Courtesy of his sponsor Childéric Saddles, we caught up with top eventer Jock Paget just ahead of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2015 for an exclusive Quintessentially Equestrian interview.
1. How long have you been riding for, who was your first pony/horse and are there any quirks you remember?
“I started riding at 18 as my dad bought a horse and he and my brother used to go out riding; so it was either get on a horse or stay on the couch! My first horse was an Australian Stock Horse called Dyno and he was an older, laid back horse. I suppose what I remember most about him was that he had never worn shoes in life – which is quite common back home. After Dyno I got another horse and then from there on started focusing on eventing.”
2. How many times have you ridden at Badminton and what is it about Badminton that draws you in?
“I’ve been there once with two horses, so I’ve ridden around it twice and like other riders I’m drawn to it because it’s the biggest, most respected 4* event which everyone wants to win”
3. I can see that you have more than one horse competing, this must be incredibly stressful, how do you stay calm?
“Well you’ve got to be focused and remember that everyone will be feeling the same pressure, as it’s Badminton. Keeping busy helps as there is less time to worry.”
4. How many times do you usually walk the cross-country course?
“I walk it up to 5 times. The first time I walk it, I don’t take it too seriously I just look for first impressions: the background and the questions each fence presents. After that, I start to put a plan together and then I walk it with the New Zealand coach Eric Duvander and this is his last chance to tell me if I’m crazy or not in my planned approach!”
5. People often talk about the horse’s fitness, but as a rider, do you have to do fitness work away from the horses?
“I work a lot on core strength and balance and I have a personal trainer who I work with regularly. In-between the sessions I also work on my own because rider fitness is so important.”
6. What fences do you think are most challenging for the horse /rider or both?
“As I haven’t seen the fences yet (at the time of this interview), I can’t really comment on Badminton specifically. However, what I would say is that when a course asks occasional ‘big questions’ of the rider and horse, this is often a harder course to ride than one which is asking the questions all the way through! The opportunity to let your guard down a little at the easier fences is there but as a rider you still need to worry about each and every fence, not just those that pose questions for horse and rider.”
7. Where would you recommend that our Quintessentially Lifestyle Members stand for the best view of the cross-country?
“If I were a spectator I would walk the course so you know the jumps, then grab a seat at the bar and watch all the action on the big screen with a drink in hand and with friends”
8. How influential are the ground conditions for your horses?
“I think they can affect a horse more than anyone can really imagine. If you think about running around an Olympic track and how much better your performance would be than running on sand it makes sense that every rider hopes for good going. When it comes to variables in this sport, ground conditions are a big one”
9. What is your favourite part of Badminton?
“Just to be part of Badminton and the opportunity to compete against some of the top riders in the world is just fantastic. Growing up and watching Badminton on TV and seeing the lake, the house and the arena and then riding around and seeing this all for real is so special for me”
10. For all of our Equestrian Members, what is your must-have product of 2015?
“It’s got to be my Childéric cross-country saddle. It’s been specifically designed for me and I wouldn’t want to ride in anything else.’
www.childericsaddles.co.uk
Photos courtesy of Libby Law photography
Text with permission of Wish hr partner, Quintessentially Lifestyle.
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