Happy Talk (horse)
Encyclopedia
Happy Talk is a horse ridden by American Bruce Davidson
in the sport of eventing
.
Happy Talk was bought by Furlong's brother from Clare Ryan, and was imported to the United States. He was originally intended to be shown in hunter classes at the Royal Dublin Horse Show, but he contracted ringworm and could not compete. Brendan Furlong bought the gelding as a four-year-old, and sent him to show jumper
Michele Grubb, but Happy Talk's personality was not suited to the discipline.
Dr. Furlong's wife, Wendy, began bringing the horse along in eventing, before Davidson began riding him.
Happy Talk was difficult to train in dressage
to the quality he would have to have to by competitive internationally, as he was very siff in his topline. However, Davidson persisted, and competed the horse three times at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day
: 1992, 1993, and 1995. Happy Talk won the event in 1993, and finished eighth and seventeenth respectively in 1992 and 1995.
Happy Talk is now retired at Dr. Furlong's farm in Pittstown, NJ.
Bruce Davidson (equestrian)
Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
in the sport of eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
.
- Foaled: 1983
- Color: BayBay (color)Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish brown body color with a black mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds....
- Sex: GeldingGeldingA gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
- Markings: Star
- Breed: Irish-bred ThoroughbredThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
- Breeding: by Hardboy, out of Unknown by Mon Capitane
- Owners: Bruce Davidson and Dr. Brendan Furlong
- Rider: Bruce Davidson
Happy Talk was bought by Furlong's brother from Clare Ryan, and was imported to the United States. He was originally intended to be shown in hunter classes at the Royal Dublin Horse Show, but he contracted ringworm and could not compete. Brendan Furlong bought the gelding as a four-year-old, and sent him to show jumper
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
Michele Grubb, but Happy Talk's personality was not suited to the discipline.
Dr. Furlong's wife, Wendy, began bringing the horse along in eventing, before Davidson began riding him.
Happy Talk was difficult to train in dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
to the quality he would have to have to by competitive internationally, as he was very siff in his topline. However, Davidson persisted, and competed the horse three times at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day
Rolex Kentucky Three Day
The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The Rolex Kentucky is a CCI**** eventing competition, and the only four-star show in the Western Hemisphere. Four stars is the highest level of competition, the same level of...
: 1992, 1993, and 1995. Happy Talk won the event in 1993, and finished eighth and seventeenth respectively in 1992 and 1995.
Happy Talk is now retired at Dr. Furlong's farm in Pittstown, NJ.