The Horses of Halifax

As a non-profit, Lancers owns and cares for all 27 of the Horses of Halifax who have, for over eight decades, become integral to the athletic, cultural, and historic fabric of Halifax. Being located in the centre of the city, our horses greet many visitors and friends. We are proud to share with the public what have become affectionately known as the “Horses of Halifax”.

Our horses and ponies are well suited to serve all abilities ranging from beginners to more experienced riders. Each of our horses are loved and embraced for who they are. We teach our riders to care for horses with highest standards of horsemanship, stable management, and compassion, making Lancers not only strong riders but good horse people. In turn, our horses teach us great lessons in respect, discipline, and perseverance for which we are forever grateful.

At Lancers, we greatly value our horses and the service they provide for us, often for many years. In return, when they are ready, our Retire a School Horse Program strives to give them a wonderful retirement where they can enjoy their golden years.

Kinky Boots - “Ava Jane”

Ava is a 2010 Belgium Warmblood mare by Heartbreaker. She’s 15.2 hands high and came to Lancers with plenty of experience in the jumper ring. She is one of our more capable horses who will take riders far in the show ring. Despite her small stature and beautiful dainty looks, she is quite the powerhouse and impressive over jumps.

Ava arrived at Lancers in 2019. We love Ava’s unflappable nature and how she always walks up to people at the fenceline ready to make a new friend.

Alvin

Alvin was born in 2010 and he is a sweet natured horse. He has been on of the Horses of Halifax since 2021 and he is one of the more unusual horses we have had the pleasure to work with. Alvin had not done any jumping before coming to Halifax Lancers and we are slowly teaching him to jump, but he shows great enthusiasm for jumping. He even loves to jump poles on the ground! Alvin teaches riders to be soft in their hands and to work with their seat. He really seems to enjoy the Musical Ride!

Happy Days - “Cunningham”

The newest Horse of Halifax! Cunningham is a Quarter Horse who joined us in April of 2022. Cunningham started his life as a racing horse but wasn’t quite fast enough for it. Lucky for us, being a school horse is the perfect speed for him. From the day he walked through our barn it has felt like he truly belonged. He adjusted very quickly to being ridden English, and he became a fast favourite for many. He is extremely friendly and loves to be the centre of attention. Like the beloved, long-time volunteer after whom he is named, Cunningham is remarkably good at every job he takes on and makes people comfortable and at ease around him.

Excalibur – “Merlin”

Merlin is a 2005 grey Friesian cross who came to us in 2018 with lots of experience as a school and show horse. He has a big personality and can act very spooky at times though we suspect he is not really scared but just taking us for a ride (pun intended). Merlin can teach riders how to work with a spooky horse but more often than not, when the rider relaxes, so does he. He is also a great mount for all of our taller riders. If you’re passing by Lancers, Merlin is sure to catch your eye with his impressive presence. He joined Lancers in 2018. Despite being a challenging horse to ride, he has wonderful ground manners and is a good friend to all of his turn out buddies.

“Frost”

Frost is a 2019 Dutch Warmblood who came to us summer of 2023 as a mischievous 4-year old. Standing at 16.3 hands, he is still growing taller every day. Despite only being ridden under saddle for 5 months when he came to Lancers, his attitude to learn lines him up to be a great success at Lancers. After moving from a slower-paced life in Ontario, Frost is getting used to the fast-paced city life. He's really curious with whatever is happening inside and out of the barn, and is always ready to play. Frost really enjoys turnout, and loves to have time with his friends.

GQ - “Giquau”

GQ was born in 2011 and joined Lancers in 2015. Giquau is a big lovable guy with an old soul. He is very willing and powerful, but is also happy to take things slowly. Giquau is a wonderful show horse who had some success in the jumper ring at local horse shows and is in our Musical Ride. He has a very compact build but a big huge stride and carries his riders effortlessly. Giquau loves being groomed but asks that you don’t clip the hairs sticking out of his ears.

