The King of Killinkere
Rescue racehorse Rí is being retrained to become a dressage master
“Every day is a new day,” Aoife Brady-Dolan says fondly of her horse Rí. He is witty, impactful, sometimes bold, but always friendly. Impatiently, he waits for the chat to finish. He sensed hours ago that something was up, because preparations in the stables started earlier than usual. Also, the special gear was out: A “Team Ireland” rug is hanging outside his door, and he is donning the bridle with tricoloured browband.
“It has always been a dream goal to ride with him with an Irish flag and we can proudly say we accomplished that this season,” says Aoife - a dressage rider from Cavan who just came back from representing Ireland at the Senior Home Nations in Somerset, England.
In this competition, teams from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales ride against each other with tests in different categories. Dressage sport has a tiered system of levels, starting with Intro and progresses through Prelim, Novice, Elementary, Medium, Advanced Medium, and Advanced. Very recently, Aoife and Rí made the step up to Novice. She is the only rider from Cavan at this level. 'Novice' involves canter in a consistent three-beat rhythm, the introduction of lengthened strides, and a focus on riding with purpose and balance.
The latter not only goes for the horse, but also the rider - with clear instructions: The rider's seat should follow the horse's motion. Hands should be soft, used to balance and collect the horse without getting in its way. The rider's shoulders should remain still, with the elbows bending and straightening in sync with the horse's motion.
“For the untrained eye it is hard to see, but judges see every flick of your hand or dig of the heel,” says Aoife before mounting Rí on the arena her husband Darrell built behind their house in Killinkere.
Truckloads of material were moved to level out a 20 by 40 metre space. Sand from Donegal mixed with scraps of fabric have created the perfect sponginess needed for the horse’s motions – not unlike a mat for gymnasts. Darrell was intent on providing the right circuit so that Aoife could train accurately – accuracy being the key element for dressage riders.
Before meeting the horse fanatic from Killygarry, Darrell only knew how to ride his bike, he admits laughing, leaning hands over the fence watching Aoife working with Rí. The only noises heard are muffled, rhythmic thuds of the hooves and Aoife’s praises for the horse. “Good boy” she repeats while they go through different motions of trot, circle, canter, diagonal, halt, salute.
Once, his temperament flares up: Rí used to be a racehorse. “He was fast, but not fast enough for his owner,” Aoife says – and sometimes he seems to want to show off his speed. “He is a full Thouroughbred, he has a lot of blood in him, but I kind of like that, there’s a lot to work with, a lot to love.”
After eventing for 17 years with her previous horse, her next horse was going to be a retrained one. Right upon meeting Rí, Aoife knew, he was the one. Not a straightforward switch for this breed, “but every horse is different” and with him she felt it was possible.
Every day, after coming home from teaching or her weekend morning coffee, she goes out to train with him. Rí eagerly awaits the exercise. At 13 by far not too old to learn new tricks.
“With dressage you're asking them to use their body in a really different way than what they're used to,” describes Aoife the learning process.
Retraining isn’t simply telling the horse what to do, you have to gain the animal’s trust: “You’re building a relationship and the beautiful thing is, they’re really willing to work with you and do you proud.”
Her tenacity proved her right. Rí was the only Thoroughbred representing Ireland at the recent British Dressage Senior Home Nations team competition, and he also has had multiple successes on both the Dressage Ireland and Eventing Circuits including winning the Highest Placed Thoroughbred award at the Dressage Ireland National Winter Finals last April.
Having a horse is not a cheap hobby and participating at national and international events comes with a social and financial effort. ‘Treo Eile’ is a non-profit organisation that promotes second careers for Thoroughbreds by connecting, supporting, and promoting opportunities in other equestrian disciplines. “They provide assistance to racehorse trainers and owners who wish to rehome and retrain horses once their racetrack careers are complete,” explains Aoife how Treo Eile has supported her family.
The horse riders are a tight-knit community: “I really have to give a big shout out to my coaches Sean Burgess from Dressage Ireland and Grand Prix rider himself and Sarah Ennis, who is an Irish Eventing Rider.” The support is big and spirits are high.
After their daughter Annabelle was born two years ago, Aoife had to cut down Eventing – a competition with the three disciplines Dressage, Showjumping and Cross-country - but soon she is hoping to pick this up again with Rí, the king of Killinkere.