Innholdsfortegnelse for 04-Jun-2020 i Horse & Hound

AS I write, this morning’s papers are filled with images of The Queen riding Balmoral Fern at Windsor. We are thrilled that next week we will be bringing readers our Royal Special with a first – The Queen revealing to Horse & Hound her favourite horses of all time, and what makes each so special to her. We are honoured that Her Majesty has seen fit to share this information with our readers, and grateful to her racing adviser John Warren and stud groom Terry Pendry for these articles, which will appear in our 11 June issue, two days before Her Majesty’s official birthday. In other exciting news, we are happy to be launching The Horse & Hound Podcast today, 4 June. My colleague Pippa Roome hosts the first of…

GLENAVADRA BRILLIANT The Hickstead Derby and Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner has been put down, aged 17. Ian Whitaker and the late Calvin McDonald’s Irish sport horse was partnered to much success by James and William Whitaker. TWO FOR JOY The 14.3hh skewbald eventer has been put down, aged 30. “Percy” was fourth at Blenheim in 2004 and completed Badminton and the 2005 European Championships with Polly Jackson-Griffin. ZODIAKOS The 22-1 shot, ridden by James Sullivan, was the winner of the first race in Britain of the sport’s return at Newcastle on 1 June. It was a success for trainer Roger Fell, who also saddled second-placed Al Ozzdi.…

THE next stage of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill has been pushed back from 12 June to 11 September due to disruption by the coronavirus pandemic. It was reintroduced to parliament as a private member’s bill by West Dorset MP Chris Loder in February, and proposes an increase in the maximum jail term from six months to up to five years for the most serious offenders. It will now have its second House of Commons reading in September. The bill had been scheduled for the report stage in the Commons in September 2019, but was dropped due to the dissolution of parliament in the run-up to the general election. World Horse Welfare is lobbying for MPs to support the increase in sanctions and said it has had a “great response…

WHEN coronavirus restrictions stop you handing over a cheque in person, what do you do? You enlist a litter of eight-week-old hound puppies, of course. Quorn subscribers had planned to present the cheque, for £1,200, to the Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance, but this was scuppered by Covid-19. So joint hunt secretary Nicola Housley hatched an alternative plan, to commission the puppies for the job. “This was no easy task,” she said, adding that the puppies eventually played ball. The money was raised by the hunt’s tumblers’ club; everyone who falls and is unhurt pays £5, and the total was boosted by a game at a hunt dinner. In a letter, the air ambulance said: “Without the support of people like you, we could not do the life-saving work that…

HAS anyone else noticed that their horses are going much better with no competition plans in sight? Many people, myself included, have felt this rather strange phenomenon, which surely goes to show how much stress we all tend to put ourselves and our horses under during our “normal” competitive lives. Is it that we don’t want to make a mistake, so we drill too hard when schooling, or could it be that we’re just more patient at the moment, so schooling is more enjoyable and less hard work? “Less is more, and the horses have learnt more in the past few months than they have in a long time” Some may feel that a lack of competition equals lack of aim, but I feel the opposite – I’m more motivated,…

What’s the best book you’ve read? Craig: the children’s books Hairy Maclary, which I read with my daughter Scarlett. Sara: Martina Cole’s The Runaway, which is set in the East End; it’s quite violent and tragic, but so compelling. I also love The Jumping Game by Henrietta Knight. There are lots of short chapters on racehorse trainers and stable management; we have taken a few tips and use them today. Craig doesn’t read – he’s a “YouTuber”, and watches videos on how to fix and make stuff. What was your first pony? Craig: Ben the New Forest pony. He used to live tethered at the back of our house. My dad sold him one day while I was at school – I was really upset. Sara: I didn’t actually own…

SARAH HEALY, MOTHER OF RIDERS “WE bought Midnight Dancer as a four-year-old in Ireland from the Doyle brothers. He was the second of about 10 Connemaras, who were all just sat on and ridden away – but Ellie didn’t think ‘number two’ was an acceptable name, so she called him ‘Casper’. “He was my favourite as I was looking for a more blood type and something that wasn’t massive because I knew he would grow. When he trotted he had real movement and when we saw him ridden, the lad missed him to an oxer and he obliterated it – but he never missed a beat and the next time, he boomed off the floor. “The original plan was that I would produce Casper for Finn because Ellie was only…