Hogwarts Express - “Comache”

Comache is the cutest little pony. He came to Lancers in 2020 and was born in 2015. He fit right into our programs and is used for intermediate riders. He is perfect for so many of our smaller riders. He has been learning to jump and is showing great promise. 2021 will be his first Musical Ride and we cannot wait to take him to Salmon River camp. He is a bit of a push over with his turn out group but always finds a friend to spend time with. We know he will have a long future with Lancers.

Holiday - “Vanna”

Vanna is a 2012 thoroughbred cross. She joined Lancers in 2020 and quickly became a favourite among our advanced riders. She was green when she came but is one of the fastest learners we have ever worked with. Everyone is quite taken with her beauty and she has a kind personality to go along with it. She has proven herself to be a wonderful show horse and her level-headed nature has earned her a place in our Musical Ride.

King Rupert - “Rupert”

Rupert lives up to his name as he is often seen with his held high. He was born in 2003 and is doing very well in the Jumper ring and has a large following of fans. His quirky personality and eagerness makes him a favourite in the barn. Rupert even has his own Instagram account. Follow him at @kingrupert__ . He loves to remind you of his presence by banging on his door when he wants attention. He is not an easy horse to ride, being the perfect combination of either too fast or too slow. He is also very bouncy and wiggly. We love all of this about him because he does a wonderful job teaching adult and junior riders how to handle these quirks while still being very safe and dependable.

Lily

Lily joined the herd in December 2023. Lily was born in 2010 and has previously lived in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. She is a seasoned lesson horse who quickly fit in fabulously to the Lancer program! Lily settled in well to city life - she seems to enjoy all the attention she gets and she quickly climbed the social hierarchy in her turnout group to be top mare.

Some of our riders were already familiar with Lily from time spent at summer camps from Lily’s previous two homes, and she is quickly becoming a new favorite for many Lancers. Lily is very athletic with a robust build, but she has a gentle presence and is very quiet under saddle.

We are so happy to have Lily at Lancers, and look forward to witnessing all the lives she will help change. Lily will begin training to be a part of our Therapeutic Riding program as well, as we expect it will be a wonderful fit for her.

Modern Melody - “Eddie”

Eddie is a great Lancer horse because of his easy-going temperament, he loves people, and is a well-rounded riding horse in a variety of disciplines. Eddie came to Lancers in September 2021 with the name Jack but we already had a horse with that name so we needed to rename him. With our 85th anniversary, we took the opportunity to harken back to the Lancer tradition from the 1930s and 40s of naming horses with the name “Melody” as a reference to the Musical Ride. We proudly revived the tradition and at our 85th Musical Ride performance, Alumni Elizabeth Johnson presented him to Lancers with the name Modern Melody and “Eddie” as his barn name. Eddie’s dark bay colouring also makes him visually resemble many of the early Lancer horses and ponies.

Eddie is 2011 quarter horse morgan cross and came to us with lots of experience. He has a lovely temperament and is ridden by all levels of riders. While he is nice and safe for beginners, he does have a big movement for a pony so it can present a challenging ride that teaches riders the important lesson of moving with their horses. He has a good sense of humour, is a good teacher, requires a soft hand while riding, and makes his riders commit and work for their goals.

Mr. Brown - “Linus”

Linus is 2014 Appaloosa medium pony and has been with us since the spring of 2019. Linus is extremely good-natured and no matter what he is doing or who he is doing it with he seems to be very happy with himself. He gives our smaller but more experienced riders the chance to learn how to train a young horse, while also being extremely level headed, quiet, and safe even with our youngest riders. He is very energetic and appears to be willing to keep going forever. He is a pony who likes to get to where he wants to go. He has made his venture into the Therapeutic Riding program and is a star!

Nimbus 2000 - “Scooby”

Scooby is a quarter horse gelding born in 2009 who has plenty of previous horse show experience but where he truly excels is making inexperienced riders feel safe. He is a gentleman in the barn and when we take him anywhere, he is always on his best behavior. Scooby has also joined our therapeutic riding program and is amazing in it. He goes out in our youngest rides, including camp, and he also helps our smaller adult beginners while still stepping up to the plate occasionally at shows where he shows in the hunters. Even with his incredibly kind and willing disposition, he has let us know that the Musical Ride isn’t his favourite job.

