Clancy Had The Perfect Touch

Clancy  who raced as Perfect Touch came straight off the track to his new life at the Claremont Therapeutic Riding Centre (CTRC).  After letting down and initial work it was soon obvious to M’Liss Henry and the CTRC team that Clancy’s fabulous grounded temperament was going to make him a very valuable asset to the Centre.

He began his re-education by commencing a showjumping and pony club life with Perth Horse & Pony Club where he was ridden by several CTRC riders.  He quickly warmed to this task and became a great all rounder.  Not only did he show jump and compete in gymkhana events and hacking at pony club on the weekends but during the week he settled beautifully into being a Therapeutic horse for all types of CTRC clients with a range of disabilities.

One example of the life changing influence he had at CTRC was the relationship he had with a rider called Andrea Henderson who had cerebral palsy.  They developed a fantastic working relationship where he took her from being a shy and uncertain rider to one that competed very successfully in three RDA Sate Dressage Championships. Andrea and Clancy also competed in open competition at the Autumn Horse Show in dressage, hacking and gymkhana events.  With this new confidence she took the plunge and bought her own horse and also become a lecturer at RDA.

Through the 80’s Clancy also partnered M’Liss on many occasions as her cross country horse for the CTRC Blackwood Marathon Team.  Ask anyone about horses and the Blackwood Marathon and invariably they say M’Liss Henry.  M’Liss has won the cross country in the Teams section more times than she can remember and on many of those occasions it was with her trusty Clancy.  The pair would train during the week with rides and gallops through Bold Park in the early mornings, then he would be used in some therapeutic lessons and perhaps a jumping lesson at the end of the day with an able rider.  M’Liss says he was so in tune with who ever was on his back and had the most fabulous attitude and temperament that he could handle to the most profoundly disabled rider and carefully and slowly walk with them to being keen and on form for an able rider in the show jumping arena.

An absolute gem of a thoroughbred that touched so many hearts and will be long remembered as a horse that changed so many lives at CTRC.