Sadie Smith as soon as deliberate to promote Swanmore Dantina – recognized at house as Dia. As a younger horse, she wasn’t flashy, she was unassuming – and at first, Sadie wasn’t positive the pair of them would ever click on.
But that “strange” horse has changed into one in all Britain’s brightest rising dressage stars.
“I bear in mind I used to be fairly upset when she arrived,” Sadie recollects with fun. “She was straight-legged and she or he was at all times so fats – it was so exhausting to maintain weight off her!
“She’s at all times been variety, however to start with, my legs sat proper in the midst of her stomach, which irritated her.
“Ellen Glover, who additionally used to work at Carl’s, would journey her for me as a result of she was taller, and Dia at all times went a lot better for her. So I wasn’t positive she was for me.
“Individuals have been concerned about shopping for her, however she had a splint and struggled with the vetting, so she didn’t promote.”
It turned out to be top-of-the-line issues that ever occurred to her.
“I ended up turning her away for 4 months. I advised myself, ‘You need to journey her when she comes again,’ however I wasn’t precisely enthusiastic about it. Then she got here again a distinct horse.
“She was so intelligent. She picked up suspension within the trot shortly as a result of she’s so naturally balanced.
“She’s by no means had big paces, however her temperament is ideal – she by no means spooks, she’s calm, and she or he simply will get on along with her job.
“And she or he actually does find it irresistible. I do know lots of people say that, however she genuinely tries her coronary heart out for you.”
Dia helped Sadie add six nationwide titles to her tally, rating worldwide victories, and earn her first senior call-up for Britain on the Rotterdam Nations Cup.
The pair have been additionally included among the many British nominated entries for the 2025 European Dressage Championships.
“We’ve clearly nonetheless obtained quite a lot of bettering to do,” Sadie says, “however to be the place we are actually is all I’ve ever dreamed of.
“It’s so pretty to have a horse like her, that I don’t wish to overdo it after which spoil her.
“You possibly can fairly simply attempt to do an excessive amount of too shortly along with her, so I’ve obtained to watch out – that’s fairer for her.”
However Dia’s story is just one a part of Sadie’s journey. She didn’t come from cash or a horsey background. She began at a using faculty, working weekends in change for lunchtime rides.
And never so way back, she discovered herself again at her mum’s home, having bought her automobile and questioning if she’d ever make it to the highest of the game once more.
“I used to be a bit misplaced – I didn’t know what to do. I’d by no means actually imagined doing my very own factor,” Sadie says.
Little by little, Sadie rebuilt her profession, and Dia has been on the coronary heart of that comeback.
To learn extra about Sadie’s profession and the horses and other people on the coronary heart of her comeback, choose up this week’s difficulty of Horse & Hound journal, in retailers from 10 July.
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Credit score: Alamy Inventory Picture
Credit score: Alamy Inventory Picture
Credit score: Peter Nixon
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H&H dressage and sport horse editor
Oscar graduated from York St John College with a grasp’s diploma in Literature in 2021 and joined Horse & Hound in October 2023. Oscar labored for prime dressage rider Emile Faurie for 4 years after ending an equine administration course in school. Below Emile’s tutelage, Oscar competed on the 2015 Nationwide Dressage Championships and travelled with Emile’s horses to CDIs at Aachen, Vidauban, Saumur and Achlieiten. Oscar continues to compete in dressage, alongside his day job.
