Emily King showjumped Valmy Biats in a different snaffle bit at Mars Badminton Horse Trials this morning to encourage the horse to lift his head and keep his neck out for a smoother round. Previously the horse has been inclined to come too round.

“He’s really receptive to [bit] action, whether it’s a little bit of a gag action or a curb, he rolls over [in his neck],” said Emily. “I wanted something that kept his poll neutral, and I could physically help his balance and keep his head still, rather than him curling and lifting and not actually waiting with his body.

“I was thinking in the warm-up about keeping his neck a bit longer and really helping his body balance. Quite often he jumps big and then he’ll plunge and land a bit lower with his head. It only makes it hard for himself, so that balance feeling was what I was really trying.”

It worked — Emily confirmed that he felt the best he’d ever felt.

“It was the best Badminton round he’s jumped,” she said. “I was just trying it out, obviously I’m not in a competitive position so it’s a good time. It felt much easier, so if when I really need to jump a clear round, I feel like that will help. It’s the best feeling so far with that bit.”

A huge feat

Emily and Valmy will finish towards the bottom of the leaderboard this time, having picked up 40 jumping faults yesterday when they turned a circle between two combinations that were not separately numbered.

That they are here and completed at all is some feat, considering that last month the rider punctured a lung in a fall during the showjumping warm-up on a different horse at Thoresby Eventing Spring Carnival.

After her dressage test, Emily, whose mother Mary recently retired from competition riding, told Your Horse that she feels “absolutely normal now” and was ready to take on the biggest cross-country course there is.

Rider are saying that today’s showjumping track is big and square, too.

“I thought he [Valmy] jumped his socks off. He looked at the water tray and jumped a little flat over it, and then jumped so high going into the last double he just clipped the back bar coming down. But I was really pleased with them and there’s lots to take back for next year.

“The undulations in there are ridiculous. The course-designer is testing us because he’s placing things like oxers on the brow of a hump. And they’re so square — they’re proper up to height,” added Emily.

“The horses have to be so fresh and that is what was lovely, Valmy felt so on it. He just had a couple little mistakes, but the actual jump and the power was definitely all there.

“He’s so fit and healthy this morning, it’s ridiculous. He’s just like, he’s hasn’t done anything yesterday, which is so lovely to feel.”

Main image by Tim Wilkinson

Related content