Meet the spotted former breeding stallion turned Paris 2024 star who loves a banana

One horse that has caught our eye at the Paris Paralympics is El Colorado, the banana-loving Dutch appaloosa who was formerly a breeding stallion. Canada’s Jody Schloss is competing at her third Paralympics, her first with the 16hh 15-year-old gelding.

Jody bought El Colorado, known at home as Denver, in March 2023, having tried him and known from the off that he was the horse for her.

“He was the first horse I tried. He was so good, and I said ‘I want this horse’. My coach said I couldn’t buy the first I saw so we went to Florida and looked at lots more, but I said ‘I want El Colorado!’,” said Jody.

“He was a breeding stallion before. He’s original looking and he’s such a good horse, I have such a great relationship with him.”

El Colorado is by Hannoverian stallion San Remo – who was ridden by Edward Gal as a young horse and also turned his hooves to para dressage – and out of appaloosa mare Sheeza, who is by Knabstrupper stallion Sonny Af Hojmark and out of Dutch appaloosa mare Penny.

Jody, who sustained a brain injury in 1996 when she was in a car accident and has since published a poetry book about her life, was thrilled with Denver’s performance. The pair scored 66.38% in the individual Grade I test this afternoon (3 September).

“I was so impressed with my horse,” she said. “I was very happy with how well he listened as he has his moments. I thought that he would be really nervous but he was ok.

“Every Paralympics so far I’ve been on a different horse, so every time is like my first time. It’s incredible.”

Jody describes Denver as a “very responsive” horse.

“When I get on him he seems to know it’s work time,” she said, adding that he loves bananas. “I’ll definitely give him bananas today.”

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