Horse & Hound provided comprehensive coverage of all equestrian sports throughout the London 2012 Olympic Games. Scroll down to recap all the action, and read news stories on the legacy that has been experienced since.
The London Olympics were widely considered to be a huge success, both in sporting terms and for the country as a whole. Britain won five equestrian medals, including a historic first team gold in the dressage and team gold in the showjumping. The eventers claimed team silver. In the individual standings, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro took gold in the dressage and Laura Bechtolsheimer (now Tomlinson) won bronze riding Mistral Højris.
The run up to the equestrian events at the London Olympics was far from straight forward owing to concerns about the risk of damage to the historic, UNESCO-listed Greenwich Park. However, special measures were taken to ensure the park could be quickly returned to its original state with no damage to the park’s landscape and archaeology and thousands flocked to see the competitions.
The temporary nature of the competition venue also raised questions about the legacy that equestrians could look forward to enjoying in the years after the Games. The British Equestrian Federation received £750,000 from Sport England spend on legacy projects — with £250,000 for a new training and rehabilitation centre in Shooters Hill, which has since closed and is at the centre of a row over whether cash-strapped Royal Borough of Greenwich Council can sell the property, £250,000 for the Ebony Horse Club in Brixton’s new riding centre and the rest to fund smaller Hoof projects.
Top horses move to new rider as three-time Olympian bows out, aged 61
‘I will miss you forever, my friend’: farewell to Olympic horse who ‘changed his rider’s life’
National coach and Olympic gold medallist ‘on the road to recovery’ in hospital after riding fall
Olympic rider pays tribute to former top ride and London 2012 horse
Farewell to ‘one in a million’ horse who finished top 10 at London Olympics and Badminton
Fresh hope of saving London 2012 Olympic legacy equestrian centre
Olympic eventer competes third offspring of her much-loved London 2012 mare
Could the Olympics return to London sooner than we think?
‘A loss for the sport’: London Olympic legacy riding centre to be sold despite 1,000-strong petition
10 years ago today: Team GB showjumpers won Olympic gold! Epic moments to savour
Valegro gives his bronze statue the seal of approval at unveiling
Vote Charlotte Dujardin or Nick Skelton as Britain’s greatest Olympic moment
‘What a horse – what a legacy’: farewell to one of Britain’s best
‘I love him so much’: horse who helped Britain to Olympic glory retires at Hickstead
‘I have a lot of brilliant memories’: top course designer Bob Ellis to take a step back
British London 2012 superstar retires
Five years on: Great Britain’s golden 2012 Olympic dressage day in pictures
