Natalie Oldfors Retires Mickey M from Sport

Dressage

Sweden

Swedish Grand Prix rider Natalie Oldfors has retired her number one competition horse, Mickey M, from sport.

Mickey M is a 19-year old Swedish warmblood by Metall out of Bonette (by Bonaparte x Vagabond). He is bred by Medorid AB in Sweden.

Home Bred "Pony"

Oldforst has bred Mickey herself and trained him from novice level to Grand Prix. She didn't immediately see "FEI Horse" in as he was quite minute as a youngster.

“I remember one old trainer asked me the first time he saw him when he was 3 years old. He said, 'what are you going to do with that pony' and laughed," Natalie told Eurodressage in an interview in 2018. “He was just small and he had no real rhythm in his trot. He always had a good walk and a good canter, but he was a bit difficult in the mind as well."

Despite the fact that he sometimes gave his rider grey hairs for being so difficult, Natalie persevered.

“I had no money to buy something else so I had to make something good out the horses I had," she said. "His thing was just to run through everything, but after many years training together I really got to know how he works in all situations and we are now a super team.”

Second Grand Prix Horse

Mickey became the second horse which Natalie trained to Grand Prix level after Winnie B (by Roven xx x Lancer II). She has been coached by Paul Fielder and Kyra Kyrklund along the way.

The pair made its international show debut straight away at Grand Prix level in 2018 in Kristiansand, where they scored 69.457% in their first big tour test. That year they also showed in Falsterbo, were members of the Swedish team in the Nations Cup in Hickstead and went to Tallinn, where they scored a double victory.

In 2019 they were invited to the 5* in Doha, showed in Uggerhalne and Stockholm, won twice in Sopot, Falsterbo, Tallin and Herning. After the 2020 CDI-W Gothenburg a 15 month break from CDI showing followed as Natalie was involved in a car crash. They returned in 2021 in Kunkiai and then again took a one year break from the international arena. In 2022 they contested 3 CDI's (Aalborg, Flyinge, and winning th Kur in Perila), but slowly scaled down on the big CDI's starts with one in 2023 (Gothenburg) and two in 2024 (Gothenbug and Tallin). The latter show in October 2024 was their last. They were second in the Grand Prix with 68.718% and third in the Kur with 72.535%

The pair competed at the Swedish Grand Prix Championships and were 12th in 2018 and got bronze in 2022.

Retirement

Oldfors told Eurodressage that she has retired the now 19-year old Mickey M from sport.

"He has been in the team for many years, (he is )19 years old today, he is still fresh, happy, and full of energy but it's time for him to enjoy a well-earned retirement at home on the farm," Oldforst explained.

She added, "we have won four World Cup competitions and were part of the team when Sweden claimed gold in the Nations Cup. We earned medals at the Swedish Championships and spent seven incredible years competing internationally for Sweden. Last competition where in World Cup Tallin with 73%."

Natalie has several horses following in Mickey's footsteps. This year she has been showing Näsviks Hazel Grace (by Bretton Woods x Sandro Hit) at national small tour level. In 2023 she also competed the now 9-year old Lollipop (by Furst Romancier x Florencio)