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Izzie & Lyrie

A partnership with ambitions

By Alan RussellPublished 5 years ago 7 min read
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This is the first in a series of interviews with riders and their horses.

We first met Izzie in May 2018 at the yard where we have our three horses on livery and have watched her work with Lyrie over the last 12 months. During that time we have seen their relationship grow. We have seen waved her off to competitions and seen her come back. Most times these excursions have been successful. On the few that haven't been so successful, Izzie still manages to find something positive from the experience and keeps smiling through it all.

Alan Russell: What were your earliest riding experiences?

Izzie: I started riding at Rushall Park Stables near Wimborne on walks when I was three years old.

When did you get your first pony?

I was nine. Mum didn’t want to buy a pony until she knew if I would stick with it. We got Kia. She was my first pony and we still have her.

When did you get the competition bug?

It was in my teens with Kia. I found it was exciting taking her to cross country competitions after watching it on TV. That was what I wanted to do.

When you met your career adviser at school, what did you tell them you wanted to do for a living?

I was aiming for marketing at first but got waylaid with the actual enjoyment of riding and photography as opposed to the decent money I could be making with marketing. I didn’t really even decide to make horses my living but somehow stumbled here and it feels right.

OK, let’s fast forward from those early days to now. Can you tell me about your present horse? I have seen you riding her and you both look a good match.

Well, her full name is Lyrical Genius. Affectionately known as Lyrie. She is an eight year old Hanoverian cross thoroughbred.

How long have you had her?

Over three years now.

And what made you choose her?

When we saw her, she was exactly what I wasn’t looking for; a four-year old chestnut mare. No, I was looking for something seven or eight years old that had already been competing in the pre-novice classes successfully. Whereas Lyrie was in a sense a blank canvas but brilliantly started out by Sarah Perry so she already had the best start in her education. Getting her was a huge opportunity I guess to test my own riding and patience with a young and opinionated at times horse, even though I wasn’t thinking of that at the time.

We have certainly seen her test your patience a couple of times but you never get cross with her or stop smiling.

Come to think of it, it couldn’t have worked out any better as now I can sit back and say I put the countless time and hard work into her as opposed to just buying the finished product.

Would you say that having that blank canvas has made you a better rider?

Definitely.

Who are your riding heroes?

Ben Hobday is one of them. He has made a comeback from cancer. Is a talented rider who is great with all of his supporters and he is very humble despite his talents and successes.

And it sounds like you may have more than one. Who is the other one?

It has to be Harry Meade as I worked for him at his yard where I learnt the importance of dealing with detail in horse care, stable management, and riding. Really do remember those lessons and apply them now.

When you are riding in competitions or schooling do you have a mental image of someone riding who you would like to emulate?

I don’t actually have a complete image of one rider. The only ones I try to picture are Charlotte Du Jardin and Michael Jung. They both use their hands brilliantly and that is one of my weaknesses.

As far as schooling Lyrie how would you describe a normal week?

Lyrie is usually ridden six days a week during the spring, summer, and autumn period whilst we are out and about eventing. And then ridden five days a week during the colder months when there is less on. I have to ride Lyrie a lot to keep her occupied and on her best behaviour. Otherwise, she is known to let the red mist descend and challenge me to say the least. She enjoys a varied work scheme consisting of dressage work, fitness work, show jumping, and fast work. And of course some gentle hacking to allow her to take a breather from the more concentrated work. Our fast days are my most time consuming as I am spending a fair amount of time afterwards cooling Lyrie’s legs off with cold hosing and ice gel but I think if Lyrie could talk, she would say fast work days are the best days.

What feed regime is Lyrie on?

She has regular meals a build-up mix from Dodson and Horrell with alfalfa oil, linseed oil with salt only in the evening meal and ad lib hay. Quite simple really.

Lyrie and Izzie warming up for their fast work days

As well as your own schooling work with Lyrie, do you use any other trainers?

I have Claire Speer for our dressage training which works incredibly well. And I have noticed a massive difference in both mindset and way of going since having our first lesson with her. Sarah Perry helps us out with our show jumping and cross country. She’s very patient and has to be because Lyrie and I aren’t the most avid show jumpers therefore there’s a lot of picking up poles involved. It also helps greatly as she knows Lyrie so well and her family, so she knows what to suggest when we encounter Lyrie’s little quirks.

Anyone else?

We have also used Roland Bellido who has put a lot of time into improving our way of going and helping with rider habits. Like, becoming quicker with the leg. Last year I was receiving training from Harry Meade and Tim Rogers during my time at Church Farm which was obviously an incredible opportunity and I have taken so much very much away from that and enjoyed the tuition whilst learning.

Do you get nervous before any competitions?

Mum drives our lorry and I tend to sleep until about ten minutes from the dressage or cross-country venue. Then I wake up and start to feel jittery. I think that is more excitement than being nervous. Going to eventing, it is definitely nerves. Not about the course but about how Lyrie is going to behave.

Why is that?

She takes in the atmosphere of the venue. Therefore, at dressage she tends to be a lot more at ease whereas when she is out eventing, the busyness, the sound of the generators and the public announcement sound system can sometimes send her into overload and she can be quite tricky to manage. However, she seems to be becoming more at home at events now and containing her excitement a bit more. At least on the ground. So, any event where is chilled out is a positive to take away!

Do you have any trouble learning dressage tests?

Actually, I don’t, although that is my biggest fear, forgetting an entire test. No, what I do is watch the test being ridden on YouTube and then I learn it from the test sheet.

At the end of a dressage test - Lyrie looks pleased with her self

Your chosen disciplines of cross country and eventing entail the risk of injury to your horse. How do you manage that risk?

I do everything I can to prevent injury. Keeping her legs cold, ensuring she is fit enough to do the job at hand and myself as well, but you can never guarantee your horse won’t sustain an injury.

Izzie and Lyrie clearing a brushwood obstacle with ease

Looking ahead what are your ambitions and targets for yourself and Lyrie?

I am only really thinking two years ahead and very aware that Lyrie may get injured between now and then. That is always a risk. In eventing in two years I would us to be riding at "one star" and some nice novice competitions. With dressage, I want to be riding at medium to advanced medium levels. I much prefer competing as an individual than as part of a team. It takes some of the pressure off.

Acknowledgements—thanks to Izzie for her time and tolerance answering my questions and also for the use of the photographs.

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About the Creator

Alan Russell

When you read my words they may not be perfect but I hope they:

1. Engage you

2. Entertain you

3. At least make you smile (Omar's Diaries) or

4. Think about this crazy world we live in and

5. Never accept anything at face value

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