Hunter of a lifetime
Perfect master’s horse Mad Roddy
“HE was so strong in his first season that he took off with me up a bank and through two trees,” remembers Countess Goess-Saurau (Susie), joint-master of the VWH. “He left me wedged between the trunks. My hat and breeches were shredded, and I had to be rescued by Gareth Bow, who was whipping-in!”
It may not have been an auspicious start, but the career of Mad Roddy, now 22 and starting his 17th season with Susie, has been nothing short of “amazing”. Like many on Susie’s yard, he is Irish-bred, from the line of prolific Irish Draught stallion Prospect Pride, with all the toughness and surefootedness of his forebears.
“The first fence we did was a very large stone wall and he proved he had the most amazing jump,” remembers Susie. “He used to go sideways to every fence, squealing, but he’s settled down now.”
He evented with Polly Williamson to intermediate level, early training that stands him in good stead. He won the VWH gate-jumping competition at the age of 19 (not with Susie) and is still flying.
A true hunter, who knows exactly where hounds are and what they’re doing, his keenness for the chase has got him into trouble before now.
“He once managed to clamber over the partition in the lorry because he heard hounds when we got to the meet,” admits Susie.
Yes, like all good working horses, Mad Roddy is calm when he needs to be, knowing to conserve his energy and when his rider needs to take it gently.
“I got smashed up last year and we took it quietly, and he was so good.”
MAD RODDY also has an infallible sense of direction, which serves the duo well when taking their own line.
“If I’m lost, which is often, I drop my reins and leave it to him. He knows the way home.”
Talk swiftly returns to his “huge, brave” jump, however.
“He specialises in ha-has,” reveals Susie. “We pass one house that has a really good ha-ha and we take any excuse to jump it.”
Mad Roddy doesn’t just have a big jump, either, but an extravagant one: “He does a proper showjumper’s flip with his tail and hits me on the head.”
This is one case when a muddy jacket is not evidence of an unscheduled dismount.
The perfect field master’s horse, happiest in front, he’s not one to act as a brake for lessdisciplined riders. The more diminutive followers should definitely be wary passing him: “He hates ponies,” admits Susie. “If they come up alongside him, he’ll turn and bite them!”
At home he’s kind and gentle on the ground, but “bonkers” to hack out. Despite his age, Susie is “never without a neck strap. He nearly decked me three times this morning,” she laughs. “He’ll spook at anything hacking, but he’ll lock on out hunting and ignore things that terrified him earlier.”
It’s no wonder that Mad Roddy is so well known in the VWH field. Susie intends to take things quietly this season, doing 10 or 12 days with him rather than his former 40, but there’s no doubt that this handsome grey with the enormous jump will still be turning heads.
Loveday Miller, joint-master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds