Clear To Here, a 2015 Sky Mesa x Lough Derg gelding, stands out for his wonderful personality.

Clear To Here, known as Hero here at the farm, thrives on attention, adoring pets and scratches, and will eagerly follow you around the field, even without a lead. Despite his impressive size (at 16.3 hands), Hero is easily handled, coming in and out of the barn or field, heading to the arena or anywhere else.

Like any horse, Hero can occasionally get a bit anxious due to environmental factors, which comes across as a bit of jiggy-jogging or calling out to his friends. However, with gentle corrections, he easily settles back to his calm demeanor.

In the barn, Hero is a perfect gentleman, whether being groomed, tacked up, bathed, or clipped. You can groom him in his stall and he’ll just munch on some hay, or leave him in the cross ties while you grab your tack.

Under saddle, Hero is exceptionally adaptable. His natural gate is quite relaxed and not too forward. He has seamless transitions through his walk, trot, and canter to both the right and left. Hero tends to have a slight downhill balance, but he responds promptly to subtle aids, making him easy to correct. Lately, his training has focused on developing his flexibility and balance, particularly when navigating turns and circles. Since he is such a big guy, it does take a moment for him to really understand how to use his back muscles and engage fully when turning or doing circles. Hero’s intelligence shines through his eagerness to please; once he grasps what is being asked, he dedicates himself fully to the task.

There’s a sense of clear communication with Hero, when asked to perform, he seems to say, “I’ve got it!” It always feels like a two-way conversation with him while riding. Additionally, he is a joy to jump over the occasional cross rail or small vertical. When jumping, Hero is forward and carries his pace well.

After training rides (or instead of working in the arena) Hero is a pleasure to hack around the farm, whether solo or with others. He walks calmly and quietly, on a loose rein, and shows no inclination to rush back to the barn. His relaxed demeanor makes him an ideal partner for leisurely hacks around. Hero has trailered off-site for lessons and trail rides, and has no trouble going to new properties. He is well mannered for group lessons and shows no signs of being bothered by other horses in the arena with him.

One of Hero’s greatest strengths is his approach to pasture dynamics. While he tends to be at lower end of the pecking order in larger herds, he naturally befriends the fellow lower-ranked horses, creating a compatible sub-herd. His adaptability makes him a perfect turnout companion for horses of all backgrounds. Hero is compatible with geldings, mares, yearlings, older horses transitioning to lighter work, fractious fillies or colts recently retiring from the track, or horses in rehabilitation who need a safe turnout buddy. He can take a playful joke (kicks) without retaliating and his calm demeanor has a soothing effect on his more nervous pasture mates. Hero is easy to catch, as he will often meet you at the gate, and just as easy to turn back out.

Hero is a former racehorse, though his career, while initially promising, was shorter than anticipated. As a 3-year-old, he showed impressive potential, winning in his career debut, but soon after he unfortunately experienced a bowed tendon. Hero received careful rehabilitation and is now focused on becoming a reliable partner for any type of rider.

Hero does have mild to moderate shivers, a neuromuscular syndrome characterized by involuntary muscle tremors that causes one of his hind legs to “shiver” when he holds it up. While it does not affect him, under saddle, it does cause him to be slower and more cautious of picking up his left hind leg, though he can hold it up for hoof picking and blacksmith work. While there is no definitive cure, regular exercise and bodywork have significantly alleviated his symptoms.

Overall, Clear To Here excels as a reliable and trustworthy partner for riders of all ages and experience levels. With consistent exercise and maintenance, he will continue to improve and grow on the skills he possesses now. For anyone seeking a forever friend and trusted partner, Hero is truly a rare find.

Clear To Here is priced at $4,500 (trial ride and PPE welcome).

Flatwork 6/14/24: https://youtu.be/y3f2xWDPTlA?si=T4ST_yxSPlMXLPLf