Oakley

Oakley is a beautiful 2018 draft cross mare. Oakley is still green (inexperienced) and will provide a wonderful opportunity for some of our more experienced riders to learn how to work with and train a young horse.

Oakley loves attention and is curious and playful about all the new sights and sounds in the big city! She has already established herself as top mare in her small turnout group with her strong personality. Oakley is great to work with but also likes to test her boundaries so can be a challenging partner. We look forward to watching Oakley grow here at lancers and help others to grow along with her.

Ocasio - “Cory”

Cory is a Maritime-bred Warmblood cross born in 2012. He joined the ranks of the #HorsesofHalifax in 2020. He is the largest horse we have and impresses many visitors and riders with his stature. Even though he is a big guy, he’s a gentle giant. Cory is often used for programs where participants have never interacted with a horse before as he stands quietly for grooming and loves the attention. However, under saddle, he is big and powerful with a huge stride. Our more experienced riders ride Cory and enjoy working with him. Because of his good nature, we expect he will one day be suitable for all levels of riders.

Oh My Darling - “Clementine”

Clementine is a 2015 chestnut quarter horse mare. She is 15.1 hands high. She joined Lancers in 2019 and received the name Clementine from a public effort to name the new Horse of Halifax. Our more experienced riders are working to train this lovely young mare who shows promise both on the flat and jumping. Clementine is one of the most willing horses you could ever hope to ride but she can be a little bit speedy! She is mature beyond her years and loves to be groomed and has excellent ground manners.

Oliver Twist - “Oliver”

Oliver is another one of our Clyde crosses. Oliver was born in 2006, and is one of our more capable mounts in the barn. His sweet personality and versatility make him a favourite to ride both on the flat and jumping. He has been to many horse shows. Oliver is the ultimate confidence booster for our more experienced riders but his big movement can be a little too much to handle for beginners although he is very safe. Oliver is incredibly trustworthy with his humans and is incredibly playful with his horse friends. He joined Lancers in 2013.

Ollivander - “Ollie”

Ollie was born in 2012. Ollie came to us when he was not yet 4 in 2016. At the time, he taught a number of experience riders how to work with a young horse and has transitioned beautifully into being a beginners’ pony. He still need training rides from more experienced riders from time to time and they love the opportunity because he is quite talented as well. Ollie has been to many horse shows in both the hunters and jumpers. He is like a pesky little sibling with his turn out group, always pestering the others to play with him.

Paddington - “Bear”

Bear was born in 2017 and came to Lancers in 2022. He arrived around the time of Queen Elizabeth's passing, so we gave him the show name Paddington, and call him Bear around the barn. Bear is on OTTB (off-the-track-thoroughbred), whose racing career was cut short due to an injury. He has since recovered, and is a beautiful, good minded horse who enjoys city life and is adjusting to being a lesson horse. He has a lot to learn, but also a lot to teach our riders as he is very sensitive, yet powerful. Our more experienced riders will work with him during his younger years until he is ready to teach more novice riders as well. Everyone seems to fall in love with Bear when they see him. He is very handsome, and loves to stick his tongue out to the side while he is being ridden!

Pheonix - “Fawkes”

Fawkes is a 2013 thoroughbred with the kindest disposition. Fawkes came to Lancers in 2022 from all the way from Ontario and was formerly owned by Canadian Olympic athlete, Jessica Phoenix - Phoenix Equestrian Team . When Jessica was looking to rehome Fawkes, her description of him made us immediately think he would thrive in an environment like Lancers. This special horse arrived with a different name but we decided on the name “Fawkes” which is the name of Dumbledore's Phoenix in Harry Potter and can also be a tribute to his prevous owner. We have a number of horses with Harry Potter themed names because horses are magical!

