Kate Pearsall
‘After losing my horse I was on the lookout for another. I mentioned to a friend of mine who works for Ian William's that I'd always fancied rehoming a racehorse. After a failed loan of another horse, by chance my friend contacted me with information on Big Easy, who had a successful race career both with Phillip Hobbs and Ian Williams. He was a winner over the flat and hurdles, being the winner of the Cesarewitch in 2014. He was due to race that weekend and I was told that a decision was to be made then whether they were going to retire him.
I got the phone call on the Sunday to say that he was to be retired and that if I was interested Ian Williams and Big Easy’s owner, Terry Warner said I could rehome him. I took my niece Chloe Allen (she bounces better than me) with me on the following Wednesday to see him. It was love at first sight, he was such a handsome boy. My niece jumped up on him and put him through his paces as she knows the type of horse I like. Her comment was he goes and stops when you ask him to, what more could you want at that stage. The decision was made there and then, and I picked him up the following weekend.
After a couple of weeks down time and Bigs learning time out in the field was a good thing we got to grips with the retraining starting with the basics. II treated him like a newly backed 4yr old to start with. He was such a dream and easy to do, trying his best with whatever was asked of him. I had friends at the end of the phone who used to work at Ian's and now run a successful retraining yard, Matthew and Amanda Mills who gave me some useful advice on how the racehorse thinks and what they would be used to in comparison to a ‘tradional’ ridden horse.
Big Easy (Bigsy)
Not having transport of my own, getting him out is hard work. I rely on friends to beg and borrow transport and without their kindness we wouldn't be doing what we do (a sponsor would be lovely). We then went out and did our first unaffiliated competition and we won!! I was totally amazed when we qualified for the Blue Chip Championships unaffiliated. So, we went a few weeks later not thinking to get anywhere but ended up with a 2nd place. So, I thought it's time to go affiliated. We did our first BD in the summer of 2018 gaining good scores and qualifying for the Petplan Festivals. We went to the area finals with it being Bigsy’s 8th ever BD test. Again I went out just to have a nice day as always and to my surprise we qualified for the Petplan Finals gaining a 2nd place. In this time, we had also qualified for the RoR Associated Championships at Vale View in November. Yet again we went to just have a nice day, as always. We were one of the first in; we rode a lovely test and that was good enough for me as I say this was, his 10th ever BD test at this point. Then the scores came up, 69.74% with a third of the class gone, I was in first place so yet again it was a long tense wait until the final rider had gone. Well I thought I was dreaming, all scores up, Bigsy and I are in top spot. I could have cried! This horse owes nobody anything, yet he gives his all no matter what. And he’s a handsome lad to top it all, with such a loving personality. I feel lucky, privileged and honoured to be given the chance to give such a well-loved horse a new career after racing.‘
Margaret Paterson
‘My biggest
Arctic Eclipse - Reserve Supreme Champion at Aintree.
Robyn Catterall
‘In June 2019 I travelled across to Aintree Racecourse for the Aintree National Show to compete in the Side Saddle classes with my horse Arctic Eclipse (Mr Levi). Mr Levi is a 15 year old grey gelding and we both started side saddle together about seven years ago.
Across the weekend we competed in seven different side saddle classes picking up two firsts, four seconds and one third place. We made it through to the Aintree Picture of Elegance Side Saddle Championship against all the other 1st and 2nd placed side saddle competitors across the two days. We ended up taking Reserve Supreme Champion, and as a result we have been invited to travel to Aintree again for the Grand National in 2020 to lead the winner of the Topham Chase into the winner's enclosure on Ladies day alongside Lizzie Harris and Wild West who took Champion.’
achievement this year was picking up my welfare award in Saddlers Hall, London last week (22nd Nov).
We had an outbreak of strangles and our story was nominated and they picked me for the British Horse Society Welfare Award.
I was so grateful for my award, for being recognised as making a contribution to equine welfare. It was a truly heartwarming experience.’
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THE WINTER SPECIAL 2019
27
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