23 January 2021

Horse in focus: Donnerstolz

The horses and ponies that we drive are the stars of the driving sport. In the report 'Horse in focus' we will be telling the story of one horse or pony who deserves a moment in the spotlight.

When talking about a horse with a story, Donnerstolz certainly fits the bill. Originally intended as a dressage horse, the so-called ‘problem horse’ switched careers and achieved many years of international success in combined driving with Frans Hellegers, and won the individual silver medal at the Para-driving World Championships with German driver Alexandra Röder.

Alexandra Röder won individual silver with Donnerstolz at the FEI Para Driving Championship in Beesd in 2016
Photo: Marie de Ronde-Oudemans

To the butcher or out to pasture

His story with Frans began in the fall of 2004 when Donnerstolz (his name is a combination of his sire Donnerschlag, his grandsire Donnerhall and his dams sire Damenstoltz) was nine years old. “We received a call from a woman in Krefeld, who had a horse who would only rear. She had tried everything but was at the end of her rope as to what to do with him. I had previously had a ‘problem horse’ from a friend of hers that I was able to re-school to drive, and she had decided that this was his last chance” tells Frans Hellegers.

Donnerstolz was at the time stabled by his breeder in Wuppertal when we saw him for the first time. As a young horse he was sent to Belgium with the hopes of great potential in the dressage sport, but something went wrong early on. No one could ride him and even the best riders were thrown off repeatedly. Every time he was sold, he eventually came back: he was unsellable. Eventually his only remaining options were to be sold to the butcher or to be put out to pasture.

Frans continues, “it was at that moment that we came into the picture. The current owner couldn’t make the decision to definitively end his career. What we saw was an elegant horse that moved beautifully, but he was horribly head shy and was wary of people. I was up for the challenge and thought, ‘he can always still be put out to pasture’. I had to sign a contract that I would never let anyone sit on his back, they were so afraid that something would happen.”

“Years later I rode him myself a few times under saddle and that went just fine, but at that point our relationship was already solid!” laughs Frans.

Dressage was painful

Frans took his time backing the Donnerhall grandson to the carriage. “First I lunged him for a couple of weeks and then very slowly introduced him to pulling things. In the beginning he couldn’t handle any kind of blinkers and we ended up putting him in a pair beside a mare without them and that went really well. He still goes in the pair regularly when we give driving courses, he is such a good horse for new drivers.”

It turned out that Donnerstolz was much more forward in the single than in pair and so Frans decided to compete him single. “The dressage was definitely a challenge with him. He had had so many negative experiences under saddle that it was extremely difficult to ask things of him. There were times when he would abruptly turn around or rear, and I had to ask permission from the judges to be able to finish my test without scoring. This was all worth the effort, just to build up his confidence in the ring. The marathon obstacles were no problem for him, and he loved it! He was handy and fast, something I wasn’t used to with my previous horses!

A Perfect Stranger

“At the time I was driving smaller competitions in Germany (Frans lives in Straelen, GER) and I had enough points to start internationally. I had heard so much about the show in Dillenburg and really wanted to compete there. But when my entry was not accepted, I realized it was because I was a Dutch citizen! Dillenburg was an international competition and the Dutch Federation had to submit my entry, something that wouldn’t be possible at such short notice. Luckily the organization extended a special invitation, and we were still able to compete. I immediately contacted the KNHS and they were able to classify us into the Dutch system so that we were also able to compete in the Netherlands and internationally. This was of course peculiar for the Dutch drivers; who was this perfect stranger who just waltzes into the highest level?! In Conty (2008) I met and talked to a few Dutch drivers, slowly introducing myself as we made our way into the Dutch driving world.”

Dillenburg 2015
Photo: Team Houterman

The road to the World Championships

In preparation for the 2008 World Championships in Jarantów, Frans organized a small competition at his farm. It was there that he became acquainted with Jan van den Broek who won the competition, and three weeks later also became World Champion. Jan was the only one who had invited Frans to come ‘drive with us in the Netherlands’ and from that time on also helped Frans and Donnerstolz with their dressage.

