Today I should’ve been at Badminton Horse Trials with the lovely On The Brash, who is fit and raring to go at home with New Zealand event rider, Caroline Powell in Suffolk. I’ve owned Rufus (as he’s known at home) since he was six months old. He lived with me until he was nearly four when he was then sent to Northern Ireland to be broken in by my step-father Eric Smiley before coming home to start his career with Helen West, Bicton Arena’s Manager, who rode him to Intermediate level. Rufus has been with Caroline for nearly three years now and she has taken him round Badminton once and Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials twice.
I adore Rufus, he is my horse of a lifetime. The storms we have weathered to get where we are now have definitely been worth it. I don’t get to see him much and I must admit I was really looking forward to seeing him this week. Having Rufus complete at Badminton in 2018 was a dream come true, he loves cross country and always has his ears pricked – I was in tears when I watched him come through the finish line and I will especially miss it this year. But, we look forward to 2021, getting back to Badminton and potentially the Tokyo 2020 Olympics too!