WALES & WEST

An equine adolescent kept his attitude in check to take two novices at Kings Equestrian, continuing an unbeaten run.

Emma Castle rode her partner Kevin Armstrong’s five-year-old warmblood gelding Quatermass victory in both the qualifier and the freestyle.

“He’s just reaching his feisty teenage years and getting into opinionated mode, but he’s easy once he’s in the ring,” she said.

Since giving up eventing due to injury, Emma is fully focused on her new discipline and is training with Erik Theilgaard.

“I had a knee replacement and then another operation because it wasn’t bending very well, but

I’m loving the dressage,” she explained. “There’s so much to learn. My motto would be: ‘All I know is I know nothing.’”

“I’ve just been to the Golegã horse fair in Portugal, where I ended up buying a Lusitano,” she added.

Karen Denness headed both novices at Burrows Court Farm with Gues, a seven-year-old Genghis Khan gelding belonging to her daughter Taylor.

“I’ve taken him over because he has grown to 18hh,” said Karen. “He is a real gentle giant, but he does have an extra gear.”

Gues was off for the best part of a year when he developed a cyst in his throat.

“It was so large that it was suffocating him,” said Karen. “Water filled his lungs when he drank and bubbled out of his nose, so the cyst was removed under general anaesthetic at Peasebrook Equine Clinic. He’s a late starter but he has the most fabulous work ethic — he’s a joy to be around.”