‘On cloud nine’: 31-year-old horse takes Royal International ticket

A rider who made a last-minute decision to go to a qualifier is looking forward to taking her two horses – one a 31-year-old – to the Royal International Horse Show (23-28 July).

Emma Barrow’s Welsh section D Waltham Scorpio (Harry), who has been in the family for 30 years, longer than Emma herself, won his Senior Horse Showing and Dressage ridden age class at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) area 14 show, then stood champion. Emma’s 19-year-old former racehorse Royal Sovereign (Roscoe) also won his class, and stood in-hand champion.

“I couldn’t believe that one had qualified let alone both and on the same day!” Emma told H&H. “We are still on cloud nine and can’t quite believe it.”

Emma said Harry did not have the best start in life.

“Mum’s friend said ‘Come and look at him’, but she didn’t really want another horse,” Emma said. “But she went to see him, felt sorry for him and thought ‘I’ve got to take him home’.”

Once he had been backed a few years later, Harry was loaned to a riding school for a while until Emma was old enough to take the reins.

“I’ve been riding him all my life, on and off,” Emma said. “About 11 or 12 years ago, I lost my showjumper to a kick in the field. I was only 12 or 13 and heartbroken. Harry was semi-retired by then really, but I started riding him again. We did some showjumping and he did really well, then a couple of veteran showing classes, and it all went from there.”

Emma had looked at other horses to buy after her showjumper died but some failed the vet and others “just weren’t right” – which is when Roscoe came into her life.

“My friend had him, I started riding him and it all fell into place,” she said. “It was heartbreaking, what happened, but I think things happen for a reason.”

Emma bought Roscoe to event, then realised something was not quite right. He was operated on for kissing spines about six years ago and is fully back to himself – “A bit too much, maybe; he gets a bit excited!” Emma said.

Emma had taken both horses to Hertfordshire County Show on the Sunday and both were “a bit full of themselves”, and as they were both bathed and groomed to perfection, she made the last-minute decision to go to the BSPS show the next day.

“Our 4×4 was playing up so I was wondering whether we were even going to get there!” Emma said. “Roscoe is a bit like Marmite so I was over the moon that he finally got his golden ticket. Then it was a quick changeover at the trailer and I was back in the ring with Harry. He pinged his way round to win his ridden age class then went back in and completely shocked us by also going champion.

“He’s been to the London International but never the RIHS; it’s hard in the championships as there’s such a mixture with plaiteds and traditional cobs and the Welshes look a bit in between.”

Emma said she believes part of the reason Harry is still sound, happy and thriving on ridden work at his age is that she has always kept him fit rather than fat.

“I try to let them be horses,” she said. “They’re out 24/7 as much as they can; I try to make sure that whatever they’re happiest doing, I do for them, he has the best of everything that I can afford, and although he’s on a joint supplement, that’s all.

“He’s the perfect gentleman; he does have his cheeky Welsh side and his opinions on things but he’s so easy in every way.”

Emma works three jobs, in a veterinary surgery and at two pubs, often seven days a week.

“I get the odd weekend off!” she said. “At times I think I’m completely mad, like when I’ve had four hours’ sleep and am going to a show but this really does make all the long hours, blood, sweat and tears worth it. It is what it is and I wouldn’t change it.”

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