The Horse

Avebury WF is an incredibly athletic and kind stallion who is the result of over 40 years of genetic selection at Watermark Farm. Avebury WF captures your attention at first glance with his beautiful head and soft expression. After you have absorbed his gentle demeanor, your eye is drawn to his classic conformation and powerful exterior.

Avebury’s effortless engagement and powerful motions are pleasing to both the eye and the rider. His canter is ground covering with great reach of the foreleg and engagement of the hindquarter. From a rider’s perspective, you are balanced neatly on top of a rubber ball with minimal effort on his part. The ultimate power lies right beneath your seat bones awaiting your smallest command. Avebury’s trot covers ground with clearly defined freedom in the shoulder and overstep with the hind leg.

It is his jumping technique that is phenomenal. Over fences he is meticulous, quick and bold with good technique and excellent scope. His approach to fences is relaxed and calm. He jumps using his powerful quarters to clear each obstacle in his path – the feeling for the rider is incredible! At his Stallion Inspection, Avebury received high marks for his very good use of his hind quarters over the fences and consistent ability focus on the obstacles. Out in the open, Avebury maintains excellent focus on what is asked of him with the next obstacle and is a confident jumper over banks, ditches and water with great care for the terrain.

Avebury’s affectionate nature and respectful demeanor make him a delight to work around and a pleasure to ride. He is an intelligent stallion who is well aware of his masculinity but constantly focused on the human near him. His manners on the ground are exceptional and make him an easy horse to manage. It is normal for him to spend his 'down time' tied to a trailer at an event with other horses being prepared all around him.

In October of 2009, Avebury WF completed his performance requirements as an eventing stallion under the tutelage of Ryan Wood. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Phillip & Evie Dutton, the staff ofTrue Prospect Farm and Ryan Wood for their assistance in preparing Avebury for his career as an event horse.

In the early spring of 2010, Avebury departed to the warmer weather found in Aiken, S.C. and will remain in full training with Ryan Wood at Phillip & Evie Dutton's Red Oak Farm. Avebury has had positive results at all of his competitions thus far and has quickly moved up the ranks to Training Level in April 2010 with Ryan. At their first Open Training (4/10 Fair Hill Horse Trials), Ryan and Avebury placed 8th out of 16 competitors with a clean cross country! At the end of May 2010, Avebury has continued to impress the community with his scope, talent and amiable temperament. There are not many active breeding stallions that spend their competition days standing tied to a trailer with plenty of traffic in the vicinity! He is an exceptional stallion who is performing well while fulfilling his breeding duties.

Over the early part of the summer of 2010, Avebury has returned to Watermark Farm to fulfill his breeding commitments. He is proving to be a daily delight to Ellie's riding list! They are working on Third and Fourth Level dressage with an eye towards competing a bit before he returns to True Prospect for the Fall competition season. His flying changes are uphill and easy, the lateral work is balanced but it is his trot that is becoming more spectacular with each ride! He is a true son to the Absatz line with the powerful hindquarters and good use of the foreleg. Credit must also be given to his damsire Dekor for the highly trainable mind and exceptionally comfortable trot.

We were thrilled to have Avebury return to competition with Ryan in the irons in August 2010. They competed one last Training Level at Waredaca and then moved up to a challenging Preliminary at Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Horse Trials with outstanding results! Clean cross country outings and a dressage scores in the mid 30's! Two fourth place finishes! Congratulations to Team Avebury!

With a change in the focus of the farm, we have brought Avebury home to focus on his dressage training. He is schooling PSG and has lovely 2 tempi changes. We are extremely proud to say he has found a new home at Dark Horse Stables and will be moving on in the Jumpers with his fantastic new owner Doug Walsh! Best of luck to two awesome fellas!!