Beverley Brightman has said goodbye to her international dressage mare Hexagons Platina Van Lange Weeren, who competed up to grand prix into her 20s.
“Magic” stood at only 15.3hh “with her high heels on” but performed on the international stage, winning the consolation prix st georges in Barcelona in 2014. She also competed at three-star level in Nice, Pompadour, Vierzon and at Hickstead.
“She was a proper pocket rocket,” said Beverley, who did not take on the ride until the mare was 15 . “At 17hh she would have been a serious handful.”
Beverley found Magic at the Hexagon Stud owned by Leunus van Lieren, who retained a half share in her. She had previously been owned by a girl who also jumped her.
“She didn’t do her first grand prix until she was 18 and her last competition was in the grand prix music at Addington when she was 21, where she scored 68%,” said Beverley, who is well known for keeping horses going into their 20s at top level, having also kept Arlequin sound and competing at intermediate II at the age of 25.
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She added that Magic had “completely brought back her faith in mares” by “trying her absolute utmost every time I rode her.”
“She was just the sweetest, kindest horse to look after,” she said.
The much-loved mare, whose long name “used up all the space on entry forms and most of the scoreboards” was put down last week at the age of 23.
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