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DIGITAL ISSUE 175B | 2026

SOUTH AFRICA’S PREMIER EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE

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Welcome Every October, the Bob Charter Arena at Kyalami Park Club gives us a few hours of grass, banks and ditches, and every year it gives us a story. This year the story started ten years ago. In 2016 a young Junior rider posted a photo of her new fouryear-old looking out over that arena with the caption ‘#dreambig’. This year Paige Goetsch and Callaho Lucetto jumped the only clear round to win the 2026 Toyota SA Derby, on their first attempt. You’ll find Paige’s account of the win, and of the bank that didn’t quite go to plan, in this issue. The Derby also finished the Ultimate 4x4 Series. Jeanne Korber broke her wrist badly at the first big show of the year, yet she and Equine Walker SA’s Lexington still took the title. We also talk to Geordi Byrne, whose fear of heights made the bank the scariest fence on her first big Derby. And because so many of you will be wondering whether the grass is kinder than the fibre or river sand at home, we’ve gone through the research on arena surfaces. The evidence is thinner than the strong opinions on the subject. We’ve set out where the evidence holds, where it doesn’t, and what that means for the arena you ride on every day. Bo Reed is 17, and she was the only rider to jump clear on all four unfamiliar horses at the final selection for Dakar Youth Olympics. She now heads to Dakar to represent South Africa at the first Olympic event ever held on African soil. Every one of us is behind her. Also in this issue: Casey Vetrik and Kepler, the ex-racehorse who never won a race and went on to compete at Grand Prix; the children whose lives are changing at The EARTH Centre; and a practical guide to choosing supplements for a reason, not out of habit. Finally, put Saturday 6 February 2027 in your diary. That’s the day Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl brings her masterclass to Cape Town. Enjoy the read.

Lizzie and am xxx e t Q H e h t Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

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Cover photography | Merlynn Trichardt Photography Designer | Mauray Wolff

DIGITAL ISSUE 175B | 2026

CONTENTS Six lessons. One journey. Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl brings her masterclass to Cape Town

Bo Reed Off to represent SA at the Youth Olympic Games

Jeanne Korber and Equine Walker SA’s Lexington The Ultimate 4x4 Series Champions

Looking into his future arena Ten years after a #dreambig photo, Paige Goetsch and Callaho Lucetto won the Toyota SA Derby on their first attempt

‘Don’t overthink it’ Geordi Byrne on her first ‘Big’ Derby

A Thoroughbred doing it all Casey Vetrik and Kepler

La Regalia Lookbook Spring Collection 2026

Healing together How horses are changing the lives of children at The EARTH Centre

Good going What the science says about arena surfaces

When feed alone isn’t enough How targeted nutrition can support joints, digestive health, hydration and recovery in the equine athlete 4

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SIX LESSONS. ONE JOURNEY. OLYMPIC CHAMPION JESSICA VON BREDOW-WERNDL BRINGS HER MASTERCLASS TO CAPE TOWN

For most riders in Africa, Olympic dressage is something watched on a screen, often late at night and a world away. On Saturday, 6 February 2027, that changes. Four-time Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl will be in the arena at Epona Equestrian Centre in Morningstar, Cape Town, for a masterclass presented by Chevaux Equestrian in collaboration with Epona Equestrian Centre.

WHO IS JESSICA VON BREDOW-WERNDL? Jessica was born on 16 February 1986 in Rosenheim, Germany, and is one of the most successful dressage riders of all time. Her talent showed early: she won individual gold at the 2004 European Young Riders Championships in Aarhus. With her brother Benjamin Werndl, she runs Gut Aubenhausen, a dressage and training stable in the Alpine foothills near Rosenheim. It is a family yard in every sense. The siblings train and produce their horses there, sharing their methods with riders around the world through the Aubenhausen Club and Academy.

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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Jessica's love of horses started when she was just four years old, on visits to her aunt, who bred ponies. She has described it as love at first sight. Whenever she visited, she headed straight for the stables, and she was allowed to ride the ponies once a week. That day quickly became the highlight of her week. At seven, she was given her first pony of her own: a Lewitzer called Little Girl. She later discovered dressage on a German riding pony named Nino the Champ, qualifying for the national finals in Warendorf in 1998 and 1999. It all began with a

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little girl, a pony called Little Girl, and a bond that would one day carry her to Olympic gold. Her path was not without setbacks. In 2001, as a teenager who had just moved up from ponies to horses, Jessica missed out on qualifying for the European Championships after going off course twice in her test. It was a painful lesson in the pressure of competition. She came back the following year to become double European junior champion. It is a reminder that even Olympic champions stumble, and that how you respond to a setback matters most.

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TOP RESULTS With the mare TSF Dalera BB, Jessica won both team and individual gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, scoring 91.732% in the individual

freestyle. She then did it again at Paris 2024. Back-to-back individual Olympic titles place her among the greatest in the history of the sport.

CHAMPIONSHIP

YEAR AND VENUE

RESULT

Olympic Games

Paris 2024

Individual gold, team gold

Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020

Individual gold, team gold

European Championships

Riesenbeck 2023

Grand Prix Special gold, Freestyle gold

FEI World Cup Final

Omaha 2023

Champion

FEI World Cup Final

Leipzig 2022

Champion

European Championships

Hagen 2021

Team gold, Special gold, Freestyle gold (91.021%)

European Championships

Rotterdam 2019

Team gold

World Championships

Tryon 2018

Team gold

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HER TRAINING PHILOSOPHY What sets Jessica apart is not only that she wins, but how she wins. Her training is holistic, built on the wellbeing of the horse, trust and lightness. She wants to ride motivated horses. Her goal is to show each horse how to use his body so that every movement becomes easy for him. Because every horse has his own character and build, each one is trained as an individual. She takes the long view: giving horses the time they need, building strength and understanding step by step, and never trading a horse's future for a quick result. For Jessica, the horse always comes first. MIND AND BODY: THE RIDER AS AN ATHLETE Jessica believes riders should be as fit and as well prepared as they expect their horses to be. That is why her training pays as much attention to the rider's body and mind as to the horse's. Mindset and mental skills. Mental strength is central to how Jessica rides and competes. She works on staying in the here and now, using fixed routines to create

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calm, security and stability, both at home and in the pressure of a championship arena. She also teaches mental strength and personal development to other riders, believing that the more balanced you are physically and mentally, the better you can help your horse to be happy, fit and balanced. Yoga as a daily routine. Yoga is part of Jessica's everyday life. It keeps her supple, lets her tense and release individual muscles with control, and trains her focus through movement and breath. At Aubenhausen, yoga is taught by Micaela Werndl, Jessica and Benjamin's mother. DressurFit. Around a decade before its launch, Jessica had a young horse with huge, extravagant movement that she found hard to sit. Rather than asking the horse to move smaller, she chose to improve her own fitness. With a team of experts she developed what became DressurFit, a rider fitness programme that combines functional training, neuro-athletics and yoga. It begins with a 12-week foundation phase with fitness tests and a personalised plan, aimed at a quieter, more balanced seat, more precise aids and finer communication with the horse.

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THE PARTNERS BEHIND HER A career at the top of the sport is built with the support of trusted partners. Jessica is backed by some of the world's most respected names in luxury, sport and equestrianism, including Richard Mille, whose watches she has worn since joining the brand in 2016, as well as Hermès, Mercedes-Benz, Sunday Natural, ABUS, De Niro Boot Co., Agrobs, Stanglwirt and Agria.

SIX LESSONS. ONE JOURNEY. The slogan captures the shape of the day. Jessica will teach six lessons, each with a different horse-and-rider combination at a different stage of training. Taken on their own, each lesson offers practical insight. Taken together, they form one continuous journey through dressage training, showing how the same principles carry a horse from his early work to the highest level. For the audience, following all six lessons is like watching the whole path of dressage unfold in a single day.

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WHAT IS A MASTERCLASS? A masterclass is an audience event, not a clinic. In a clinic, the focus is on the rider in the saddle, and spectators are an afterthought. In a masterclass, the audience is the whole point. While she works with each horse and rider, Jessica explains her thinking to everyone watching: what she sees, why she asks for a particular change, and how the horse responds. Spectators follow her reasoning in real time. Whether you compete, coach, ride for pleasure or simply love horses, you leave with ideas you can take home to your own riding.

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WHAT IS A DEMO RIDER? The riders in the arena are demo riders. Each brings their own horse and is coached live by Jessica, becoming the example through which she teaches the audience. Being a demo rider means riding in front of a large crowd, being open to feedback and willing to try new things in the moment. It means letting your horse's strengths and challenges become a learning opportunity for everyone watching. Demo riders are not there to put on a flawless show. They are there to show real training with real horses, which is exactly what makes a masterclass so valuable.

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A RARE OPPORTUNITY ON AFRICAN SOIL Seeing an Olympic champion teach live, in person, is a rare privilege anywhere in the world. Having one come to Africa is rarer still. This masterclass is a chance to hear Jessica's voice, watch her eye for detail at work, and feel the atmosphere of the arena, rather than watching her from thousands of kilometres away on television. Riders and spectators from across South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and beyond are expected to make the trip.

THE VIP EXPERIENCE: MEET JESSICA For those who want to get closer to the action, a limited number of VIP seats will be available. Along with a seat for the full day of lessons, VIP ticket holders will be invited to an exclusive meet-and-greet with Jessica. This is a rare chance to spend some personal time with a fourtime Olympic champion: ask her the questions you have always wanted to ask about her horses, her training and her journey to the top, have your programme, photo or memorabilia signed, and take home an autograph to remember the day by. With only a small number of VIP places on offer, these are expected to go quickly.

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RIDING FOR A CAUSE: THE EARTHCHILD PROJECT Proceeds from the masterclass go towards the Earthchild Project, so every ticket also supports a cause beyond the arena. Founded in Cape Town in 2007 by Janna Kretzmar, the Earthchild Project is a registered non-profit organisation that brings holistic, complementary education into under-resourced primary schools in the Western Cape, with its work centred on the communities of Khayelitsha and Lavender Hill. Working alongside both children and their teachers, its programmes focus on health, the environment, life skills, self-development and leadership. In practice, that means yoga and mindfulness classes, organic food gardens, eco clubs and environmental

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education, woven into the school day and after-school programmes. The aim is to raise a generation of confident, conscious young people who feel connected to themselves, to each other and to the natural world. Teachers are supported too, through workshops and wellness retreats that help them bring these approaches into their own classrooms. There is a natural fit with Jessica's own approach. Yoga, calm focus and balance of body and mind are part of her daily routine, and they sit at the heart of what the Earthchild Project teaches thousands of children in Cape Town every year. Find out more about their work, or support them directly: Website: earthchildproject.org Instagram: @earthchildproject Facebook: facebook.com/EarthchildProject YouTube: youtube.com/@EarthchildProject

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A DAY OUT FOR EVERYONE The masterclass is more than what happens in the arena. Throughout the day, a shopping village with a range of vendors will be open, so you can browse, shop and make a full day of it between lessons. MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT IN CAPE TOWN Epona Equestrian Centre sits in Morningstar, on Cape Town's northern edge, which puts some of the city's favourite spots within easy reach. Blouberg Strand, with its famous postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay, Century City with its shopping, restaurants

and hotels, and the Durbanville wine route are all roughly 20 minutes' drive from the venue, while the V&A Waterfront is only a little further. The wider Cape Winelands are an easy day trip, and February is high summer in the Cape: long, warm days made for the beach, a wine tasting or a sunset dinner by the sea. So rather than making it a day trip, why not make it a weekend? Book your stay, catch the masterclass on the Saturday, and spend the rest of the weekend enjoying everything Cape Town has to offer. Don't miss the day Olympic dressage comes to Cape Town.

EVENT DETAILS What

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl Masterclass

Presented by

Chevaux Equestrian in collaboration with Epona Equestrian Centre

Date

Saturday, 6 February 2027

Venue

Epona Equestrian Centre, Morningstar, Cape Town

Tickets

On sale now through Quicket

VIP

Limited VIP seats, including a meet-and-greet with Jessica (questions and autographs)

Shopping

Shopping village with several vendors, open during the day

Nearby

Blouberg Strand, Century City, Durbanville wine route and V&A Waterfront

Beneficiary

The Earthchild Project (earthchildproject.org)

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PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT

BO REED OFF TO REPRESENT SA AT THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES

t just 17 years old, Bo Reed is preparing to represent South Africa on one of sport’s most significant stages: the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The occasion will be historic, marking the first Olympic sporting event ever held on African soil, but Bo’s route to Dakar was remarkable in its own right. At the final national selection event, riders were required to complete rounds on four very different horses, with only three minutes and five practice fences to understand each unfamiliar ride. Bo was the only competitor to produce four clear rounds. It was a

result that demonstrated far more than an ability to leave the poles in place: it demanded adaptability, feel, composure and trust in years of carefully developed riding. Behind those four rounds lies a 13-year journey shaped by very different horses, devoted coaches, an extraordinarily supportive family and a young rider who admits she has not always been the person expected to win. HQ spoke to Bo about the day she qualified, the horses who built her, and what it means to carry the South African flag to Dakar.

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HQ: Firstly, huge congratulations! You've qualified to represent South Africa at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. When did it actually sink in that you were going, and how did you celebrate? BR: Thank you so much. I think it’s only really going to sink in properly when I get onto that plane and land in Senegal.

was actually able to do this and that I could make it. However, it still feels so surreal. It still feels like a complete dream, and I’m just beyond thankful.

That feeling at the qualifier, when I realised that I had won, is something nothing will ever beat. I think it was genuinely one of the happiest days of my life.

After the event, my family and I went out for dinner to celebrate. I called lots of my family members, including my grandad, who is one of my biggest supporters, and my aunt and uncle. I also spoke to many of my friends, and they were all so happy for me. Some of my teachers called me too. I received so much support and celebrated with so many people.

It started to sink in when I got onto Catinka. I realised that, if I jumped that clear round, I could be securing my place at the Youth Olympic Games. From that moment, I realised that I

After the qualifier, I went straight back to the stables to spend some time with Mardi because, without him, I wouldn’t even have got there. I owe him a lot, so I celebrated with him as well.

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HQ: Dakar 2026 is the first Olympic sporting event ever held on African soil. What does it mean to you to be part of that, and to be doing it for South Africa? BR: I feel tremendously proud of Africa, not only because of how far it has come, but because it is able to support an event like this. I think it really shows how far Africa and African countries have come as a whole.

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I’m genuinely so excited to represent South Africa at this event. I also think I have some advantages coming from South Africa, where it is hot and dusty. We’ve had to work with South African conditions, and I feel that will help me in Senegal because I will be used to them. I’m just beyond honoured to represent South Africa in Africa and to be a product of everything that Africans stand for.

