'JAGUAR'
When I first started riding in Japan, I was always paired up with 'Jaguar' - he was a big lad, and with my typically English proportions, it seemed the right choice. As it happens, I was working with Jaguar Japan on its dealer training programme at the time, teaching company heritage and British culture, so that was a nice link for a Coventry kid. Looking at his bloodlines, there was something else that pointed towards fate - registered as Mayano Time in his racing days, his father was Brian's Time. Wanting a horse to fulfill a childhood dream, it seemed the logical thing to ask if I could secure 'Jaguar' for my own - while he was hardly a Dressage competitor par excellence back then and his character was a little strong, to say the least, I loved him to bits. To cut a long story short, eventually the good folks at Tokoro RC agreed to release him to me, and this rough diamond duly became part of the family.

The learning process has been fun - in the early days, there was a sense of achievement on an almost daily basis! Somewhere along the line, before he moved to Tokoro, he'd obviously become distrustful of people for whatever reason, and he came with an awful reputation. I spent every lunch hour with him for weeks, and we'd eat our food together until he accepted me as someone that didn't pose a threat. Grooming was another thing that required improvisation, with brushes becoming softer and softer until he has happy - it took six months to be able to brush his whole body without being kicked or nipped!

I guess in some ways I enjoyed the challenge in becoming accepted as his friend, for like cars, if they're too easy to handle, things quickly become boring. With a wily old horse like 'Jaguar', with all sorts of tricks up his sleeve, I don't think there's much chance of boredom setting in any time soon...

When he was racing, 'Jaguar' won four races (with Yutaka Take riding him to his last win), came second three times, and third four times. But looking at his record, it was obvious that he was a bit like me - an 'all or nothing' type. Recently, though, he has started giving his all, and even won a couple of Dressage gold medals with my 12-year old boy, Louis - they've really become quite a combination. They team up again in just over a week - please wish them luck!