‘If I could build a horse, it would be him’: Yasmin Ingham on the ingredients of a perfect eventer
The 2022 eventing world champion outlines the prototype for her ideal ride, and explains how she adapts her training approach to each horse – while retaining certain core philosophies. Plus, she reveals how she makes a fuss of her horses, in this exclusive article for H&H subscribers
“You want them to have a tidy, clean jump,” Yasmin Ingham says, as she explains what she looks for in a horse. “Two out of three phases of eventing are jumping; it makes up a lot of the competition.
“Also, character, and presence that stands out in the dressage arena, good paces, athletic, nimble, and good stamina. They have to tick so many boxes, they’re multi-athletes”.
“If I could build a horse, it would be him!” she says. “He’s beautifully put together, elegant, with character and presence. His paces are beautiful, in cross-country he’s brave, agile and fast, and in showjumping he’s careful, quick and nimble.
“He ticks all the boxes and he’s in the back of my mind when I see other horses”.
Yasmin’s top horse Banzai Du Loir demonstrates his super uphill paces. Credit: Peter Nixon
Temperament is key.
“You hear a lot that the quirky ones are the best,” Yasmin says. “Banzai was very sharp growing up, very giddy and excited at an event – he’s getting more relaxed. Every horse has something that makes their character special.”
At home, he’s undisputed king of the stables.
“He knows he’s the best; there’s a hierarchy, and he’s at the top,” she says. “He knows his place and he’s earned it.”
He’s a confident horse, but he’s also “such a gentleman, gentle and quiet, no trouble, everyone’s best friend and such a nice person, as well as a successful event horse”.
Banzai is sired by Nouma D’Auzay, and Yasmin’s a fan of the bloodline (her nine-year-old Goliath Du Loir shares the lineage).
“I love it when they’re talented jumpers,” she says. “On the last day of competition, you can have faith and confidence your horse can jump a clear round. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than a stunning dressage test, being in the lead after the cross-country, and you lose on the final day.”
Ability over the coloured poles is a key asset for Yasmin. Credit: Peter Nixon
Yasmin Ingham’s training philosophies: “I listen to the horse”
With any new horse, Yasmin starts slowly.
“I don’t have one system for every horse, they’re all different,” she says. “But what they all have in common is that the only way they learn is from positive repetition.”
She’s always listening – to how the horse is feeling, what they are telling her, whether they are ready to progress.
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Born in Australia and bought up in the Midlands, Kate has ridden since childhood. After completing her degree and living abroad for several years, she became an award-winning BBC radio producer and Channel 4 documentary producer after which she became a freelance journalist, contributing to the Daily Mail, The Times, The Telegraph and others. She also collaborated with top jumps trainer Nicky Henderson OBE, to write his best-selling memoir, Nicky Henderson: My Life in 12 Horses. She owns currently cares for retrained National Hunt racehorse, Stop the Show.
