“It’s the horses that make us good riders, not the other way around!”
Each month, discover news from the Haras or interviews with riders who represent us around the world! We begin this interview series with Clémence Lesconnec, professional rider and owner of Night Dancer du Coussoul (by Tempête du Coussoul and Antango du Feuillard).
Haras du Coussoul (HdC): Hello Clémence, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Can you tell us about your background?
Clémence Lesconnec (CL): I’ve been riding horses since I was a child. I’m a passionate horsewoman before being a competitor. I love horses more than I love the sport—especially Iberian horses. It’s only been six years since I started competing.
I’ve worked in several places with various trainers, but I think it was Ludovic Martin who gave me the taste for competition. I met Ludo while working at Haras du Coussoul; he used to coach me once a week with several horses, notably Dartagnan du Coussoul and Naxos du Coussoul. I must say that Ludo taught me a lot—and Naxos probably just as much, if not more. They launched me into competition, and thanks to them, I was able to compete in Young Riders classes and my first international events.
HdC: Tell us about your connection with Night Dancer du Coussoul…
CL: With Night, it’s been a story from the very beginning—I almost saw him being born! Having worked at Coussoul really guided my decision: I know the quality of life the horses have there and the comfort they live in. I also know the quality of the mares and how the stallions are selected. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a huge fan of Lusitano horses—for their mindset, their elegance, and their natural aptitude for collection. Add to that the power and forward movement brought by foreign bloodlines, and you get the perfect mix: the Lusitano sport cross—in other words: Night!
A fun twist in the story is that by having Night, I was reunited with my companion Dartagnan, with whom I returned to competition and accompanied all the way to his departure for the United States.
HdC: Where are you now with Night, and what are your plans?
CL: Right now, I’m fortunate to be based with Bernard Bosseaux along with my horses, and to work with him daily. It’s incredibly valuable to me—on one hand, I benefit from the technical expertise and the full athletic support I need, and on the other, I can offer my horses an excellent quality of life here in Normandy—and you can feel it!
Night is happy here, and he shows it. He’s talented and focused, playful but respectful. No two days are the same—he always finds a new joke to pull! And when it comes to work, he’s pure joy. I feel all his potential in every session. We’re careful not to rush things, so I plan to show him next year just to get him used to the competition environment and all that it entails. But I believe in him enormously, and I do my best to preserve him.
It’s the horses that make us good riders, not us who make them good horses!
Clémence Lesconnec & Night Dancer
Clémence Lesconnec training with Dartagnan du Coussoul
Clémence Lesconnec with Dartagnan du Coussoul