Meet Our Horses

“Hercules” (Camaro Z), is a 2011 Zangersheide gelding who was donated to Stanford in 2021 by the Alter Family. He started out his career as a jumper, showing in the 1.20m and 1.30m when Sophie Alter bought him as a junior. She started considering donating Hercules when she was applying to college, as her primary concern was knowing he was loved and cared for for the rest of his life. When Stanford initially tried Hercules, several months before Sophia left for school, he was very strong and forward and, while many jumpers can make the change over to equitation, the coaching staff wasn’t sure how he would take to the career change. Sophie was committed to making Hercules happy at Stanford and began showing him in the equitation ring the summer before she left for school—as well as the 1.30m’s—thoroughly convincing Stanford that he would be a great fit.

In his years on the Stanford Team, not only has ‘Herc’ become a beloved Dover Saddlery Open Over Fences mount, but he teaches a fantastic Dressage lesson and has wonderful disposition in the barn. Hercules has helped many open riders punch their ticket to the IHSA National Finals in Dover Saddlery Open Equitation Over Fences, Dover Saddlery Open Equitation on the Flat and the USHJA/IHSA High Point Rider, presenting the Cacchione Cup class at the Zone 8 Finals. He was named the 2022 IHSA Zone 8, Region 1 Horse of the Year. When he first came to live at the historic Red Barn, he was kept in a box stall with an hour on the Eurocizer, but limited turnout after he jumped out of the paddocks (multiple times) and even the 6’ round pen (from almost a stand-still). While most of our show horses stay in the barn with 6-12 hours of daily turnout, Hercules would look longingly out his window at the horses outside, so over the course of several month, the staff helped acclimate Hercules into an outdoor stall with adjacent paddock so now he spends his days with indoor and outside access, having a great time getting into mischief with his neighbor, Kip the AQHA Horsemanship master, (though thankfully remaining dutifully contained in his paddock)!