Former cow-herding Western pony qualifies for HOYS: ‘He has his own ways – you just have to embrace them!’

Fifteen-year-old showjumper Ella Spencer showed tremendous form to collect a brace of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) tickets, for the pony Foxhunter and pony newcomers finals at the recent summer pony premier show (29-30 June) at Chard Equestrian in Somerset.

Ella finished runner-up and third respectively in the two classes with the talented seven-year-old Rouet Rouge.

This son of Balou Du Rouet had an unusual start under saddle, originally being used for Western riding.

“We’ve seen pics of him herding cows, and also of him being ridden with no bridle,” said Ella’s mother, television presenter and racing journalist Emma Spencer.

“He wasn’t broken until he was five and he is quirky but he’s come on a lot in a very short space of time.”

“He wasn’t very rideable but he just had so much jump”

Emma first spotted Rouet Rouge on a sports pony website and went to see him, but admits that Ella “hated him” at first.

“He wasn’t very rideable,” Emma explained. “I said that I loved him as he just had so much jump.

“In the end I sent some videos to Ella’s trainer Peter Moloney who said he’d go and try him – he told me to buy him and said he’d sort the rideability out.

“Ella loves him now,” Emma Spencer added. “There’s no badness in him, he just has his own little ways you have to embrace!”

You can read the full report from Chard’s summer pony premier show in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in shops Thursday 11 July.

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Jennifer Donald

H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.