Havens Schatt and Sons Souci. (Anne Gittins Photography)

Wellington, FL - Sons Souci and Havens Schatt earned championship honors in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals First Year Green Hunter division during week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). This will be the third week one of Schatt's mounts has collected championship titles. Caroline Moran's Bacardi, ridden and trained by Schatt, has been division champion weeks one and two at the FTI WEF. Schatt and Sons Souci, a ten-year-old Warmblood mare owned by CH Farm LLC, earned high scores over two days of competition both over fences and under saddle. The pair was second and seventh over fences and second under saddle on day one, followed by first and third places over fences on day two of competition for the division.   

Reserve champion of the division was Mythical, ridden by Kelley Farmer and owned by David Glefke and Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Garber. Farmer and Mythical were first and third over fences day one before placing second in the over fences stake round on day two.

The FTI WEF marks Sons Souci's first season competing in the First Year Green division, but Schatt feels she is settling in nicely. "I did [First Years] week one [of the FTI WEF] and she was jumping the top of the standards! So we went home and did a little practicing. Yesterday, in the Green Conformation I did for practice, she was still a little leery of what was going on. And then she was second and seventh, but seventh with an 85, yesterday and today [scored] 88 and 89 right from the beginning. She was super," Schatt stated.

"She's such a good horse. She goes in the ring and she tries every time to do what's right. Sometimes she over-tries, but she always tries to do what's right," Schatt continued.

Although geldings are usually favored for having a more even-keeled temperament than their female counterparts, Schatt has nothing but praise for her sweet mare's disposition. "My program is we take our time with horses. For me, I deal with her just like I would deal with a gelding. She's not mean to the other horses, she's just really sweet," Schatt stated.

"I think some people would call her more sensitive, but she's not really. You get on, and she gives you that feeling like 'I can't move, I can't do anything.' But if you take her mouth and put your legs on, in two minutes she'll do whatever you want. She rides amazing and she's really well broke," Schatt continued.

Schatt also loves the sensitivity that Sons Souci's has and the extra blood that helps make her a better jumper. "A lot of people might think [she's got] a little too much blood for a hunter, but I really like it. She jumps like these jumps are nothing and she's got so much scope," Schatt stated.

In the upcoming weeks of FTI WEF, Schatt will be back with both of her champion mounts, Sons Souci and Bacardi. "I have to try to not show them against each other," Schatt stated. "I've been waiting for six years to have a good horse for First Years, and now I have two! I didn't ever think I'd have that problem, but I guess it's a good problem to have!"