Merle-Smith Sporthorses

05/06/2025

🤩🤩 First one of the season!

05/03/2025

Joel missed getting a photo or video of us playing in the arena, but Cora and I spent ten minutes jumping all the jumps in tandem. I’m not nearly as scopey as she!! She’s the best baby pony in the world!!
•

04/27/2025

RMF Miss Aoife arrived last night at midnight! So beautiful and sweet!! 🥹🥰
•

04/20/2025

I am forever thankful to have this boy in my barn. Thank you Maura Jordan for trusting me to help him become as special as he was meant to be!! 🥰

Snitch became an APPROVED ACPS Stallion by the Connemara inspectors last summer following his big wins 🏆 in the breed classes at Upperville C**t & Horse Show (Champion) and Warrenton Pony Show (Reserve Champion).

He absolutely lives for his #1 job as a first-flight foxhunter hunting with Thornton Hill Hounds, Keswick Hunt Club, and Snickersville as a visitor.

He drives a cart and has competed in unrecognized horse trials, with USEA on the 2025 calendar.

His offspring are consistently friendly and easy-going, taking on their sire's incredible temperament.

Consider Snitch for your favorite mare. Stud services - 1 🥕🥕🥕
Special consideration for purebred Connemara mares! 😉
[email protected]

✨ If you are looking for one already on the ground, please contact me! I know of several for sale by their owners!

04/19/2025

My purebred Connemara breeding adventure is beginning this year! 🙌🤞
•
Gallo’s Coriandrum was bred to W.H. Topgun-this weekend for her first foal. 😍
•
My newly acquired mare, RMF Miss Aoife is finally getting picked up by the shipper in California today and will be home to me next week! She is getting bred to BSF Golden Snitch 😍
•
I am so honored to be taking part in preserving this incredible breed - Connemaras really do it all!
•
Edited to add— I want to thank the ACPS stallion auction and Elliott Timmons for the opportunity to get a Topgun breeding at a small discount!
•
Another thank you goes to Lisa Martin for giving me the opportunity to own a mare I have coveted for many years, RMF Miss Aoife!
•

04/18/2025

My sweet Chinggis Khan wants more girlfriends!
His first foal is due this spring!

Our young stallion, Chinggis Khan, has really blossomed into quite a lovely competition horse. He is brave, confident, respectful, and quiet! But he also has plenty of "GO" if asked! Last year, I competed him in the Young Event Horse classes and at Warrenton Hunt Night!
•
Chinggis is bred for athleticism, grace, hardiness, and temperament. He is about 75% TB with lots of bone.
•
Please consider him for your mare this season!
Stud services - 1 🥕🥕🥕
[email protected]
•
His Thoroughbred mother, Empress Lisa, is a career foxhunter at age 19, and his father, Concerto Grosso, was bred for the big European show jumping tracks. While he didn't get the chance to do so, he was wholly capable. He had numerous siblings who won the Hickstead and Hamburg derbies-- even in their older years! Concerto competed in his first three-day events at age 15, going in all three phases in a loose ring snaffle! He is well-known for passing on his good temperament.
•

04/08/2025

Thrilled to be standing this boy!! Please LIKE and SHARE!!

Stud services - 12🥕🥕 - includes first collection
Please contact us via email at [email protected] to book into Blue's Little Black Book!!
https://www.virginiafieldhunters.com/blue-clover

04/07/2025

On March 23, we hosted the Region 3 American Connemara Pony Society meeting at Sunny View.
•
After shopping in the Region 3 Boutique, we ate lunch while holding our meeting in front of the barn.
•
Then, I demonstrated my equine bodywork on one of my favorite redheads, Fortune Cookie.
•
As a perfect bookend to the afternoon, we showed off our purebred and halfbred ponies free in the arena.
•
A massive thank you to Katie Backstrom, my husband Joel, and my mom Rosie for helping this event run smoothly!!
•
It was an absolute pleasure to have everyone out! We are excited for the future of our Connemara breeding program and involvement in the ACPS!!
•

04/01/2025

Our boys still have some space left in their ✨2025✨ Little Black Books! 💖
~
We breed for brains 🧠 and beauty! 🦄
~
Contact us today to add your girl to the list! 😉
💌 [email protected]
Louisa, Virginia 📍

03/31/2025

We just moved the stallions around to accommodate for breeding season, so naturally, they wanted to race. 😎
•
I’ve watched this video over and over again, as it’s fascinating to compare Raven Sky and Chinggis Khan.
•
Raven Sky is 100% Thoroughbred and currently barefoot, but about to get steel shoes on. He has been barefoot all winter and is not tender, except for on really rocky gravel. 16.2 hands.
•
Chinggis Khan is 75% Thoroughbred/ 25% Holsteiner and currently has four steel shoes on. Also 16.2 hands.
•
I watch and compare their head placement, leg and foot movement, and speed. It will be interesting to see how differently Raven will gallop this race with shoes on.