The Mare

Volante was adopted through Thorncroft as she, her dam and 3 year old full brother were abandoned and starving. The full brother and dam were not able to be saved in the end. Volante was a bit of an ugly duckling with her long legs and rangey frame but later blossomed into an outstanding riding horse. She was one of the first frozen semen foals born here in the United States and the first to reside here at Watermark Farm.

In spite of her rough beginning in life, Volante grew into her large frame and was a family favorite for fox hunting, show jumping, eventing and dressage. She carried both Emily and Ellie around several Preliminary level events with multiple top 3 placings. Also Emily competed her through Prix St. Georges with high scores.

Her gaits were large and ground covering. Volante’s jumping form was scopey and powerful but the most outstanding quality of all her athletic abilities was her enormous canter stride. With her long legs a 3′6″ fence felt just like a big stride and making time out cross country was never an issue.

Her sire Volturno needs little introduction with his outstanding competition record. His untimely death was one of the great tragedies of the horse importing industry. Volturno is buried at the Kentucky Horse Park with this plaque as a marker:

Volante’s dam was a successful Intermediate event horse with an adult amateur rider in the irons. There is plenty of talent for the sport of three day eventing in this mare’s genetic background.

In her late teens, Volante was bred successfully to Adamant and produced As You Wish WF in the spring of 2001. We eventually placed her with Bonnie LaMonte of Mouse House Farm where she had 2 additional foals by Costner.

Offspring Videos