Badminton Horse Trials 2023 was both exciting and alarming, and packed with drama from start to finish. Difficult weather conditions in the run up meant that the cross-country phase became an even greater test of horsemanship than usual.

Some riders gave an exhibition of knowledge and skill, nursing their horses around the demanding track and finishing well. Others were quick to realise that their horses were not comfortable running on deep ground, and 11 chose to retire.

There was the usual smattering of hard luck stories, but there was also some questionable riding and decision making. Watching very tired horses being pushed around a very tough course is not pleasant to see.

Horsemanship

Britain’s Oliver Townend was one such example, although finishing in second place on Irish Sport Horse Ballaghmor Class, he was pulled up by ground jury during his round on Swallow Springs. Townend was subsequently given a recorded warning from the FEI for ‘Dangerous riding/a series of dangerous jumps’.

In direct contrast, Ireland’s Austin O’Connor gave an absolute masterclass in both horsemanship and skill. A third-place finish aboard his 2021 Tokyo Olympic mount Colorado Blue (ISH) by Jaguar Mail (SF) out of Rock Me Baby (AES), by Rock King (WNTR) was a well-deserved result for the O’Connor family, owners of The Salty Syndicate, and breeder Kate Jarvey. This great result was also the highest place finish by an Irish rider in 40 years: the last such achievement belongs to racehorse trainer Jessica Harrington, who finished third in 1983 riding Amoy.

Holiday

My own horsey life continues to meander along quietly. A lull in proceedings occurred when I went on holiday for the first time in six years.

A wonderful lady deputised in my absence, even managing to appear unalarmed at the novella of written instructions that I left for her.

The ponies naturally caused chaos on my first night away, one of them commando crawled under two sets of electric fencing into a field with a lot more grass. On the second night, the other pony did the exact same thing. The horses were thankfully far better behaved.

I am quite busy coaching at the moment, and I am also currently doing a First Aid responder refresher course. The results are mixed.

I obviously excel at wound management and bandaging, but apparently telling someone who has fainted to ‘get up and stop faffing around’ is frowned upon.

It’s a good job that I am not very bright, because I would have made a terrible doctor.

I remain convinced that we would all be far better off if we could go to the vet instead. No waiting lists, quick test results and you can take your horse along, too.