The owner of a Flat racehorse turned national dressage champion hopes her story will encourage other para riders to consider former racehorses.
Elizabeth Johnson and Vegas Boy were crowned British Dressage (BD) Grade IV bronze champions at Hartpury on 22 August, four months after they contested – and won – their first BD competition.
Elizabeth told H&H that “Boycie”, who was trained by Jamie Osbourne to four wins and nine places on the racetrack, is a “shining example of the versatility of ex-racehorses”.
Boycie, now nine, has been out of racing about three and a half years, and Elizabeth has owned him for about three.
“He’s a brilliant horse, he will do anything,” she said. “My friend’s daughter does hunt races with him, and I thought ‘He’s such a sweet horse, let’s have a go at dressage’, and he’s taken to it like a duck to water.”
Elizabeth was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) 10 years ago.
“It’s left me with a limp on my right leg,” she said. “I definitely don’t trot up sound – I’m a rider and training to be a vet so the irony of that is not lost on me! But my right leg is a lot weaker, and not as effective when I ride, so that affects my balance. But he’s adapted really well to being ridden by me, and by able-bodied riders.”
Elizabeth credits her trainer Anne Marie Bork Eppers for all her help, and the team at Talland, who are “absolutely fantastic for para riders”.
“The MS does suck, but I try not to let it hold me back,” she said. “BD has one of the best pathways for people with disabilities to be involved with sport; they’re so supportive and have so many training and competition opportunities, they’re amazing.”
Elizabeth had to be classified at first to compete in BD para classes, then she and Boycie went to their first show, at Northallerton, in April.
“We did two tests and won both, then went back the next month, did another two and won those,” she said. “We had high enough percentages, and points, that I then got an email from BD to say we’d qualified for the championships at Hartpury.
“I thought we might as well go, as it would be a privilege to ride there, and my main aim was just to get a nice picture!”
But as well as the nice picture, Elizabeth and Boycie scored 65.95% to win the title.
“I’d never been in a fancy prizegiving, with a sash, and it was great to be in a line-up with all the other champions,” she said. “It was nice to meet other people who had decided they wouldn’t be defined by their disabilities but would enjoy their horses in the best way they possibly can. Horses give you freedom; I can’t run any more and I miss it but I ride an ex-racehorse who floats above the ground. Having that freedom is incredible and it should be promoted more.”
Elizabeth said she was probably the only rider at the championships with a former racehorse.
“But I think they make brilliant para horses, because they’ve seen everything,” she said. “They’re not spooky, or worried by pots of flowers or white boards, as they’re a lot less exciting than a day at Ascot. I think more para riders should consider them; Retraining of Racehorses is very good at matching people with horses and BD at helping you find the right level to compete at so I think more ex-racehorses should be doing para dressage.
“So many people when they’re asking for horses say ‘No TBs’; there’s a stereotype I’m trying to break with me and my horse. Just because you technically have a disability and ride an ex-racehorse doesn’t mean people should overlook you. We’re a great combination and hopefully in future we’ll see more ex-racehorses in para dressage.”
Elizabeth described Boycie as a “complete gentleman”, who anyone could ride.
“When I’m on him is the only time I don’t feel self-conscious about my leg or my disability; when I ride him, that’s gone and that’s amazing,” she said. “He treats me like an equal, and he makes me feel as though I can fly.”
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