Dutch horse trainer Greetje Arends-Hakvoortr has been seeing spots and it shows in her herd – both equine and canine – that has taken the internet by storm. The trainer and rider, who runs Human & Horse Academy, an online and in-person training program that she developed, loves to post online with her spotted menagerie which includes the impressive Appaloosa stallion Nevada, a pony named Napoleon and a Dalmation dog named Jack Sparrow.
“Nevada is an American Appaloosa crossed with thoroughbred on his father’s side. You can really notice the Appaloosa in his jaws, buttocks and character. So grounded and a true gentlemen,” she told Horse-Canada.com of her beloved horse. She goes on to tell us that Napoleon is a Shetland/Appaloosa pony who just turned seven along with her daughter, Jolie Lune. “They’ve known each other since they were five months old!” The two are clearly inseparable. In this video Jolie can be seen taking part in a tandem lungeing session beside Nevada while mounted on ‘Nappie’. It doesn’t get much cuter!
Some new additions to Greetje’s spotted herd include Nevada Gandhi, a yearling miniature Shetland/Appaloosa (1 years old) and Shakespeare, a Welsh/Shetland/Appaloosa mix. Rounding out the gang is Braveheart Noriker. “He came out of the field semi-wild last year – he was a breeding stallion – and is eight years old.”
Greetje’s posts multiple videos and photos of her horses and animals on social media, including her Instagram and Facebook accounts here and here.
As for the two-year-old dog, Jack Sparrow, Greetje says the pup fit right into the herd from the beginning and the rest was a match made in heaven. “Trust is the key word here; horses thrive when trust exists and they need to feel comfortable and self-assured and Jack does exactly that,” she tells The South African. “There’s a lot of horse and dog love there between them. We have even more spots here now as the family is growing! We have three other horses and training them is my passion.”
One thing for certain: this Netherlands-based spotted dog and horse lover is certainly no Cruella Deville! She is committed to healthy horses and that includes lots of stretching exercises and massages as she advances them through the training levels.
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Can you spot the difference between an Appaloosa and the European Knabstrupper? Clink on the links to learn more.
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