Krista Kolijn has decided to retire her small tour horse Wish after a five-year career in international top sport.
Wish is a 17-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by OO Seven out of Serendy (by Jazz). He is bred by the late, legendary Huub van Helvoirt.
Kolijn purchased Wish in 2014 when the horse was 11-years old. The black gelding took more after his dam sire and was quite spooky and sensitive.
At the time her boyfriend-now husband, Dutch horse dealer Diederik Wigmans, convinced her that with good management they could change him.
"First I really did not think it would work. When I could move the zipper of my jacket one centimeter down, he would bolt through the arena," Kolijn told De Hoefslag. "Then I immediately said, 'if we can make it work, he will never sell'."
The pair made its CDI debut at the 2015 CDI Deauville at small tour level with scored of 63 and 58%. From there it only went upwards and between 2015 and 2019 the pair competed at numerous internationals such as Nice, Lamprechtshausen, Le Mans, Drachten, Oliva, Fritzens, Pompadour, Hickstead, Ranshofen, Ermelo, and Leudelange.
Wish gave Krista some scary moments. While competing at the the 2017 CDI Ermelo, the horse developed cardiac arrhytmia and had to be operated on at the equine clinic in Ghent, Belgium.
Their last international was the CDI Nice in October 2019 where they had moved up to Medium Tour level and placed second twice in the Inter B and Inter II with 67%.
The 47-year old Kolijn has now decided to retire him to the field.
"I just started to notice that it was really an effort to perform for him. I'm not so experienced at Grand Prix level and need to practice a lot and it's just too much for him," she explained. "I want to stay honest. You don't go back to small tour after you reached Grand Prix. it's not a good plan and I think he earned his retirement."
Source: De Hoefslag
Related Links
Huub van Helvoirt Passed Away
Scores: 2017 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses