Our Horses
Our Horses
FindusatGorcombe (Findus)
Findus was rather cruelly named as a foal after the news broke that there was horse meat found in Findus Lasagnas! He has been a great start for the whole adventure in horse racing for us and the main reason of trying to share this experience with others. There have been many ups and downs including splitting his jaw open as a five year old and winning his first point to point race with the wires still in his mouth!
As a horse he is very well natured and pretty chilled having fallen asleep in his stable the first time they put a saddle on him! But he really has a huge heart and tries so hard for us having won five times and placed 6 more over hurdles and fences, we really could not have wished for a nicer and more honest horse to follow.
Gorcombe’s Rascal (Damien)
Damien the second horse in the team, was first named after the devil child in the cult film The Omen! It wasn’t because he was evil, don’t worry, but more that he had a devilish streak in him. If anyone didn’t pay attention to him he was renowned for little bites, kicks, and foot treading just to make sure that you were awake! Even now you still have to be alert around him or pay him attention.
Damien started his career very well at point to points and showed a lot of promise, never quite executing a complete performance but showing moments of brilliance! Sadly after a holiday he returned to training with a swelling and a small hole in his tendon so had to take the year off! He is just coming back now, but his tendon is still tight so will be worked gently to try and get his tendon strong enough to race so its fingers crossed on his progress.
MissyouatGorcombe (Missy) (Sunshine)
Missy was named simply because she was our first filly, but then was renamed Sunshine by Phillipa down at Jimmy’s where she stole her heart and became her favourite in the stable although she isn’t allowed to admit this officially! Missy, a half sister to Findus, is very spirited, sometimes a little bit too much, when she was first learning the trade making it quite an exciting start to her morning rides out for Phillipa!
We probably didn’t push Missy as quick as she needed and I feel she still has a true talent to shine through, but this we will only find out this year as she comes back to the track as until now she has struggled to finish races. Hopefully as she gets older she will develop and show the same traits as Findus!
Note: Missy has recently had a change of career. She now works in the yard and is loving life!
John of Gorcombe (Carter)
Carter again named down at the racing stables has been given the race name John of Gorcombe , after my late Uncle John Meaden, who started the whole breeding and racing line we follow today. Being named after John, I really hope this one does well and makes him proud if he is looking down on us!
Carter is just like Uncle John, very caring, an absolute gentleman, very laid back and he just seems to be late! That is, a bit late at developing into his huge frame, comfortably over 17 hands he is taking a while to master the size of his body but hopefully like a lot of Uncle John’s horses he will be a late developer!
John has now joined the team as Missyouatgorcombe has taken a career change! Last year he was given a wind operation as struggled to take on enough air as a race developed, hopefully this will help and we will see some huge improvements this year!
Lunar and Bolt
These two share the same Sire Alqaahir, although from different Dams, they both share a very similar athletic build and are often quite hard to tell apart. Lunar was named after the half moon shaped white mark on his forehead, whilst Bolt was born during a night of lightning, not being named after the prolific sprinter Usain.
Both these two year olds have been broken and have shown some nice early promise, looking like they will hopefully progress towards the track next year and again some very hopeful back-ups for the team should we need them.
Angel, Buddy & Spencer
These three little characters also all share the same sire, Bollin Eric. This was the last sire John Meaden chose for his two remaining racehorses for their first foals and very randomly the one I picked out for Seem of Gold the same year.
Angel is out of Champagne Rosie a prolific point to point winner for John and named for being an absolute dream to work with from day one, she is certainly a little darling and seems to steal a lot of people’s hearts.
Buddy is Seenigora’s foal, a big strong colt who has inherited his sire’s striking white feet, and fingers crossed his talent as well. Not too sure how he actually got his name except it stuck from when Mark named his little pal.
Spencer the youngest is out of Seem of Gold, a very striking foal, nearly black in colour with a white blaze on his forehead he truly stands out even before his character gets you. Full of energy and mischief, Spencer can often be seen attempting to bully the other foals and two year olds into playing. Named after the lovable but annoying comedian Frank Spencer he certainly earns it!
