Half brother to our near-legendary Andalusian/Welsh cob cross Fumar (see Past Sales), who had possibly the best temperament we've ever seen in a horse, Winter has an elegance and charm all his own. He owes his steadiness and cooperative intelligence to his Andalusian sire, but adds his dam's lovely, refined neck and a canter that has been balanced and adjustable from day one. Winter is so much fun to ride that it's a struggle every day to remember that he's only three. Luckily it's easy to keep the rides short and enjoyable with such a willing, intelligent partner—every ride is productive and ends well with this boy. On the ground Winter is curious and lively-minded (Miranda calls him "Snoopy") but always well-mannered. Leggy and nearly 16 hands at three, he will likely mature well over 16 hands, probably between 16.1 and 16.2.

   Winter was trained to drive both double and single, taking traffic in stride, before he came to Manor Minor. At present he is working at a fairly polished training level, and lengthens and comes back nicely in both trot and canter. He is pleasant on the trails, alone or in company. His lateral work has so far been restricted to the walk except for a light introduction to leg yield in trot because of his youth; we expect him to be schooling a solid first level in the spring soon after he turns four. He is a straightforward ride, light in the hand, balanced, and responsive to seat. Canter is his best gait and his gait of choice, which bodes well for his progress up the levels. This is an exceptional prospect for an amateur who wants to move up the levels and have fun while doing it!

   Below are three little clips. The first is a bit of a lesson with Debbie Bowman. The other two show Winter's insouciance in the face of weather and traffic: the first shows him pulling a buggy on a road in Indiana the winter before he came here; in the other, after only two weeks under saddle at Manor Minor, he demonstrates how much fun riding in a summer downpour can be.