Five-year-old stallion to follow in his father’s hoof prints with South African Lipizzaners
KYALAMI – Stallion Pluto Odaliska 1 is joining the family business as he begins his career with the South African Lipizzaners in Kyalami.
Pluto Odaliska 1 is following in his father’s hoof prints as he begins his career with the South African Lipizzaners.
The stallion, who is five years old, is the only son of Pluto Odaliska who performed with the South African Lipizzaners for many years before he died in 2013. Now the son is taking the reigns as he begins training and performing with the organisation at their grounds in Kyalami. Pluto the younger’s first performance took place on 15 July with rider Kyra Pickering.
“I know we’re not supposed to have favourites here, but I do think he’s my favourite,” said Pickering, who has worked closely with Pluto in training.
“He’s responded very well to training so far, although he does like to go fast. He’s taught me a lot in the year and a half since he began training, backing him [getting him used to the tack used in riding and a rider] has definitely been a learning experience.
“For his first show [on 15 July] his canter was a little fast and his exit wasn’t perfect, but during his second performance [22 July] he definitely improved.”
Pluto began training about a year-and-a-half ago and is one of about 37 horses currently at the South African Lipizzaners grounds in Dahlia Road, where he will stay for the rest of his life as he and his friends put on weekly performances for the public. The main goal for his trainers is to teach him the quadral, where he will be apt at riding in time and in the right place in a controlled way during a routine. This can take between six and seven years to achieve but is considered the highlight of a horses career.
And how like father is the son? According to Pickering, Pluto Odaliska 1 really has inherited aspects from his father, something common in horse breed lines.
“He can definitely be naughty like his father was, and a little stubborn sometimes too.”
You can watch Pluto Odaliska 1 and the other Lipizzaners perform their moves during the South African Lipizzaner’s weekly performances, which take place every Sunday morning at 10.30am.
Details: www.lipizzaners.co.za
