A showjumping legend who was still winning in the ring aged 32 has found her new niche, making a tiny rider’s dreams come true.
Grade A Karmijn, who with Suzanne Posnett triumphed at shows across Ireland, England and on the Continent, retired from showjumping in November 2024. Now aged 34, “Minnie” is passing her vast experience on to Suzanne’s daughter Ella.
“Minnie’s been part of the family for 21 years and it’s so nice to see,” Suzanne’s mother Pam told H&H. “She’s a lovely, lovely mare.”
The Posnetts bought Minnie at 13 and she and Suzanne went from strength to strength, winning more than 1,500 Showjumping Ireland points together.
“She’s just been one of those wee speed mares that everyone knew,” Pam said. “If she was in the class, they didn’t have much chance of winning!
“She always went in and did her best – she was very speedy – then the year before last, Suzanne decided it was just getting a bit much for her; Minnie didn’t like it if she didn’t win! People had kept saying ‘When are you going to retire her?’ but then they’d see her jump and say ‘No, she doesn’t want to retire’. She wasn’t ready, until the day we decided.
“Blue Grass Horse Feed, her sponsors, gave her a very fitting retirement ceremony at Portmore Equestrian Centre, and her reins were handed over to a very happy three-year-old Ella.”
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Pam said Minnie is kept in the luxury she deserves, now with the added ministrations of her tiny jockey.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
“She looks after Ella like a dream; she’s absolutely fantastic with her,” she said. “They went out schooling on Saturday and Minnie and Ella gave Suzanne a lead on a four-year-old, trotting around the arena.
“It’s lovely for Minnie to have another job, which she enjoys, and Ella spends hours grooming her and picking out her feet, doing her tail – it’s worked out beautifully and we’re still talking about her future, not just her past, which is lovely.”
Pam said Karmijn had never had any joints medicated; Cortaflex was “the only thing she was ever on” to support soundness.
“She’s just a brilliant mare, a lovely person,” she said. “She looks forward to her evening hacks up the lane and in the field, and it keeps her going. And Ella adores her and thinks she’s the greatest thing ever.
“She’s got a pony as well but she’s learning so much with Minnie that she can transfer to the pony, as Minnie doesn’t do anything silly, which the pony can! Once she lost her stirrup and Minnie waited for her to get it back, and off they went. It’s lovely to watch.”
Karmijn and Ella have even been showjumping together, taking on a cross-pole class at Christmas, but Pam said they will stick to flatwork now as Minnie is not used to trotting over small fences.
“But it’s lovely she has a job – and she knows how much she’s appreciated,” she said. “Long may she continue.”
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
