Has anyone here on the BB had foals by him? I am interested to learn as my retired mare who is now at Cornell has been bred to him for a Feb. foal.
I lease a Benvolio baby and he is great. They are nice movers, big and brave. The horse I lease came from the cornell program a couple of years ago. Who is your mare? Maybe I’ve seen her up there before.
I have a Benvolio gelding. He just turned 5. He is very typey (looks exactly like his sire), is a big mover, and has a super temperament. He is a very cute jumper, also, and loves to jump. He is very correct in his conformation, though he is not tall – only 15.2. He does however have a very deep barrel and takes a 56" girth. I am 5’7 and do not look small on him by any means. He is a flashy blood bay with an enormous white star, two socks, and a spot on his chin like his dad (he is a sabino).
I have had him since he was 18 months old. When I got him he was quite spooky, but he previously had had very little handling so we basically started from scratch with everything (e.g., giving baths, van rides, etc). I still would consider him to be sensitive but he has a heart of gold. He loves all people and all animals – horses, dogs, sheep, and seems to be the most popular horse among other horses wherever he goes.
He is also number 1 in the herd and takes his job seriously. He is quite remarkable in that if there is anything amiss on the farm --a horse not feeling well, someone got out, a random dog wanders in, whatever – he will whinny and carry on until he can get someone’s attention. I am not kidding. On a couple of occasions he has literally saved the day by doing so. He also is a super mentor to the younger horses; I have a weanling filly and he currently is her turnout buddy. He watches over her like a hawk and has shown her the ropes. For example, my horses are taught to come to the gate when I whistle; my weanling, being new to the farm, of course did not know that. The first few days Sam would gently herd her to the gate when I called and would not leave her side until she obliged. Now she knows the program very well! Knock wood, I have never seen him bite or kick another horse. He manages to rule with an iron hoof with just a flick of the ear and the other horses fall in line.
He is also very much a one person horse. He is good for other people but for whatever reason he bonded with me from the get-go and is extremely attached to me. This is true for riding and on the ground; regardless of whether another person working with him has more talent or experience than me, he is always far better for me. I try to encourage others to work with him as much as possible because I would like him to be as comfortable with other people, and he is quite fond of my barn manager and is getting better in that regard. But if he hears my voice he still runs to the fence to greet me and nickers and does not do that for anyone else, and he is much better for the vet and farrier if I am around (in which case, he is fine; otherwise he can be fussy).
Riding him is like sitting on a cloud. Curiously, to the extent he can be occasionally spooky on the ground, he is not that way under saddle. I am not sure whether it is because he derives confidence from having a rider up or whether he feels he has to take care of his rider, but knowing him it is likely the latter. He has an excellent work ethic and enjoys learning knew things. He concentrates very hard when you work with him and learns quickly.
I saw Benvolio a number of times when I was a kid as we used to own part of Galoubet, who also stood at Hamilton Farm. When Sam, my Benvolio, became available I had to go see him for that reason. He is so much like his dad that I bought him on the spot.
Sam’s dam was a fancy TB mare from Lane’s End Farm (home of AP Indy and Gulch) that was a stakes winner at Belmont and Saratoga. She was retired at age 23 to a WB breeding farm in VA, and Sam was her last foal. She was a Bold Ruler daughter and her pedigree is like a who’s who of racing. Consequently, we joke that Sam is the fastest dressage horse in the East, and I actually think that may be true. He is unbelievably quick on his feet and very cat-like, and can pirouette while playing at lightning speed. I do think his talent most likely lies in eventing, and some well-regarded advanced level eventing trainers have said that they think he has potential to do extremely well as an eventer. I do not event but we hope to send him to a good event trainer this year to see how he does with a pro.
Flying Change Farm, in NJ, also has a nice Benvolio filly; I believe she is 3 now. Crestline Farm, who also posts here, had one also. Here is a link to some farms with some Benvolios, if you want to look for some pics (I was looking for Flying Change’s website, hence the “filly” in the search string):
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=benvolio+filly&FORM=MSNH
Anyway, I adore my Benvolio guy, and he is one I will never sell. He is one of my all-time favorites. Also, I have seen a number of Benvolio youngsters and they all seem to take very strongly after their sire and look very much alike. I think he is a very interesting and underutilized sire, but you have to have the right mare for him. I would not breed him to anything on the hot or sensitive side because although Benvolio is a peach, his sire, Bonjour, was a bit difficult in that regard (though gorgeous and a superb mover). The Bonjour temperament can and does come through occasionally, though.
I have an almost 4 year old mare by Benvolio.
I adore her temperament. Not spooky at all, and so far very pleasant under saddle. Lovely gaits to my eye.
I got her as a yearling from a friend who bought her from the Cornell breeding program.
My four year old Benvolio daughter is definitely not a spook either, in fact she’s a tad on the lazy side. She is very smart and a bit of an alpha mare. The trainer has said she was one of the easiest horses to start under saddle she’s ever had.
While her gaits are pleasant, they aren’t spectacular. But she is exceptionally smooth at both the trot and canter. And so far she hasn’t needed to be shod - grows a great hoof according to my shoer, (I gotta love that money saving trait). 
I think she’ll finish somewhere between 15.3 - 16 hands.
FYI - Benvolio is pretty high up on the Oldenburg (GOV) list of top N.A. sires of premium foals.
I have onlly met this stallion once briefly and that was years ago at Hamilton Farm. I felt at that time he was probably the typiest stallion I had run across of the warmblood breeds. He is very special and an impressively handsome stallion. I have not heard a great deal about his offspring. He probably ranks up there in charachteristics offered with Contucci who is another beautiful type producer. Offspring I have met by Contucci have impressed me considerably.