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THE SELECTION DAY HQ: You were the only rider to jump clear rounds on all four horses at the final selection event. Talk us through that day from your side. BR: Normally, when I wake up on the morning of a show, I am extremely nervous. However, when I woke up that day, I felt quite calm and confident. I remember saying to my mom, “I have a feeling this is going to go well.” Obviously, I didn’t know it at the time, but it would go well! We collected Mardi and drove to Kumusha, which is such a beautiful show venue. It was perfect for this event. I remember walking the course with Ronnie and saying to him, “These jumps are quite big, considering we’re riding other horses.” He agreed that it was going to be a test, but told me to trust in myself and my ability and that

I would be fine. Anyway, that was when the nerves started to kick in. Seeing the size of the jumps and thinking about all the different horses I had to ride definitely made me nervous. We then went into the clubhouse to draw the order in which we would jump the horses. In the weeks leading up to the event, I had decided on the order in which I wanted to ride them. I really wanted to jump Mardi first because he is my own horse, followed by SwaziLizkhar Heir To Lagos, Diamonds Suzie Q and then Callaho Catinka last. Obviously, we couldn’t choose our order; it was entirely down to luck, and we had to draw it out of a bin. Because Bo comes first alphabetically, I was the first person to draw. I drew the letter D but didn’t realise until about 20 minutes later, when my mom came up to me and told me, that I had drawn the exact order I wanted.

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I couldn’t believe it. I thought, “Wow, luck is really on my side today.” I took it as a very good sign. It boosted my confidence because things were already going my way.

tone for the rest of the day, so I was relieved to get that clear round out of the way.

We all went down to the warm-up arena and started on our own horses. I got onto Mardi and warmed him up. Luckily, riders were allowed to warm up their own horses for as long as they wanted, so I made sure Mardi was warm and feeling good for all the other riders.

Then I put my feet into the stirrups of Swazi-Lizkhar Heir To Lagos. Going from Mardi to him was like going from a blazing-hot desert to a freezingcold Antarctica. They are completely different. Swazi-Lizkhar is small, quick and very hot, whereas Mardi is big, scopey and quite slow. The contrast definitely tested my rideability.

I jumped him first and managed to produce a clear round, which was one of the biggest things for me. In fact, jumping clear on my own horse was the part I was most nervous about because I felt there was the most pressure to produce a clear on him. It also set the

When you get onto one of the other horses, you have only three minutes in the warm-up and a maximum of five jumps. When you don’t know the horse, that is quite hectic. As soon as your bum hits the saddle, you have to start riding.

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I really enjoyed Swazi-Lizkhar. When I jumped a clear round on him, I couldn’t believe it. I thought, “Well, you’ve done it. You’ve jumped two clears. There are two more to go, and you can do it.” I then got onto Diamonds Suzie Q. I must say, I was quite nervous about her because she is a temperamental mare and can be unpredictable. She will either jump for you or she won’t. However, it went really well, and I jumped a clear round on her too. She was actually one of my favourite rides. At that point, I had jumped three clear rounds out of three. This was why I had wanted Catinka last: she is as careful as a cat and is a proper athlete. I knew that, if I rode her correctly, I should be able to produce a clear round. I got onto her and told myself, “Bo, just keep your head and ride. You know how to do this. Stick to the rules.”

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I managed to jump a clear round on her as well. When I rode through those finish flags, I couldn’t even explain the feeling that went through me. It was incredible. However, it wasn’t over yet because Claudia (another young rider in contention at the final selection) had also ridden amazingly. I was really proud of her. She had jumped three clear rounds and had to ride Mardi last. I stood on the sidelines watching her ride my horse, and she was riding him fantastically. I remember thinking, “Mardi, you’re jumping so well for her, my boy.” Then they got to the double and had an unfortunate pole. That was when it really hit me that I had won and was going through to the Youth Olympic Games. It sounds terrible to say that I was celebrating another person losing the victory, but it was an incredible day. Looking back on it still gives me goosebumps.

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HQ: Riding four different horses in one competition is a real test. How do you adjust when you sit on a horse you don't know well? BR: This was the part I was most nervous about. I was very lucky because lots of friends offered me their horses to ride beforehand. That allowed me to experience lots of different feelings and practise adjusting to different types of horses before the competition. I had also done a lot of research, and a bit of spying on Instagram! I watched lots of videos of the other competitors riding their horses. In my mind, I developed a kind of catalogue of how I

was going to ride each horse and what each one needed. I’m really glad I did that because it helped me enormously. I knew what I needed to do with SwaziLizkhar and what I needed to do with Catinka. I spoke to Ronnie, and he told me, “You know how to ride. You know the rules. Just stick to the rules, and you’ll be fine.” When I went from Mardi to SwaziLizkhar Heir To Lagos, I made sure I calmed my nerves. I told myself, “Just ride. Keep your rhythm, let him do what he wants to do, don’t get in his way too much and just ride.”

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It worked because Swazi-Lizkhar is very forward-going. If you let him do his thing, he will be fine. It is similar with all these horses. I don’t like interfering too much because they know their jobs. They are Open jumpers and know what they have to do. You have to steer them, put them in the right place and give them the opportunity to do what they do best. My whole mentality was to maintain my rhythm, keep a calm head and talk to the horses. I wanted to let them know that it was okay, even though it was strange to have me riding them. I think that worked to my advantage. Another thing that helped was the fastpaced nature of the event. You went straight from one horse to the next, with no break in between, and the warm-up was very quick. That helped me because I tend to overthink things. When I’m given time to overthink, it doesn’t always work to my advantage. Here, I could simply get on, not think about anything and

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ride. By the time I got to Suzie Q, I was smiling and enjoying myself because it really was fun. I think that was one reason I did so well. I didn’t place any expectations or pressure on myself; I just rode. HQ: Were you nervous? And if so, how did you handle it? BR: I was very nervous about the event. Nerves are important because they show that you care, but I also felt a lot of pressure to perform. My coach, Ronnie Healy, said to me, “Bo, pressure is a privilege.” He was so right about that. Pressure should be treated as a privilege. To manage my nerves, I went and sat by myself for a while. I told my mom that I needed some time alone, and I listened to music. Music is a big thing for me. It helps calm me down and gets me into the zone. I listen to it before championship classes as well, and it really helps me.

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I spoke to myself and said, “Just trust in your ability. You’ve got this far. You know how to ride. You’ve been doing it for almost your whole life.”

When I took the pressure off myself, it became fun and allowed me to ride and make the most of the experience. I think that worked in my favour.

do something, you can do it. If you are negative and doubt yourself, you will never be able to do it.

Whenever I got onto a different horse and felt nervous, I told myself, “You can do it.” For me, the biggest thing is that, if your mind believes you can

My focus was on getting my mind into the right space. I used the nerves to my advantage and allowed them to fuel me. I think that really helped me win.

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GETTING INTO THE SPORT HQ: How did you first get into riding, and when did you know showjumping was the sport for you? BR: I’ve been riding since I was four years old. I think the first time I sat in a saddle was at one of my friends’ birthday parties, where they had those little lead-rein horses. From that moment, I decided I wanted to have lessons. I got my first pony, Ruth, when I was six, but I only started competing when I was ten. My mom wanted to make sure I was in the sport for the right reasons. She didn’t want me to fall in love with the competitive side of it; she wanted me to fall in love with the horse. That is really what happened, and I am eternally grateful to my mom for helping me make that decision. From the moment I walked into the showjumping arena and received my first rosette, I realised that I loved the sport, not only for the rosettes and prizes, but because it is so rewarding to jump on an animal with whom you have worked so hard to establish a bond.

You can put all the hard work, training, blood, sweat and tears to good use and get something out of it. I fell in love with the little laps of honour, the big pats and everything else. I don’t think I will ever stop showjumping. It has become part of who I am: the early mornings, walking courses and the nerves. I remember always waking up on the morning of a show with a feeling I had never experienced anywhere else: a mixture of anxiety and excitement. That feeling keeps me coming back every time. Everyone who showjumps knows that feeling. It’s like a drug: once you’ve started, you can’t stop. I have been addicted from the beginning, and I don’t think I will ever be able to stop doing this sport.

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HQ: Who or what inspired you early on? BR: My first coach was Brendan McNevin. He taught me from the age of four until I was 15, and he is probably one of the people who inspired me most and taught me the most. Pretty much everything I know, and all my foundations, came from Brendan. He taught me how to ride and really instilled that love of the sport in me. He cemented it.

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I always looked up to him. I would watch him ride and think, “I want to do that one day.” There were also several riders at Blair Atholl, including Kaitlyn Pike and Jamie Mayer, who were my role models. I looked up to them and thought, “I want to be like them one day. I want to ride like them.” They showed me a side of the sport that I really wanted to fulfil, and I feel that I am doing that now.

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HQ: What have been the biggest achievements in the sport for you so far? BR: I’m not a rider who wins every single class I compete in, but I have had various successes and some very special moments, particularly with Mardi.

The Youth Olympic Games is obviously the biggest achievement I have ever had. Even making it onto the longlist for the selection process was a huge achievement for me, and I was so happy with that. Making the final selection has been incredible.

Last year, I competed in the FEI World Jumping Challenge and managed to place second in South Africa and 22nd in the world. Jenna Kirk came first and was able to go to Astana. Knowing that I had come so close to that achievement helped motivate me and made me very proud because I realised that I was up there with some of the top showjumpers. That was a big achievement.

I also jumped a clear round and finished seventh in the Junior Open Derby, which was another big highlight of my year. I made the Gauteng Equitation Team last year and have had lots of amazing clear rounds and placings in the Junior 1.35m classes. I’m now aiming to jump my first 1.40m class later this year.

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THE HORSES HQ: Tell us about the horse or horses who have shaped you most as a rider. BR: My first pony, Highover Ruth, was a little chestnut Welsh pony whom we got from Anthon Hoek. She was incredible and laid the foundations for my love of the sport. She was the most precious thing and never put a foot wrong. I won a lot with her. I remember, as if it were yesterday, jumping 40cm classes with her and doing SANESA in the top Maple Ridge arena. She really made me love horses. Then I rode CDE Cadenza. I had her for a shorter period, and she definitely taught me resilience. I didn’t have the typical easy pony career with her; I fell off her in almost every lesson! She showed me that the sport isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. She showed me that you have to be resilient, that the sport is tough and that it is going to test you.

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I then rode Center Genoisseur. He was my first horse and was amazing for the transition from ponies to horses. He got me jumping in the 1.20m classes and helped me start enjoying the more competitive heights. Then I got Mardi, my current ride, Mardi van het Leliehof. I originally started leasing him, but we eventually bought him because I couldn’t let him go. He has given me wings. He has taken me from being a nervous 1.10m rider to a confident Junior Open 1.35m rider. He took me that final step: all the other horses built the steps for me, and he managed to take me to the top. I am eternally grateful for all my horses because, without any of them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Mardi gave me that extra confidence and courage to take the final step, and I am very grateful for him.

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HQ: What are you currently doing with Mardi Van Het Leliehof and Rivendell Barbaresco? BR: Mardi and Barbie, my two horses, are the most precious things in my life. I love them so much. They are unique characters in their own ways, and there are so many different things that I love about each of them.

because he loves every horse and every person. He is a really special character.

Everyone asks me which one is my favourite, but I can’t choose.

He is quite unorthodox and isn’t very easy to ride. He has a very big stride and is quite slow, so it can be difficult for me to go fast on him, but we are working on that.

Mardi is my main horse. I am currently jumping him in the Junior 1.35m classes and will hopefully step up to the 1.40m classes. He is the goofiest horse. If he were a dog, I think he would be a Labrador

When I go into the arena with him, I never have to worry about him stopping or being cheeky. I know that he will jump whatever is placed in front of him. He is incredible like that and gives an amazing feeling over a jump.

I love riding him. There is never a dull moment with Mardi, and he always puts a smile on my face. I’m so honoured to have him as my partner.

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My younger horse, Rivendell Barbaresco, is six years old. I am currently producing him for the bigger grades, with the eventual goal of jumping in the 1.40m and 1.50m classes. He is probably one of the most talented horses I have ever sat on. He is extremely scopey and has an amazing, bouncy canter. He travels across the ground so easily and makes up a lot of ground. He is definitely a very exciting prospect, and I’m excited about my journey with him. He can be quite challenging

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because he is cheeky and has a lot of character, but that is a good thing. I often tell people that, if I were a horse, I would be Barbie! He is very spunky, and I really love him. Having had him from such a young age has allowed me to establish a very good bond with him. I am grateful to have him in my life. I have also chosen to take his production slowly. I don’t want to hurt him; I want him to be confident when he jumps and not frighten himself. I’m happy that I made that decision because he is feeling incredible at the moment.

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ABOUT BO HQ: What does a normal day look like for you, balancing school, training and everything else? BR: People who know me know that I am a busybody. I always have to be doing something, and I thrive on being busy and having things to do. On a normal Tuesday, I go to school until two o’clock and then come home and eat lunch. I usually start riding at three. I ride Barbie first for an hour, rinse him off and untack him, and then ride Mardi for an hour. If I have time, I go to the gym. It is important to me to stay fit for my horses because, if they have to stay fit, it is only fair that I stay fit as well. Then I come home and study. I’m a late-night studier, so that suits me. If

I don’t have time for the gym, I come straight home from the stables and study. My horses have a strict weekly training schedule. Monday is generally a dressage lesson; Tuesday is flatwork; and Wednesday is the only day of the week on which they jump. I only jump them once a week because they know their jobs and what they have to do. Thursday will involve trotting up the hill, while Friday might be another flatwork session. The weekends are for rest and longer, relaxed hacks. It can be difficult to fit everything in, but I manage. I also do triathlons and athletics, so sometimes a riding day has to move, or I have to miss riding that day so I can do athletics or study. However, I always manage to make it work.

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HQ: Outside of horses, what do you love doing? BR: Horse riding is a massive part of my life, but balance is vital to me. I don’t think it is ideal to become too obsessed with and focused on one thing, and I think I have quite a balanced lifestyle. I compete in triathlons and love cycling and running. I try to go to the gym every day because I really enjoy it, and it allows me to let off some steam. I love reading, do public speaking for my school and compete in athletics. I

take part in the long jump and the 100m and 200m sprints. I have also recently been selected as a leader at Heronbridge College, for which I am very grateful. My biggest thing is simply having fun and making use of all the opportunities available to me. I live in the incredible Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate, where I can walk my dogs and play padel. I’m very lucky to have that freedom, so I try to make the most of it.

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COACHING HQ: Your coach, Ronnie Healy, has been part of this achievement. How is he helping you prepare for overseas competition? BR: I owe Ronnie the world. He has pushed me to the next level, instilled confidence in me and made me realise that I can do it and that I am capable. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I also wouldn’t have the horses I have or be the rider I am today. He is an incredible coach. He never really gets nervous; he oozes confidence, and that seeps into his riders. I think that shows. He has been incredible in helping me prepare for this competition. He arranged for me to ride other horses and experience different feelings. We have also been working on my body position and making sure I am properly prepared.

