How many people reach the top in three separate careers? There can’t be many; few people would have the skill, the desire and the application.
Guy Landau does, though. He was a leading jump jockey, the best showman of his era and, in his second season as master and huntsman of one of the most famous packs of hounds in the country – the Meynell and South Staffs – is motoring his way towards the peak of that profession, too.
A quietly entertaining man, a world of equine experience lies behind his eyes, around which the laughter lines are deeply etched. Possibly the greatest influence on his life was his stepfather, the famous showman Roy Trigg, and it is his tenets of “old-fashioned” horsemanship that have guided him and given him the foundations to do what he has done.
Guy says: “If you are consistent that your basic principles are the same, they [horses] have a chance to understand. If every day you ask the same question, there is no excuse for not getting the right answer. If you ask a different question every day, and you don’t ever get the answer you are looking for, you are not actually advancing one iota, are you? If they can’t understand you, they start losing confidence in you. It is the same with hounds.”
Guy’s equestrian schooling began early; by the age of nine, he was helping his Sussex-based stepfather break-in “hundreds” of yearlings for local trainers, who included Ryan Price, Guy Harwood and John Dunlop.
“I was lucky to be educated by a supreme horseman; most people haven’t had that luxury,” he says.
Guy did a lot of showing, naturally, as a child, but it was racing that fired his imagination.
Denne historien er fra March 04, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra March 04, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Gemirande provides 24-carat magic
Venetia Williams sparkles again in the December Gold Cup and jockey brothers dead-heat
‘Happy hunting, everyone'
“The season for talks, dinners and parties has finally arrived for Tessa Waugh, whose distress about the snags of middle age fades away with some rousing festive spirits
'Monaco deserved this victory
Seemingly destined always to play the bridesmaid’s role, Harrie Smolders’ great partner Monaco finally tops an incidentpacked Rolex grand prix
'It had to end sometime'
The closure of beloved Hampshire saddlery Calcutt Sons is a loss to the hunting and wider equestrian worlds, as Octavia Pollock reports
'You couldn't want for more
The Ludlow's peaceful country makes for a day in \"hunting paradise\"
The greatest gift of all
Christmas is fast approaching and while we all like a bit of tinsel, the festive season is also a perfect time for giving to a horse charity. Niki Hinman finds out some of the options
Winter him well
A horse's winter routine can differ dramatically from his summer structure but what’s the knock-on effect? Ellie Hughes asks vets how to optimise routine management for the season
Neat feet
Excellent hoof care is a year-round concern but the winter months present their own problems. Richard Stephenson MRCVS explains the seasonal challenges afoot and how to stay one step ahead
In bygone days
Modern vets have much scientific knowledge behind them, but what about their forebears? Kieran O’Brien MRCVS opens up the world of Victorian vets in London
'When I joined the Pony Club it was just two boys and 48 girls'
Pepsi Kohler on being delightfully outnumbered by girls in the Pony Club, a leg-up from a royal and the H&H advert that changed his life
