Ready, steady, GO

Never mind the prospect of a fearsome cross-country course, managing a quirky horse in the start box can be just as nerve-racking. Ellie Hughes asks top riders to reveal their tactics

THE clock is ticking. There’s one minute to go before the next horse is due to leave the Badminton start box. But where is Alex Bragg? Suddenly, a flash of bay appears from under the archway and he trots Quindiva briskly across the main arena with his wife, Simmone, running in step alongside. Moments later, and without so much as a break in their stride, the pair are unleashed and are away.

In the space of the same half-an-hour, Pippa Funnell has commandeered two hunt horses to escort MCS Maverick to the start, and Tom Rowland’s legged into KND Steel Pulse’s saddle with seconds to spare before the starter shouts “go”.

Competitions can be won or lost in the start box – a horse that has had his energy sapped through overexcitement may not make it to the finish, while one finish, while one that is too mentally wired could easily make a mistake early on through lack of concentration.

So how do top riders ensure their finely tuned partners are in the best shape physically and mentally when they set out on the course? What are the thought processes that determine these tactics? And what lessons can we all learn about managing horses in highpressure environments?

“WE often talk about marginal gains and getting the start box right is one of these,” says Alex Bragg, who scored a career best third place at Badminton this year. “If you can give a horse a good experience and they leave the box in the best possible frame of mind then that’s a gain.”

Alex explains that he pays a lot of attention to keeping the start as stressfree as possible for Quindiva.