Highfield Don Winter

Looking for a well-educated and eye-catching warmblood, experienced in the competition arena and reasonably priced?! Look no further! Introducing Highfield Don Winter affectionately known as Winter, a 13-year-old warmblood gelding standing at 16.2hh. Winter is has been there, done that and bought the souvenir! 

Education, skills and experience: Winter has participated in various disciplines, including eventing and showjumping. He has successfully competed in showjumping to 120 and 1* eventing with his previous owners. 

With his current teenage rider, he has competed and placed 90-105 Interschool and Pony Club showjumping and EVA80 and EVA95 eventing. 

Winter has attended pony club, eventing clinics and show jumping squad throughout his time with the current owner. 

Winter’s current strength is in the show jumping and cross country phases. He will just cruise along on cross country, is very reliable and doesn’t get strong or fast. Winter shows enormous scope with a professional rider but does need support and to be ‘kept together’ on the flat, over bigger show jumping tracks. If he gets flat, he may take a rail, which is mostly due to rider inexperience. 

Winter is educated, with three even paces and established leg yields. His owner believes that his eventing results would quickly improve with consolidation of his dressage. Winter’s elevated and elastic movement yields lovely comments from judges. 

General demeanor under saddle: Winter is willing and responsive under saddle. His rider uses a snaffle bit for dressage, jumping and cross country. Winter has collects when asked correctly. 

Winter doesn’t have any vices under saddle. He loves jumping and can crow hop, or go from walk to a calm canter, in the jump ring. This is not unsettling or nasty, just shows his enthusiasm.  

Current workload/ fitness: Winter is currently in work 1-2 days per week and is lightly competing  at Interschool and Pony Club show jumping competitions.

Handling: Winter is safe and easy to handle - to catch, shoe, wash, saddle and load.

Behaviour: Winter does not need regular work to be safe however does perform best with regular rides. He doesn’t require any ‘working down’ at a competition for jumping. His rider feels that Winter benefits from a good warm up before dressage to help him relax and concentrate.  He does not need lunging after a spell in our experience, even if he has had months off. 

Winter can be girthy and can try to nip when saddling or rugging, more so with woman than with men. This behaviour is minimized by feeding Winter an ulcer prevention/ gut supplement. Winter windsucks without a collar on but it does not affect his weight.  

Feeding and management: Winter is currently fed a basic hay-based diet. When in heavy work he is ‘hard’ fed.

Medical history: Winter does not have any medical issues and his owners have ‘clean’ xrays from 2023 that can be shared with interested parties. 

Rider Suitability: Winter would be suitable for a capable and confident amateur or professional rider - with experience riding and managing larger performance  warmbloods. 

Reason for sale: Winter is reluctantly for sale because he requires either a more experienced rider to enable him to compete at his full potential at the higher levels in eventing or someone who wanted to do straight showjumping which his current owner does not.