IN his prime, Rookie was a top-class working hunter pony. While the early onset of hock arthritis forced his retirement from the showing circuit, his personality meant that he has adapted easily to a second career as a Pony Club schoolmaster and family all-rounder. Now 21, Rookie is kept happy and sound with regular veterinary input and careful management. His arthritis has been controlled with the occasional joint injection or systemic treatment with one of the DMOADs (disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs). He is impeccably shod, his weight is monitored and his exercise is consistent. He also receives bi-monthly physiotherapy. With middle daughter Chloe having just taken him over from big sister Frankie, and four-year-old Lily waiting impatiently in the wings, the Lindop family consider the investment into Rookie’s ongoing health as…

FOR more than 130 years, the Home of Rest for Horses has provided retirement for working horses and ponies. These hard-working public servants have served in the Police, the Army or with charities that use horses to help people. We also look after horses, ponies and donkeys who have suffered cruelty and need specialist treatment and care. We rely on donations to support our work. If you are thinking of rehoming a horse, we have a number of rehabilitated horses looking for new homes. • Visit: horsetrust.org.uk…

KEEPING horses sound is an intricate process. The slightest deviation in hoof balance and limb-hoof alignment can have catastrophic consequences not only to performance, but also to general soundness and longevity. Recognising if a prospective purchase has “bad” feet is therefore essential, but if your own horse already has conformational defects, there are ways of managing some of them. “Hoof conditions such as cracks, splits and corns can be treated, but it’s when the issue relates to the shape and loading pattern of the hoof that it becomes complicated,” says farrier Ben Benson AWCF. “The hoof grows, so if the problem is purely in the hoof, often you can grow your way out of it. When it comes to leg and joint conformation, the hoof grows in accordance with the…

CONFORMATIONAL issues, injuries or other veterinary problems can mean a horse needs therapeutic shoeing. Increasingly, off-the-peg machine-made shoes for any given condition are being superseded by a tailored approach informed by technological advances. Carl Bettison, AWCF (Hons) and managing director of Stromsholm Ltd, explains: “Technology such as slow-motion cameras and MRI scanners can be used to ascertain precise biomechanic and diagnostic information. “For example, a camera can provide details about a foot’s break-over point or the length and height of a stride, while an MRI might pick up ligament damage. This gives farriers specific information about what is required therapeutically for each individual, and often means problems can be treated far earlier than used to be the case.” Carl continues: “Although such techniques are costly, they do benefit the general…

THOSE who do well barefoot tend to be dressage horses or showjumpers who primarily work on a surface. However, eventing should not be regarded as impossible, as Lisa Dalton proves with her 13-year-old coloured gelding Mr Harry Patch, who competes successfully at BE90 without shoes. “When I got him nine years ago, he had a full set of shoes on, but as my hacking was 90% off road, I opted to take off his hind shoes,” says Lisa. “A year on, his feet were really good, and after a lot of discussion with my farrier, we took off his fronts too. “I researched and ensured he was on a feed with low sugar, low starch and high fibre for a good month to set him in good stead, then we…

IT feels as though summer is coming to an end, rather than just beginning, such has been the length of good weather we’ve been enjoying. I’m sure the sunshine has done much to alleviate some of the gloom that might have descended upon the nation during the lockdown and we can be grateful for that, particularly all of us who live or work outside in the countryside. May is often a transitional month in the life of hunt kennels. Staff who were moving or retiring will have done so on the first of the month and new staff have arrived. We have enjoyed great continuity of staff here at Brixworth over the years, with only two whippers-in and two countrymen spanning the past 11 years or so, and this is…

THE two trainers who had the greatest influence on Lucinda were Dick Stilwell, a great, instinctive horseman who first taught Lucinda when she was a young teenager, and Pat Burgess (pictured). “Pat was responsible for my defensive style of riding, and for me not worrying as people do now about striding,” says Lucinda. “I had no eye then; she told me to keep that medium-length stride and the horse will sort it out, and she was right. “She was very into the ‘fold’ with the arms giving the horse full freedom. She was aware that horses’ confidence came from the knowledge that they would never be pulled in the mouth. That was vital. “Now I find it fascinating learning not to fold so much, because the one thing I couldn’t…

