FEATURE STORY
“We had to do all of our qualifying events again which is taxing, not just for Zidane as an older horse but also mentally quite difficult to deal with as well. It was a very uncertain time, not knowing if Tokyo would even go ahead but still campaigning towards it, so it was a huge relief once we were actually there.” Like their Olympic equine counterparts, the para-equestrian horses are usually well-seasoned travellers but there is plenty to consider to ensure their welfare during transport and in their new competition environment. “There is an awful lot to organise behind the scenes” says Emma “Logistically there is a lot to manage for any equestrian sport at this level - the horse’s gear, their feed, their supplements and ensuring you know the rules and regulations. And then of course, for the para-athletes there are other things to be taken into consideration such as medical requirements, the role of carers and assisting staff - it’s a huge undertaking.” “A lot of people probably don’t realise the level of care that our horses receive; keeping them fit and healthy is a big part of our everyday job and this is particularly important in the lead up to a major competition. During Pre-Export Quarantine just prior to Tokyo our horses were trotted up every day in front of the team vet and of course flying can be taxing for them, so we were careful to monitor everything before and afterwards. On top of that, there was the climate in Tokyo and adjusting to a new venue. So, it’s one thing to be selected to compete at the Paralympics but another to make sure that you keep your horse sound, healthy and mentally and physically ready to put in the best performance they can in a completely new environment.” Zidane handled the climatic conditions in Tokyo as well as Emma had expected. “He is more of a cool weather horse, but we were prepared for that and careful about managing his training sessions. The biggest problem we found was that he didn’t particularly like working under lights, which we had never done before in a competition environment, and this made him a little tense at times. So that was something we just had to manage the best we could, given the situation.”
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