Dressage rider and trainer Hannah Biggs shares her secrets for managing her horses as the temperatures drop
‘Small in stature, but huge in personality’: tribute to much-loved stallion who launched rider’s international career
Hannah Biggs’ grand prix ride Weltzin has died aged 24.
The “superstar stallion” launched Hannah’s international career and the combination competed on Nations Cup teams in Rotterdam, Aachen and Hagen, as well as in World Cup shows at Olympia and Amsterdam.
Their highlights include winning the grand prix freestyle at the CDI3* Saumur in 2014 and coming in second in the grand prix special at the CDI4* in Hamburg in 2013.
Weltzin retired from top-level competition in 2016 after sustaining an injury in the field.
“He enjoyed a lovely long retirement, mostly living out but coming in regularly for some extra attention,” Hannah told H&H.
“He was still the king of the yard and always passaged down to the stables, announcing his arrival and keeping everyone on their toes!”
Hannah, who bought the Weltbogen x Wether chestnut Hanoverian as a four-year-old and brought him up through the levels herself, had originally planned to loan him to a young rider upon his retirement.
“He would have loved to have been a schoolmaster, but his body wouldn’t allow it so we gave him complete retirement with no riding,” said Hannah.
“He did occasionally go into the arena for some in-hand piaffing, which was always his favourite thing to do! In fact, we even did it on his last day. He had a lovely day, a warm bath, lots of pampering, a walk up the road, just me and him spending some quality time together.
“Then I let him loose in the school, he had a roll, a canter around and at first wouldn’t let me catch him! Then we did some more piaffe for fun and then rested and I fed him his favourite treat of bananas until the vet arrived.
“His spirit was always so strong, so stoic and I knew he would fight for me until the end. It was the hardest decision in the world, he was my best friend and I trusted him with everything I had.
“But in the end, I had to make the decision for him and as his body started to fade, I couldn’t ask him to weather another winter.
“He was the gentlest, kindest, most generous stallion. He adored going to shows and being the centre of attention. He knew what he wanted, would demand scratches and would let us know if we were late letting him out!
“I will remember Weltzin as the horse who put a smile on so many people’s faces. Small in stature but huge in personality. A golden, shining, little bouncy ball. I miss him terribly but I know we did everything we could for him and he lived a very happy life.”
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