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He is currently overseas, and it has been incredible to watch him do what he does best internationally. It is inspiring and motivates me because I know that I am also going to be competing overseas for South Africa. It is awesome to see my coach doing something that I am going to do. Ronnie is a very busy man and, unfortunately, he won’t be able to come with me to the Youth Olympic Games. I’m quite sad about that, but I completely understand because he needs to be back in South Africa after being away for such a long time. Alexander Nell will be helping me in Senegal. He is also incredible and has been helping me while Ronnie has been overseas. He really gets the best out of me and has helped me with my body position, my discipline and my riding. I’m very excited for him to come with me and to have him as my coach at the Games.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO DAKAR HQ: What does your preparation look like between now and the Games in November? BR: My biggest priority is to keep riding and stay fit. I leave for Egypt on 20 September for an African training camp in preparation for the Youth Olympic Games. Six African countries will be taking part, and I’m really excited about it. It will give me valuable insight into what will happen in Senegal. I’ll have the opportunity to ride different horses, learn from different coaches and meet different people.

Until the Games, I’m going to keep riding Mardi and competing at shows. I want to make sure I remain confident at the bigger heights. I’m going to test myself and make sure I am technically prepared. I will also continue going to the gym and ensure that I am in the best possible shape and fitness for the event because that is a massive part of it. I need to make sure my body is strong and that I’m ready to give the horses the best possible chance.

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HQ: What are you most excited about, and what are you most nervous about? BR: I’m so excited and honoured to represent South Africa in both Senegal and Egypt. I’m excited about Egypt because it will provide a more one-on-one learning experience. I’ll learn different riding techniques and be taught by different coaches. I think I’m going to learn a lot that I can use in preparation for the Youth Olympic Games. Obviously, I am also extremely excited to compete at the Youth Olympic

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Games, ride different horses and meet people from around the world. I think it is going to be awesome. It comes with a lot of pressure because I really want to do South Africa proud. That makes me a little nervous, but I feel confident in my ability and am overwhelmingly excited. It is also nerve-racking not knowing which horse I will be given and having to get to know a completely different horse. That is always a concern, but I’m sure I will be able to do great things with whichever horse I receive.

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HQ: Do you have a goal in mind for Dakar, or is the focus on the experience itself? BR: The experience is a very big part of it for me, and I want to go there and make the most of it. However, I also think it is important to set goals for myself. I would really like to earn a place on the podium. I think having that aspiration and goal for the Youth Olympic Games is reasonable.

My main goal is to try to finish in the top three. There are 24 countries competing, but I think it is doable and within my ability. That would be the dream, so I am going to work very hard and try to achieve it for South Africa. Obviously, it would be awesome to walk away with the win, but the competition will be steep. I have to work very hard, give it a bash and do my best. I think that is the most important thing.

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HQ: What are you looking forward to away from the arena at the Youth Olympic Games? BR: I think the biggest thing for me will be the friendships and memories I’m going to make on this trip. I’ll be able to meet so many different people from unique backgrounds, with so many different experiences and stories. I really think that, through the Youth Olympic Games and our shared goals, we will form very close relationships. I can’t wait for that.

I’m also very excited to see Egypt when I go there for the training camp in September. I would love to see the pyramids and experience a different country because I’ve never been there before. I’ve never been to Senegal either, so that is going to be amazing. I haven’t visited many other African countries, and I can’t wait to see more of them. I think it will be a real eye-opener, and I’m excited to explore more of Africa.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE HQ: You’re a young woman making it to an Olympic stage. What would you say to other young South African riders who dream of the same thing? BR: Never give up. I know that sounds very clichéd, but if you have a dream and are passionate about something, it will all work out in the end. I went through a very difficult patch during which I felt as though I wasn’t getting anywhere. I was working so hard and putting so much effort into my riding, but I felt that I was receiving no recognition or reward for it. That isn’t what the sport is all about, but it is nice to receive recognition and know that your hard work is paying off.

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This experience has made me realise that, if you put in the hard work and remain determined and dedicated, you will eventually be rewarded. It will all be worth it. This is the biggest achievement of my life. I have never achieved anything like this before, and I may never achieve anything quite like it again. It shows that hard work really does pay off. It has made all the falls, tears and difficult moments worth it. It has shown me that people who work hard are rewarded. You don’t need fancy horses, and you don’t need to win everything to be recognised.

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I think I was probably one of the least expected people to win because I haven’t necessarily achieved outstanding results or placed at many shows. However, I don’t think that means anything. Placings aren’t everything. At the end of the day, it is your hard work, talent and passion that will pull you through. One of my favourite quotes is: “There are no shortcuts to places worth

going.” That really resonates with me because it shows that, even through all the hardships, the long journey is worth it in the end. That is one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give other riders. Even when it feels useless, difficult or as though the journey is taking too long, it will be worth it in the end. Everything eventually works out, and hard work is always rewarded.

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HQ: Is there anyone you would like us to thank for you? BR: Firstly, I would like to thank my mom. She is an incredible woman and probably one of the hardest-working people I know. She owns Safety First Equestrian, and I owe my success to her because she makes my riding possible. She pays for my horses and works extremely hard to ensure that I can fulfil my dreams. I would never be where I am today, and I would never be able to go to the Youth Olympic Games, without her. She has invested her time, money and everything else in me since I was four years old. I owe everything to her. I really do.

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I would also like to thank Brendan McNevin, my first coach. Brendan, you were the person who cemented my love for the sport in the beginning. You taught me everything I know and showed me the side of the sport with which I fell in love. I wouldn’t be here today without all those lessons, outrides and everything else. I really appreciate you. Then, obviously, there is Ronnie. Thank you so much for everything. Thank you for finding Mardi for me, believing in me and giving me confidence and courage in myself. You have helped lift my riding to levels I never knew I could achieve, and I am eternally grateful to you.

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I would also like to thank Alex. Alex has only recently begun coaching me this year, but he has already improved my riding so much. I’m very blessed to have him on my team and to have him coming to Senegal and Egypt with me. I’m extremely excited. Then there is Janet Dewar-Pitts, my dressage coach. Janet, you have also helped my riding enormously. You have given me confidence and shown me so many things I didn’t know. I love the chats we have during our lessons. You always listen, and that means a lot to me. You are also one of my number-one supporters, and I will always cherish your support. I want to thank my whole team, from the farriers and dentists to the physios and chiropractors. Without

you, I wouldn’t be going where I am going. Both Mardi and I are eternally grateful to all of you. I also can’t forget my dad, who makes all my dreams possible. I remember being four years old, sitting on my bed and calling my dad into my room. I said, “Dad, please can I have a pony?” He said yes, and from that day on, shame, it hasn’t been an easy or inexpensive road for him! However, he has supported me through it all and backed me every step of the way. Without my amazing team, I wouldn’t be able to go where I am going. I am so blessed to have every one of you in my life. Youth Olympic Games, here we come!

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JEANNE KORBER AND EQUINE WALKER SA’S LEXINGTON THE ULTIMATE 4X4 SERIES CHAMPIONS

hen Jeanne Korber broke her wrist badly at the first big show of the year, a season-long series title must have felt a long way off. Instead, she and Equine Walker SA’s Lexington have been crowned winners of the Ultimate 4x4 Series brought to you by Toyota, sealing the title at KPC in this year's Toyota SA Derby. The series rewarded the combination that scored the most points across four of the country’s most demanding fixtures: the Toyota Outdoor Grand Prix at the

Easter Festival, the Toyota Midrand World Cup Qualifier, the Toyota SA Showjumping Champs and, finally, the Toyota SA Derby. Winning it takes a horse that can move between Grand Prix, World Cup and Derby tracks while staying fit and sharp through a long season, and a rider willing to contest every class. Jeanne, who talked her way back into the saddle just days before the Easter Festival, and Lexington delivered on both counts, and their reward, a new Toyota Hilux, is due to roll off the production line in midNovember.

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It is a win more than a decade in the making. Jeanne had her eye on Lexington from the start, as the son of Fiorella, a mare she had bought on auction, and when he came up on the 2015 sale he was the only horse she wanted and purchased him in partnership with the Whitehouse family. She produced him herself from straight off the farm, with the guidance of Gonda Betrix, her coach of 25 years, and her husband Rainer Korber. Together they have built a reputation for consistency at the top level and a particular affinity for the SA Derby, finishing third in 2022 and second in 2023. In 2025 he was 4th in the Derby.

Here, Jeanne tells HQ about the horse she calls Mr Perfect, the comeback that made the series possible and what this victory means to her. EARLY DAYS HQ: What made you choose Lexington back in 2015? Jeanne: He is the son of Fiorella, a mare I bought off a previous auction. She had him before she was sold on the auction so I always had my eye on him. When he came up on the 2015 auction, I was very biased but definitely only wanted him!

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HQ: What was he like as a young horse? Which qualities stood out early, and which have surprised you as he has developed? Jeanne: From early on he had the most wonderful temperament, very brave and beautiful to ride. He’s always given me a very safe feeling. Lex never overjumped or gave flashy, scopey jumps, but turns out he has more scope than any horse I have ever had before! HQ: For people who only see him in competition, what is he like at home in terms of his personality? Jeanne: He is a real character and

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pulls the funniest faces for attention! When I ride him, he’s Mr Perfect. Even on outrides on a loose rein, he will walk on the bit! HQ: How would you describe him under saddle? Jeanne: He's really beautiful to ride, especially on the flat! He is sensitive and has lots of blood and hardly ever gets tired, but he’s never silly. When jumping he can get very strong and often yanks quite a bit. I think he’s so eager to do the right job and when I try and steady him I’m just interfering with his plan so he gets strong.

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THE ULTIMATE 4X4 SERIES HQ: What made the Toyota Ultimate 4x4 Series a particular goal for you this year, and how did your wrist injury impact that? Jeanne: Lexington and I have often received SASJ awards for consistency throughout the years so when a massive prize like this came, it was immediately a big goal for us to work towards! Last year we were close! I was so excited to start the year with seven horses to compete and at the first big show I fell off the first horse of the day (twice actually) and broke my wrist

quite badly. I was devastated and very frustrated! I didn’t have feeling and proper movement in my hand for quite a few months. In order to be in contention for the series I knew that I would have a better chance if I did all the eight classes so the begging to Gonda and Ray started just before the Toyota Easter Festival. Eventually they let me have a jump three days before the show started, around a 1.35m track; I was so nervous to mess up but I knew Lex would look after me and he sure did!

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HQ: When you set your sights on the series, did you plan Lexington’s season around the different legs or did you just take each leg as it came? Jeanne: We took each leg as it came, but it was all shows that I would’ve normally competed at with him anyway. HQ: What does a horse need to perform consistently across a series like this? Which of Lexington’s qualities have been especially valuable in that regard? Jeanne: They need to be fit, feeling their best and obviously also versatile in being a Grand Prix/World Cup and Derby horse. Lexington is

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naturally a very fit horse and he has been very successful across all the different types of classes. He's a fantastic Derby horse! HQ: How do you balance fitness, competition experience and recovery between major shows? Jeanne: I have my own routine with my horses to keep them fit and mostly only go to the big shows at the moment. When my horses have had a big competition I would give them a few days off and just hack them for the rest of the week with very light schooling sessions. Two weeks before a big show I would start building up the jumping with exercises and tracks to prepare for the show.

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HQ: Looking back across the series, which round or moment are you proudest of, and why? Jeanne: I would say the Toyota Outdoor Grand Prix as I had not ridden or jumped a horse for weeks before the show and my wrist was a problem. I really had to convince everyone to let me ride so the pressure was on to not let everyone

including Lex down with riding badly. I was extremely nervous and in the warm-up honestly thought I had made a huge mistake, but my pride could not admit that to Gonda and Ray ( ). I held it together and Lex held my hand to jump an incredible clear with one down in the second round to finish sixth. He truly showed what an amazing horse he is!

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THE SA DERBY HQ: You and Lexington finished third in the SA Derby in 2022 and second in 2023. What do you remember most about those rounds? Jeanne: In 2022, I remember going into a four-fault-jump-off between quite a few riders which made it very exciting and nerve-racking! In 2023 Lex jumped the most incredible round, but as he started going down the bank the grass gave way so he just jumped from very high up and proceeded to do one stride to the plank. He tried very hard to clear it and just tipped the plank with a back toe. How we managed to keep it together after that shock, I have no idea. It was incredible! HQ: How has your approach to the Derby changed with experience? Jeanne: These days I’m definitely more excited than nervous! When you have a horse like Lex that enjoys Derby it makes it a lot easier and more fun! HQ: What makes Lexington suited to the Derby’s particular demands? He obviously excels in all the shows, but is there something that makes him particularly suited to that track? Jeanne: He is a very brave and willing horse which hugely helps with the Derby obstacles and then he’s also naturally a very fit horse with lots of energy.

HQ: How much specific Derby training do you do, and how does that fit into his wider programme? Jeanne: With Lex’s experience he does not need a lot of Derby training anymore. We did two sessions at two different venues this year training over all the elements before the show and Dominey assisted us such a lot when Gonda couldn't come up to Jo'burg before Derby. HQ: How did you manage the mental demands of Derby day with the overall series result also in play? Do you struggle with nerves generally around shows? Jeanne: Wow, so many emotions! There was definitely plenty of nerves leading up to the show and especially on the day! The biggest thing was that I did not want to let my team and my horse down; I knew if I could hold it together then we had a good chance of winning the series so there was a lot of pressure that I put on myself.

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WINNING HQ: What does this achievement mean to you on a horse you have developed through the levels yourself? Jeanne: It really is surreal, from starting with him straight off the farm to winning one of the most prestigious prizes ever in our sport. It really means more to us than I could ever put in words. HQ: Winning a Hilux is quite a prize! Have you collected the car yet? If so, what is it like to drive? Jeanne: No, not yet. Toyota have really been incredible and given us the opportunity to choose what colour we want and extras etc so the

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car is now in production and will be ready mid-November! BIG PICTURE HQ: You and Rainer compete alongside each other in the big classes. What is that experience like, particularly when you are both riding in the same class? Jeanne: We are really lucky to share in our passion for horses and competing together. We support each other completely and understand all the emotions of the competitions. One of us usually keeps the family flag up there and sometimes we are fortunate to share the podium together.

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HQ: What role has Gonda Betrix played in your journey with Lexington? Is there a particular lesson or piece of advice from her that has stayed with you? Jeanne: Gonda has been teaching me for 25 years now so she taught Lex and me from the very beginning. She has always loved him and his great work ethic. She always says don’t hear what happens behind you and focus on what is in front of you.

HQ: How do you and Rainer balance running Korber Equestrian, producing and competing your own horses, and family life, especially when you are both at the very top of the sport? Jeanne: We have a very good team of staff that helps us with our businesses, horses and life! We are very fortunate to do this together as it is a very demanding sport!

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HQ: Who would you particularly like to thank for helping you and Lexington reach this point? Jeanne: It definitely takes a village to get to this point. Michael and Laurin Whitehouse helped me buy Lex off the auction and have been part of this journey ever since then! Gonda and Ray have taught us over the years and then Benda, Lex’s groom, has loved him since the very beginning and knows him better than anyone! We also have an incredible team at home, who I couldn't do any of this without. Lex also has an array of people that treat him and make him feel his absolute best: Sasha Chelin, Dr Patrick from Baker McVeigh Vets, David Hyslop Farrier Services, Jacques Versveld, Sue Allcock, Equitread etc.

