Irby has the winning Touch

A mare who bounced back from an horrific hacking injury and a multitalented sidesaddle mount are among the winners

- ELLIE HUGHES

Blindley Heath (2), Surrey 

A GUTSY mare who spent three weeks in Liphook Equine Hospital last year after impaling herself on a gatepost has made a remarkable comeback to eventing, which culminated in a novice win at this Surrey fixture – her first at the level.

Liv Irby’s nine-year-old Light Touch (Lottie) ripped open her shoulder muscle almost to the bone and sustained a bad puncture wound to a hind fetlock after getting stuck on a gate while out hacking last summer.

“She was hooked up to IV antibiotics for two weeks. When she left hospital she suffered from stress-induced ulcers, which then resulted in colic – and another trip back to Liphook,” explained Liv, 19. “We weren’t sure how she would come back from that – or even whether she’d come back at all – but this season she’s been going better than ever.”

Liv, who works full-time in a pub and is planning to start an apprenticeship in marketing shortly, has had Lottie since the mare was four and the pair have qualified for the Pony Club Championships at Wellington where they will represent the Garth South branch.

“Cross-country is Lottie’s strongest phase and she was brilliant here,” she enthused. “The scores were really tight in my section and I knew that if I could finish within the time I’d be in with a shout.”

In fact, the pair were one of only four combinations to finish on their dressage score, scoring 31.5 in that phase.

All three cross-country tracks, designed by Lucy McCarthy, were up to height and had an old-fashioned feel to them, making full use of the numerous hedges in prime Old Surrey, Burstow & West Kent hunting country.