Horsemanship flows by the showjumping Charles household’s genes and 11-year-old Harvey Charles is not any exception. The eldest son of British showjumpers Nick and Nicky (nee Boulter), has loved leaping his ponies from the household residence within the Dordogne, France, however just lately stepped as much as soar one in every of his father’s former high showjumpers Falco Del Tirso in spectacular type.
The 22-year-old gelding was retired from competitors 4 years in the past and has had a “few simple years” however the eager and assured Harvey had been “itching to get on” his dad’s horse.
“The boys [Harvey and his seven-year-old brother Frankie] have typically sat on Falco and we’ve led them about on him, however that’s it,” says Nicky. “He’s fairly a strong horse and nonetheless stuffed with beans – he’s 22, however he’s not a dobbin rocking horse, he’s an keen beaver and says ‘Let me on the jumps’. So it’s a must to be a bit gamey to journey him.
“However Harvey’s not afraid, he’s acquired 100% pure expertise there. So just lately Harvey had a number of rides on Falco inside after which we went outdoors and we requested if he wished to attempt leaping him and he simply nailed it! It was as if he’d been doing all of it his life.
“My response was simply ‘Oh my God’. I used to be so proud, it was like a dream come true for Harvey to be leaping Nick’s horse,” says Nicky, who was on-hand to video their first spherical of fences whereas husband Nick was helping from the sidelines with a number of directions.
“It was actually moist – we’d simply had a large downpour – so it wasn’t the perfect video, however I couldn’t not share it,” she says.
‘He had the most important smile’
The massive pats Falco receives from younger Harvey are a sign of simply how a lot each horse and jockey appeared to benefit from the expertise.
“Should you might have seen his face – he simply had the most important smile, he was virtually chuckling to himself as he rode spherical,” says Nicky. “He rode him so nicely. The last word purpose could be to get the 2 of them out to some small reveals in the summertime, maybe soar a number of 1m lessons and see the way it goes.
“It’s good for Falco too, he’s loving it. It’s additionally nice for Harvey to have that type of horse to be taught on as a result of he’ll train him nicely. If Harvey makes a mistake, Falco will assist him out, but in addition he’ll train Harvey to journey correctly as a result of he received’t let him get away with something.
“Harvey may be very tall for an 11-year-old, he’s very sporty, all the time outdoors and doesn’t wish to be in the home, which is an efficient factor,” says Nicky, who moved from the UK to south-west France seven years in the past.
She and her husband each compete usually at their native venues and Nicky Charles nonetheless produces kids for Outdated Lodge, for whom she has ridden many high horses together with Tremendous Trooper De Ness.
“Harvey’s had a few cracking little ponies, together with Ben, who Frankie is on now and leaping 50cm and 60cm lessons [pictured below]. Harvey loves it. He doesn’t just like the mucking out or the brushing, however he adores the using and he loves the ponies and horses,” says Nicky. “He’s acquired such confidence and he simply will get on and does it. I mentioned to Nick ‘I couldn’t have completed that at 11, might you?’ and he mentioned ‘No!’
“All of us do it collectively and watch and help one another, which we actually encourage – on the nice days and the unhealthy days!
“Harvey retains telling me he desires to be a showjumper so watch this house!”
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