In June 2010 Frans won the single horse division in Diepenheim, which was for team coach at the time Tjeerd Velstra, an excellent reason to put him on the short list to compete at the World Championships that year in Pratoni del Vivaro. Two years later Frans and Donnerstolz were also individual competitors at the World Championships in Companhia das Lezirias.

Training with Jan van den Broek
Photo: Private collection

Alexandra

At the end of 2014 Frans and team coach Ad Aarts decided that it was time to retire the 19-year-old Donnerstolz from active competition. But as the season approached in 2015, Donnerstolz was still in top condition and Frans decided to go out and have some fun just one last season.

Frans came into contact with the para-driver Alexandra Röder through his daughter Johanna. She was at that moment without a horse and Frans offered her the use of Donnerstolz on the spot. Alexandra didn’t believe that the offer was in fact genuine and it took a moment before she realized he was serious. They tested the waters during a training for the German driving coaches. Alexandra and Donnerstolz received positive feedback and Alexandra began training every week with Frans and Donnerstolz. Their hard work accumulated in winning the 2016 German Championships, as well as winning the individual and team silver medals at the World Championships in Beesd.

Alexandra with Donnerstolz during the marathon at Beesd 2016
Photo: Marie de Ronde-Oudemans

But what is Donnerstolz actually like?

“Donnerstolz was extremely difficult at first, but now he is 100% trustworthy. He is very consistent, and I came to rely on him turning out constant results in the dressage arena. He never did crazy things. The marathon was his favourite phase of competition and he was always eager. He even won his last international marathon in Le Pin au Haras in 2015 at the age of 20. He is now such a great horse for our clients to learn on and he knows exactly what his job is depending on who is driving him. If I decide to take him out to drive a few marathon obstacles for fun, a switch goes off and the adrenaline starts flowing!”

Donnerstolz at his last marathon in Le Pin au Haras 2016
Photo: Private collection

More driving with Donnerstolz

“Emontionally I have never had quite such a bond with a horse like this. It just clicked, and he let me in. Up to the very last competition he was prepared to go through fire for me, and there is absolutely no better feeling than that! My bond with him is almost impossible to describe. Through Donnerstolz I became so much more involved with combined driving and he has brought me to the very highest level. Before him I never thought about international competition, but he made it happen. It was special to be able to grow in the sport together.”

From underdog to alpha dog

Donnerstolz was always the underdog. At home in the pair he always drove politely alongside his friend who was the boss. When his teammate unexpectantly died, Donnerstolz changed. “He took over the vacated roll of leader and became much more dominant with the other horses. I really have to watch which horse I turn him out with or hitch him with now. Even his stallion tendencies have become more apparent! We never noticed this behaviour, but now he unabashedly charms and loves the mares, and they just accept it!” laughs Frans.

Donnerstolz (right) with his mate Duende
Photo: Private collection

A push over the line

The now 26-year-old Donnerstolz still functions as a ‘professor’ beside new horses being backed for the carriage. He is driven lightly two or three times a week by clients and still looks great. “As soon as our clients sit behind Donnerstolz they really know what driving is. He gives them such a great feeling. I still enjoy driving him every time I get the chance. His fluent trot and canter provide such a great feeling that it is often enough incentive someone needs to take up driving for themselves.”

Results

CAN Exloo 2009: 2ndCAN Diepenheim 2010: 1stCAN Zelhem 2010: 3rd
CAN Horst 2011: 3rd
CAI Saumur 2011: 3rdCAI Pau 2012: 1stDutch Championships Deurne 2012: 3rdCAN Deurne 2014: 1stDutch Championships Beesd 2015: 4thCAI Dillenburg 2015: 3rd
CAN Heijenrath 2015: 2nd
CAI Le Pin au Haras 2016: 2nd

World Singles Pratoni del Vivaro 2010: 36th (8th plaats met het Nederlandse team)
World Singles Companhia das Lezirias 2012: 41st (individueel deelnemer)