POINT OF VIEW
“What we are asking of the horses today is more difficult than in the past, but I’m still more of a traditionalist when it comes to the breeding of event horses. I prefer three-quarters to seven-eighths Thorough- bred.” – Robin
Robin Walker competing Rowdy Friend at Fair Hill International in 2012.
bring it along to develop a good relationship. Right now I am riding four horses every day. I have three young ones and my Advanced horse Kilrodan Abbott. He’s 16 now and we’re like an old married couple. I’ve had him nine years—we’ve been to four Rolex Kentuckys, the Olympics and the World Eques- trian Games together. He’s still in great shape.
WT: What are some of the more significant changes, good or bad, in the sport of eventing that you’ve observed over the years?
Robin: Since I started in eventing, the upper levels have
changed. Everything is more demanding, especially at the international level. The dressage has become more techni- cal, the height of the jumps in showjumping is harder and of course the long format has changed to the short format. I be- lieve that some horses benefited from the long format. There still is one show in Lexington in the fall [with the long format]. I miss the steeplechase phase, but the sport is still the sport. Peter: The sport is constantly changing and evolving along with the horses. It’s more technical now in the dressage, you must be more precise in the cross country, but the brave- ness and boldness is still very important. Today your horse has to be doing well in all three phases. Everything demands more of the horse and rider—and with more precision.
WT: Have you ever considered pursuing a different sport other than eventing? Robin: I was quite good at cricket when I was young, but
92 March/April 2015
I was always drawn to the horses—I used to do a huge amount of hunting in England and spent a lot of time at the kennels. Even today I still love to hunt and return every year to hunt usually in Ire- land with the Scarteen [Hunt in Limerick] and if I can the Cheshire Forest in England. Peter: When I was younger I wanted to sail
around the world. My wife and family weren’t too happy about that, so I turned to horses in my mid- 30s and never looked back.
WT: Do you cross train to stay fit? If so, what do you do and how often?
Robin: I am not able to do it—I ride a lot of horses daily,
enough to keep me fit. My down time is October through the holidays, so that’s when I rest. However if I had the opportu- nity, I would take up swimming. Peter: Yes, I do cross train. I work on flexibility and bal-
ance. I believe you should be strong in your core and supple. I do aerobics, weights and core exercises like Pilates and yoga. Generally I work out three times a week.
WT: From a business perspective, do you find it easier now or when you were younger to receive client horses to train as well as sponsorships? Robin: That directly relates to how successful you are and
how your [training] program is perceived. Age doesn’t nec- essarily matter, but your experiences should help you in this regard. I have been incredibly fortunate and grateful to have great owners and clients and have been very lucky to be a little selective. This side of the business has been very good to me overall.
WT: What changes have you observed in the breeding of event horses?
Robin: What we are asking of the horses today is more difficult than in the past, but I’m still more of a traditionalist
Shannon Brinkman
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