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Then, of course, Western Shoppe kits us out in the very best from his Prestige Rubino saddle to his boots and bridle, and my entire outfit is made up of the most beautiful brands like Samshield, Pikeur, Ariat etc. Finally, I must also thank Winx Insurance for their sponsorship and support. HQ: For readers producing their own horses, what are the most valuable lessons from your journey with Lexington? Jeanne: Find a horse that you enjoy riding and working with every day and then be patient, work hard and enjoy the journey! There will be days of disappointment and days of celebrations, it’s all part of the amazing journey with your horse!

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HQ: When you look at Lexington now, what makes you proudest beyond his results? Jeanne: When I look at Lexington now, I am so proud of our 11-year partnership and that we have created so many wonderful memories together. Lilly, our daughter, has ridden him a couple of times for fun and that makes me even more

proud; he is a top-class horse yet he will look after a little 12-year-old-girl. HQ: What’s next for you and Lexington? Jeanne: We have our last World Cup Qualifier at Maple Ridge end of October and then possibly the SA Indoor Grand Prix at Maxwell's in December.

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LOOKING INTO HIS FUTURE ARENA

TEN YEARS AFTER A #DREAMBIG PHOTO, PAIGE GOETSCH AND CALLAHO LUCETTO WON THE TOYOTA SA DERBY ON THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT

n 2016, a young Junior rider posted a photo on Facebook of her new four-year-old gazing into the Bob Charter arena at Kyalami. The caption read: “Lucetto looking into his future arena. #dreambig”.

at the class. Paige chose Lucetto at the Callaho Warmblood Auction on little more than a feeling. She has produced him herself, one grade at a time, all the way to South Africa’s most demanding jumping class.

Ten years later, Paige Goetsch and Callaho Lucetto rode the only clear round in that arena to win the 2026 Toyota SA Derby, at their first attempt

We spoke to Paige about the horse she calls Looch, the months of preparation behind the win, and the bank that didn’t go quite to plan.

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WHERE IT STARTED HQ: You bought Callaho Lucetto at the 2016 Callaho Auction. What made you choose him back then? PG: We were not looking at buying a horse and especially not a young horse as I had only just started my junior career properly. I watched the auction videos and as soon as I saw Lucetto jump his first cross in the free-jumping video I knew I wanted him. I spent weeks afterwards trying to convince my parents and ultimately my dad said I could go to try-outs to sit on him. I chose him purely off of a ‘feeling’ – I think it was just meant to be.

HQ: What were your hopes for him at the beginning? Was competing in the big Derby ever part of those plans? PG: He was obviously the first young horse I had ever worked with, so a lot of the beginning stages was me just figuring out how to ride an inexperienced horse. I just wanted to be the best rider for him that I could be, and to enjoy the journey. I knew he was a Derby horse from the beginning. I posted a picture in 2016 on Facebook of him looking into the Bob Charter arena with the caption “Lucetto looking into his future arena. #dreambig”. So this win is a very emotional, full circle story for us.

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HQ: You have produced him yourself to this level. Looking back, which moments stand out as turning points in your partnership and who has helped you most along the way? PG: It took a lot of patience and time to produce him. He is a very sensitive horse and has quite a tricky mouth which took me a long time to figure out how to deal with correctly. A turning point for us was definitely when he moved into the 1.35m classes. We spent a long time in the lower grades trying to get his rideability better, but once he reached that level he kicked into a new gear. Chad Cunningham and I spent a lot of time working on Lucetto’s flatwork

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and mind in COVID. Chad helped me figure out a system that worked for him, as well as allowed me the space to feel confident in what my beliefs were about what Looch needed. He was a very important part of our journey. Gonda Betrix also helped me during this time; her knowledge and experience are always valuable. Chatan Hendriks has been the biggest help with Lucetto. He was also the person I turned to since the day we got Looch. He understands me as a rider, and has taken the time to understand what Looch needs too. Together, we have a good understanding of how to keep Looch happy and at his best. I am so grateful to him.

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HQ: For readers who only know him from competitions, what is Lucetto like at home? PG: Looch is very ADHD. He is always doing something and is a busy bee. He LOVES his outrides,

and benefits from a home routine where less is more. He is very cuddly and is always singing a happy tune. I can honestly say he really shows me that he loves me and the feeling is mutual!

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DERBY PREP HQ: When did you decide that this would be the year to attempt the big Derby? PG: It was my goal since winning the Mini Derby last year. It was what I wanted to work towards, but I also know that to compete in a class

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like this takes a lot of preparation, fitness and that your horse has to feel 110% going into it. As much as I wanted to jump it, I made a promise to myself and Looch that I would only give it a go if we felt ready and on top form. I am so happy we got there!

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HQ: He also excels in conventional jumping classes. What did you need to add to his preparation for the particular demands of a Derby? PG: It was actually a combination of adding some things and removing others. We decided to skip a few big shows, including SA Champs and Shongweni, to focus on getting him very fit, strong and healthy earlier on so that his working routine could taper as Derby came closer to ensure he was well-rested enough for the class. We also kept him in the 1.40m classes only for about

five months to keep his jumping load lighter. Above the obvious Derby training, I added very regular physio sessions to his routine to make sure every time he jumped he felt his absolute best both before and after the sessions. In May I started sending him to the Equine Water Treadmill (Equitread SA) to build his strength and fitness without overstraining his body. This helped Looch a lot and I am so glad we started it so long before the show.

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HQ: For a rider hoping to compete in a Derby one day, what foundations would you encourage them to establish well before the event? PG: I would say a big thing is making sure you only attempt it when you are

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ready. I always say it’s better to jump a class too late than too early, and with Derby I think even more so. Make sure you and your horse are confident going into it, that you trust one another and that you are both fit enough!

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THE WIN HQ: What was your plan going into the arena, and did you have to adapt it anywhere during the round? PG: Haha! This question makes me smile. Lucetto and I are not the best at the bank. I struggle to time it correctly and he sometimes jumps straight to the bottom of it, so sometimes I struggled to get the two strides to the plank. I trained it countless times and when we walked the course, Ronnie [Healy] told me exactly how to ride it, and said it has to be two strides. I did everything he told me not to do! But Looch still managed to execute it like a pro, even with my bad ride. The only thing I thought afterwards was to forget about it and focus on the next jump!

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HQ: What was going through your mind as you approached the final fence? PG: The final fence to me has always been my favourite. I always dreamed of what it felt like to jump it, knowing ‘you’ve done it’. I knew I was clear cantering to it, but I also knew I could either win the class or lose the class at it. I remained focused and rode the eight strides to it as I had planned to and Looch jumped it perfectly – just as he had done for the 18 jumps before it. He was so fit, excited and in the zone that I did not have to do much to keep him going.

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HQ: When you crossed the finish clear, what was your first reaction? PG: I couldn’t believe it. I was in total shock. I have never felt a feeling like that before. I can really say that as overwhelmed as I was, I was incredibly emotional at what my ‘little boy’ had just achieved – I still am. I am so glad we got to experience it together. He deserves this so much.

We have a deep understanding of one another and a relationship that means more to me than any title ever could. I always knew he would do great things, it was just a matter of if I could get him there. I think doing it together is the biggest gift of all – to experience something as great as this with my best friend and a horse that I believed in and grew up with. I am so unbelievably proud of him.

HQ: What does winning on a horse you have produced yourself mean to you, and what was it like sharing that moment with your entire team? PG: It is the best feeling in the world. I know the journey we have been on and how much we have relied on each other every step of the way.

My team was the most amazing support crew. They screamed for me, celebrated me and have made Looch and me feel so special. My mom was a mess – seeing her so emotional was a very special moment for me. I am so glad we could make her so proud.

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HQ: Beyond the result, what made you proudest of Lucetto that day? PG: He handled the big atmosphere like a pro. He hasn’t had much exposure to ‘big classes’, but it is almost like he knew it was a big deal. He was focused on the arena before I got on like I have never seen before, and after his round he was extremely calm, which he isn’t normally. He was a true sportsman! But it was the way Looch handled the course that made me the most proud. He did not feel out of his depth or overfaced at any stage of the course, and he jumped the last jump exactly like he jumped the first jump. I did not feel like I needed to help him or encourage him, even towards the end of the class where he typically should have been tired. He showed the perfect combination of endurance, care and bravery throughout the entire course, and most importantly he fought for me! He wanted the clear round as badly as I did.

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HQ: Is there anyone else you would like us to thank for you? PG: My parents have made this all possible. They support my dreams and do everything they can to be there for me. I am so lucky to have them. I also want to thank Chatan for coaching me for all these years and being my voice of reason and then Evi [Hendriks] and the entire team at Callaho have always made us feel supported. We love making them proud! Thank you also to George Coutlis for being with me every step of the way and for calming me down before big moments like this! I must also thank Happy, Lucetto’s long-time groom. He has been there since the beginning and cares for Looch perfectly. We are both so fortunate to have him with us on this journey.

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THE FUTURE HQ: What is next for the two of you? PG: Looch is having a well-deserved holiday! The next few months are going to be filled with lots of outrides, light work and cuddles. He won’t jump again until next year, when we start preparing him for the 2027 show season. I think he deserves to kick back and relax!

HQ: And finally, will we see you back in the SA Derby in the future? PG: Hopefully! Like I said, a lot has to go right to compete in a class like this, but the bug has bitten and it is always a privilege and a goal to be in a class like this.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT

‘DON’T OVERTHINK IT’ GEORDI BYRNE ON HER FIRST ‘BIG’ DERBY

eordi Byrne first got on a horse because an occupational therapist suggested it. At seven, Geordi was writing from right to left, and riding was meant to help. It did more than that, and there was no turning back. Callaho Sequoia-Vella arrived by surprise. Geordi was finishing an honours degree and recovering slowly from shoulder surgery, and hadn’t looked closely at that year’s Callaho Auction. Geordi’s parents went along to watch with no plans to buy, and came home with the mare. Known at

home as Chicken, she was cleverer and far busier than anything Geordi had ridden before. Theirs is now one of the best partnerships in the sport! They jumped the Speed Derby in 2023 and finished fourth in the Mini Derby last year. This year brought their first 1.50m Grand Prix classes, a first World Cup Qualifier at 1.55m and, in October, the big Derby itself. Here Geordi talks about a mare with no off switch, why she has stayed barefoot, and how a fear of heights made the bank the scariest obstacle on the course.

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GETTING STARTED HQ: How did you start riding, and when did showjumping become your focus? Geordi: It was actually recommended by an occupational therapist that I take up horse riding at the age of seven. Being left handed I had a problem with crossing my midline, so when I learnt to write I wrote from right to left and reversed letters and words. It’s quite common amongst left handed children, so sports like horse riding and swimming are really good for full body engagement. From the moment I first sat on a horse though the bug definitely bit and there was no turning back. I started out as an eventer when I was a Pony Rider and only transitioned to showjumping when I was twelve years old and I got on my first Junior Horse. The idea was to continue eventing, but the horse that I was on was better suited for showjumping so I gradually became more invested in it. HQ: Who has had the biggest influence on your riding? Who do you train with now? Geordi: Two of my main and current influences in my riding are Maud Scott Barnes and Grant Langley. Maud is my current coach and I’ve worked with her for quite a few

years. When Maud went to work in China I was very lucky to be taken in by Grant Langley and the Foresyte team for three or four years. At Langley there is an incredible team spirit where you have riders that work collectively both in the yard and at the show; everyone is there to see you through all the highs and lows of the sport. Grant has helped me immensely with trusting my instincts as a rider and has helped me not to overthink. I’ve been told a few times in lessons not to think too much. It certainly has been a big help in my confidence, especially when it comes to the bigger fences and needing to make split-second decisions on track. From the moment I started working with Maud she helped me develop my sense of understanding for the animal and the sport. I find understanding why a horse does something or how they react to an aid helps find the root cause of an area of difficulty or issue. She’s helped me develop a natural feel for a horse and to adapt my riding to benefit both horse and rider. With the balance of both perspectives I believe that Maud and Grant have helped me develop many facets to my riding.

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HQ: What does a normal week look like for you? Do you fit riding around work or study? Geordi: A normal week is non-stop for me. I have five horses at home that I am working with and then I also work as a remedial teacher at a fantastic school called Laddsworth in Hilton. My job requires me to work mainly in the afternoons which is a huge help because it gives me the freedom to ride in the mornings.

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I am also very fortunate in that the staff at Laddsworth are very understanding of my competition schedule so I’m able to take leave as and when I need to compete. I couldn’t be luckier in terms of the work balance that I have between my riding and teaching. It’s not really a matter of having to fit anything in, more so the pieces of the puzzle have quite literally fallen into place for me.

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CALLAHO SEQUOIA-VELLA HQ: How did Callaho Sequoia-Vella come into your life, and what was she like when you first got her? Geordi: My favourite story to tell! At the time that Chicken came onto auction at Callaho I was a bit lost with my riding; I was finishing off my honours degree and I was trying to bounce back from quite a serious shoulder injury. I had surgery and the rehab process was painfully slow. I was struggling to get back into the swing of things with the horses I already rode and I hadn’t really looked closely at the horses on auction that year. My folks ended up going to the auction to watch with

zero intention of buying a horse and subsequently came home with one anyway. I actually thought they were having me on when they told me they bought her. Chicken was very different to the type of horse I was used to riding at the time. She’s highly intelligent and even higher energy, so it took some time getting used to her. COVID was probably the biggest blessing for us because it really forced me to get to know her and work with her and to simply put the hours in the saddle. After the first time I popped her over a small vertical I was sold.

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HQ: What is she like at home, and what is she like at a show? What do people not know about her? Geordi: Like I said earlier, Chicken is a high energy horse. She’s always got her wits about her but the best part is she really wants to work and she gives 150% no matter what. At home I’ve got to be careful with her workload because she will keep going for hours; she doesn’t give up and there is no off switch there. She walks to the paddock with the same intensity she walks into the ring sometimes, so home

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is all about relaxation, working to keep her soft and through at all times. At the show she lights up and literally grows a hand or two underneath you. She loves the atmosphere and feeds off it every time, and no matter the show, no matter the venue, she’s game. This helps a lot with my trust in her because I know she wants to get to the other side every time. In the stable and on the ground she’s the easiest horse to handle and just soaks up all the love and attention that comes her way.

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HQ: Back in 2023 she was barefoot, and you said grass worried you until you rode it. Is she still barefoot? What did you learn from that? Geordi: She is still barefoot and really I don’t give it a second thought. Barefoot works for some horses, maybe not all but it’s not

something I feel unsure about anymore. The biggest lesson I’ve taken out of it is not to overcomplicate things, less is often more and pay attention to what works for you and your horse and what benefits both you and the horse.