SUMMER is pretty much here again and with it three litters of puppies at the kennels. While we sat around the table eating our lunch, the subject of names came up. Usually hound names tend towards the traditional – two-syllable names like Rambler, Gambler, Landlord and Bluebell are evergreens reappearing intermittently through the centuries – but occasionally someone goes rogue and opts for the topical. In 2019, unsurprisingly, there were several puppies across Britain who were given the dubious name of Brexit. There were also some Peppas (like the cartoon pig), a Poldark, an Asbo and more perplexingly, a Gluten. Will the 2020 entry feature a glut of Rainbows, I wonder, some more Borises, a Furlough? In this instance, we were looking for names beginning with “M”, the mother being…

THE first affiliated training shows since the start of lockdown look set to run this weekend, as equestrian sport’s governing bodies work together on plans for safe resumption of sport. British Showjumping (BS) had announced a plan on 22 May for the non-competitive events to run from 1 June, with a raft of safety measures to protect all involved. And while updates announced at the weekend have changed proposals somewhat, a number of centres hope to run viable events. Although elite sport may resume, behind closed doors, with more people and stringent safety measures, other sports must adhere to the fact each person can meet a maximum of five others (eight in Scotland, or only two households in Wales) while exercising or taking part in sport. BS CEO Iain Graham…

DOUGLAS BRADBURY MBE THE master farrier died on 30 March, aged 82, following a four-year illness with cancer. Born in 1937 in Clay Cross, Derbyshire, Mr Bradbury left school to work for the blacksmith in the local pit where he tended to the mining ponies above and below ground. Mr Bradbury left the pit in 1967 to set up his own farriery business and in 1986 became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF). In the same year, he was awarded fellowship of the WCF. He was a keen mentor, training 15 apprentices during his career and mentoring many others through to their final examinations. Mr Bradbury was a senior examiner for the WCF for 28 years and also judged the blacksmiths’ World Championship at the Calgary Stampede…

▲OUTDOOR INDUSTRY Good old Nicola Sturgeon. The Scottish first minister announced last week that outdoor industries could now resume. All those hungry horses and cows will no doubt be rather glad to hear that… ▲HAIR One hears of a pale horse with a bushy fringe, who was bought recently, being christened Boris by his new owners. Nice work, but no news as yet on whether or not the pony who never stays in the right field is to be renamed Dominic… ▲WORKING OUT Terminator actor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s miniature equines have been going viral again – this time, it was donkey Lulu, who was filmed trying to “help” the star as he worked out at home. Shame she’s not a male donkey, or jack, as “I’ll be Jenny” hasn’t quite got…

WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY WE really enjoyed reading your Badminton edition (7 May), which brought back some very happy memories for us – it was fascinating to read about Laurien and her son Laurieston. We bought Primmore’s Pride (aka Kiri) at the Stoneleigh High Performance Sale in 1993, because his mother – Primmore Hill, by the acclaimed Ben Faerie – had done so well at Badminton, finishing ninth in 1982. As owners with Pippa Funnell, we’d gone to the sales to find a nice three- or four-year-old but despite being a foal, Kiri wowed the audience. He moved beautifully, had attitude – and an advanced sire in Mayhill. What’s more, mother and son are the spitting image of one another. We have enjoyed every minute of Pippa and Kiri’s success…

HAVE we caught a glimpse of the future during the coronavirus crisis? Several showing bodies have conducted their regular gatherings by conference calls, leading one council member to joke that this was probably the nearest experience to appearing on her favourite programme, Celebrity Squares. Royal Windsor’s virtual showing kept the spirit of competition alive on a truly international level with over 4,000 entries from around the world. Congratulations to the supreme champion, Emma James’ versatile and photogenic Connemara Glenmore Gwennic. “A wave of nostalgia has swept over the showing community” Given the popularity of the judging formats on television shows Strictly Come Dancing and Masterchef, it came as no surprise that showing enthusiasts particularly enjoyed the Windsor judges’ comments. Will this sort of feedback – similar to judging critiques in…

