Ace Kard

Introduction: Ace is a well bred and talented young horse, who has had a fabulous start to his ridden career and who absolutely loves to jump. He is bred to excel in either showjumping or eventing. Ace presents an amazing opportunity to take on a young horse with the bloodlines, conformation, scope and temperament to make it at the top level. 

Bloodlines: Ace is exceptionally well bred - he is by the World Class, Olympic bloodline, sire Wild Kard. His dam registered warmblood mare, imported from Germany, called Belle Esprit - who is by Quidam de Revel. 

Wild Kard is by Kannan GFE, a renowned KWPN stallion known for his exceptional Grand Prix show jumping career and influence in sport horse breeding. He is out of Wild Oats (Belcam Cayla) a 5* eventer.

Belle Esprit is by Quidam De Revel, who passed away in early 2014, is remembered not only as a world class Nations Cup and Olympic jumper - who placed fourth in the individual at Barcelona - but as a prolific elite sire as well. She was out of Vinant.

Conformation: Ace has been allowed to mature slowly and, as such, will be sound throughout his competition career. He is a modern, compact and athletic warmblood whose size makes him suitable for a smaller/ lighter rider. 

Education, riding and experience: Ace was broken in at 3 years old. He has been beautifully well started and has an excellent foundation. Ace has shown scope, bravery and carefulness over a variety of jumps. He knows the correct leads, loves to jump and will jump anything!

Over the last two years Ace has had solid blocks of professional schooling with Lever Equestrian and Siribati Park. He has been to lessons, cross country schooling, been ridden at many different venues, swam in dams, ridden down roads and trail ridden. He is well exposed, tolerant of the atmosphere and not at all spooky. 

Ace’s recent training has included some free jumping which has shown his scope and love for jumping. He is very forward and active when asked to jump and boldly goes down the jumping lane and over all jumps on the lunge. Ace has had limited jumping under saddle due to his age.

Ace can be very quiet and knows the right way to do everything but, like many young horses, often needs reminding of his manners. Ace is still maturing physically and mentally and requires further schooling and competition exposure to establish a reliable ‘go’ button, an understanding of collection and a tolerance to less experienced or less confident riders.

Current workload/ fitness: Ace is currently in light work. He is safe to ride after a spell and doesn’t need a lot of work to be sensible. Ace is currently being ridden 2 x week by a professional.

Handling: Ace is generally sensible to handle and has had a variety of ground work, liberty work and free jumping. He is easy to catch, hard tie, groom, saddle, wash, float and for the farrier. 

Behaviour: Ace is green but with the right rider, he is vice free and sensible under saddle. He is not at all spooky under saddle but he can be sensitive ín his skin’ - almost ticklish when being shampooed or rugged. Eating is a full body experience, he gets so excited by food he starts jumping and kicking on the spot whilst eating.

Feeding and management: Ace does not require any specific feeding or management.

Medical history: Ace does not have any medical issues. He is a healthy, physically strong and super sound horse with excellent hard feet. He is currently bare foot and can be ridden over all terrain without shoes. 

Rider Suitability: Ace requires an experienced rider defined as someone who has a lifetime of experience producing and competing both young and educated horses.  Unfazed by any nonsense and has the ability and experience to ride green horses.

Ace is green and is somewhat quirky to ride and handle. He is a very different horse depending on the rider.

Ace performs well with an experienced rider who is firm but kind, has consistent expectations, understands contact and pressure/ release and has a steady lower leg. With this type of rider, Ace may question the commands for a few minutes of the first ride,  he will not react or escalate. He will then go willingly and kindly.

If Ace is ridden by a rider with an unsteady lower leg, who niggles or nags at him or has a tense contact, Ace may get cranky, pigroot or jack up.

In saying that, when ridden when Ace is in professional schooling, he is reliable and willing for the odd ride with a less experienced rider. Over time, however, we have concerns that things may ‘únravel’ and he may test the rider. We believe that, in a few years, once Ace has a reliable ‘go’ button installed and he matures physically and mentally, he will be suitable for a junior or amateur rider.

Reason for sale: Ace is for sale on behalf of his owner, who has carefully overseen his education over the last two years, but unfortunately doesn’t have an experienced ‘young horse’ rider for him.

With Ace’s  intelligence, talent, and willingness to please, he is perfect for a professional to bring on and compete at the top level, in preparation for him to be owned by a junior or amateur in the future.