FROM OUR COLUMNISTS

“I WAS gripped by the cross-country from beginning to end. On flatter ground, you might have described this course as a ‘two-and-a-half star’, but the terrain and hills completely changed the difficulty. You couldn’t get away with any concentration slip or weak riding position, although some will wish it had a couple more technical questions that forced you to consider a long route.”

Pippa Funnell

“No one produced a really high-class, mistake-free dressage test. Some people looked on target, but then made a mistake. It just shows how hard it is at an Olympics to pull it out of the bag.”

Ruth Edge

“The home team did so well, and yes, I’m a proud dad [of Zara Phillips], only to fall short by the smallest of margins. Yes they could have won – they were so close they could almost smell it, but the Germans were just that tiny bit better in each phase. It really hurts me to say that, but as we look back, we have to be honest with ourselves. Germany could have counted their fourth best score instead of their third best and still won.”

Mark Phillips