Craig: It’s hard to pick just one horse or pony, but we bought the stallion Rendene Royal Charm as a two-year-old and he’s been in my life ever since. We have a great bond. He was owned for a period by Martin Wood, for whom I showed him. In 2014 he won the Cuddy in-hand final at HOYS. He was then kindly gifted back to me by Martin last year and he will stay with us forever. We have a number of mares for him this year and he’s given us some lovely stock, too.…

MIDNIGHT DANCER Age: 10 Owner: Ellie Healy Current competition rider: Ellie’s brother, Finn Healy Greatest achievements: 11th national pony championships at Brand Hall 2018; team gold pony eventing European Championships 2018 (with Ellie); fourth national pony championships at Brand Hall 2019; team and individual gold pony eventing European Championships 2019 (with Finn); 28 top-10 placings in British Eventing horse trials, jump training and jumping and style (JAS) competitions 2015-2020 (with Sarah, Finn and Ellie Healy)…

THE patient pony will not complain, so be vigilant for these common age-related conditions... ARTHRITIS AN almost inevitable consequence of old age. Steadiness could be stiffness due to discomfort from multiple arthritic sites, which warrants diagnosis, management and treatment on welfare grounds. PPID PITUITARY pars intermedia dysfunction, or Cushing’s disease, is typified by the hairy, mildly depressed and borderline laminitic older pony. Latest studies suggest an incidence of up to 20% of 20-year-olds, rising to 30% in the over-twenties. Much can be done in terms of management, such as dietary control, clipping and medication. LAMINITIS MANY ponies will have had a lifelong predisposition to laminitis, resulting in chronic foot deformities. Good farriery, with regular trimming and possibly long-term remedial shoeing, can mean they are still able to lead a comfortable,…

“I wish I was as brave now as I was when I was 16” BEFORE you even get on a horse, you have use ground work to teach it how to be supple and move off the leg. The horse has to bend around the inside leg and come off the inside rein. Once aboard, I do lots of lateral work, such as leg-yielding and turning onthe forehand. It’s interesting when I ride judge. As soon as I get on, I walk each horse and check they bend. I’d say 80% do bend and to be fair, most of the professionals’ horses do ride very well. I want to help other riders move up the line-ups, but the horses must go well and suppleness is a good place to start.…

EAGLE-eyed Pony Clubbers at the Beaufort Hunt branch last summer would have spotted a five-star eventer in their midst; the 16hh gelding Lebowski. Aboard the retired Badminton ride was eventer Beanie Sturgis’ 10-year-old son Sid. But such an illustrious mount is certainly not the norm for our top riders’ offspring, whose often ordinary-looking ponies would easily mix in with the melee of hairy children’s ponies having a Thelwell-style outburst. “That was me being self-indulgent really, because I wanted Lebowski to do something,” admits Beanie, who steers clear of hefty price tags for her children’s pony power. “I’m not the kind of person that would spend £5,000 on a child’s pony. I think people go a little bit overboard about having something that can jump a metre. As a first pony…

IT may feel horribly circular, shelling out your hard-earned shekels for… more shoes like the last lot. What exactly do we get for the outlay? Ben explains: “A quality set of shoes may set you back £80 for the shoes and £10 callout, plus a pound for a road pin or a stud hole, but you’re paying for the skill that comes from a four-year apprenticeship and degree-level knowledge of equine foot anatomy. “Twenty years ago, a similar set would have cost £58 plus £10 callout but today’s equivalent to that price is around £90 plus callout, so in real terms the cost is now lower. Think of it as insurance against vet bills, or like investing in properly fitted running shoes or ski boots for yourself.”…

THE iconography of foxhunting is inescapable in the British Isles. Across the walls of a myriad of country houses and cosy pubs float the spraddle-legged horses and tall-hatted riders of Francis Turner, Henry Alken and John Ferneley Snr. Hounds of varied lineage, red-coated riders and jolly-faced huntsmen adorn pub signs in town and country. A prodigious amount has been written on the subject, from Peter Beckford’s Thoughts on Hunting of 1779 to the delightful yarns of Somerville and Ross, and Will Ogilvie’s stirring poetry. Peerless hounds and skilled huntsmen have been celebrated in song for centuries. The Royal Army Veterinary Corps retains the irresistibly jaunty Drink Puppy Drink as its regimental march. John Peel has the same power to send a shiver down the spine of the foxhunter today as…