Purely Gold - “Ben”

Ben’s show name comes from his heart of gold and steady nature. He was born in 2005 and is a barn favourite! Instructors and riders alike love Ben for his steady-eddy nature and willingness. His heart of gold makes Ben the ideal mount for our Therapeutic Riding program where he has earned the nickname “Gentle Ben”. Ben can sometimes be seen out in about in other parts of the city during some of our public outreach events and maybe you have even had a turn riding Ben during one of our pony ride events. Ben has been at Lancers for many years and is still very happy in his home.

Roadtrip - “Chevy”

Born in 2006, Chevy truly has a puppy dog personality. He has been at Lancers for many years and has done it all. He is another one of our Clyde x TB crosses. Chevy is also half-brother to our now retired, Jacob. Chevy has developed his very own fan club here in the barn as he is a fun and versatile mount suitable for beginners! He is incredibly sweet with a beautiful face and an envious tail! Chevy is skilled at supporting riders who are learning to develop their sense of balance while on horseback.

Shrek - “Bud”

Bud, also known as “Mr. Wonderful”, is one of our most reliable and coveted mounts. He is a Clyde x TB and stands at 17 hands high, making him the second largest in the barn. Born in 1998, Bud is our oldest and longest-standing members of the Horses of Halifax. He has been here since he was three years old and is “top dog” with the other horses. After many year serving in the Musical Ride, he now has pride of place as the Coach’s Mount in our Musical Ride, and has taken many riders to their first horse show, first rider level, and even first canter or jump. Bud is a favourite of riders young and old and is often relied on to take care of some of the more timid riders despite his size. He recently joined our roster of Therapeutic Riding horses as well. Bud knows his job well which includes teaching riders how to do their job well. He loves his job and shows no signs of slowing down. He already has a long list of people hoping to give him the best retirement home when the time comes.

Sirius Black - “Mato”

Mato is a 2014 gelding who originally made his way to Nova Scotia from Germany. He joined Lancers in 2017. Mato is a fantastic lesson horse. Our head coach worked closely with him and all his riders in his early years. He has developed into a well-rounded, talented horse. He is extremely kind, level-headed, and a pleasure to work with. Mato has been the perfect young horse to teach our riders how to not only ride, but also train horses. Mato can often be seen playing with his best friend Jack who is also black and looks like a smaller version of him. Mato is one of our regular show horses and is also in the Musical Ride.

Toute de Suite - “Sadie”

Sadie is a Paint/Clyde cross and has a vibrant palomino coat. She came to Lancers in 2017. Sadie is speedy and loves to jump. Although she is a challenging horse to ride she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and is still quite safe. She loves to greet all visitors who come through the door and is easy to spot outside. She is not afraid to let us know if she doesn’t like something and therefore no longer participates in the Musical Ride! Sadie has been to many horse shows and one year, she even won the horse and dog relay at the Maritime Fall Fair.

Sweet Sensation - “Candy”

Candy is a 2001 Halflinger X Anglo-Arab mare. She came to us in 2018 with a wealth of experience in all things including Pony Club and cross-country. She adapted to life in the city and has been a wonderful addition to our lessons. She is safe yet challenging, and teaches riders how to handle a horse on the hotter side. Candy gives you the greatest feeling when things start to click. Her rides get lots of practice on grooming including her magnificent tail that is supposed to be white. She can be opinionated in the barn and teaches her riders to understand horses’ communications.

Wonderland - “Alice”

Alice is a Clyde Thoroughbred cross mare born in 2002. She came to Lancers many years ago. She is one of our resident schoolmasters, having competed in competitions as far away as Quebec and even Florida. Although she is a trusted mount for our beginner riders, she still loves to have her fun with the advanced rides. Alice hoofbeats can’t be mistaken but the sound of a horse’s canter. She is quite certain that she knows her job better than her rider does and most of the time, this turns out to be right! Over the years, Alice has taught hundreds if not thousands of riders, both juniors and adults, and has shared her talents and gifts with all of them.

Mischief Managed - “Jack”

Jack is a beautiful Friesian-Haflinger cross born in 2014. He joined Lancers in April 2019. While he does still require training from our more experienced riders he is safe enough to be used occasionally with our younger riders and is in our Musical Ride. Jack has striking good looks and a mischievous personality. He can often be seen playing with his best friend Mato outside.