![\"Badminton](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Badminton-Horse-Trials-1995-on-King-William.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBadminton Horse Trials, 1995, with King William<\/em><\/p>\n And yet, Mary describes herself as \u2018not a natural rider\u2019 and is certainly not obviously a superstar stylist in the mould of Ingrid Klimke. She is just a very professional, dedicated rider with an enormous will to win, an infectious grin and a wicked sense of humour. With an amazing ability to adapt as the sport changes and evolves, she is also fun to interview\u2026 \u201cI just love being involved with horses and eventing. It has changed enormously from when I very first started, some of the changes are good things, some not so good, but it is still such a great sport, it\u2019s really exciting and I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n Badminton Horse Trials, 1991, Mary Thomson (Mary King) with King William\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n But there must be something about the way you operate that makes you very flexible. I remember when flying changes came into the dressage test, seeing you at Badminton and you did lovely little simples, but now your dressage is very classy\u2026 Would you describe yourself as a theoretical rider or are you a feel \/ seat-of-the-pants rider? You are a winner aren\u2019t you? There are a lot of riders who have one great horse, two if they are lucky, but you seem to produce one after another after another\u2026 It\u2019s amazing, when I talked to Carl Hester in the lead up to Greenwich, and asked about the influences \u2013 and he said, \u2018Sheila Willcox via Dr B\u2019 [Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer, whose daughter Laura rode in the British dressage team at the London Games] Carl was working for Dr B at the beginning of his dressage career, and that\u2019s where he came across Ms Willcox\u2026 What an extraordinary influence she had \u2013 what an amazing person Sheila Willcox must have been\u2026 Then you proved that you can have children and still go on and event \u2013 because that was another belief that was around the place \u2013 once you had a child you couldn\u2019t ride cross country\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. When people heard I was pregnant, they said wait until you have your baby, you won\u2019t want to do it any more, you\u2019ll lose that competitive spirit. And I thought, well I don\u2019t know if I will, I\u2019ll have to wait and see \u2013 but no it didn\u2019t affect me at all. I was galloping along at my first event after Emily\u2019s birth, and there she was in a pram with my Mum, and I thought \u2018no, it doesn\u2019t feel any different\u2019. I was lucky I had horses that were at the top level at the time, horses that still had years ahead of them, and I knew those horses inside out. I just had a few weeks off to have my baby, then got back on again!\u201d<\/p>\n Your horses are always really quality horses \u2013 do you go on breeding or type, how do you find these wonderful horses?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never really followed any breeding patterns. A Thoroughbred is the base, but the horses I\u2019ve had the most success with have not been full Thoroughbred, more 7\/8ths \u2013 Thoroughbred with a bit of Irish Draught, that would be King William, Star Appeal, those horses all had a little Irish Draught. Now with Call Again Cavalier and Imperial Cavalier, they are from Cavalier Royale, Holsteiner.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0Punchestown Horse Trials, 1995, Star Appeal<\/em><\/p>\n But a Holsteiner with a lot of Thoroughbred blood\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cExactly. For 4 Star level, the Thoroughbred is still the basis of success. If you notice, the foreign horses might get up to 4 Star level, they might do well once or twice but they don\u2019t stay like the Thoroughbreds. King William, Star Appeal, they did those long format 4 stars one after another after another, year after year and they would stay sound and tough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cConformation-wise those Warmblood horses are not built to gallop through long distances at speed, they often have soundness problems \u2013 they might want to do it, they might have the heart, but they are not built to run those long distances.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you have mega-rich owners trailing behind you with their cheque books, to buy your lovely horses?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAll the horses I ride are owned by other people, I don\u2019t own any myself, although I have bred a few over the past couple of years, that have gone on to a top level but I have sold all of them. Like King\u2019s Temptress, she was my reserve horse for the Olympics, I bred her and then when she was seven years old, sold her to a gentleman who wanted to own an event horse but he needed a rider \u2013 so I kept the ride on the horse and had the best of both worlds. I am reliant on owners and sponsors.\u201d<\/p>\n Is that increasingly hard, the price of a good event horse is a lot more than it used to be?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes, but I mainly produce them from young horses. Eddie and Sue Davis own Imperial Cavalier and they did own Call Again Cavalier, and they bought both those horses at 3\u00a0Star level, so they paid big money, and I was the lucky rider who got to produce their horses for them. The majority of the horses that I have taken to 4 star over the years, I\u2019ve found as four or five-year-olds, so they are not expensive \u2013 and I\u2019ve then produced them myself for the owners.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Imperial Cavalier, 8th in Kentucky at the 2010 WEG\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n You\u2019ve survived the introduction of the flying change, you\u2019ve survived motherhood, is there anything that suggests that one day you might call it quits?