In her exclusive H&H column, Pammy Hutton reflect on the importance of attention to detail, asks whether standardisation of judges’ comments would improve the sport and thanks those going to extra efforts to hold shows in these challenging times
FIFTY years ago, and long before Bridget Jones, I opened a new diary and pencilled in my weight daily. It started when I rode an event horse for whom I had to be exactly the right weight; seven pounds over and he ran less well. Then I had to have the right equipment; soft yet strong boots, gloves that didn’t slip if it rained, immaculate tack, hairnet in place and, of course, no bling.
Recently I’ve been reminded of the importance of attention to detail to achieve some success. Having dieted away eight pounds, ridden more without stirrups and straightened myself up as much as humanly possible, a win locally in a tiny grand prix might be little to crow about. But it was how I rode, how my horse tried, and the promise of more marks to be had, that was so satisfying.
{"content":"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"}
.
More exclusive columns from Pammy Hutton…
H&H’s dressage columnist on dedication and loyalty while pursuing an equine career
H&H’s dressage columnist is frustrated by growing divisions within our sport
Pammy Hutton says she’s fallen in love with riding all over again: “Not quite that first heady rush of 50 years ago, but as I’ve become fitter, I’ve enjoyed it more and surprised myself.”
Credit: Jon Stroud
H&H’s dressage columnist reflects on being productive during lockdown, and the future
Credit: Trevor Meeks
H&H’s dressage columnist on why the next generation need to get their hands dirty
Credit: Trevor Meeks
H&H’s dressage columnist questions the effects of the pandemic on our industry
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 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
