ASTRID WAS HORSE MAD AT 6 YRS OLD, SHE PERSUADED HER NON HORSEY PARENTS TO LET HER TAKE RIDING LESSONS – AT 7 YRS OLD A 12.2 hds  3YR OLD PONY WAS BOUGHT FOR HER FROM CLITHEROE AUCTIONS – NOT A VERY GOOD FIRST PONY FOR A NOVICE 7 YR OLD CHILD.

THEY ENLISTED THE LOCAL HELP OF GERRARD LEVER, THE OWNER OF OLYMPIC SHOWJUMPER “ITS OTTO”, UNDER HIS GUIDANCE ASTRID SOON PROGRESSED AND JUMPED PONIES VERY SUCCESSFULLY AT “ARENA NORTH” (NOW CAMELOT THEME PARK) 

ASTRIDS LIFE WAS NOW 100% HORSES & SHE STARTED DEALING PONIES WITH TOM AND ANN GARDNER.  SHE BOUGHT HER FIRST DEALING PONY AT THE AGE OF 14 YRS WITH MONEY SAVED FROM PAPER AND MILK ROUNDS DONE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, AND USING HER DINNER MONEY TO FEED AND STABLE THE PONY.  SHE MADE, TO HER, A HUGE PROFIT OF £30 ON THIS HORSE AND SO HER CAREER AS A DEALER AND PRODUCER OF HORSES HAD BEGUN!

SHE WENT ON TO PRODUCE WORKING HUNTER HORSES AND SHOWJUMPERS WHICH SHE RODE IN THE FINALS AT HOYS AND THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL.  ALL HER HORSES WERE FOR SALE BECAUSE SHE HAD A FUTURE GOAL, A YARD OF HER OWN.

SHE DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP TO HOLLAND AND BOUGHT HER FIRST CROP OF DEALING HORSES, SHE NOW HAS AN ESTABLISED NETWORK OF AGENTS IN HOLLAND, GERMANY AND BELGIUM TO SOURCE HORSES FOR HER BUSINESS AND HER AMAZING ABILITY TO RECOGNISE THE POTENTIAL AND QUALITY IN VERY ROUGH 2 AND 3 YR OLD HORSES MADE ASTRID ONE OF THE MAIN PRODUCERS OF WARMBLOOD SPORT HORSES IN THE UK IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

IN 2005 HAYLEY COLWELL CAME TO WORK AT ASTRID’S YARD IN CHORLEY AND SO THE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BEGAN, ASTRID ON THE GROUND HAYLEY ON THE HORSE.

THEY BROKE AND TRAINED THE WARMBLOOD YOUNGSTERS, MAINLY FOR THE DRESSAGE TRADE.  ASTRID WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO SHOW VIDEOS OF SALE HORSES (BEFORE YOUTUBE) ON HER SITE AND THIS BROUGHT CUSTOMERS FROM ALL OVER THE UK AND SOME FROM AS FAR AWAY AS TAHITI, NEW ZEALAND, THE USA AND CANADA, SOME CUSTOMERS BUYING THE HORSES UNSEEN FROM THE VIDEOS ON LINE. 

IN 2006 SHE REALISED HER GOAL AND BOUGHT LAND ON THE FYLDE AND COMMENCED BUILDING HER DREAM YARD.

ASTRID AND HAYLEY BOTH SERVED THEIR APPRENTICSHIP IN THE SHOWJUMPING/SHOWING ARENA, DRESSAGE WAS SOMETHING THEIR CUSTOMERS DID.  HOWEVER THIS CHANGED WHEN THEY TOOK BACK A 6 YR OLD HORSE WHICH THEY HAD SOLD AS A 4 YR OLD WITH THE BELIEF THAT IT WOULD MAKE A POTENTIAL CHAMPION. 

THE HORSE CAME BACK AS A “FAILED PROJECT” UNRIDABLE AND A WRITE OFF.

ASTRID AND HAYLEY WERE NOT CONVINCED, THEY HAD HAD SUCH HIGH HOPES FOR THIS LOVELY HORSE, SO THEY SET ABOUT RETRAINING HIM, A LABOUR OF LOVE AND BELIEF IN THE

HORSE AND THEIR ORIGINAL JUDGEMENT. ASTRID AS TRAINER AND HAYLEY AS RIDER, THE HORSE IMPROVED SLOWLY AS THE WEEKS WENT BY AND THEY STARTED TO SEE THE POTENTIAL AND STAR QUALITY HE HAS SHOWN AS A 4 YR OLD.  THIS WAS ZIDANNE (JACOB) AND HE BECAME A DOUBLE CHAMPION AT THE BRITISH DRESSAGE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011.

WHEN FURST KISS ARRIVED, HE WAS A VERY LAID BACK, UNSTRESSED CHARACTER, BUT A “ BOY” IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. HE HAD MASSES OF TALENT AND LOADS OF POTENTIAL AND IN HIS SHORT CAREER HE HAS AMASSED OVER 30 FIRST PLACE WINS AND HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE 4 AND 5 YR OLD YOUNG HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

ASTRID BOLTON SPORT HORSES HAS SOURCED AND PRODUCED HORSES FOR THE WHITTAKERS SHOWJUMPERS, OLLIE TOWNSEND EVENTERS, DANIELLE HEATH AND KATY JERRAM SHOW HORSES AND SOME OF THE FIRST YOUNG HORSES THAT ASTRID SOLD AS DRESSAGE PROSPECTS ARE NOW BREAKING THROUGH INTO SMALL TOUR/GRAND PRIX WITH INTERNATIONAL DRESSAGE RIDERS,PETER STORR, AMY STOVOLD, JANE GREEN,