Spending a day with an equeStrian champion at hiS Sprawling StableS near Zürich waS an unforgettable experience for Amit Dixit
It’s a glorious day, even by Swiss standards, bright rays of morning sun bouncing off the pine forests, the meadows a trippy shade of green, the sky blue enough to drive the blues away. I’ve always admired the fairy-tale geometry of Swiss chalets, and even had occasion to stay in them. But never have I had the privilege of seeing a handsome horse peek out of one. That will remain my abiding memory of visiting a very distinguished rider—one might argue, the most distinguished of them all—at his home in the Swiss countryside; someone who, reputedly, preferred the company of horses to humans.
“Blood. That’s what I look for in a horse,” says the slim, mild-mannered man, a gleam in his eyes. That’s a somewhat sanguine word to describe that elusive quality that distinguishes an ordinary horse from a winner. “Pedigree is not so important,” he adds. Advice worth filing away if you have equestrian ambitions, for Steve Guerdat knows what he’s talking about. Mildly contrarian advice, too, considering the current World No. 1 in equestrian show jumping and the 2012 Olympic gold medallist in individual jumping hails from a venerable riding family.
Showing us around his sprawling estate in Aadorf, an hour out of Zürich in the blissful countryside, Guerdat seems unaffected by his stature. It’s just one of the many things that makes this dashing and slightly shy man so endearing. Another is his unequivocal love for horses, manifesting in everything from his insistence on straw for their stalls (as opposed to the less comfortable but easier-to-maintain wood shavings) to never pushing them unduly, the casual nuzzles and the passionate way he holds forth on them. He, quite literally, shares his home with them, for it was in the small stable on the ground floor of his house that I had glimpsed that horse. In show jumping, timing is everything.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Chutneys For Every Season
GROWING UP IN JHARKHAND, I've always been enchanted by the state's culinary landscape. Here, the local cuisine never fails to surprise with its depth and variety.
BADGE OF HONOUR
IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE of tourism, where greenwashing often taints sustainability, certifications can help distinguish between genuine efforts and marketing gimmicks. Green certification systems encourage businesses to enhance their environmental credentials.
WHEELS OF TIME
IN 1947, TRAINS CARRYING REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER WERE SYMBOLIC OF THE TUMULT OF THE PARTITION.
RAILS OF THE Raj
FROM ITS CONCEPTION TO ITS ROLE IN THE NATION'S HISTORY, THE BRITISH INDIAN RAILWAYS IS A PHENOMENON MARKED AS MUCH BY MARVEL AS AVARICE
THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD
FROM THE RAILROAD THRILLER MISS FRONTIER MAIL 1936) TO SHAH RUKH KHAN DANCING ON A TRAIN IN DIL SE' 1998), TRAINS HAVE GIVEN UNFORGETTABLE SONG SEQUENCES TO MANY HINDI FILMS
MEMORY'S OASIS
REMEMBRANCES OF GROWING UP IN SEALDAH RAILWAY OFFICERS COLONY IN KOLKATA
A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS
FROM CUTLETS AND RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY IN DINING CARS TO THE UNREMARKABLE FARE AVAILABLE TODAY, THE JOURNEY OF FOOD ON THE INDIAN RAILWAY IS FASCINATING
HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS
THE ICONIC DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY, FONDLY CALLED THE TOY TRAIN,' HAS HELD ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS SINCE 1999
HIDDEN LIVES
SPANNING 65,000 KILOMETRES THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED INDIA, THE RAILWAYS ARE A BACKDROP TO COUNTLESS STORIES. 'THE UNRESERVED' BY FILMMAKER SAMARTH MAHAJAN CAPTURES A FEW
JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT
FOR IMTIAZ ALI, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE, OFFERING GLIMPSES OF INDIA'S DIVERSE SOCIETY AND ITS MANY CULTURES AND RELIGIONS