Lydia Hannon

Third place at Blenheim last year was a breakthrough result for the 28-year-old event rider. Now she’s facing her first Badminton.

- Pippa Roome

“A COUPLE of years ago, I was so desperate to go out and prove a point — that I was ready to go four-star — and actually, that isn’t right. You’re ready when you’re ready.”

So says Lydia Hannon, who will start at her first Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials next month.

“I haven’t really allowed myself to think about it,” she says as we talk, exactly five weeks before trot-up day.

“The main thing I’ve learnt through the past few years is that you can’t hurry anything. Everything has to be 100% to be able to give it a good go and hopefully we’ll be able to deliver that.”

Suddenly, Lydia smiles as she allows the Badminton thrill to hit her.

“I’m sure on cross-country morning I won’t be that relaxed,” she grins. “It’s exciting to say I’ve got a horse entered for Badminton. It’s like, ‘Shit, we’re getting somewhere’.”

Lydia’s progression with the 13-year-old mare My Royal Touch (Missy), by Touchdown, has taught her valuable lessons.

Two years ago, she was leading in an advanced at Aston-le-Walls, with her eye on the British squad for the Blair European Championships.

“I was like, ‘I’m going to win this section, with all the amazing kids in it’ and I set off across country on a mission,” she says. “I made a bad decision jumping up two small steps to a log and had a rotational fall.

“It was the biggest eye-opener. Trying to prove a point doesn’t get you where you want to be. When you’re good enough, it will happen safely, not by turning your poor pony over.”

Having regrouped, Lydia headed to her first four-star at Luhmühlen last summer. She laughs ruefully as she describes it.