Thabor Kersidal
©Tacante ©Garance Carron
Thabor Kersidal is a category D OC chestnut male pony by Iram d’Audes (Welsh B) and Kannevière, a Selle Français mare by Royal Feu. Thabor was born in 2007 at Françoise Galès Loiseau Kersidal breeding farm located in Plomeur in Brittany.
Since October 2016 Camille Collet Vidal has been show jumping with Thabor the pony with a sharp tongue – you have been warned!
This month the winners of the CSIP Grand Prix in Le Mans on December 10th, are playing the Tacante Q & A game.
Where does your name come from?
Hey hey, I am Thabor Kersidal. I come from the Kersidal stud farm – which is in Brittany if you haven’t already guessed! I must admit I don’t remember the place much. It was such a long time ago and I was so young!
Where do you live? Can you describe your stables?
I live at Frederic de Romblay stables in Gouvieux near Chantilly. My boxe is located in a prime spot! ! I can see what everyone is up to. I spend my time looking out the window to make sure I don’t miss anything, who’s coming in, who’s going out and in case a lovely mare walks past my box. I can even see my friends exercising on the horse walker. There’s lots of grass between my row and the opposite row, and I also have a great view of the cross country track.
How do you get on with your stable mates?
It is quite complicated as I love meeting the other horses, but I can be a little nasty when I am too close to them. And then there are the girls, (sighs)… and girls really turn me on!
However I’d be very miserable if I were on my own.
What do you like most about your rider?
My rider knows me so well. I love when she comes into my box, you can see that she adores me! She likes to scratch my mane to show it. She really enjoys staying for hours and she sometimes talks to me. Even if I can’t understand everything I know she is in love with the adorable Thabor! What I like most with Camille is that she apologises whenever she makes a mistake. This definitely drives me to give my best.
What are your best attributes?
I’m extremely arrogant! Some might say that it is not a quality at all, but it is a good trick to unsettle my opponents in competitions. Beware, here is the great Thabor!
I am big-hearted and I am striving to do well to please my rider (and also because she rewards me with carrots)!
What is your worst flaw?
Are you talking about me? I am very good-looking, I sing like a god and I fly over every single fence! Let’s say that I have absolutely no flaw. I am very pretentious, and this is what makes me charming…. I’m told girls prefer bad boys!
I am not mischievous, I just like to annoy Camille when she is in a hurry. I move a lot, so she can’t groom me. To be honest I only do that, so she keeps me company a little longer.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I love to be in the paddock. Especially when I come back to my box drenched as my rider needs to massage me to make me look beautiful again!
I don’t really act like a diva though sometimes when I have had enough of working I refuse to move and I do as little as possible!
What is your favourite colour?
My coat is chestnut so the colour that suits me best is navy blue! At one point of time I used to really like red but one can get tired of it more quickly!
Which dream would you like to come true in your life?
Well well, I would have liked to participate in the European Championships so much, but Camille has just turned 16 so it is too late for us I am afraid… that said I prefer to stay with her rather than leave for a younger rider I could take to the Championships. I am staying with Camille, end of story!
What is your favourite activity?
I so love playing! I am a “slacker”, that’s how I am called actually! So you understand now why I enjoy going to the paddock!
What makes you feel the happiest?
Women make me feel the happiest! Ah… women! I know all too well that in a few years I am going to fully dedicate my life to women, so I try to be as serious as possible in my current job! But I can’t help it if I spot a cute girl, I go mad!
What do you dislike most in the world?
There is one thing I particularly dislike: to have my feet showered and to be taken to my box after a work session. I like to go in the paddock after work. If I have to be in my box then it is only to get cuddles and kisses. I so love company because 22 hrs out of 24 in a box it gets pretty long and boring!
What has been your best memory?
When I won the CSIP in Le Mans for sure. They played La Marseillaise, it gave me goose pimples! So for once I did a lap of honour with perfect composure to show the public how proud I was!
Which frame of mind are you in at the moment?
I am very competitive at the moment! But what rimes with competing doesn’t always rime with home working! I like winning but I can’t stand exercising!
Do you have a life motto you would like to share with us?
My motto is to please my rider and I find that I am doing rather well on that front!
How can we keep up to date with your news?
On my Facebook page but it is better to call Camille to get fresh news as she visits me every day! I told you she adores me! I quite enjoy visits too in my stables but only from people who give me sweets !
Additional reading: Meet Ghost Rider alias Paddy and Mr Bass.