Hollywood Dancer recovers from severe damage to turn out to be broodmare

Eventer Hollywood Dancer, who was positioned at four-star, has made a outstanding restoration from a severe damage and might be put in foal this yr.

Rider Dani Evans defined that “Holly” was out on grass livery following a small damage – “a tiny niggle” – within the spring of final yr when she suffered a freak accident within the area.

“I had a name to say I wanted to get there shortly and after I noticed her it was fairly a shock to see the harm,” Dani instructed H&H. “We expect one thing had gone alongside her ribcage and aspect, so there was an enormous laceration and it had pierced a lung. It was fairly horrendous to see – and listen to as a result of it had gone into the lung.”

“We had a decide [on whether to put her down] and it wasn’t straightforward standing in a muddy area on prime of a hill. She is owned by Ann Butler, an unimaginable woman who has been an proprietor with me for about 15 years. She was on vacation and I couldn’t pay money for her for what appeared like hours, however was in all probability solely actually 10 minutes.”

Ann mentioned to Dani to observe the vets’ steerage, and though it was clear the then 11-year-old mare’s ridden profession was over, the vets felt she might be saved.

“You couldn’t have a greater broodmare, so it was value going by the method, though she went by loads of problems. She’s effectively now and having a pleasant life so it fully proves it was the appropriate determination, but it surely was a protracted gradual course of,” mentioned Dani.

Holly spent 4 months in a veterinary hospital and Dani paid tribute to B&W Equine Vets, particularly Dicky Hepburn, and Lizzie Kopec, a Bristol vet scholar who stored a horse at Dani’s yard and who was working on the vets.

“She was very useful with communication and figuring out Holly,” she mentioned.

Holly then went for rehabilitation at Sarah George’s Group Inexperienced Horses.

Dani mentioned: “What Sarah did was wonderful – she took a horse who seemed fairly skinny and unwell and inside weeks had her wanting effectively with a shiny coat. Holly was additionally very fortunate to have an proprietor like Ann, and I can’t thank her sufficient for sticking with it. It was beautiful to see an proprietor show how a lot the horses imply to them – not the weekends away and outcomes, however the horse turning into a part of the household.”

Hollywood Dancer returned to Dani’s yard in December and is now going out within the area throughout the day and staying in at night time.

Dani began a small breeding programme final yr and can now work with Ann to breed from Holly. The purpose is to do that as a enterprise and promote her offspring, however Ann will maintain one herself to occasion. They plan to place her in foal this spring and so they can also do an embryo switch.

Hollywood Dancer is by the Contender grandson Dantos out of a mare by Numero Uno. In her eventing profession she gained 10 instances, together with being British five-year-old champion and taking worldwide lessons at CCI* (now CCI2*-L) and CCI3*-L, and completed fifth at Chatsworth and tenth at Bramham and Burnham Market at CCI4*-S stage.

“I need to discover a stallion that makes up for the small issues she lacks so I’m asking numerous educated folks,” says Dani, who’s contemplating Amira Z or Diamant De Semilly.

“She does lack blood however I don’t need to go to one thing too thoroughbred initially as I would like one thing that may bounce and I need to see how effectively her offspring maintain her bounce. She was not a horse to really feel drained, however we by no means obtained the prospect to see if she can be blood sufficient to do it on the prime stage.

“She has an incredible mind so it doesn’t matter if the sire is a bit sharper. We’re lucky she has the very best temperament and angle to work; she’s been a winner all through her profession and I wouldn’t thoughts one other 10 Hollys in my secure.”

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H&H journal editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the trade on a prime occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest stage, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.