AN unmistakable figure in primrose-yellow cross-country colours with that rock-steady lower leg position and arm stretched forward to allow the horse freedom, Lucinda Green was the public face of eventing for over a decade. Her six Badminton wins – and the popular books she wrote about the horses who gave her those victories – made her a household name. Her legacy to the sport she loves is her passion for bold, safe cross-country riding and for passing that on to others. No one, however, is born a fully fledged horseman or woman; their skill and understanding is built from myriad experiences with horses in all sorts of situations. Which lessons, therefore, did each of Lucinda’s most significant horses teach her? The earliest tutorials were delivered by her New Forest pony,…

LUCINDA was chosen as the flag-bearer for the British team at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She was – and remains – only the second equestrian athlete to do so; David Broome was the first in 1972. “It was one of the most moving things I have ever done – up there with having my two children [Freddie and Lissa],” says Lucinda. “I was so flattered to be asked. We waited for a long time underneath the stands, very gradually creeping forward, and as we got closer you could hear the noise of clapping and cheering, which grew louder and louder. “I thought then about what it must have been like to be a Christian waiting to be put into the amphitheatre in Rome with the…

H&H PODCAST TO PACK A PUNCH THE Horse & Hound Podcast launches today, 4 June, and will be available every Thursday for subscribers of our H&H Plus service,for which a free trial is available. Presented by the H&H editorial team, it starts with a look at the week’s news and a panel discussion, followed by an interview with a leading equestrian figure. We start this week with Lucinda Green, discussing her fondest memories of the sport and concerns for its future. The podcast ends with insight from vet Ricky Farr, each week looking at a common disease or ailment. H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins said: “We’re happy to be launching our podcast, the perfect complement to the H&H magazine and website. I hope listeners enjoy the first episode – do let…

German Olympic eventer Ingrid Klimke suffered a fractured vertebra in a fall in training. Ingrid thanked supporters for her recovery wishes and said she will have to “practise a little patience”. Canadian showjumper Eric Lamaze and his Olympic gold medal-winning ride Hickstead will be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Eric will also receive the order of sport. Spanish dressage rider Juan Matute Guimón is making progress in hospital since sustaining a brain bleed on 5 May. His family said they are thankful for his supporters’ prayers. The Queen made a return to the saddle as coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased. The 94-year-old was photographed riding Balmoral Fern at Windsor Castle. (Comment, p3) Former Pony Club tetrathlete and Olympic pentathlete Georgie Harland is to be Team GBR chef de mission…

BILLY BUCHANNON The four-year-old (Chacoon Blue x Billy Congo) topped the Billy Stud’s online spring auction. He was sold for £43,000 to Italians Fabrizia Stefani and Paolo Paini, who also bought second top lot, four-year-old Billy Be Wise. BUDDY City Police mounted section has welcomed a new recruit. The nine-year-old, 16.3hh Irish Draught passed his trial period “with flying colours” and has been continuing with his training, patrolling London with his colleagues. RAINBOW APPLAUSE Trainer Rebecca Menzies has announced all prize money earned by the one-eyed two-year-old, and all profits made by the racing club by which she is owned, will be donated to charities associated with the NHS over the next year.…

PUNCTUALITY A rider delighted to be out for her first jumping lesson after lockdown nevertheless ran true to form by turning up 10 minutes late. “So you had two months to get ready and still can’t get here on time,” the trainer observed. Er, pretty much. BRAKES The same rider had thought it a good idea to see how jumping went in the bit the horse is normally in for flatwork. Possibly not the best plan on a horse who was delighted to be getting off the ground again after so long… GROUND Is it possible to put in an official complaint to the Supreme Weather Master? Two months ago, you could have swum in the fields, now the grass looks like it’s August and the ground’s too hard to…

SAM GRIFFITHS’ “Life lessons” and Kieran O’Brien’s veterinary feature (21 May) are of great interest within the context of the lockdown. Sam refers to the importance of turnout for horses. In the UK, we can’t offer horses the pasture available in hot climates and this results in costs to their mental and physical health. So often the issue is not lack of opportunity, but fear of risk of injury. Yet horses living out are fitter, stronger, less prone to vices, ulcers and respiratory illness. Sadly, horses are victims of their own success. They have adapted to all manner of restrictions we have enforced on their natural behaviour, just as we humans are now forced to adapt to lockdown. But there will be consequences. Just as Covid-19 is illustrating for all…

