I CAN’T believe Hickstead is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – what a legacy Douglas Bunn has left. I thought the venue was unbelievable the first time I went, which was in 1970 when I was 15 years old, although it wasn’t my most successful show.
I had qualified for the junior Foxhunter final and we were hoping to arrive there in plenty of time to get acclimatized and let the pony settle in, and maybe find a small class to jump first. But it took us three days to get to Hickstead and we arrived an hour before the championship started. The truck broke down, everything went wrong and it was a disastrous journey from start to finish.
The main ring is pretty daunting for a green pony and a green rider and when I eventually rode in on my little colored pony, whose name was Crazy Horse, he saw the lake and its waterfall in the middle of the ring and stopped dead in his tracks and spun around. Just then, the hooter went and I didn’t have time to get him settled and relaxed. I think I finished with seven faults which weren’t a disaster, but we put the pony back on the truck and set off all the way home again.
Denne historien er fra June 18, 2020-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra June 18, 2020-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
