Isadora is a 16.1hh chestnut mare by Dauphin and out of Nordica, registered with KWPN-NA and born in 2013.
“Isadora was the first addition to our family after we moved to Canada. Although we weren’t exactly looking to buy a weanling at the time, she quickly captured our hearts – once we had met her there was no other horse for us. She truly is a member of our family and she knows it, too. Although her approach to work is “less is more,” she is curious about new things and incredibly willing to learn. She absolutely defies the “evil red mare” stereotype and is a huge suck for any attention, making her just our favorite!
So far we were awarded an KWPN high point, an adult amateur high point award, and 3 championships so far (including Provincials) at training level. We have had an outing at First Level and will continue with that this upcoming show season. We are striving to also do some Second Level outings. We’re schooling solid Second Level and started on half-passes, Isadora is quite an eager learner.Our plans for the future are to keep moving her up the levels in dressage as well as supplementing with cross training. We’ve actually just begun free jumping her, which she seemed to enjoy.
Long-term plans are for her to live her entire life with us!-the Van Landeghem family
Isadora was born in full daylight one weekend morning. I still remember finding Nordica dancing nervously by the gate (not like her) and when she saw me arrive with the truck after a trip to UFA, her waters broke. I moved her to a nice grassy paddock away from the other mares and she laid down and delivered this stunning red filly with ease.
Nordica was a huge mare (17.3hh) by Briar, her previous foal for us had been a custom foal and she had been bred to Consul. At last, information that filly (Gabrina) was 16.1 hh as a two years old. Her other foals were by German Riding Ponies and were maturing as full-size horses. We were definitely looking for a stallion that would not add height. We also felt she could use a better shoulder and a rounder canter and we were looking to solidify the dressage aptitude and work ethics by crossing the Briar and Donnerhall blood as the other side of her pedigree was known to be a bit temperamental.
At the time Dauphin was still at Celle and he had the reputation for making smart, well-tempered horses with an aptitude for dressage and very importantly not adding height!
Isadora was one of the easiest foal we ever had as soon as she was a month old. (She was a terror that first month!) It was like she was a re-incarnation of a horse that had already seen it all. She led away from her dam without a fuss, never pulled back, never said no, she just followed along like she had done it all her life. She quickly got the nickname of Isadorable. When it was time to have her ship to her new home she very bravely got on a strange trailer with a braying donkey in it!! The other thing I remember very well was how incredibly cadenced she was at all gaits- right from the start. I think I shot a little video of her at 1 week of age and her trot was like a metronome. Just great, regular, steady rhythm. Her canter was the same.
Dauphin was not very well known in North America at the time and so it took a surprising amount of time for Isadora to find her people but find them she did.
As you read above she is cherished and loved by the entire family.
