Dutch Horses Unlimited - Warmblood Sport Horses in New Zealand

<body> <p>The stallion Appleton DHU was imported in 2005 from the Netherlands. Appleton is registered with KWPN, and approved by NZWHA (New Zealand Warmblood Horse Breeders Association). All of his progeny shows excellent movement. Besides breeding services, Nicole Bours from Dutch Horses Unlimited also provides riding lessons to riders of all levels. In 2005, the young stallion Appleton G was purchased by Dutch Horses Unlimited, from his breeder AHM Bakker-Brom in the Netherlands. In October 2005, Appleton arrived in New Zealand. Appleton was chosen, because he met the strict conditions, that were imposed by Dutch Horses Unlimited, in order to be able to make the best dressage blood available in New Zealand. <br> Appleton's sire is the young stallion <a href="cgi-bin/HorseDetails.Exe?StallionName=Rousseau">Rousseau</a>, (see also <a href="http://www.hasslerdressage.com">www.hasslerdressage.com</a>) who serves in the United States. Rousseau is owned by Harmony Sporthorses and is amoung the highest rating dressage stallions in the Dutch Warmblood studbook. Rousseau also carries the predicate of 'preferent'. Rousseau's sire was the dressage stallion <a href="cgi-bin/HorseDetails.Exe?StallionName=Ferro"> Olympic Ferro</a>, who was second at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000, with Coby van Balen. Rousseau's dam was by the very influential stallion <a href="cgi-bin/HorseDetails.Exe?StallionName=Roemer">Roemer</a>, which is currently very sought after as an ancestor in a bloodline. <br> Rousseau had a very exciting year in 2007. In February, for a second year in a row (unprecedented!, a Rousseau son was deemed Champion of the KWPN stallion Show. We look forward to Zagreb's bright future under his new name 'Bue Hors Zack' with Blue Hors Stud of Denmark. The KWPN recently released the new stallion index results from the 2006-2007 keuring season and Rousseau has risen to the top, not only with his peer group, but as a pinnacle example of the Dutch warmblood breed. He carries a new dressage index of 181 points, surpassing his peer group by an 8 point margin! As of this writing, Rousseau has three Champion Mares in Holland and five offspring qualified for the PAVO Cup. In February 2008, another Rousseau-son became champion of the KWPN stallion show. For more information about Appleton: <a href="Appleton.htm">Appleton</a>, </p> <p> Nicole was taught the traditional way of Dutch riding by her riding-school cavalry-instructor when she was young. This very strict and proper method gave her the basis on which her riding and training was developed. <br> After moving to the US, managing and training an Arabian breeding farm further grew her riding and training ability. When riding for the Deep South Dressage Association in all levels available with different horses she was noticed by the American gold medallist dressage rider colonel Howard Morris. He invited her to visit his farm and show her abilities on his horses. He was duly impressed and invited Nicole to stay in training for the Olympics. <br> Being married at that time to a US military who got stationed at Okinawa, Japan, she followed him at heart. There she found more horses which she took under her wing and taught US military people the skill of dressage and jumping. This went not unnoticed by Japanese government officials, and she then was invited to teach at the Olympic development facilities in Naha and help cross the t and dot the i for the Seoul Olympic jumping team. After that she stayed on as trainer/instructor until 1998. <br> After three years she returned to the US and opened a training facility in North Carolina. Unfortunately, after an accident which injured her back, she was forced to sell. <br> The leading principle of Nicole's training method is that a happy horse is willing to work for the rider, and as long as it stays happy, it continues to do so. Therefore forwardness and gentle hands are the basics on which the horse's trust is built. <br> For more information on riding lessons: <a href="MRidingLessons.htm">Riding Lessons</a> <br> Dutch Horses Unlimited always has a number of young horses, yearlings and foals for sale. Please check the <a href="cgi-bin/HorsesForSale.exe">Horses for sale</a> page. </p> </body>