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THE ROAD TO THE DERBY HQ: When did you first think you’d do the big Derby this year? Geordi: I’ve always admired the riders who competed in Derby and I’ve always thought to myself if I get the opportunity I’ll take it. Last year we finished fourth in the Mini Derby, we felt really confident on track and the plan was to aim for the big class come the new year. HQ: You jumped the Speed Derby in 2023 and the 1.40m classes since. How did those classes prepare you both for the big one? Geordi: The Speed Derby is always an exciting class. When I did it in 2023 Kevin Spratley was the course designer and he had such an interesting take on the course in that

he gave us options which really made the rider think. For example, you had to think which line was quicker and which element was easier to clear. It really took the pressure off the class because you could have a lot of fun with it and find a strategy that worked best for you, so really it was a round that gave you confidence because you were encouraged to attack each fence. In the Mini Derby last year you still had to ride each fence with confidence but it also required you to be more accurate to ensure that you cleared each fence. Kevin also designed the course in such a way that you were able to get a feel for certain lines that you would have in the main Derby. So for me I guess you could say each year has been a stepping stone towards the big one.

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HQ: How did you prepare for the Derby in particular: fitness, grass work, banks and ditches, practising over natural fences? Geordi: This year the calendar has been quite jam-packed with shows; don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining but it just made it difficult to prepare for the Derby specifically. I haven’t had much experience jumping 1.50m so when we felt ready, we started stepping up into the 1.50m Grand Prix classes. In June we took a big leap and did our first World Cup Qualifier class at 1.55m, with the idea to get comfortable with the height. I haven’t ever had to worry about Derby elements with Chicken; she’s so brave and I have so much confidence in her so that hasn’t

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been an issue for us, but fitness was always in the back of my mind. We are quite fortunate with our property in that we have an 800m track and we started every week with a track session. If I got the opportunity, I’d also take Chicken out to the grass and school her there just to get a feel for it and when the opportunity came we would jump out in the Derby arena we have at home. I’ve also been mindful of my own fitness this year making sure that I am strong enough in my own body to get round the track, handle the bigger fences and still be able to be strong and balanced in the saddle. Keegan Ritchie has been instrumental in making sure that I’ve stayed on my A game in terms of my own fitness.

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HQ: Which fence or part of the course worried you most? Geordi: I was definitely most worried about the bank. It sounds ridiculous but I’m actually quite scared of heights so the thought of sliding down there was quite daunting for me. HQ: The Derby asks a lot of a horse: stamina, a long course, grass, and the heat in October. How do you manage her feeding and condition

through a build-up like that? Geordi: Chicken is on the Spurwing maintenance meal which is really beneficial as it is a slow energyrelease meal. This works well for her because she is such a lively character, I can ensure that she’s getting all the necessities but without her getting too hot. Spurwing’s electrolytes are also super helpful on those hotter days when you need to make sure that your horse stays hydrated.

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THE DAY ITSELF HQ: Take us round the course. What was going through your head from the start to the last fence? Geordi: Derby day is certainly like no other; it gives off an incredible vibe and creates such an atmosphere. It is so alive with people and horses, and the whole show ground literally buzzes. My strategy for the day was to ride each fence confidently and take it one step at a time, staying in the moment and focused on what was in front of us, not to over think it. It was almost like ticking a box as we went around, jump one good canter into the upright, jump two keep momentum up the hill and so on. The advice that Dominey gave us as we walked the course was take

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each fence as it comes and I really took that to heart. HQ: What did it feel like to finish your first Derby? Geordi: Finishing your first Derby and cantering through the finish line as the crowd roars is euphoric; there is no feeling like it. You might not hear it on the stands but in the arena it literally booms as the realisation of what’s just happened slowly begins to take effect. There’s so much buildup on the day and you’re literally in the zone for hours that the round itself goes so quickly. I guess you could say disbelief was the initial emotion followed by such gratitude for the team that got you there and most importantly the horse that trusted you the whole way.

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LOOKING AHEAD HQ: What’s next for you and Sequoia-Vella? Will you try the big Derby again next year? Geordi: Looking ahead, we’ve decided to give Chicken some time off for the rest of the year. There has been a lot of travelling and she is such a fighter, she deserves the opportunity to recover fully before

taking on another year. Looking back we’ve done three Grand Prix classes, two World Cup Qualifiers, our first SA Showjumping Champs and now the Toyota SA Derby. I would like to have another year competing up in the higher grades with Chicken and another shot at the Derby so for now we rest and get ready to tackle another year.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT

A THOROUGHBRED DOING IT ALL CASEY VETRIK AND KEPLER

n June 2016, a Thoroughbred called Kepler ran his last race, still without a win. Four days later he had a new owner. Casey Vetrik was overseas when she saw a Facebook video of him trotting in a paddock, and she bought him there and then, unseen and unvetted. He was in her yard before she was back in South Africa. The plan was showjumping. Until then Casey had mostly produced young horses for sale and had never competed above Elementary in dressage. Then came his first flying change, and later a few steps of passage, and she knew Grand Prix was possible. Kepler reached that level in 2023. He has been the highest-ranked Thoroughbred in

South African dressage since 2022, and he is still the only Grand Prix horse in the Free State. Along the way he also jumped 1.30m, evented to FEI 2* and went round Open Working Hunter. He did all this without a regular trainer on the ground, and after a melting ulcer cost him an eye. After the Toyota SA Dressage Championships at KPC, Casey talks about retraining an ex-racehorse, a decision no owner wants to face, and what she looks for in a Thoroughbred bought from a photo. FUN FACT He's a descendant of Secretariat via AP Arrow's sire A.P. Indy, whose dam was by Secretariat. HQ|175B

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

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RACING NAME: Kepler BORN: 2011 HEIGHT: 16.2hh SIRE: AP Arrow (USA) DAM: Michaela (ZIM) DAM SIRE: Kahir Almaydan (IRE) BREEDER: He was bred by Cathy Martin in KZN for Hallmark Thoroughbreds (owners of the stud: Anne and Bruce Nicholas) TRAINER AT THE TRACK: Ronnie Sheehan

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ABOUT HQ: How did horses first become part of your life, and what has your riding journey looked like since then? Were you always drawn to dressage, or did that develop through riding in other disciplines? Casey: I started riding lessons at nine years old on some very entertaining Shetland ponies and from then on I was hooked. My first pony was a three-years-old Arabian cross Saddler that I produced myself. We went on to reach Open level jumping. I have always enjoyed doing multiple disciplines, and as a child I competed in jumping, dressage, showing and equitation; however, if I am honest, dressage was probably my least favourite discipline at that time (just like most kids!). HQ: What does your life with horses look like now? Casey: I currently work mornings until 11am in my ‘real’ job, and

then spend the afternoons riding (doing the job I love). I currently have ten horses in training with me at the moment. They range from an imported dressage stallion that I am backing for a client to a crossbred pony that I am helping school for a child for SANESA. HQ: Who or what has most shaped the way you train horses? Casey: The horses themselves have shaped the way I train more than anything else. Every horse is different, and each one has taught me something new. HQ: Before Kepler, what experience did you have of producing horses through the dressage levels? Casey: Previously, I was mostly schooling and producing young horses that went on to be sold, so I never really got a chance to go up to the higher levels. Before Kepler, I had only ever competed up to Elementary level in dressage.

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

KEPLER HQ: How did you come to own Kepler? Casey: I was actually overseas when I saw a Facebook post with a video of him trotting in the paddock. I bought him, unseen and unvetted! He arrived at the yard before I arrived back in SA! HQ: What do you know about his life before he came to you? How has his racing history affected him? Casey: He was born in 2011, bred by Hallmark Thoroughbreds. He was not a very successful racehorse and

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did not have any wins. His last race was on 18 June 2016 and I bought him on 22 June 2016. Warm-up arenas were very interesting for a long time, as he was very reactive if a horse cantered past too close, but he was never a nasty horse and I could tell from the beginning that he was very honest. He had a fear of narrow spaces after coming off the track, and still to this day, if show venues have narrow doors, he will sometimes burst out of them as if he is leaving the starting box!

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

HQ: What were your ambitions for him at the beginning? Casey: I bought him with the idea of focusing mainly on jumping, but wanted to also do a bit of everything. My hope was to reach Open level showjumping with him. HQ: What did the first stage of his retraining involve? Casey: He was fit and sound after retiring, so we kept him in work from the beginning. I tried to focus on relaxation and suppleness. We worked on relying less on rein aids, such as teaching him walk/halt/ walk, and later rein back transitions using only weight and leg aids, and other basics such as being able to

keep a rhythm on a loose rein in both trot and canter. HQ: When did you first feel that he might have the ability to go a long way in dressage? Casey: I was doing a once-off lesson with a visiting instructor when Kepler was still Novice, and he made the comment that he thinks Kepler will one day be able to get to Medium level. I remember being so confused, thinking to myself, why only Medium? What is stopping us from going further? So in a way, I believed in Kepler since day one, but I can’t say back then that I ever imagined us making it all the way!

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HQ: Could you talk us through the main milestones between his first dressage work and his first Grand Prix? Casey: I would say the first milestone was being able to do a single flying change. The next, and biggest, milestone was the day he did a few steps of passage for the first time. That was the day that I knew that we could get to Grand Prix. HQ: Which part of his development/ training challenged you most? Casey: The biggest challenge has

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been working without access to a trainer, and trying to improve my own riding and position without someone on the ground. We do always make an effort to attend clinics when available, but it’s not the same as having a regular coach. With Kepler, the biggest challenge has been (and still is) achieving enough relaxation whilst still expecting him to do these high energy movements, in high energy environments.

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HQ: How did you decide when he was ready to move up a level? Casey: I realised early on that it was quite difficult for us to beat the Warmbloods at the lower levels, where their big expressive paces counted a lot. So as long as I could do all the required movements for the next level, and had obtained at least 10 points in that level, I moved up. The more technical the tests became, the better we scored against the Warmbloods. HQ: Which Grand Prix movements are his strengths, and which have required the most work? Casey: Kepler’s biggest strength is definitely the tempi changes. He

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DID YOU KNOW? Kepler has been the highest ranked Thoroughbred in dressage in the country since 2022. also loves his passage and he can do a very decent canter pirouette. The piaffe took a lot of work, but it’s actually the collected and extended walks that are the most difficult parts of the Grand Prix for us. I still have to try to convince him that walking is, in fact, a legitimate movement. He prefers the other four-beat gait (the one that is not part of the Grand Prix!).

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HQ: What else have you done with Kepler outside dressage, and to what levels? What does he enjoy the most? Casey: I never lost my dream of getting him to Open Showjumping, so he competed semi-regularly in showjumping alongside the dressage. I wanted to do one 1.30m show before we started focusing solely on Dressage, and we reached our goal last year (2025), when we did our first 1.30m show! We also Evented up to FEI 2* and did Open Working Hunter a few times. He loves his work, and honestly enjoys doing anything I ask of him, but I think if he had a choice, he would choose the cross-country phase of eventing!

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Nowadays, we only compete in dressage, but still do outrides and pole work. HQ: Have those other disciplines helped his dressage, or has his dressage helped him elsewhere? Casey: I believe those other disciplines have helped his overall soundness. I am a believer that riding over different terrains and different surfaces leads to a hardier horse. I also think that varying the type of work keeps them mentally stimulated and motivated. The dressage definitely improved his jumping significantly, especially when it came to adjustability and jump-off turns!

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

HQ: And, most importantly, can you tell us about his personality and temperament? Casey: Kepler lives every single day to the fullest (and at full speed!), but he is also the most well-mannered horse that you can find. Although he can be highly strung and sensitive, he truly just wants to please his rider. HQ: What does a typical week look like for Kepler? Casey: He is a very high-energy horse, so I try to work him at least five times per week. Usually it is three or four days per week schooling, and then either hacking, lunging or long-lining on the other days. He also gets as much turnout time as possible. He shares a huge paddock with his friend and they

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DID YOU KNOW? He has been the only Grand Prix horse in the Free State since he reached that level in 2023. spend a good portion of their days galloping around like lunatics! He also has a stable that opens out into a run so that he can move around at night. HQ: At the Toyota SA Dressage Champs at KPC, what were you most pleased with in his performance? Casey: His willingness, his happiness to do the work, and the fact that he did every single thing that I asked of him. I am so proud of his consistency throughout the show. I could not have asked more of him.

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

HQ: Which achievement together means the most to you, and why? Casey: I think what means the most to me is not one specific achievement, but the fact that Kepler has been able to remind people what a Thoroughbred can be capable of and how he has showcased the versatility of the breed at higher levels across three Olympic disciplines.

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HQ: What comes next for you and Kepler? Casey: We don’t have any big plans right now, but I hope to be privileged enough to attend many more SA Champs with Keppie, and maybe do our first Dressage Derby next year. I also want to make a plan to take him for a gallop on the beach!

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

HEALTH SCARE HQ: If you are comfortable sharing it, could you explain what happened to his eye and how it was managed? Casey: He had a melting ulcer but I am still not exactly sure what caused it initially. We tried to save the eye by boxing him to JHB to be seen by specialists, but his eye just kept rapidly deteriorating. He was in a huge amount of pain. After a week or so, the choice was given to

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me to try a graft or to remove the eye. A graft would have involved a longer healing process and it was not guaranteed to be successful. And even if it was successful, it was not guaranteed that he would have full vision, as his eye was already extremely damaged. It was a difficult decision, but in the end, I wanted him to be pain-free as soon as possible, so on the advice of two different vets, we removed the eye.

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

HQ: What did his recovery and adjustment involve? Casey: It was incredible to see how quickly he was back to his happy self after his eye was removed. I think he was just so relieved to be pain free. His depth perception was slightly off for the first day or so, but other than that, the physical recovery was extremely fast without any complications. Once the sutures came out, he was cleared to go straight back into work. It did take some time for both of us to recover psychologically though. Our first show back after losing his eye was not easy. We entered a training show at Elementary level and got 40% due to spookiness. I sat in

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the car and there were a few tears because I was worried it was the end of his career, but we didn’t give up, and within a few months, we were back on track. HQ: Does his eye affect any aspect of training or competing today? Casey: I would say that today it does not affect any aspect of his life in any significant way. After the initial adjustment period, he has just continued to improve in his work as if he had never lost his eye. I just have to make sure I do not steer him too close to the arena barriers when they are on his blind side. It’s just little things like that that I have to be mindful of.

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Photography: Melissa Maeder

THOROUGHBREDS AND WARMBLOODS HQ: Have Thoroughbreds always appealed to you, or did Kepler change your view of them? Casey: I have always loved and believed in Thoroughbreds but Kepler definitely expanded my view on what I thought was possible with a Thoroughbred. HQ: From the horses you have ridden, what differences have you noticed between Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods? Casey: I love both Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods but I like to treat each horse as an individual regardless of breed. I have ridden horses of both breeds that have

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been completely opposite to the general biases/beliefs that people have of those breeds. Saying that, I have found a lot of Thoroughbreds to be easy-to-ride horses that truly love to work, are quick off the aids and are naturally forward but since they are bred for racing, their conformation often differs substantially from a purposebred Warmblood, which can limit them in certain ways. Comparing the power, expression, suppleness and natural carriage of a top dressage Warmblood to the average Thoroughbred would not be fair; however, I would definitely choose an exceptional Thoroughbred over an average Warmblood any day.

