Fabulous Finn, The true PC / RC competion school master
15:3hh Irish Sports Horse – Clover Hill Bloodlines (with a good dollop of Thoroughbred in the mix — you can see it in his forward-going nature)
Year of Foaling 2006, vaccine Apr 2026
£5,000
Sire: Nigrasine (GB) TB
Dam: Grove Phyllis ISH Sect B
(Sire – Clover Park ID, Grandsire – Clover Hill ID)
Passport/breeding: Irish Sports Horse Register
History
Finn came to his current family in October 2024, bought to take their competitive 12-year-old up from good competition ponies and riding school horses into proper competitive horse ownership. It’s a job he’s done brilliantly — again.
Before that, he spent four years with another young rider, then also 12, who grew and improved enormously under his careful eye. Predominantly a show jumping partnership, the pair competed at three National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) competitions together. He is, quite simply, a schoolmaster through and through.
We also know that until 2015 he was competing in Ireland, where he was bred and he has a BSJA record from his time competing there, albeit fairly small. But we know very little about his time in this period and can only speculate that he didn’t make the grade for higher level jumping and was moved to England to be sold here.
If you look there is a clip of Finn at the Dublin Horse show in 2012 here:
https://www.irishsport.tv/dublin-horse-show/2012-08-16-thur/small-event-horse/06-sheena-booran-mullafin-cross
Now his current rider is about turn 14 and ready to move on to a horse who can jump upwards of 1m to 1.10m — which is a brilliant problem to have, and the only reason this unicorn of a horse is back on the market. We have to stress: he is a complete one in a million. A horse who loves to go out and compete, who is an absolute star to handle both on the ground and off it, and who is safe and sensible through and through for a competition horse. Honestly, if having two horses were an option for this family, he’d never be leaving.
What He Does
Finn isn’t just a hack — he’s a genuine, proven competition horse.
- Dressage: Currently competing at Novice level. He works in an excellent frame on the bit and will always turn the judge’s eye.
- Show Jumping: Competitive up to 85cm. Push him higher and he’ll try his heart out, but you’re more likely to get a stop or a pole down beyond that height — he knows his job and does it honestly.
- Hunter Trials: Competing up to 80cm.
- Hacking and Fun Rides: Finn is happy at any pace from a gentle walk out to a full gallop up over the downs and everything in between.
The Numbers That Matter
Finn has many win’s and placings at local events where as a team they routinely compete against adults at RC venues. He has qualified several times to compete at Hickstead’s famous main arena with the NSEA, and has also qualified for and attended the NSEA Championships — finishing an impressive 6th out of 176 riders in the 85cm show jumping, and 10th out of 156 in the 75cm. He proudly holds an NSEA Addington Finalist plaque on his stable door.
Under Saddle
He is very forward and keen when jumping, both show jumps and cross country — his impulsion needs to be held back to get the very best out of him. But he is never silly and never dangerous, just occasionally strong and forward-going with it. Out hacking he’s a genuine gentleman, happy to be ridden in front or behind, never spooky or silly, though he does enjoy a good gallop if you let him — equally happy walking calmly through a field on the buckle. He’s also a fantastic lead horse, regularly used to accompany young horses or young riders on the lead rein.
[VIDEO: Finn out hacking / leading a young horse or rider]
We don’t hack on the roads here due to the speed of the traffic on the rural A-road leading to the farm, so it’s fair to say he’s untested there — but nothing about his character suggests it would faze him. And he can be seen walking past this fast paced traffic, just not on the road itself.
Likes and Dislikes
Finn will eat pretty much anything, but he does best on haylage over the winter (or steamed hay if you prefer) — the higher calorific value suits him well when he’s in hard work, and he can develop a cough if fed dry hay all winter long. He lives happily in a small herd of three geldings, usually towards the bottom of the pecking order rather than the alpha — a genuinely easy-going herd member. Despite being a competition horse, he’s fed on a non-heating feed; he simply doesn’t need the extra energy, even in the depths of winter.
He’s an absolute gem to take away and compete — the kind of horse a non-horsey parent or partner can happily hold while you walk the course or check in with the secretary. He self-loads into the trailer, stands quietly tied up or hand grazes at shows, and doesn’t call or shout to other horses. For the farrier, dentist and clipping he’s an angel too — he sees the dentist annually, is clipped regularly through the winter, and just needs a minute to settle to the clippers before you can crack on.
The Honest Bit
Finn does have two small quirks worth knowing about. He doesn’t like his girth tightened up fully the moment you get on — give him a minute, take it up gradually once you’ve ridden for a little while, and you’ll have no trouble at all. In the stable, he can get a little stressy if he thinks he’s going to be left behind when the other horses go out, so he’s usually one of the first out to the field. This can show itself as occasional crib-biting on the stable door, and he’ll also chew on wooden field rails given the chance (we use cribox on any fencing that doesn’t already have an electric strand). It’s occasional, not constant, and it hasn’t affected his teeth or anything else about him.
None of this changes the fact that he is a one in a million horse, perfect for any RC or PC rider. He has no ridden vices whatsoever — no bucking, rearing, bolting or napping.
Health
For his age, Finn is in great health — but in the interest of full honesty, he will not pass a vetting or flexion tests. He has low-grade arthritis in his hocks, managed with injections (both steroid and Arthramid). This has never once stopped him doing his job and is carefully managed by his current owner. He is fully vaccinated and shod on a standard six-week cycle, fed once a day in summer and twice a day in winter.
The Future
We can see two very different, equally happy futures for Finn.
The first is an adult rider looking for a forever horse — someone who understands his limits and is happy to enjoy him for exactly what he is: a safe, honest, capable partner for RC-level activities, for many years to come.
The second is a pre-teen or teen rider looking to build their skills and confidence with a genuine schoolmaster who will look after them, so their parents don’t have to worry. We’ll be honest — this could well mean he’s for sale again in two or three years’ time, once he’s done what he does best and helped a young rider on to their next horse. That’s simply who he is.
Either way, he is not a horse for a complete beginner. The right rider should be confident in all three paces and comfortable with basic jumping — if you’re hoping he’ll teach you to jump from scratch, you may find him a bit too keen and hard to hold. In professional terms, we’d say a good, solid BHS Stage 1 rider, nearly ready for Stage 2, is the right level.
He is the perfect first horse for a good rider wanting to compete successfully at RC level. A calm, caring gentleman who looks after his rider, whether they’re on his back or on the ground. He is loved by everyone at the yard and a favourite to all who know him — the calm reassurance when other horses could be silly, and the perfect boy in literally every way.
A horse you just won’t want to let go
For more information and viewings,
please call us on 07486579671.
