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Working hunter specialist back to his brilliant best after colic surgery


  • He nearly died after a serious bout of colic last year, but working hunter specialist and crowd favourite Harley Foxtrot proved he is back to his brilliant best when winning at the Wales & West Hunter Show this month (9 August).

    The 13-year-old son of prolific eventing sire Ricardo Z made his comeback this season at North Of England show, where he earned a Horse of the Year Show ticket.

    The gelding had been absent from the show ring for more than 12 months after colic surgery in June 2015.

    “It’s a miracle he’s still alive — I didn’t sleep for weeks,” said Warwickshire-based Libby Cooke, who has partnered the horse since he was five.

    Harley, who is owned by David Reid-Scott and was bred by Ann Redmond, was found to have a lump in his small intestine which needed removing, due to causing a blockage which triggered colic.

    “He would not be here today without the amazing team from Bourton Vale Equine Clinic and vet Richard Tyler,” added Libby. “He means a lot to me and I’m so happy that he’s OK.”

    At Wales & West, Harley Foxtrot won his heavyweight worker class and stood reserve working hunter champion behind his stablemate Mousa Kousa — a lightweight also campaigned by Libby.

    Harley is a three-time winner of the working hunter title at Royal Windsor, including back-to-back victories there in 2014 and 2015.

    He won 12 times in 2014 and was the subject of a ‘Stripped Bare’ feature in H&H’s 2015 showing special (19 March issue).


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    As well as being successful in the show ring, he has been a regular with the North Cotswold Hunt, which Libby believes helped make Harley such a successful working hunter campaigner.

    After winning at Royal Windsor last season Libby said: “My only aim is to make sure Harley remains as happy as he was today.”

    Don’t miss the full Wales & West report and all our showing coverage in this week’s Horse & Hound, on sale Thursday 25 August.

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout major shows like London International and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

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