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HQ: What would you look for in a Thoroughbred being considered for dressage? Casey: I look at the same things that I would look for in any other horse: soundness, temperament, conformation and movement. A horse that shows the ability to do flying changes when at liberty in the paddock is always a good sign in my opinion. However, when buying straight off the track, you don’t often have the luxury of viewing or trying out the horse. You often have to base your decision on one or two photos (and a short video if you are lucky), so when limited to buying a Thoroughbred unseen, I tend to focus on conformation. I like a

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horse with good hooves, straight legs and a neck that is not set too low. If there is a video, I like a walk that has overtrack, a trot that is straight and open (rather than choppy) and a relatively balanced canter that does not disunite. I also like an active hind end. If possible, asking the trainer about the horse’s temperament is also a good idea. Whilst there are a lot of bloodlines that I would look for when buying a Thoroughbred for jumping, there are not really any well-known bloodlines for dressage. As such, I tend to look out for breeding that is well known for having good temperaments, but I would not pass on a good looking Thoroughbred just because the lines are unknown to me.

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FINAL THOUGHTS HQ: Is there anyone you’d like us to thank for you? Casey: I would like to thank every single person that came together when Kepler lost his eye. The community responded in a way that was truly amazing and made me realise how loved Kepler is.

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I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Equi-Feeds, Bombers Bits and Max Gut Health for their continued support over the years. I am truly grateful to have had you all by Kepler’s side during this journey.

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F E AT U R E

TEXT: THE EARTH CENTRE

HEALING TOGETHER HOW HORSES ARE CHANGING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AT THE EARTH CENTRE

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F E AT U R E

estled in the heart of Ruimsig on Johannesburg's West Rand lies a special place where the gentle rhythm of hoofbeats tells a story of hope, connection and transformation.

Here, their value is measured not by rosettes, performance or pedigree, but by something far more meaningful: the difference they can make in a child's life.

At The EARTH Centre, horses are far more than companions. They are patient teachers, trusted partners and, in many ways, the quiet heroes of an extraordinary journey.

Not every horse is suited to therapeutic riding. It takes an exceptional combination of temperament, patience, adaptability and trust. These horses must be comfortable with unfamiliar movements, unexpected sounds and the many different needs of the children they carry.

Through equine-assisted therapeutic riding, these remarkable animals help children with disabilities and neurological conditions from underserved communities discover confidence, independence and abilities they may never have imagined possible.

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Their calm, reassuring presence can make an enormous difference to a child who may initially be anxious or uncertain.

It is a beautiful reminder of the extraordinary bond between horses and people, and how, sometimes, the greatest transformations happen without a single word being spoken.

And while the children benefit from their kindness and steadiness, the horses themselves are equally deserving of care, respect and understanding.

A SECOND CHANCE, A NEW PURPOSE Every horse has a story. Some arrive having experienced uncertainty or change, while others come from different equestrian backgrounds. What brings them together at The EARTH Centre is a very special purpose.

Their welfare remains central to everything The EARTH Centre does, from appropriate training and individual attention to veterinary care, nutrition and the opportunity to simply be horses. The partnership only works when both horse and rider are valued.

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TRANSFORMING YOUNG LIVES For many children who visit The EARTH Centre, climbing onto a horse is about much more than learning to ride. It can be a moment of courage, a new achievement or an opportunity to experience a freedom of movement that may otherwise be difficult. The Centre provides free equineassisted therapeutic riding to children with disabilities and neurological conditions from underserved communities. Many live with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, developmental delays and other conditions, while access to specialised

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programmes is often beyond their families' reach. Supported by trained instructors, dedicated volunteers and the Centre's remarkable therapy horses, each session creates opportunities for children to develop physically, emotionally and socially. The rhythmic, three-dimensional movement of a walking horse closely resembles aspects of the movement of the human pelvis while walking. This provides sensory and movementbased experiences that can support balance, posture, coordination and core stability. This impact reaches far beyond the physical.

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A child who is hesitant to communicate may begin responding to their horse. Another may discover the confidence to try something new. A child who struggles with concentration may find themselves completely absorbed in the rhythm of riding or the simple act of grooming a horse. Sometimes, progress is measured in the smallest moments: an

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outstretched hand, a smile, a word spoken or the determination to try again. To an observer, these moments may seem ordinary. To a child, their family and the people supporting them, they can mean the world. And at the heart of each achievement is a horse, quietly doing what horses do so extraordinarily well.

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HEALING BOTH ENDS OF THE REINS One of the most beautiful aspects of The EARTH Centre is the relationship that develops between horse and rider. Horses do not judge a child by their disability, their ability to communicate or the challenges they face. They respond to the person in front of them, offering a connection that often needs no words. For a child who experiences barriers in everyday life, that relationship can be incredibly powerful. A gentle nuzzle, a patient pause or the reassuring rhythm of a familiar horse can create moments of trust and connection that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. And it is not only the children who benefit from this partnership.

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Every horse has its own personality, preferences and way of connecting. Some are naturally affectionate; others quietly reassuring. Each brings something different to the experience. Through careful training, sensitive handling and the relationships they develop with their handlers and riders, these horses find meaningful roles that celebrate their individual strengths. There is something deeply moving about watching a child and horse develop an understanding of one another. No expectations. No judgement. Just trust, patience and a connection that speaks for itself. It is a reminder that horses have so much more to offer us than we sometimes realise.

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HELP CHANGE TWO LIVES AT ONCE Behind every memorable moment at The EARTH Centre is a dedicated team of people and horses working together to make it possible.

As a non-profit organisation, The EARTH Centre relies on the generosity of donors, partners and volunteers who believe in the extraordinary difference horses can make.

Providing therapeutic riding at no cost to children and their families requires enormous commitment. There are horses to feed, groom and care for, veterinary and farrier bills to meet, equipment to maintain and specialised programmes to deliver.

For the equestrian community, there are so many meaningful ways to get involved.

And, of course, the horses themselves deserve nothing less than the very best care.

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Whether through sponsoring a therapy horse, volunteering time and expertise, donating suitable equipment, contributing goods or services, or simply helping to spread the word, every act of support matters.

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Businesses can also become part of the story through corporate partnerships or The EARTH Centre's Team Building with a Purpose experiences, which bring people together through meaningful interaction with horses while raising much-needed funds. When you support The EARTH Centre, you help care for the horses who give so much of themselves, while creating opportunities for children who might otherwise never experience the extraordinary benefits of this connection. Because sometimes, changing a life begins with something as simple as the gentle rhythm of four hooves.

JOIN OUR MISSION Become part of the story. Whether you are a horse lover, an equestrian professional, a business owner or someone who simply believes in the power of this remarkable partnership, there is a place for you at The EARTH Centre. Visit www.earthcentre.org.za to learn more, arrange a visit or find out how you can support our horses and the children they help. Telephone: +27 11 958 5044 / +27 72 220 4604 The EARTH Centre is an approved Public Benefit Organisation authorised to issue Section 18A taxdeductible donation receipts for qualifying donations.

THE EARTH CENTRE | WHERE HORSES UNLOCK HUMAN POTENTIAL.

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SPECIAL EDITION READ IT NOW!

H O R S E A N D H E A LT H

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H O R S E A N D H E A LT H

PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT

GOOD GOING WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT ARENA SURFACES

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rass at the SA Derby, fibre at most shows, and river sand at home; riders have strong opinions about which surface is kindest to their horses, but what does the research actually show? HQ went through the studies to find out where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what that means for the arena you ride in every day. The Toyota SA Derby is a rare chance to see our showjumpers leave the fibre and jump on grass. Watch the warm-up, and you see riders checking studs, feeling how the grass rides, and asking each other how it is going on the far side of the Bob Charter Arena. Then most of those horses go home to train on fibre, or on the river sand that still lies underfoot in a great many South African yards.

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It is tempting to ask which of these surfaces is best, but from looking at the research it's clear that this is the wrong question to be asking, and it is the research itself that explains why. When scientists have looked closely at arena surfaces and lameness, the material a surface is made of has turned out to matter less than how it behaves, i.e. whether it stays even, whether it goes deep when wet, whether it is maintained, and whether the horse working on it is used to it. That is good news for anyone who cannot afford a new arena. It also means the honest answer to 'what's the best surface?' is more interesting than a simple ranking. This article sets out what the evidence says, how strong each finding is, and what nobody knows yet.

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WHAT A HORSE ASKS OF THE SURFACE In the fraction of a second a hoof is on the ground, the surface has three jobs, and they pull against each other. 1. Landing. The hoof should slide a little and slow down gradually. That small slide is part of the horse's own shock absorption. A surface that stops the hoof dead passes a sharper jolt up the leg, affecting the bones, joints and soft tissues above. 2. Support. In mid-stance, the hoof needs grip, and the surface needs

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to hold its shape so the limb stays stable under full load. 3. Push-off. The surface must be firm enough to push against. Too deep, and it keeps giving way as the horse tries to drive forward, which costs energy and changes how the limb is loaded. A surface that is too hard fails the first job, but one that is too deep fails the third. Most of the science of arena surfaces is about finding a workable middle between these two, and then keeping the surface there.

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The biomechanics studies give that idea some numbers, although most use only a handful of horses in their tests: • Hard ground brakes the hoof more abruptly. At trot, horses on a hard, gritty test surface had significantly higher hoof deceleration and loading rates than on sand. In fact, front-foot soreness in showjumpers has been particularly linked to competing on hard ground. • Softer ground reduces twisting on turns. French researchers fitted horses with a force-measuring

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horseshoe and trotted them on small circles. On fibre sand, sideways forces and twisting in the hoof were lower than on asphalt, because the edge of the hoof sinks slightly and redirects the force up the limb (Chateau et al., 2013). • In jumping, take-off matters as much as landing. Swedish work with hoof-mounted sensors found the highest impact accelerations in the take-off stride, with landing forces on the front legs of a similar size (Hernlund et al.).

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• Grip has a downside. In a study of four horses jumping a 1.10m oxer on 12 arenas, the fetlock flexed faster on surfaces with higher shear strength. The authors suggest the leading foreleg on landing may be most at risk where a surface grips hard. • Deep going is hard work. Horses have higher heart rates in deep sand than on firm ground, and tired horses move less precisely.

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Ultimately, the research suggests that there is also no single ideal surface. A survey of more than 3000 of Swedish riders found dressage riders and showjumpers want somewhat different levels of firmness, responsiveness and grip (Egenvall et al., 2021). Many yards use one arena for both flatwork and jumping, so that arena is always a compromise.

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WHAT THE INJURY RESEARCH TELLS US For a question riders care about so much, the injury evidence is surprisingly thin. We could find only two sets of data that directly link arena surfaces to lameness or time off in sporthorses. Both are worth understanding, including their weaknesses. THE BRITISH DRESSAGE SURVEY In 2005, researchers at the UK's Animal Health Trust sent a questionnaire to all 11,363 members of British Dressage. Owners returned details on 2554 horses, covering their health, training and the arenas they worked on (Murray et al., 2010a). A third of the horses had been lame at some point in their careers, and 24% in the previous two years. When the researchers looked for patterns, several surface factors stood out: • Horses that mostly worked on an arena that went deeper in wet

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weather had more than five times the odds of recent lameness (odds ratio 5.6). • Horses mostly worked on sand had almost twice the odds (1.9). • Horses mostly worked indoors were more likely to have been lame than those worked outdoors. • Arenas that became patchy, uneven or boggy were linked to more lameness; arenas that stayed uniform in dry weather were linked to less. A follow-up analysis of the same survey looked at which arenas developed those problems (Murray et al., 2010b). Waxcoated surfaces and sand-rubber mixes were associated with fewer problem properties than plain sand, sand with PVC, woodchip or grass. Woodchip was most linked to slipping and sand to tripping. Privately owned arenas, presumably used by fewer horses and maintained more often, had fewer problems than those at livery and training yards.

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THE ELITE SHOWJUMPER DIARIES The second dataset comes from 263 elite showjumpers in Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK. Over 2009 and 2010, their riders kept daily diaries of every session, every surface and every day the horse could not work (Egenvall et al., 2013). Across 39,028 horse-days, 6% were days lost, and more than threequarters of those were orthopaedic. The strongest finding had nothing to

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do with footing: horses with the most varied training lost days at roughly a tenth of the rate of those with the least varied. On surfaces, the Swedish data showed that horses doing a moderate amount of sand work (four to 12 minutes a day) had more than double the rate of days lost of those doing four minutes or less, while horses doing more than that were no worse off. The five UK riders, who all spent substantial time training on waxed sand, had very few days lost.

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HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN THESE STUDIES BEAR? Both studies are careful, peerreviewed work, and both have real limits. • They show association, not cause. A sand arena might be linked to lameness because of the sand, or because of something that tends to come with it, such as an older arena, more horses or less maintenance. • The dressage survey relies on owners. Fewer than a quarter of members replied; lameness was owner-reported, and the authors note their final model's predictive power was only modest. • The showjumper study is small. Thirty-one riders took part, and compliance was poor in some countries. The authors themselves advise caution.

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• The data is now 16 to 21 years old. Arena products have changed considerably since. Therefore, these studies are best read as strong hints, consistent with each other and with the biomechanics, rather than settled fact. WHAT ABOUT RACING? The largest surface datasets come from US Thoroughbred racing, where an analysis of over 1.5 million starts from 2009 to 2012 found fatal injury risk lowest on synthetic tracks, then turf, then dirt. Racing is a different sport at very different speeds, so these figures cannot be transferred to an arena. What they do show is that engineering a surface for consistency can measurably change risk.

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DID YOU KNOW? Some major venues have invested in their grass rather than replace it. Hickstead, home of the British Jumping Derby, installed an engineered drainage layer beneath its turf to keep the going consistent whatever the weather.

GRASS, FIBRE AND RIVER SAND, HONESTLY ASSESSED With those limits in mind, here is what the evidence says about the three surfaces South African riders meet most. GRASS Good turf has a quality synthetic surfaces try to copy. Swedish surface researcher Lars Roepstorff has described how, on a well-kept grass arena, the force of a landing spreads far down into the ground rather than stopping near the top. The catch is that grass is a living surface, and moisture changes everything. The same field can be firm and grippy on a dry morning and slick or holding after rain, and it can vary from one end of an arena

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to the other. In the British dressage survey, grass was grouped with the surfaces that more often showed problems such as slipping, tripping or unevenness. Eventing, where every horse gallops across turf, offers the most useful research. A UK study of cross-country falls recommended keeping take-off ground good to firm as one of three simple ways to reduce horse falls. A 2023 study measured the going on 81 event courses and developed a standard way to classify it, finding that soil moisture and a simple impact tester together explained 80% of the variation in how cushioned the ground was (Graydon et al., 2023). In other words, going can be measured, not just judged by feel.

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DID YOU KNOW? Even a premium surface changes with use: a UK study found a synthetic dressage surface became significantly harder as a competition progressed (Blundell et al., 2010).

