Inpulss definitely made an entrance when we took her off the truck in Ireland. She jumped straight onto the yard like a March hare, never touched the ramp of the truck.

I knew she was going to be a mad one from the get-go. I took my time breaking her in and did everything on her terms.

Inpulss has a big personality to say the least. I didn’t push her as a four-year-old. She’s a quirky, unique mare.

At five years old, she finished 6th at Balmoral International (Lisburn, NI) in the Dengie five-year-old final, then qualified for Dublin Horse Show Young Riders 1.10-1.15m.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t compete as she fell short of two SJI points pre-qualifier. I couldn’t do the Young Horse qualifiers for Dublin either because she has a KWPN (Dutch) passport.

Powerhouse

At some stage during the year, she won a golden ticket to qualify for the Cavan Crystal five-year-old final at Cavan Indoor Championships. I jumped the qualifiers the week of the Indoor Championships anyway to settle her head.

It must have done her the world of good because once I crossed the finish line with her on the night of the final, I knew we had it won. I did have early celebrations when I saw the clock, but I was confident nobody would touch us.

She’s a powerhouse and always gives it everything. I’ll never forget that win! I was so proud of her and I suppose I was proud of myself too; sure, I was just 17. She’s a real firecracker, heart of a lion!

As a six-year-old we got to the final of the Hankook six- and seven-year-olds again at Cavan Indoor Championships but, had a rail down in the final.

I did have another horse in the final, seven-year-old Halina HL who came 2nd.

It would have been nice to do the double, but you can’t win them all. Halina HL placed 4th at Hickstead in the 1.50m British Speed Derby under Charlene Bastone (UK) this year.

Hard decision

Inpulss had a handy seven-year-old year, I took a few months to work for somebody else under the promise that I could take my horses, but it didn’t quite happen that way, so I rented some boxes in the Wiltshire area in the UK instead and took Inpulss and other horses over.

It was an extremely hard decision, but I eventually advertised Inpulss for sale on Horse Quest. I have a heap of youngstock in Ireland, and they aren’t getting any cheaper to feed.

I got a call from Louisa Church (owner, Arion Stud, UK) and Jessica Burke (rider, Arion Stud) not long after I put the advert online and Jessica came down to try her the next day. I think Jessica had a bit of fun on her that evening!

Louisa Church and I were having a look on Horse Quest one evening and there Inpulss was, only down the road from us. I recognised her from Ireland the minute I saw her. I rang Natasha, tried her the next day and the rest is history.

I loved her and knew that she was what I was missing in my string. She was unbelievably careful and a bit mad, a real fighter. It’s hard to tell how much scope she has; I jumped a big vertical at the end of the trial, quite fast, and she let fly. I thought to myself: “I have to have this mare.”

She dictates

I ride her twice a week at home, the rest of the time she’s lunging or hacking with as much time in the field as we can give her. She’s completely mental! She does everything fast! She dictates the way she wants her life and we leave her to it.

We took her to the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in February where she won a lot of classes. We then went to Bonheiden (Belgium) winning a CSI2* 1.40m, Peelbergen (Netherlands) winning Seacon Logistics Prix CSI2* 1.40m, followed by Deauville Nations Cup Show winning a CSIO3* 1.40m.

We spent the summer in England where she won a CSI2* 1.35m at the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth Young Horse Show, followed by a big one at Hickstead, the Sussex Cup.

I could only take two horses to The Dublin Horse Show this year, she stayed at home, but I really missed her at that show. Now she’s after doing a hat trick at my first ever Horse of the Year Show (Birmingham), winning the NAEC Stoneleigh Stakes (Fri), The Accumulator (Sat) and The Speed Horse of the Year (Sun).

She’s been incredible for me, and I’ve had a brilliant year already. I was on some Nations Cup teams with my other horses and got great results.

Inpulss is the backbone of the team, and we can’t leave her off the truck going to those big shows. We’re so grateful to have her.