Midnight Dancer

This family-produced Connemara has won pony European gold medals for both Ellie Healy and her younger brother, Finn. Pippa Roome profiles the sensitive grey who does whatever is asked of him

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SARAH HEALY, MOTHER OF RIDERS

“WE bought Midnight Dancer as a four-year-old in Ireland from the Doyle brothers. He was the second of about 10 Connemaras, who were all just sat on and ridden away – but Ellie didn’t think ‘number two’ was an acceptable name, so she called him ‘Casper’.

“He was my favorite as I was looking for a more blood type and something that wasn’t massive because I knew he would grow. When he trotted he had real movement and when we saw him ridden, the lad missed him to an oxer and he obliterated it – but he never missed a beat and the next time, he boomed off the floor.