Defending champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo have sailed into the lead after a customary masterclass in the dressage arena at Mars Badminton Horse Trials, going 4.4 penalties ahead of Thursday’s leaders, Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl.

Ros, who gave birth to her second child, Seneh, a little over three months ago (24 January), said it has been “a funny few weeks” to get here and explained that she had pumped breast milk shortly before getting on to ride.

“I said goodbye to her [Seneh] a good hour-and-a-half before my test, pumped a load of milk out of my boobs to flatten me out a bit, and away I go,” said Ros.

“It’s been a funny few weeks, having just had a baby, and focus is a very different thing at the moment, so I’ve had to work really hard the last few days to make sure I’m in the right frame of mind.

“I was a little bit stressed this morning, but I gave myself a word, had a bit of time by myself, and came out with a real plan. I’m just delighted that it paid off.”

‘It’s been a process’

Ros said that preparing for Badminton so soon after giving birth has been a process.

“It’s one of those things where you perhaps get on a little sooner than you ought to, and then you start worrying that the tummy is never going to knock back into shape and things like that. Then all of a sudden, it gradually does. I just haven’t had the time to let it do that, and then get back on. I’ve been doing it as part of the process.

“It always makes me a bit worried in my head, but physically, I feel good. Mentally, I feel good when I’m on a horse. There’s just lots to do at the moment and my time is is pushed. It’s just trying to factor in those moments to be a mum and to be an athlete.

“I think most people would trust Walter if they got to ride him— he’s an absolute legend.”

‘Most people would trust Walter’

Walter, a 14-year-old by Grafenstolz owned by Archie and Michele Saul, is a crowd favourite and solid flying changes were one of the highlights of their dressage test.

However, Ros confessed that they weren’t solid when she rode earlier this morning.

“But that was more me panicking,” she explained. “I rode them just how he needs to ride a change. He’s not a horse that would ever choose to do a flying change, so I have to change the canter slightly.

“Last year I had the canter a bit hot and then I missed the changes. It’s a really fine balance with him to get to get them relaxed, but on the ball.”

Ros explained that the skill of preparing a fit event horse to pull off a leading dressage test at this level is about knowing how to get them to peak at the right moment.

“Walter is born to gallop. He loves being in that stretched out position, so he can’t hold a dressage position for all that long, and he can’t hold in the flashiness that I want in there for all that long, so it’s about building it up.

“I had him really good on Monday at home, and I thought he was ready. Then he comes here, and he knows where he is, so he’s a bit bright. I had to hold off on Wednesday, and I took him hacking and let him canter him around. I thought, I can’t do this too soon, or else I’ll over-peak him.

“It’s all about knowing your horse and trying to just get that best bit when you get in there.”

‘It’s not about enjoyment

Earlier today, Fiona Kashel, competing here on Creevagh Silver De Haar for the third time, said she “hates” cross-country.

Ros agreed that it’s not about enjoying it — it’s about being focused in the moment.

“I don’t think I enjoy it while I go around. Anybody that’s in a profession where you’re trying to do your hardest in a specific moment, like a board meeting or anything else, it’s not really about enjoying it, it’s about being focused,” she said.

“The enjoyment comes in thinking that you’ve done a good job at the end of it. So do I enjoy it? No, but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t enjoy the process.”

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