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate enough to have ridden at six Olympic Games, I\u2019ve won a bronze medal in Beijing, silver medal in Athens, I was hoping for gold in London to complete the set but we won silver \u2013 which was fantastic at a home Games \u2013 but now I have to keep going for another four years because I want to get that gold one\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n So Brazil it is?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the aim.\u201d<\/p>\n And you don\u2019t find it hard to fire up again, there aren\u2019t mornings when you think, I\u2019d rather stay in bed?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo. I\u2019ve always had quite a small yard. I don\u2019t ride many horses, and I think that is what keeps my interest up. The last few years I\u2019ve had a maximum of six horses. I take my hat off to someone like Andrew Nicholson, he is the same age as I am, and he has so many horses, and he is on the road all the time. He\u2019s amazing. I\u2019ve got an easy life really. I focus on a few horses, and always at this time of the year \u2013 November\/December \u2013 I don\u2019t ride at all. The horses have a complete holiday, I do more family things, focus on David my husband, and my children, then when all the horses come back in, in January, it is so exciting every year. ‘Oooh the horses are back in!’ And the girls come back to work for me, and we start up again \u2013 another exciting year. When it comes around to October, and the end, I think great, end of the season, and I am quite happy not to ride for a couple of months.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think riders who plug on all year, that must be tough. Maybe my breaks keep it exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you think you have ridden the horse that will take you to Rio?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI have got a couple of very nice horses in my yard, owned again by the Davis\u2019s, one\u2019s a six-year-old, one seven. I think the seven-year-old is the most likely horse, he is called MHS King Joules \u2013 he\u2019s an Irish horse. Right now he is an intermediate, 2 Star level. He is out of a mare by Cavalier Royale, and his father is the Thoroughbred, Ghareeb. He\u2019s quite a \u2018blood\u2019 horse, he\u2019s a very good mover, he jumps well, he is very sharp, he just needs gradual calm producing so he gets totally confident in himself. His ability is great, he is bold and brave, he just needs to try and keep calm as he goes up through the levels.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the things I \u2018love\u2019 about Equitana, is that the organisers are so hopelessly inept. The Mary King Master Class was due to begin at 2.30pm, but the horses and riders aren\u2019t ready, so the one hour session starts quarter of an hour late. Still the good sized crowd has come well armed with large quantities of smelly fast food, and seem happy to sit in the sun and cuddle their shopping bags.<\/p>\n Mary is mounted on that wonderful old (he\u2019s 20 now) trooper, GV Top of the Line. Carlo was a star with Olivia Bunn: they were seventh in the WEG at Jerez, fourth at the World Cup Final in Malmo, placed at Adelaide 4*, Rolex Kentucky 4* and Badminton 4*. He still seems to be enjoying life and keeps Mary\u2019s mind on the job as she breezes him around the arena.<\/p>\n \u00a0Mary and Carlo are going for a canter<\/em><\/p>\n Mary\u2019s message is the kind of practical, common sense wisdom you might expect from one of the world\u2019s greatest eventers. If you\u2019ve seen Mary in action, she is one of the great exponents of the nineteenth century hunting seat, but as she remarks, it is a good idea not to fall off:<\/p>\n \u201cAt the London Olympic Games there were at least two riders who fell who shouldn\u2019t have fallen. Your position is the most important thing in cross-country riding, and really you shouldn\u2019t come off unless your horse falls. The more secure you are in the saddle, the quieter and softer you will be.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauren and Arabian Nights over the vertical\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Mary had her two first customers, Fiona Hawkes and Isle of Tatiana and Lauren Hill and Arabian Nights, circling her in cross-country position:<\/p>\n \u201cGet out of the saddle, just touching with each stride, not sitting hard and uncomfortable, nice and light and soft in the saddle and close to the horse\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n (And young riders note: it is not necessary to copy Ms King\u2019s dramatic right\/left hip swivel, the lady is a one-off and it is better to do as she says than as she does.)<\/p>\n \u201cThe next most important thing is lower leg position. Fiona, your toe is sticking out, try to straighten your foot to a nice parallel position \u2013 this will also stop your spur sticking into the horse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0Longer strides, the horse is more open<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe next most important element of cross country riding is speed. The horse has no idea of what speed it needs for what fence. Some fences need the horse condensed, some need the horse more open. When you want to slow the horse, move your shoulders back and then<\/em> close your hands. The horse is much more likely to pull if you try to slow him with your shoulders forward. Tuck your tail and pelvis forward, then you can gallop with your shoulders upright.\u201d<\/p>\n Shorter strides, the shoulders are back, the horse is listening to the rider\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Mary wanted to demonstrate that you could practise cross country jumps at home, without a lot of fancy equipment or fences: \u201cI want you to jump this pretend coffin, oops, we aren\u2019t allowed to call them coffins any more \u2013 rail\/ditch\/rail. You don\u2019t need a cross-country course at home. I don\u2019t have a cross-country course at home \u2013 I use the natural surroundings. Ride up and down hills, through the forest, through the river, gradually build up confidence and trust. You want to form a partnership, you trust him, and he trusts you and you must never abuse that trust.