An interview with Christopher Hector
When I rang Simone it was 8 in the morning German time, but she had already ridden her first horse of the day – the sort of success she has enjoyed is based on hard work, lots of it…
The Games in Tokyo didn’t pan out the way you hoped they would…
“No, they didn’t.” But she still manages a laugh…
I know you are not one to hit the social media weeping and wailing, you tend to just get on with it, but what did go wrong in Tokyo?
“It was a lot of factors, but a big factor was that he got a skin infection that stopped me riding him in the days before the competition…
No riding!?
“No riding, good timing wasn’t it? It was tick spray that burnt his skin, and as a result he got a skin infection on his chest, and you have to be so careful how you treat skin problems because some of the lotions show up as illegal substances. So it was a lot of factors that just came together that didn’t allow me to do a preparation. Also, I have to say, with Tokyo, being in quarantine for three weeks before was it not great because you feel watched every day and a little bit uncomfortable, not in your normal routine. It was a really good learning experience for me because I have not been in a situation like that before – and you just have to deal with it. It’s definitely something I’ve learnt from, and will be aware of in the future.”
better at Aachen (Lily Forado photo)
Now for the good news bit, Aachen must have been pretty much how you dreamed it – second in your Grand Prix to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl?
“It was my first time riding in Aachen – that show is something else. It was fantastic!”
Tell me more…
“After the Olympics I was feeling down in confidence, you know, you don’t expect it to go quite that bad, so many things went wrong and my mentality was like, it won’t work, and it didn’t work.”
With Dancier Gold at the World Young Horse champs…
© 2021 Ilse Schwarz/dressage-news.com
“After that I went straight to the World Young Horse Championships and even there I was feeling shaky. The first day I was riding shit, but I picked it up after that, then on to Aachen. I’ve been training on my own again. I find when I train on my own I have a lot more feeling, I am able to be at one with the horse and make decisions on the spot, not someone telling me what to do. It helps me feel more in tune.”
Second at Aachen with Destano (Lily Forado photo)
But it is not too shabby coming second to Jessica…
“Absolutely. On the first day I felt I rode really quiet and I felt like I just wanted to get back into it, then on the second day I was like, okay, now we go for it, and I had a really, really good feeling.”
When you plan a test with Destano, which are you seeking to highlight?
“My way to ride dressage is harmonious, the overall picture should be harmony. This horse has really good walk, trot and canter, and with that I like a girly picture, I always aim for something really beautiful.”
(Lily Forado photo)
Is Destano also a breeding stallion?
“Yes, he is breeding.”
Is that making it a little bit harder for you to develop his career?
“No. Sprehe are really good, this season he is only doing frozen semen. But to be honest, all my stallions – I think I have fourteen breeding stallions in training at the moment, and they are all fully in the breeding program, and they manage it really well. I think if you are sympathetic and keep in mind what they are doing, it’s not really a big problem.”
(Lily Forado photo)
What are you aiming for next Simone?
“Now we look towards WEG next year, that’s the next big goal, and then, of course, Paris…”
Versailles is a nice romantic place to go for a horse show…
“Wouldn’t that be nice!”
Do you think you will get to ride Destano for a little while longer?
“Yeah I don’t think there are any plans to change things (again the laughter bubbles) that I know of!”
(Lily Forado photo)
I absolutely WORSHIP this rider, she is really carrying the flame of correct, harmonious riding. So bummed for her in Tokyo because she is one of the greatest alive today.