HAYLEY REYNOLDS has several plates to spin. While many of us admit we can struggle to juggle our work-life balance, the part-time native pony producer from Cheshire seems to have several jobs on the go, late nights and early starts. Hayley, 34, topped off her 2019 show season with a dream win at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). “I’d been third on three occasions,” explains Hayley, who took the New Forest pony of the year title with Lesley Cook’s bay gelding Okedene Justin. Hayley had discovered Justin as a three-year-old in a city centre allotment seven years ago, paying just £250 for him. “While third is an amazing achievement, I’d been trying for more than 15 years to get into that main arena championship,” she continues. “Last year…

“HE’S worth his weight in gold!” Such praise is frequently applied to the older schoolmaster pony, who has taken numerous children off the lead-rein for the first time, safely introduced them to the hunting field or helped them enjoy their first Pony Club camp. These ponies may not have the looks, conformation or athleticism to win in the show ring or on the performance field, yet they are so sought after that they rarely leave the local area. They are often booked well in advance for the next excited family, even though they may be entering their twenties or even thirties. The very fact that they keep going and going, however, frequently passing from one home to the next, means that their routine care – as well as any specific…

OUR priority is ensuring that our retired equine public servants from the military, police, Royal Mews and charities such as the Riding for the Disabled Association – as well as rescued horses, ponies and donkeys – have a lifetime retirement with the highest possible standard of care. “We’ve seen an 800% increase in calls from people concerned about the welfare of an equine” Most of the 149 horses we have at our Home of Rest in Buckinghamshire require a huge amount of extra attention and veterinary treatment, meaning the work facing our dedicated equine care team has intensified due to Covid-19. Many of our horses have retired from working life and suffer some form of long-term problem, such as osteoarthritis, equine asthma or dental disease; many require regular medication or…

JOIN THE PONY CLUB “TRYING to do it all yourself and teach your kids is a recipe for disaster – I learnt that instantly,” says showjumper Chloe Breen. “The most important thing for my kids has been the Pony Club. “The headquarters for the Southdown Hunt West branch is at Hickstead [where the Breens are based], which helps, but it makes riding fun and puts in those really good basics.” TIME IT RIGHT “WHAT’S important is not to have a pony that is going to scare them when they’re little,” says eventer Beanie Sturgis. “It’s much better that they need to kick, rather than having to pull. If you have a slightly nervous child and you give it the wrong pony then it’s game over. “Ditto if you have a…

MUSEUM OF HUNTING Melton Carnegie Museum, Thorpe End, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1RB 0116 305 3860; meltonmuseum.org THE BRITISH SPORTING ART TRUST Palace House, Palace Street, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 8EP 01638 664429; bsat.co.uk THE MUNNINGS ART MUSEUM Castle Hill, Dedham, Colchester, Essex CO7 6AZ 01206 322127; munningsmuseum.org.uk DARTFIELD HORSE MUSEUM AND HERITAGE CENTRE Kilrickle, Loughrea, Co Galway +353 (0) 91 843968; dartfield.com FETHARD HORSE COUNTRY EXPERIENCE The Tholsel, Main Street, Fethard, Co Tipperary +353 (0) 52 6130439; fhcexperience.ie MUSÉE DE LA CHASSE ET DE LA NATURE 62 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris +33 (1) 53 01 92 40; chassenature.org THE RED FOX INN & TAVERN 2 East Washington Street, Middleburg, Virginia +1 540 687 6301; redfox.com NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia +1 540 687…

LUCINDA regarded Mary Lowe (née Gordon-Watson), world champion in 1970 aboard Cornishman V (pictured), as an inspiration. “I don’t know what made her do it, but she took me under her wing a little,” says Lucinda. “I went to stay with her one summer, and we went for hacks with her whippet. She became a totally touchable person, as opposed to an untouchable world champion, and she was happy to help me, which was wonderful encouragement.” Asked why she thinks Lucinda achieved so much success, Mary answers: “It was her personality, really – her enthusiasm and positivity. If something goes wrong, she is eager to find a way round a problem. She was a very brave and forward rider whose attitude was that you never gave up. She got the…