Carl Hester returned home from the Pairs Olympics, his seventh for Team GB since his debut in Barcelona in 1992, with another bronze medal safely packed in his luggage as the British team finished third in the dressage competition. That was Hester’s fourth medal, adding to the gold, silver and bronze he had previously won.
Back in October 1998, Hester had been to just one Games when Horse & Hound columnist Simon Barnes caught up with him. Amid the recent controversy and Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal from the Olympic team, Barnes’ piece is a timely reminder that for Hester, like the huge majority of his colleagues in the sport, the welfare of the horses is paramount.
“I watched him school half a dozen horses over a long morning and, no, he never raised a voice or a hand. It was wonderful to watch – the riding I mean, not the self-restraint. Horses go for him. No, this is dressage. Horses dance for him.
“Carl Hester never seems to face a difficult moment with a horse. I watched a horse fidget at flying changes and protest that it was all too difficult. Carl simply showed him that it was not difficult at al. Nothing to make a fuss about. And the horse did it as if it was the easiest thing in the world.”
Barnes’ is a fascinating piece on one of the great equestrians of the last 40 years – and a timely reminder of ‘the benign circle of horsey excellence.’ You can read the full thing here – it should be compulsory reading for all in the sport.