FIBRE Fibre arenas combine sand with synthetic textile fibres, and premium versions add a wax coating. The fibres act a little like roots, binding the sand so it resists shearing and stays more stable under the hoof. In the British survey, wax-coated surfaces were associated with fewer problem properties than plain sand. Peer-reviewed French studies found significantly lower impact shock when horses trotted at speed on a waxed track than on crushed sand (Chateau et al., 2009; Robin et al., 2009). In separate French field tests, waxed fibre sand gave the most cushioning of the training surfaces tested, and peak force at gallop was about 10% lower than on turf, although that comparison was demonstrated on a single horse.

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However, fibre is not a set-andforget solution. Research from the University of Central Lancashire showed that moisture, compaction and drainage all change how a sand and fibre surface performs, and Animal Health Trust research found that harrowing measurably alters a waxed surface. A fibre arena that is too dry, too compacted or unevenly watered can behave quite differently from the one the supplier installed. Even a premium surface changes with use: a UK study found a synthetic dressage surface became significantly harder as a competition progressed (Blundell et al., 2010). Fibre, as many of us know, is also the most expensive option.

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WHAT IS CLINKER? A clinker base in a horse arena is a hard–packed, foundational sub– layer made from vitrified industrial byproducts or hard–burned brick/ kiln residue, traditionally used as an affordable, firm sub–structure underneath a softer footing layer of river sand.

RIVER SAND Plain sand has the weakest showing in the research. In the British survey, sand was the surface most associated with tripping, and horses mostly worked on sand had higher odds of lameness. Part of the reason may be the grains themselves. River sand is rounded by water, and rounded grains roll past one another, so the surface is only really stable when damp. The FEI White Paper on arena surfaces identifies moisture as the single biggest influence on how consistent a sand surface is (a conclusion drawn from racetrack research) and notes that sand is generally strongest at around 8% to 17% moisture. As it dries, it can loosen and deepen; overwatered or poorly drained, it can go boggy. Those are exactly the changes the dressage survey linked to lameness. Wax and polymer coatings were developed largely to make sand less sensitive to water, which may help explain why waxed surfaces fared well in the British survey.

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Two findings make that picture less alarming. First, horses that worked on sand more often had lower risk than those using it occasionally, which suggests horses adapt to the surface they know. Second, the problem properties the research flags (depth, patchiness, unevenness) are largely about management. A consistently watered, harrowed, level sand arena is a different proposition from a neglected one. The base matters too. A 2018 Engineering News report described the conventional South African arena at this time as a clinker base topped with river sand. The British researchers concluded every arena should have a proper base, recommended limestone and advised against crushed concrete. Whether clinker performs well as a base has not, as far as we can find, been studied.

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THE SURFACE YOUR HORSE KNOWS If one idea runs through all of this research, it is adaptation. Bone, tendon, cartilage and muscle all respond to the loads placed on them. A study of young Thoroughbreds in their first 13 weeks of training found measurable changes in bone, some tendons and joint cartilage (Firth and Rogers, 2005). Tissues tuned to one surface are, in effect, prepared for that surface. The sand findings fit in with this. In the dressage survey, each extra weekly session on sand slightly reduced the risk linked to sand. In the showjumper diaries, horses doing a moderate amount of sand work

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were worse off than those doing none or a lot. The authors of both studies drew the same conclusion: a horse that meets a surface only occasionally may be more at risk on it than a horse that works on it routinely, even if the surface itself is no better. That has a direct bearing on grass shows. The Swedish team pointed out that at outdoor shows, horses often warm up on an artificial surface and then jump on turf, and suggested this could raise the risk for horses not used to grass. It is a hypothesis rather than a tested finding, but it is a reasonable one, and it applies to any horse that trains only on fibre and competes on grass once or twice a year.

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SO SHOULD WE CROSS-TRAIN ON DIFFERENT SURFACES? This is where the evidence needs reading carefully, because it is often summarised as 'varied surfaces prevent injury', but that is not quite what it shows.

were, and that measure showed no clear link to days lost. Similarly, in the dressage survey, lunging was associated with lower lameness risk, but the authors acknowledge this may partly reflect which horses get lunged rather than the lunging itself.

In the showjumper study, varied training was strongly protective: the most varied programmes had about a tenth of the days lost of the least varied, but variation there meant the mix of activities (flatwork, hacking, jumping, lunging, fitness work and competing). The study also measured how varied each horse's surfaces

There are other limits, as well. Mature flexor tendons, the structures most at risk in jumpers, have only a limited capacity to adapt to training, so surface variety is unlikely to toughen the tendons of an established older horse. And very little research has looked at slow, everyday work on different surfaces at all.

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The experts themselves lean towards variety. The FEI's Equine Surfaces White Paper, written by eight researchers including Rachel Murray, advises that horses train on a variety of surfaces so they are conditioned for competition. Its authors also suggest that training and competing on very different surfaces may harm performance and raise injury risk. However, they support the first point with a 1991 conditioning textbook rather

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than injury data, and present the second point as a hypothesis. The recommendation therefore reflects expert judgement more than measured results. The fair conclusion is this: varied work is well supported, and working a horse on the surfaces it will compete on makes sense as preparation. Expecting a change of surface, on its own, to prevent injury goes beyond the evidence.

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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR ARENA AND YOUR HORSE The most useful message in the research is that a lot of what makes going good or bad is within an owner's control, whatever the surface. As the lead author of the

British studies, Dr Rachel Murray told Horse & Hound that a modest arena that is well maintained could, in theory, serve a horse better than a premium one that is neglected. Here is what the evidence supports, and how strongly.

WHAT TO DO

WHY

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE

Keep the surface even and consistent

Patchy, uneven and boggy surfaces were linked to more lameness; uniform ones to less

Moderate: consistent across studies, but observational

Manage depth, especially after rain

Arenas that went deeper in wet weather had the strongest link to lameness in the dressage survey

Moderate

Harrow and water regularly and the same way each time

Harrowing and watering measurably change how a surface performs

Good for surface behaviour; not directly tested against injury

Make sure the arena has a proper base

The British researchers concluded every arena needs a base, recommending limestone and advising against crushed concrete

Moderate, from one survey

Spread wear if many horses use one arena

Busier livery and training yard arenas had more problems than private ones

Weak to moderate: likely reflects maintenance and traffic

Vary your horse's work

The most varied programmes had a tenth of the days lost

Moderate: one small study, strong effect

Introduce a new surface Occasional use of a surface was riskier than gradually regular use

Reasoned from the data, not directly tested

School on grass before a grass show, where you safely can

Hypothesis only

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Warm-up on one surface and competing on another may raise risk

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BEFORE A SHOW ON GRASS No study has tested a preparation programme for moving from fibre to grass, so the following is reasoning rather than proof. If you have access to safe, level grass, a few weeks of schooling on it lets the horse and his tissues meet the surface before competition day. If not, it’s still a good idea to walk the arena when you arrive and feel how the going differs across it. It’s also worth noting that a horse fit enough for fibre may tire sooner on holding ground.

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Studs and shoeing are where riders most want guidance, and where the evidence is thinnest. The FEI White Paper found no published research on how studs affect horses during sport-specific movement, and no evidence-based guidance on which studs suit which conditions; riders choose from experience. The paper also notes that at the 2004 Athens Olympics, injuries to three showjumpers were attributed to the interaction between their studs and the surface.

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WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW For all the strong opinions in the horse world, arena surfaces remain an under-researched corner of equine science. The gaps are worth naming, because they are where the next round of advice will come from. • No South African data. We could find no peer-reviewed research on arena surfaces from South Africa. Our climate, our sands and our clinker bases, where they still exist, may behave differently from the British and Swedish arenas where most research was conducted. • No recent large studies. The two sporthorse injury datasets were collected around 2005 and 2009 to 2010. Surfaces have moved on, and nobody has repeated the work at scale. • No agreed standards. Researchers have developed mechanical

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testers that mimic a hoof strike, and protocols for measuring eventing ground, but standards have not followed. When the FEI's White Paper was published in 2014, there were no regulations or guidelines on arena materials, maintenance or acceptable surface properties, and we could find no internationally agreed standards since. • Little on everyday work. Most biomechanics studies look at a few horses at a time, and very little covers the slow, repetitive schooling that makes up most of a horse's week. • Nothing on studs and shoeing by surface in sporthorses that we could find. • Variety of surface versus variety of work. The benefit of varied training is well supported. Whether varying the surface adds anything on top has not been shown.

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The FEI's Equine Surfaces White Paper, published in 2014 and led by Dr Sarah Jane Hobbs, gathered the research of the time and was described as a living document to be updated as studies appeared. We could not find a newer edition.

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None of this means riders are guessing completely in the dark. The research we have points consistently in one direction: the surface your horse works on is only as good as its consistency, its base and its care, and horses do best on going they are prepared for.

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HOW BURGHLEY PREPARES ITS GOING At Burghley, the going is a year-round project. Clerk of the course Philip Herbert and his son Guy manage the cross-country track as a sports surface rather than farmland. It is fenced off from livestock and vehicles all year, and has been watered by an underground irrigation network for around 26 years. Their target is ground a racecourse groundsman would call ‘good to firm’. That is also the condition a UK study of cross-country falls recommended for take-off ground. In the final weeks before the event, the team checks soil moisture with a meter and firmness with a drop test, alongside a surface consultant. Philip

also walks the full 7000 m track regularly. The overriding aim is consistency across four soil types, from clay by the lake to limestone. The ground is aerated before it is watered so the water soaks in rather than running off, and night irrigation in a heatwave is never allowed to make the going uneven. Clover is removed because, although it survives drought, it is slippery underfoot. Take-off and landing spots get extra attention because every horse uses the same patch of ground, particularly where skinny fences are used. Recycled rubber and fibre from synthetic arenas are even worked into the soil to add stability with some give. Sources: Pitchcare (2023); Horse & Hound (2026).

DID YOU KNOW? Burghley’s cross–country track is fenced off all year round and has an underground irrigation network covering the whole course. This was installed around 26 years ago and involves 4500m of pipes linked to one computer– operated pumping point at the lake.

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References • Chateau H et al. (2013) Kinetics of the forelimb in horses circling on different ground surfaces at the trot. Veterinary Journal. • Egenvall A et al. (2013) Days-lost to training and competition in relation to workload in 263 elite show-jumping horses in four European countries. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 112: 387 to 400. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.09.013. • Egenvall A et al. (2021) The descriptions and attitudes of riders and arena owners to 656 equestrian sport surfaces in Sweden. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.798910. • Firth EC, Rogers CW (2005) Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses to early training. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53: 377 to 383. • Graydon RW et al. (2023) The development of a standardized protocol for quantifying eventing cross-country ground. Biomechanics 3: 343 to 361. doi:10.3390/biomechanics3030029. • Hernlund E et al. Hoof accelerations at hoof-surface impact for stride types and functional limb types relevant to show jumping horses. • Hobbs SJ et al. (2014) Equine Surfaces White Paper. FEI. • Holt D (2013) Investigation of equestrian arena surface properties and rider preferences. MSc thesis, University of Central Lancashire. • Murray RC et al. (2010a) Identification of risk factors for lameness in dressage horses. Veterinary Journal 184: 27 to 36. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.03.020. • Murray RC et al. (2010b) How do features of dressage arenas influence training surface properties which are potentially associated with lameness? Veterinary Journal 186: 172 to 179. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.04.026. • Blundell EL, Northrop AJ, Owen AG, Lumsden PJ (2010) The short and long-term changes in mechanical properties of a synthetic equestrian surface. International Society of Equitation Science Annual Conference, Uppsala, Sweden. • Chateau H, Robin D, Falala S, et al. (2009) Effects of a synthetic all-weather waxed track versus a crushed sand track on 3D acceleration of the front hoof in three horses trotting at high speed. Equine Veterinary Journal 41(3): 247 to 251. • Robin D, Chateau H, Pacquet L, et al. (2009) Use of a 3D dynamometric horseshoe to assess the effects of an all-weather waxed track and a crushed sand track at high speed trot: preliminary study. Equine Veterinary Journal 41(3): 253 to 256. • Tranquille CA et al. Effect of superficial harrowing on surface properties of sand with rubber and waxed-sand with fibre riding arena surfaces. Veterinary Journal. • Fetlock motion and arena surface properties in jumping horses (2020 conference abstract). • Hoof deceleration on two surfaces at the trot. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology. • Eventing cross-country fall risk factors. Other sources: IFCE Equipedia (Sequisol results), Penn State Extension, University of Kentucky, World of Showjumping (Roepstorff), Horse & Hound (Murray), Brisnet (racing data), Engineering News, Canadian Thoroughbred, European Trainer.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

WHEN FEED ALONE ISN’T ENOUGH HOW TARGETED NUTRITION CAN SUPPORT JOINTS, DIGESTIVE HEALTH, HYDRATION AND RECOVERY IN THE EQUINE ATHLETE TEXT: RICOLETTE DU PREEZ, BSC DIETETICS, BTEC PROFESSIONAL DIP IN EQUINE NUTRITIONIST (UK), DIRECTOR OF SUPREME EQUINE NUTRITION

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

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n equine athlete needs more than just enough feed in the bucket. The quality and availability of forage, the balance of the feed ration, the workload and the ability to eat and drink consistently all play a role. Competition adds further demands: travel, unfamiliar surroundings, changes in routine, reduced access to familiar feed and forage, stress and substantial sweat

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losses. Nutritional requirements also change with life stage, reproductive status and health. Sports nutrition begins by comparing what the horse consumes with the demands placed on his body, and a supplement becomes useful when it addresses an identified nutritional gap or has a clearly defined purpose within that plan.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

UNDERSTANDING NUTRIENTS AND NUTRACEUTICALS Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which horses require in relatively larger amounts. They provide energy and the building materials needed for maintenance, growth and repair. Vitamins and trace minerals are required in smaller quantities but remain essential for normal bodily function. Minerals are further classified into macro-minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and

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magnesium, and trace minerals, such as copper, zinc and selenium. A nutraceutical is generally understood as a feed ingredient or preparation used to support health or function beyond supplying basic nutrients. Examples include certain joint ingredients and yeast fermentation products. The term itself does not establish effectiveness; rather, relevant research needs to be consulted, and the formulation and daily amount chosen accordingly.

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WHEN IS ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION USEFUL? When a horse is fed less than the recommended daily rate on the feed label (for example, a feed recommended at 4 to 6kg a day), the vitamin and mineral premix in it will no longer meet the horse's needs. A balancer or a vitamin and mineral supplement may then be needed. One also needs to keep in consideration the body condition score as well as the behaviour of the horse when choosing the correct feed ration.

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Workload creates further demands. The National Research Council (NRC, 2007) estimates that a 500kg mature horse requires approximately 16.5 Mcal of digestible energy daily at average maintenance, rising to approximately 23 Mcal with moderate exercise. Similarly, estimated vitamin E requirements increase from 500 to 900 IU daily under these conditions. These figures refer to the total daily diet, rather than amounts to add on top of existing feed.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

Increased work therefore calls for a review of energy, protein quality, vitamin E and electrolyte supply. Selenium, for example, is essential for antioxidant function, but additional supplementation should follow an assessment of total intake because an excess

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can be harmful. A ration calculator such as FeedXL can help you make informed decisions but if one wants to be accurate, a forage analysis is needed to identify which nutrients are lacking, repeated with each new forage batch and seasonal change in grazing.