I have heard quite a bit said about his sire Bonjour and although exceptional athletes, have the resputation of not being the easiest horses to train in the beginnning, but later are very good strong performing horses. I am glad to hear Benvolio brings other charachteristics through his damline. Also to consider, much of what is heard is simply heresay as quality of training also factors into the equation. Certain horses may not train well due to inconsistencies in trainers as well. So knowing who is reporting is as equally important as what is being said. There are unknowns in reports which should at least be considered in decision making. Some people don’t do well with really sensitive horses and others don’t do well with the laid back types. All becomes somewhat personal and it’s hard to make a fair assesment on line.
The COTH Forums are not the Bible!!! (but close!!!)
I have had a foal by Benvolio and personally known 3 or 4 others. Mine was out of a refined TB mare and the foal (now coming 8) is a huge, substantial horse who you would never guess had any TB in her. The dam had a very choppy topline and the filly has the nicest topline you could ask for. She has 3 very good gaits (but not spectacular), a great brain and very nice rideability. She was winning at training/first level as a 4/5 yr old in open competition (at big shows such as Loxahatchee, West Palm Beach, Saratoga, etc…). She has since been sold to a rank amateur and she totally babysits her. She has been easy from day 1. All the others I have known have been about the same (out of WB and TB mares). Big horses, nice enough gaits and good temperaments. I think they make very good amateur horses.
benvolio baby
I’m looking to purchase a Benvolio yearling and wondering how big he will be. Any insight as to how big Benvolio babies end up. He’s out of a 16.3 hand TB mare. The Benvolio babies that I see online seem to be under 16.2.
My Benvolio is 16.3 (out of a 16.2 TB mare ). I know another 16.3 one out of a TB mare (don’t know how big the mare was). I know a slightly smaller one out of a 16.1 Trak mare.
My Benvolio is not tall – 15.2, out of a 16.2 hand mare that otherwise had offspring similar to her size. But he has a huge barrel that takes up your leg (I am 5’7 with long legs and do not look tall on him by any means; my other horses are 16.3 and 17 hands and he feels very similar to ride in terms of width).
I’m still sick over the loss of my Benvolio mare two years ago. She was really neat. She was a hotter type mare and a little spooky to start but once we got her going she was fabulous. We rode her for a year and then got one super Palladio foal from her…she died really unexpectedly when the foal was a month old. I miss that mare! She was so darling…she’s come running when I whistled like she was a dog. I agree that I wouldn’t use him on a hotter mare…there does seem to be a little zip in that Bonjour/Benvolio line.
[QUOTE=crestline;3095200]
mare! She was so darling…she’s come running when I whistled like she was a dog. [/QUOTE]
Mine does too!
It’s A Filly!
Hello all and thanks for your great feedback! Here is a photo of my old horse and her cute filly by Benvolio. Scroll down to the second photo of Dandridge http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/cuerp/2008foalpics.htm
cheers,
Kathy
[QUOTE=araho;3098689]
Hello all and thanks for your great feedback! Here is a photo of my old horse and her cute filly by Benvolio. Scroll down to the second photo of Dandridge http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/cuerp/2008foalpics.htm
cheers,
Kathy[/QUOTE]
Kathy,
I was reading some posts on Benvolio, and came across this thread! I know… a bit old now. But I thought it was neat - especially because I now own this “cute filly by Benvolio!” She just turned 5 and is a remarkable mare! Her name is Bellissima and we are getting ready to make our horse show debut in a few weeks. We have plans of showing first and second level this spring, including our freestyles. She is easily schooling 3rd level movements (and we may possibly show 3rd level this fall) and she will have no difficulty reaching and showing competitively at the FEI levels. She has beautiful movement and a great temperament. If you are interested, I’d love to share some photos of her with you, and even hear a bit about Dandridge, so PM me if you’d like.
Sandy
[QUOTE=PiedmontSporthorses;6875264]
Kathy,
I was reading some posts on Benvolio, and came across this thread! I know… a bit old now. But I thought it was neat - especially because I now own this “cute filly by Benvolio!” She just turned 5 and is a remarkable mare! Her name is Bellissima and we are getting ready to make our horse show debut in a few weeks. We have plans of showing first and second level this spring, including our freestyles. She is easily schooling 3rd level movements (and we may possibly show 3rd level this fall) and she will have no difficulty reaching and showing competitively at the FEI levels. She has beautiful movement and a great temperament. If you are interested, I’d love to share some photos of her with you, and even hear a bit about Dandridge, so PM me if you’d like.
Sandy[/QUOTE]
I’d love to see photos also. I still have my Benvolio gelding and adore him
My Benvolio “Baby” wil be 6 this Spring - also a Cornell graduate of their breeding program…LOVE him…we will also be doing some 1st level this year!!! The “B” babies are amazing!!!
[QUOTE=PiedmontSporthorses;6875264]
Kathy,
I was reading some posts on Benvolio, and came across this thread! I know… a bit old now. But I thought it was neat - especially because I now own this “cute filly by Benvolio!” She just turned 5 and is a remarkable mare! Her name is Bellissima and we are getting ready to make our horse show debut in a few weeks. We have plans of showing first and second level this spring, including our freestyles. She is easily schooling 3rd level movements (and we may possibly show 3rd level this fall) and she will have no difficulty reaching and showing competitively at the FEI levels. She has beautiful movement and a great temperament. If you are interested, I’d love to share some photos of her with you, and even hear a bit about Dandridge, so PM me if you’d like.
Sandy[/QUOTE]
Here’s a picture of my Benvolio girl… (not the best quality as it’s a screen shot from a video)
