Maddison Wissell and her Brumby x Welsh pony Jasper. Image by Manning Photography.
Just two years ago, 14-year-old Brumby x Welsh gelding Jasper sustained a life-threatening leg injury. Now, he and his owner Maddison Wissell are multi-state champions, and he and the Wissell family aren’t done yet.
Maddison Wissell and Jasper have been very successful in the competition arena. Image by Manning Photography.
“It just shows how much of an
incredible pony he really is.”
Maddison and Jasper attend Kadina Pony Club, about 160km north-west of Adelaide, and compete in dressage, cross country, pony racing, and show jumping – the latter their forte, where they currently compete at up to 105cm. Already, the pair have taken home a plethora of titles, including the South Australian Children’s Indoor State Champion, Pony Club State C & B Grade Champion, and most recently, the Pony Club South Australia C Grade State Champion. Outside of the jumping arena, they also won the SA Pony Racing Qualifier as part of the 2024/25 National Pony Racing Series (you can learn more about the National Pony Racing Series in the April 2024 issue of Equestrian Life).
“I have had Jasper for almost two years,” 13-year-old Maddison says, “and we have achieved so many things, such as winning at the Show Jumping State Championships, Pony Club State Championships, and many interschools competitions and other shows, rarely coming home without a first. [It just shows] how much of an incredible pony he really is.”
Standing at 13.3 hands high, the now 14-year-old skewbald Brumby x Welsh isn’t your typical showjumper. Sired by a Brumby x Welsh stallion from a Welsh Cob mother, Jasper was foaled in 2016 in Glencoe, South Australia – a small town not far from Mount Gambier – by MacKenzie Richards-Fennell, who then broke and trained him herself.
Maddison had been searching for a jumping pony, and when the family came across an online advertisement for him, they were immediately interested. Listed as a complete all-rounder, Jasper not only had experience in disciplines like jumping, hunting, and eventing, but even in recreational activities such as towing kayaks along the beach. “Someone had already tried him and wanted to purchase him, but they wanted a vet check and a trial in the Adelaide Hills which is quite a distance from Glencoe,” Maddison’s mum Cindy says. “Jasper’s owners then called me and wanted to know if were still keen, so we drove to Mundulla Show to look at him and ride him as he was competing there. Maddison rode him there and we made the decision that day to purchase Jasper.”
Maddison and Jasper on their way to winning the SA Pony Racing Qualifier as part of the 2024/25 National Pony Racing Series.
LIFE & DEATH DRAMA
But Jasper and Maddison’s journey was almost over before it had begun when Jasper received a life-threatening injury just two months after being purchased by the Wissells. “He busted a chain off a gate and got into another paddock,” Cindy recalls. “He kicked through the fence and severely cut his near side hind leg. We bandaged him immediately, called Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital, and took him straight there.”
With luck on their side, they’d managed to find a vet that specialised in equine lacerations, and after a gruelling seven hours, Jasper was on his way home with his leg stitched and bandaged. But between the need for completely restricted movement and the large combination of medications, Jasper wasn’t out of the woods yet, and if he survived, had a long road to recovery ahead.
“We were told the best hope was for the stitches to remain in, so limited movement was needed. Luckily, we had good stables where we could restrict his mobility. We were warned he could react negatively to all the medication he had, which could result in him having to be put down. There was also a risk of the wound not healing 100% – his cut had exposed a large area of bone and completely severed the tendon on the front of the bone.”
One week after his injury, the local vet visited to check the wound and rebandage Jasper’s leg. The prognosis was good, with the stitches having held and no sign of infection, which allowed for his medication dosage to be reduced, lessening the risk of it making him ill. Two weeks later, Jasper was back at Roseworthy. “The healing was coming along well, and he was now off the medication, but we still had a long way to go,” Cindy explains. “At this stage, he still had one small hole where they wound hadn’t healed over the bone, but the vet was happy with the progress.”
Maddison says Jasper is a one-in-a-million pony.
After four weeks of being stable-bound, Jasper was finally allowed out to graze under watchful surveillance while being held. At the six-week mark, the vet removed the proud flesh (granulation tissue) from the wound to encourage new growth, and the small hole had healed over. Bandaging and medical-grade honey were now the course of action, keeping the wound clean and any infection out. By eight weeks, he was allowed into a small yard, and after a further six weeks, the bandages finally came off.
Then came his rehabilitation. “He is so tough,” Cindy says. “From about eight weeks, he showed no lameness on it. His rehab at the start was just walking him and grazing at four weeks. We did this for four weeks, then he was allowed out in a small yard. Maddison started working him at three and a half months after the accident to build his strength up again with the wound protected with a boot. He started jumping again after four and a half months, but only small to start.
“When we drove him to Roseworthy the day he cut himself, we only hoped he would survive,” she admits. “Being back competing with him was just a bonus.”
BACK TO HIS TRICKS
After months of healing, rest and rehab, Jasper was back to his normal tricks and ready to compete, and he and Maddison got straight to work. Between Pony Club, racing, cross country, showjumping, and dressage, he’s proved there’s nothing he won’t do, which Cindy puts down to his pure can-do attitude. “He is so tough, and he always puts 100% into everything he does. He’s very pushy and demanding and always has tricks up his sleeve to play on you.”
“There is never a dull moment with Jasper,” Maddison says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better pony. After his intensive rehab and box rest, we have overcome this and are chasing all of our goals together. He truly is a one-in-a-million pony, and I love him to bits.”
With their whole host of winnings behind them, Cindy and Maddison – and the rest of the Wissells – are looking forward to what the future brings. “Jasper is now on a well-deserved break,” Cindy reveals. “He will come back into work in mid-July for the spring show season.
“Maddison is now moving on to bigger horses as she begins to jump higher – higher than what Jasper can do – but Jasper holds a special place in her heart. She will still compete at a lower level with him and just enjoy him at home riding, chasing cows, and having fun in general. Hopefully Maddison’s younger sister, Zara, will eventually be confident enough to be able to ride Jasper and enjoy him like Maddison has!” EQ
Related articles
Freya Inggs’ journey with horses and Pony Club is one of resilience, patience, and personal growth. From her early days at Riding for the Disabled in Darwin to becoming a cherished member of Canberra Riding Club Pony Club (CRC), Freya has faced challenges that many might shy away from. But it’s her connection with horses, particularly her partnership with her horse Captain Jack Sparrow, that has been her grounding force.
With the 2024/25 National Pony Racing Series in full swing, riders are relishing the opportunity to hone their skills on the track. However, it’s not about satisfying a need for speed: the series places emphasis on a harmonious partnership between jockey and steed, while also showcasing the equine career opportunities available to young horse lovers.