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JOINT SUPPORT: A LONGTERM CONSIDERATION Regular work places repeated demands on joints and connective tissues. Ingredients commonly found in oral joint supplements include glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, MSM and collagen peptides. Selected equine studies have reported benefits, with results depending on the formulation, daily amount and horses studied.

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Much and colleagues (2020) found greater hock range of motion at the walk in horses receiving a multiingredient joint supplement for 28 days. Dobenecker and colleagues (2018) reported promising improvements in symptoms in horses with mild to moderate osteoarthritis receiving specific bioactive collagen peptides over 12 weeks. These findings relate to the preparations tested and cannot automatically be applied to every supplement containing similar ingredients.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

Additional research supports interest in other formulations. Leatherwood and colleagues (2016) found that oral glucosamine hydrochloride influenced measures of joint inflammation and cartilage turnover in young horses following an experimental inflammatory challenge. Cayzer and colleagues (2012) reported reduced lameness severity and joint pain in a blinded, placebo-controlled trial of a specific, green-lipped mussel extract in horses with fetlock osteoarthritis, which will relate to the Omega-3 ratio found in it. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, may also support the management of inflammation. In a 90-day study involving 16 horses with existing arthritis, Manhart and colleagues (2009) found greater reductions in joint fluid white blood cell counts and blood prostaglandin E2 in supplemented horses compared with controls. These findings provide evidence

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that EPA and DHA supplementation can reduce selected inflammatory markers in arthritic horses. Christmann and colleagues (2021) further demonstrated that dietary EPA and DHA increased omega3-containing lipids in equine joint fluid, with maximum incorporation observed after approximately 60 days. This supports their availability within the joint environment and their potential contribution to processes that help resolve inflammation. These omega-3 studies support effects on the joint environment; they do not establish cartilage repair or improved lameness. When choosing a joint supplement, look for named ingredient forms, quantities per daily serving and equine research relevant to the formulation. For omega-3 products, check the stated amounts of EPA and DHA rather than relying on general guidelines about total oil quantity.

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GUT SUPPORT WHEN ROUTINES CHANGE Travel to shows can disrupt the gut microbiome, which is sensitive to changes in environment and feed. Some horses develop loose droppings, increased flatulence or abdominal bloating and cramping during these periods. These signs are not specific to gastric ulcers and may reflect disturbances elsewhere in the digestive tract. Colic indicates abdominal pain and requires prompt veterinary assessment.

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Horses produce gastric acid continuously. Reduced forage intake means less chewing and saliva production, which can leave the upper stomach more exposed to gastric contents. Padalino and colleagues (2020) found increased gastric squamous ulcer scores after transport, particularly among mares fasted before departure. Gastric fluid pH increased during transport in that study, illustrating that transportrelated ulceration cannot simply be attributed to increased acidity.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

An appropriate digestive supplement may complement regular forage intake, adequate water and consistent management. Its purpose should be clearly defined: buffering stomach contents, supporting the gastric lining or helping maintain the hindgut microbial community. Reducing acidity means raising pH, not lowering it; stomach buffering and hindgut microbiome support are distinct functions.

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Calcareous marine algae is one ingredient to consider for gastric buffering. In a study involving nine horses, Jacobs and colleagues (2020) found that a specified seaweed-derived calcium preparation increased gastric pH two hours after feeding compared with a control meal. It was shown that supplementing 40g of high-calcium marine algae for 30 days resulted in macroscopic healing of gastric ulcers in 70% of equine test subjects (Woodward & Crandell, 2021).

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Prebiotics and probiotics act differently. Prebiotics provide substrates used by intestinal microorganisms, whereas probiotics supply live microorganisms; certain live yeast strains fall within this latter category. Respondek and colleagues (2008) found that short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides reduced disruption of hindgut microbial populations and limited D-lactate accumulation. Live yeast also has relevant transport research. In a small crossover study, Faubladier and colleagues (2013) found that faecal bacterial profiles before and after transport were more similar in

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horses receiving Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 than in controls. Ganda and colleagues (2023) reported support for aspects of microbiome stability during a transport-related stress challenge using a specific S. cerevisiae fermentation product. When choosing a product, look for a clearly identified buffering ingredient, named prebiotics, and the organism, strain and viable daily amount of any probiotic or live yeast. Match the formulation and feeding amount to relevant equine research.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

AMINO ACIDS, VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM FOR MUSCLE MAINTENANCE AND RECOVERY After exercise, a horse needs sufficient energy and protein, including essential amino acids, to maintain and repair muscle. Lysine is particularly important when assessing equine protein quality. Leucine participates in regulating muscle protein synthesis, while threonine and the other essential amino acids must also be available in the overall ration.

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Equine research supports attention to protein supply during recovery. Graham-Thiers and Bowen (2024) reported increased amino acid availability during early recovery when protein was supplied soon after exercise. In a small experimental study of Thoroughbreds, Matsui and colleagues (2006) found that amino acid administration after exercise increased muscle protein synthesis in the hindlimb, with a greater effect when combined with glucose.

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For practical feeding, compare the grams of key amino acids supplied per daily serving with the quality and amount of protein already present in forage and concentrate. Adding one amino acid cannot correct a ration that lacks several others, and it is important to take that into consideration.

Vitamin E and selenium can assist in sustained muscle energy production and prevent fatigue, as well as improve ion homeostasis during strenuous exercise, delaying the onset of muscle soreness and tying up (Owen et al., 2022; Refi et al., 2018).

NUTRIENT

NON-WORKING

LIGHT WORK

MEDIUM WORK

HEAVY WORK

UPPER LIMIT, TOXICITY THRESHOLD

Vitamin A

15,000 IU

22,500 IU

160,000 IU

Vitamin E

500 IU

800-1000 IU

900-1000 IU

1000-5000 IU

10,000 IU

Selenium

1mg

1.13mg

1.25mg

1.25-2.5mg

20mg

Daily requirement based on a 500kg horse, total feed and supplementation ration should be taken into consideration. (National Research Council [NRC], 2007), (Pagan & Nash, 2005), (Fagan et al., 2020)

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ELECTROLYTES FOR HYDRATION AND MUSCLE FUNCTION Equine sweat carries away water and substantial amounts of sodium and chloride, as well as potassium and smaller quantities of calcium and magnesium. These minerals contribute to fluid balance and normal nerve and muscle function. Plain salt supplies sodium and chloride, but it does not supply potassium, calcium or magnesium. Whether additional electrolytes are needed depends on sweat losses and the contribution of the existing ration. A horse sweating heavily during training, transport or a multiday competition may need a more comprehensive replacement plan.

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Waller and Lindinger (2021) found that a balanced oral electrolyte solution given before exercise helped maintain fluid and ion balance during prolonged sweat losses. In a separate study, Waller and colleagues (2009) found that fluid and electrolyte supplementation after prolonged exercise enhanced muscle glycogen replenishment during recovery. These results highlight the importance of replacing both water and electrolytes under demanding exercise conditions. Look for stated amounts of sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium per daily serving, clear administration instructions and a plan matched to the horse’s workload.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

DAILY ELECTROLYTE REQUIREMENTS FOR HORSES By workload for a healthy mature 500 kg horse Values are total daily dietary requirements from forage, concentrates, salt and supplements combined. They are not amounts to add on top of the existing diet. All values in grams per day CHLORIDE CL

POTASSIUM K

MAGNESIUM MG

CALCIUM CA

Maintenance / no work 10.0

40.0

25.0

7.5

20.0

Light exercise

13.9

46.6

28.5

9.5

30.0

Moderate exercise

17.8

53.3

32.0

11.5

35.0

Heavy exercise

25.5

66.5

39.0

15.0

40.0

Very heavy exercise

41.0

93.0

53.0

15.0

40.0

WORKLOAD

SODIUM NA

Application note. These baseline estimates reflect average workload. Substantial sweating, heat and humidity can increase requirements. For a different body weight, multiply each value by body weight in kg ÷ 500. Account for the existing diet before calculating supplementary amounts, and provide unrestricted fresh water.

References • National Research Council. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses. Sixth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Table 16-3, pp. 298–299. https://doi.org/10.17226/11653

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HOOF SUPPORT: NUTRITION FOR NEW GROWTH Hoof quality reflects several influences, including genetics, environment, farriery and nutrition. Where forage quality or the overall ration is inadequate, reviewing protein quality and the supply of nutrients such as zinc, copper and a combination of other nutrients will play a role in the development of better hoof horn quality. Biotin has positive evidence in horses for improving poor hoof horn quality. Josseck and colleagues (1995) found that horses receiving 20 mg of biotin daily showed significantly improved hoof condition

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after nine months compared with their starting condition and a placebo group. This was a study-specific feeding amount, rather than evidence that every horse requires additional biotin. Ponies supplemented with biotin had a 15% increase in hoof horn growth over a five-month period compared to control groups (Reilly et al., 1998). Hoof support requires patience: nutrition contributes to new horn formation, and improved growth takes time to move down the hoof wall, which should be reviewed at 3 to 6 months. Progress should be assessed alongside regular farriery and a review of the complete ration.

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HORSE AND NUTRITION

CHOOSE A PURPOSE, THEN CHOOSE A SUPPLEMENT Before adding anything to the feed, establish what the horse needs or where his diet falls short. Consider the horse’s life stage, body condition, workload, forage quality, actual feed intake and management routine. Does he receive his fortified feed at the recommended rate? Does he have predictable sweat losses? Is travel disrupting forage intake? Is there a specific concern that needs veterinary assessment? Next, calculate the contribution of all feeds, forage, grazing and supplements. Mineral balance belongs to the complete diet. A calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of approximately 2:1 is commonly used. Read quantities per daily serving and distinguish the amount of the active ingredient from the total scoop

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weight. Compare those quantities with relevant equine research, while recognising that a studied dose is not automatically appropriate for every horse. Check for overlapping ingredients, particularly where several fortified products are used together. Finally, define what improvement would look like and allow a realistic period for assessment. Changes in body condition, muscle development, hoof growth or comfort should be reviewed alongside workload and management. A healthy body condition score is useful, but it does not confirm that every nutrient requirement is met. The best sports nutrition plan explains why each product is included, what it supplies, and how its usefulness will be assessed.

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References • National Research Council. (2007). Nutrient Requirements of Horses. Sixth revised edition. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. • Much ML, et al. (2020). Evaluation of an oral joint supplement on gait kinematics and biomarkers of cartilage metabolism and inflammation in mature riding horses. Translational Animal Science, 4(3)150. • Dobenecker B, et al. (2018). Specific bioactive collagen peptides as supplement for horses with osteoarthritis: A two-centred study. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 102(Suppl. 1):16-23. • Leatherwood JL, et al. (2016). Influence of oral glucosamine supplementation in young horses challenged with intra-articular lipopolysaccharide. Journal of Animal Science, 94:3294-3302. • Cayzer J, Hedderley D, Gray S. (2012). A randomised, doubleblinded, placebo-controlled study on the efficacy of a unique extract of green-lipped mussel in horses with chronic fetlock lameness attributed to osteoarthritis. Equine Veterinary Journal, 44(4):393-398. • Manhart DR, et al. (2009). Markers of inflammation in arthritic horses fed omega-3 fatty acids. The Professional Animal Scientist, 25:155-160. • Christmann U, et al. (2021). Dynamics of DHA and EPA supplementation: incorporation into equine plasma, synovial fluid, and surfactant glycerophosphocholines. Metabolomics, 17:41. • Padalino B, Davis GL, Raidal SL. (2020). Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 34:922-932. • Ganda E, et al. (2023). Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product improves robustness of equine gut microbiome upon stress. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10:1134092. • Jacobs RD, et al. (2020). The effect of a seaweed-derived calcium supplement on gastric juice pH in the horse. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 95:103265. • Venner M, Lauffs S, Deegen E. (1999). Treatment of gastric lesions in horses with pectin-lecithin complex. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement, 29:91-96. • Respondek F, Goachet AG, Julliand V. (2008). Effects of dietary short-chain fructooligosaccharides on the intestinal microflora of horses subjected to a sudden change in diet. Journal of Animal Science, 86(2):316-323. • Faubladier C, et al. (2013). Effect of transportation on fecal bacterial communities and fermentative activities in horses: impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 supplementation. Journal of Animal Science, 91(4):1736-1744. • Graham-Thiers P, Bowen K. (2024). Timing of feeding a protein supplement on nitrogen balance and plasma amino acids during exercise recovery in horses. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. doi:10.1111/jpn.14012. • Matsui A, et al. (2006). Effect of amino acid and glucose administration following exercise on the turnover of muscle protein in the hindlimb femoral region of Thoroughbreds. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement, 36:611-616. • Waller AP, Lindinger MI. (2021). Pre-loading large volume oral electrolytes: tracing fluid and ion fluxes in horses during rest, exercise and recovery. The Journal of Physiology, 599:3879-3896. • Waller AP, et al. (2009). Fluid and electrolyte supplementation after prolonged moderate-intensity exercise enhances muscle glycogen resynthesis in Standardbred horses. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106:91-100. • Josseck H, Zenker W, Geyer H. (1995). Hoof horn abnormalities in Lipizzaner horses and the effect of dietary biotin on macroscopic aspects of hoof horn quality. Equine Veterinary Journal, 27:175-182. • Fagan, M. M., Adams, A. A., Vineyard, K. R., & Lawrence, L. M. (2020). The effect of vitamin E supplementation on immune function and oxidative stress markers in exercising horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 93, 103210. • Pagan, J. D., Kane, E., & Nash, D. (2005). Form and source of vitamin E affect bioavailability in Thoroughbred horses. Advances in Equine Nutrition, 3, 275–282. • Hotz, C. S., Hall, J. O., & Pfister, J. A. (2014). Analysis in horsehair as a means of evaluating selenium toxicoses and long-term exposures. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 26(3), 446–451. • Reilly, J. D., Cottrell, D. F., Martin, R. J., & Cuddeford, D. J. (1998). Effect of supplementary dietary biotin on hoof growth and hoof growth rate in ponies. Equine Veterinary Journal, 30(S26), 51–54 • Owen, R. N., Semanchik, P. L., Latham, C. M., Brennan, K. M., & White-Springer, S. H. (2022). Elevated dietary selenium rescues mitochondrial capacity impairment induced by decreased vitamin E intake in young exercising horses. Journal of Animal Science, 100(9) • Refi, M., & El-Khashab, F. (2018). Effects of Vitamin E and Selenium on serum trace and major elements in horses. Journal of Equine Science, 29(4), 85-91 • Woodward, A. D., & Crandell, K. M. (2021). The influence of feeding a high calcium, algae supplement on gastric ulceration in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 100, 103521.

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