THE summer competition season is now in full swing, and last week I had the privilege of competing with three lovely horses at the wonderful CDI show at Wellington Riding in Hampshire. The team there do such a marvellous job of creating a friendly yet professional atmosphere at their showground.
Having had a very muddy Royal Windsor and Hickstead CDIs in the weeks before, at Wellington we found ourselves at the other end of the extreme, with the heat making for a rather sticky mess of suncream, sweat and dust.
I was riding Full Moon, our home-bred seven-yearold, on the first day of the show, when his shoe went flying past me and ended our warm-up before we’d even got going. I can honestly say this is something that has never happened to me at a competition.
Luckily, the local farrier came and stuck it back on, and the following day “Moony” went into the sevenyear-old World Breeding Championships selection class. Though a little hot, he strutted his stuff into first place, which was a great start to the show for me.
This story is from the June 22, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
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 June 22, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
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
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