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to get them used to ditches as young horses. At home, I use feed bags, lay them out in a line and secure them with poles. Keep on asking until they leap, and repeat over and over, until they come in a nice soft way and pop. If they come in a stop, you must insist that they eventually leap, make sure they get over the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do lots of playing at ditches at home. There\u2019s a stream in our valley that creates nice ditches and I spend a lot of time popping over that. It\u2019s amazing what a wide ditch they can jump out of a quiet trot.\u201d<\/p>\n Fiona jumping over the ditch<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAfter the horse is jumping the ditch, jump a little fence after the ditch. It\u2019s must spookier for them to jump a fence before a ditch. Once they get used to the ditch, then ditch to rail, then when they are confident with that, rail to ditch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey rely on us to bring them into the fence in a correct canter and to make it easy for them. When you condense them, don\u2019t think slow, think condense, a shorter stride pattern and more athletic, not slower and slacker.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur horses must learn to listen to the rider. You can\u2019t have them fighting to go fast, they must be smooth and quiet \u2013 look at William Fox-Pitt or Mark Todd, it all looks effortless even over a big 4 Star track. The more the horse enjoys it, the more confident they are going to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n Not surprisingly, Mary was running short of time, and the next twosome were ushered into the ring \u2013 Rachel Lee and Baileau and Edith Kane and Serious Business \u2013 and this time it was that all-time favourite exercise of intelligent jumping instructors the world over: adjust the strides between the fences. They are to do it in five strides, and \u2018Carlo\u2019 and Mary show how easily this is done. Now do it in four: \u201cThis makes you effective as a rider, and teaches the horse to listen and quietly accept what you are asking. Now change direction and do it in five this time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0Practicing the skinny<\/em><\/p>\n The next exercise was the dreaded skinny\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cNarrow fences are unnerving to them because they are used to 12 foot wide showjumps. I like to go into a competition knowing I can jump everything, then the horse goes to the next competition in a good frame of mind. You can test them at home, challenge them at home, but use the competition as the confirmation of the preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThere have been huge changes in eventing \u2013 the role of dressage, the kind of cross-country course, the degree of difficulty in the showjumping \u2013 but one person just keeps on winning no matter what they do to the format\u2026 you! No one else has done that \u2013 what\u2019s the secret?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cTime has moved on, and you need to accept that it has moved on. I am constantly training, trying to learn more. I go off and have lessons, I love having lessons from people I respect. I enjoy criticism as in constructive criticism, and I suppose because I am very open to that, I have been able to move on as the sport has changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cTo begin with as a young person learning to ride, it didn\u2019t come naturally to me at all. It took me a whole year to learn how to do rising trot, people usually master that after a couple of lessons. It has taken me a long time to adjust to each new thing, I can\u2019t say I was a natural rider, but I have always wanted to learn, always wanted to be at the top level, and competitive \u2013 I do like winning!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cI have been very lucky over the years to have had some wonderful horses. Quite different types of horses but I managed to produce them to that top 4 Star level and have success at that level with them. I think a lot of my success goes back to the time when I spent three years with Sheila Willcox. I feel that a lot of young riders miss out on forming a base, and in my time with her, I formed a very broad base for me to build my career on. Because I have such a broad base, I have a lot to build on, lots of riders start with a much narrower base and so many seem to get to a certain level and then they are unable to get any higher. She was a very, very strict lady, everything, not only the riding of the horses but the stable management, the care of the horses, feeding, grooming, fittening, working the horse, it was so strict. I do things now quite differently from how Sheila did them but there is a huge amount that I have taken from my time with her, and without that broad base, I couldn\u2019t have got to the top.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cThat\u2019s right. I remember Dr B coming to Sheila\u2019s yard, because I was a little 16-year-old girl, working away in the yard. It was when Dr B very first came to England, he went to Sheila\u2019s yard. He stayed in a local hotel during his time with us, and he used to come riding up on his little moped \u2013 put, put, put \u2013 with his riding hat on, that was illegal but he just did it, and he used to go backwards and forward each day on his little moped, coming to Sheila\u2019s to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cAbsolutely, she was one of the first women to compete internationally. It used to be very male dominated, all Army influence, and she was one of the first females to come in and prove we could do it as well as the boys.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nEquitana Masterclass<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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