Breaking the Stereotype - The Small Tour Dressage Quarter Horse

This article is from the December 2020 Horse Deals magazine.

Virginia Holmes’ Small Tour Dressage Quarter Horse, Cedar View Impression

Tell us about Cedar View Impression. Little Ern is a pure bred Quarter Horse by Splendid Hunchdeck, born November 2000. He’s a 15hh chestnut gelding.

Ern was purchased as a rising three-year-old as a backup dressage horse to his older half brother (Cedar View Gifted). At the time of inspection, a little chestnut gelding kept following me around while I was checking him out at his breeder’s place. Well I had to purchase him!

What was Ern bred for? Ern was bred to compete in the western disciplines, at the time of purchase his paces were fairly average so I didn’t think he would go beyond Novice level in dressage competitively.

What were his major achievements in the dressage arena? As a rising six year old he won five National Dressage/Hacking Titles with the Australian Quarter Horse Association at Novice/Elementary Level (Q6). One of which was High-Point Dressage Horse of the Year.

Prior to Amateur Owner Rider (AOR) coming into Official EA Dressage competitions, Ern had to compete against the professional riders and purpose-bred Warmbloods. He tried his heart out to win numerous regional/country championships from Preliminary to Prix St Georges/Intermediate 1 (FEI Small Tour).

He qualified in the main fields from Novice to Medium at the NSW State Dressage Championships and National Dressage Championships and at Advanced Level for the 2012 CDI (there were usually Reserve lists of up to 15 combinations at these competitions, so to get in the main field was an achievement in itself).

Once AOR came into official EA competitions Ern competed at the Dressage NSW Winter Festival to gain AOR FEI Small Tour Reserve Champion. He went on to the 2015 NSW State Dressage Championships where again he won AOR FEI Small Tour Reserve Champion.

After competing Ern at his final NSW State Championships in 2017, I retired him from major FEI competitions.

What did Ern get up to after his dressage career with you? I offered Ern to a young up and coming rider, Clay Aitkin (who was 11 years old at the time) as a schoolmaster. Ern stayed with me most of the time while Clay and Ern developed an amazing partnership. Ern had to be downgraded to Novice so Clay could compete in Official EA Competitions.

They started competing in local events in late 2017 at EA Novice Level. During 2019 the partnership progressed rapidly. At the Dressage NSW Winter Festival, Clay and Ern took out the Young Rider Elementary Championship. Later in the year, they won the Young Rider Medium/Advanced Champion at the Mid North Coast Regional Championships. A bonus to these successes was that the combination was selected for the NSW Young Rider Squad (of which most riders were over 20 years of age while Clay was twelve years of age).

Unfortunately earlier this year we found some arthritic changes in Ern’s hock which resulted in his work becoming painful for him. So with a heavy heart, I decided to retire him from all work and competition. This, unfortunately, meant that Clay could not participate in the Young Rider Squad Clinics. Ern is now happily retired with me here at home.

Are there any aspects he struggled with? During Ern’s competition career, he often struggled with the look of being “downhill” in the higher-level work due to his Quarter Horse conformation. However, he worked very hard to perform his work “uphill” like the Warmbloods. Being a country horse he always struggled travelling to the major competitions in Sydney where he would show his anxiety by not eating or drinking well. However, he never showed his anxiety in his tests – always giving 150%.

At the major competitions, he always let us know it was time to go for a walk. Needless to say, he took us for a walk rather than the other way round.

What comments did you receive in regards to Ern’s breed? Ern became a popular horse in our region – giving many local riders the opportunity to ride and “feel” the higher FEI level movements. Many people would often comment as to what an “inspiration” he was to them as he showed that non-purpose-bred horses could compete successfully in the challenging sport of dressage. Some comments on the announcement of his retirement are as follows:

“A gentleman and a champion” – Jane Parkinson

“Little Ern sure is one in a million” – Sarah Lyons

“So inspiring and so worthy of the best retirement” – Helen Simpson

“He’s one in a million with a heart as big as Australia! You gave 150% always” – Judy Isaacs

“Awww Little Ern you have inspired so many” – Linda Pike

“What a little champion you have been. What a privilege to be one of those twenty or so lucky people to get a lesson!” – Jo-Anne Border

“To Little Ern, the little engine that could” – Tracy Carpenter

“Always lovely to watch. An inspiration to many” – Anne Webster

“He has always been my inspiration and will continue to be” – Narelle Rudder Lunan

“He is a fabulous horse, a real friend and will be missed in the arena” – Roger Fitzhardinge

“A very special horse, a very special partnership” – Adrienne Foulkes

Ern is a one in a million horse that I was lucky to partner for nearly seventeen years. I will never forget the special bond we had - now he relaxes in his paddock watching over the younger ones who are also taking on the challenge of dressage.

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