‘He makes me really feel like I can fly’: former Flat racehorse takes nationwide dressage title

The proprietor of a Flat racehorse turned nationwide dressage champion hopes her story will encourage different para riders to think about former racehorses.

Elizabeth Johnson and Vegas Boy had been topped British Dressage (BD) Grade IV bronze champions at Hartpury on 22 August, 4 months after they contested – and gained – their first BD competitors.

Elizabeth advised H&H that “Boycie”, who was educated by Jamie Osbourne to 4 wins and 9 locations on the racetrack, is a “shining instance of the flexibility of ex-racehorses”.

Boycie, now 9, has been out of racing about three and a half years, and Elizabeth has owned him for about three.

“He’s an excellent horse, he’ll do something,” she stated. “My buddy’s daughter does hunt races with him, and I assumed ‘He’s such a candy horse, let’s have a go at dressage’, and he’s taken to it like a duck to water.”

Elizabeth was identified with a number of sclerosis (MS) 10 years in the past.

“It’s left me with a limp on my proper leg,” she stated. “I positively don’t trot up sound – I’m a rider and coaching to be a vet so the irony of that’s not misplaced on me! However my proper leg is lots weaker, and never as efficient once I journey, in order that impacts my steadiness. However he’s tailored very well to being ridden by me, and by able-bodied riders.”

Elizabeth credit her coach Anne Marie Bork Eppers for all her assist, and the workforce at Talland, who’re “completely implausible for para riders”.

“The MS does suck, however I strive to not let it maintain me again,” she stated. “BD has top-of-the-line pathways for folks with disabilities to be concerned with sport; they’re so supportive and have so many coaching and competitors alternatives, they’re wonderful.”

Elizabeth needed to be categorised at first to compete in BD para courses, then she and Boycie went to their first present, at Northallerton, in April.

“We did two assessments and gained each, then went again the following month, did one other two and gained these,” she stated. “We had excessive sufficient percentages, and factors, that I then received an electronic mail from BD to say we’d certified for the championships at Hartpury.

“I assumed we’d as properly go, as it might be a privilege to journey there, and my most important goal was simply to get a pleasant image!”

However in addition to the great image, Elizabeth and Boycie scored 65.95% to win the title.

“I’d by no means been in a flowery prizegiving, with a sash, and it was nice to be in a line-up with all the opposite champions,” she stated. “It was good to fulfill different individuals who had determined they wouldn’t be outlined by their disabilities however would get pleasure from their horses in one of the simplest ways they probably can. Horses offer you freedom; I can’t run any extra and I miss it however I journey an ex-racehorse who floats above the bottom. Having that freedom is unimaginable and it must be promoted extra.”

Elizabeth stated she was most likely the one rider on the championships with a former racehorse.

“However I believe they make good para horses, as a result of they’ve seen all the things,” she stated. “They’re not spooky, or fearful by pots of flowers or white boards, as they’re lots much less thrilling than a day at Ascot. I believe extra para riders ought to contemplate them; Retraining of Racehorses is excellent at matching folks with horses and BD at serving to you discover the precise degree to compete at so I believe extra ex-racehorses must be doing para dressage.

“So many individuals once they’re asking for horses say ‘No TBs’; there’s a stereotype I’m making an attempt to interrupt with me and my horse. Simply since you technically have a incapacity and journey an ex-racehorse doesn’t imply folks ought to overlook you. We’re a fantastic mixture and hopefully in future we’ll see extra ex-racehorses in para dressage.”

Elizabeth described Boycie as a “full gentleman”, who anybody might journey.

“After I’m on him is the one time I don’t really feel self-conscious about my leg or my incapacity; once I journey him, that’s gone and that’s wonderful,” she stated. “He treats me like an equal, and he makes me really feel as if I can fly.”

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H&H information editor

Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Obsessed with equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all elements of the business, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of selection is showjumping, during which she competes her personal horses, and he or she additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping reveals via to worldwide championships.