This weeks horse profile is Rio
Thanks to Margaret & Rebecca for the information.

Name Briarsdale Lothario
Stable Name Rio
Date of Birth 11/02/2009
Age now 11 (2020)
Colour Skewbald
Height 17.2hh
Breed Hunter x Welsh Cob
Sire Briardale Holling King
Dam Briardale Abracadabra
Breeder Miss A T Sands
Owner Rebecca Hewit

Where he came from.
I had a phone call from someone I know from vaulting and the question was are you looking for a horse? I said always looking but needs to be in my price range!!! He was the only snag was he needed collected the next morning from Leicestershire!! A quick call to Alistair who drives for Eric Gillies to see where he was handily, he was at the Oakley lorry base 10 mins away. I rang Mick Gillie and he sorted it all out for me and he soon arrived

What was he like as a young horse
The stories from his past owner who has been in touch since he arrived was he was a quick learner and enjoyed work. He has always made a very big noise in his wind even as a 3 year old.

Events he took part in

Dressage
He competed at low level dressage with his first owners and did well.

Show Jumping
He competed in riding Club Team show jumping before we got him and loved jumping.

Cross Country
Henry and Stacey have both had a shot round Charterhall on him and his jumping really is good but sometimes the steering can be pretty interesting but he gets better each yaer.

Showing
Stacey had him at Duns show this year and again his jumping was great jumping a clear round and finishing 5th in the working hunter.

When he became a vaulting horse and where he competed
The week he arrived it snowed which was quite handy as we were in the arena every day teaching him about vaulting. I gave him to Stacey to train up as her horse this time. She has done a brilliant job as circles on a lunge have not come naturally to him. His mouth has been quite tricky but we have hopefully sorted it now 😊 He has done 2 years' worth of National Competitions and has carried lots of vaulters of different levels. He is very reliable and apart from being a bit strong on the ground never puts a foot wrong.

When he became an International horse
He went to Belgium 2019 with a Pairs to give him some experience and also carried a male individual. This all proved invaluable as he ended up Carrying the SSS Squad at the 2019 World Championship's where he showed off all Stacy`s training and did a fabulous job.

When he came to Sunnyside and began helping RDA
He Arrived February half term 2018 and we introduced him to RDA June 2018 and he has been in full time ever since.

Regional and National RDA Competitions
He has been part of the musical ride for 2 years but we havent taken him out to any Dressage competitions as yet.

Hunting
I took him hunting through 2018/2019 season and eventually sussed out the brakes!!! He was always keen and willing if a bit slow for me.   His jumping again was foot perfect and he was brave as a lion across ditches. Since then Stacey and Henry have both had days on him and enjoyed jumping him, he is sometimes a bit annoying as he forgets how big and strong he is but he is getting better

What he is doing while we are not doing RDA Rio has been here two full years and never had a break so he is being allowed to have a month's rest and then we will start his hacking again but a well-earned holiday in the sun is being enjoyed right now

Additiona Information (added March 2021)

Rio has done a lot of hunting this year. It’s not always been plain sailing he loves jumping and hopped over a metal gate the next week he made a bad decision and ran through a wire fence which meant poor stacey fell off. He is vaulting once a week right now which is keeping him busy. Unfortunately he has to go out in the field himself so he has no friends to play with but he has enjoyed the mud. He is not a fan of the ice and his legs tend to slide every where so on very Icey days he gets to stay in bed.