An Eventful Pursuit
1. How and where are you employed in the veterinary profession?
I’m employed part time by Three Counties Equine Hospital – a first opinion and equine referral centre based in Ripple near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. The practice has five partners and employs seven assistants. The first opinion area mainly covers Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The practice treats a wide spectrum of horses, ranging from children’s first ponies to large racing yards. The hospital receives referrals from the surrounding area ranging from sickly foals to colic surgery to orthopaedic operations. The partners, assistants, nurses and other staff have been very supportive of my eventing endeavours, although the other vets seem to show the greatest interest when I have suffered a particularly public humiliation such as falling off in the water – typical vet sense of humour! I occasionally do locum work for neighbouring equine practices.
2. What is your sideline?
My sideline is three day eventing which comprises three different disciplines: dressage, show jumping and cross country.
3. How did you get involved in your side interest?
Although not from a horsey family, myself and my two sisters started riding ponies as young children: this developed into us buying a pony from the local riding school. Initially all three of us concentrated on show jumping as this was receiving lots of television coverage at the time. Then one day some friends said they were going to a hunter trial and we went along and I experienced the excitement of riding cross country for the first time. Because of my enjoyment of the cross country I moved away from pure show jumping and into eventing.
My sideline, like life in general, challenges me to continue learning every day: in particular, to accept the ups and downs of competitive sport, to appreciate things when they go well and not to get too demoralised when things don’t go to plan.
I enjoy the development of a bond of trust between horse and rider and a continual testing of this relationship through the challenges that three day eventing offers. The sport is challenging in terms of personal discipline, self control and the ability to assess risk. I also get a great sense of personal satisfaction from the development of young, inexperienced horses into ones which are confident, fully developed and enjoy competing at the highest level. My favourite phase has always been the cross country phase although recently I have learned to appreciate the subtleties of dressage and have found this just as rewarding. Because of my early experiences of show jumping I have always retained my enjoyment of this phase too.
5. What has been your greatest achievement so far in this field?
I was enormously proud to represent my country at the European Eventing Championships in 2005 held at Blenheim Palace where the team won Gold. However, I feel my greatest personal achievement was being placed fourth at Badminton in 2004 and fifth in 2006 and being awarded an Armarda dish that year for completing Badminton five times. These three performances were all achieved riding Comanche – a once in a lifetime horse who, although quite quirky, is incredibly kind and brave. I bought Comanche as a just backed four-year-old and throughout his career progressing through the levels no one else has ever competed him. As he is now 16 we know each other inside out and he knows just how to wind me up. He has won 998 British Eventing points, horses achieving over 1000 points in their career are regarded as exceptional so hopefully he will reach that milestone this year. Comanche is the third horse I have produced from a green four-year-old to competing at four star level, the other two being Euphemism and Chappaqua.
6. What are your ambitions – immediate and distant – in this area?
I am aiming for the Olympics in London in 2012, as I would love to represent my country again, at Olympic level.
7. Has your sideline taught you any important lessons?
My sideline, like life in general, challenges me to continue learning every day: in particular, to accept the ups and downs of competitive sport, to appreciate things when they go well and not to get too demoralised when things don’t go to plan. My particular sport is fairly unique in that it involves forming a partnership with a living animal and creating a co-operative, working relationship together. This relationship has to be formed on the basis of mutual respect.
Yes, eventing is very time consuming. I am only able to compete through the help of my partner, Kate, and have been continually supported by my parents over the years. The practice I work for has been very understanding and allowed me to work flexibly when needed.
9. How does your sideline compare to your role in the veterinary profession?
Although very different to veterinary work, there is still a duty of care to your horse in the world of eventing, just as there is in the veterinary profession. Although vets are highly ambitious and motivated people, eventing certainly provides me with an outlet for my enjoyment of competition.
10. Would you ever consider leaving the profession to make a full-time career out of it?
In the past I have considered leaving the veterinary profession to pursue eventing full time, but as I find veterinary work rewarding and now, with a young family to support, this is less likely. I intend to bring on young horses for myself and other owners and we also offer liveries from our yard in Kimbolton.
11. Are any other veterinary professionals involved in this activity?
Yes, there are many other vets competing at various levels in eventing whilst other vets own horses competed by professional riders. Numerous vets offer their vital professional services to events which could not proceed without them. I think this service is often overlooked by many competitors.
12. Would you advise your colleagues to get involved – and, if so, how?
Yes, I would certainly recommend colleagues to get involved with eventing although I appreciate that most vets are chronically short of time.
13. How else do you spend your time?
Time is in short supply with three young children (Henry (seven) Ben (three) and Hebe, ten months), dogs, horses and a busy yard. I have also worked over the last two years to renovate a threshing barn which my family and I now live in. In my spare time, I enjoy walking in the Lakes with my family where there is no mobile phone reception. I used to enjoy playing rugby and will be supporting the Lions against the Wallabies in South Africa over the next few weeks.
Photos courtesy of Shaw Shot and John Britter Photography.
The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.
