for him (I will admit I am also excited to try jumping him when he is a little older in addition to dressage).

[bargo20]

I sold a filly several years ago. She was at a recognized show in Training Level six weeks after being broke. In 2013, she won a large 3rd 3 at Saugerties with a 69.6. She is now schooling 4th and PSG. Super mare!!

[BetterOffRed]

I have a Hardi gelding (out of a Balzflug mare). Hardi is out of the same L line of BWPs. He was trained as a jumper when I bought him and we did dressage about 90% of the time and jumping the rest of the time. IMHO BWPs are bred to be versatile. My gelding will be 20 years old in May and looks great and I attribute that to his ability to be versatile.

[DLee]

I have a coming 3yo Parco grandson (C.Quito) who I will probably be showing in dressage. I just put a saddle on him the other day for the first time and took a little video… I did kind of expect this as he is the only foal I’ve had who tried to buck out of his halter at a week old, lol. He’s pretty dramatic! But also the sweetest thing. I’d like to jump him as well, but I believe he’s going to have way more jump than I’ll ever need!

Love hearing about the temperaments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1wn9KXx6B0 (slow motion because it’s just so fun to watch, since I’m not on him!)

And I made a poor saddle pad choice!

[adelmo95]

DLee my guy’s reaction to the saddle was nothing like that: he turned around looked at me with the I was good now give me a treat expression and then completely ignored the saddle after that. I have however witnessed similar bucks coming out of him when he is wanting to play. It is going to take one brave person to get on your guy for the first time!

I want to jump my guy as well, and I think he might be hinting at wanting to do some jumping because his latest trick when fresh is to randomly jump imaginary fences. He isn’t bucking or being resistant he just goes from happily trotting around warming up to being airborne and then casually returns to trotting around. In order to avoid this (not a lot of fun in a dressage saddle) I have to keep his mind constantly busy. On the bright side he feels like he has more scope than any horse I have owned and that was my goal when purchasing him.