Kenlock Super Smooth (Kenlock Superman), born October 2008 at Kenlock Park Stud.
I knew the minute that I laid my eyes on Coops in August 2021 that I was going to buy him. He was standing saddled up in cross ties in the stable complex at his agistment place. He had a beautiful head, bright eyes and stood up like a king. The professional show jumping guy selling him on behalf of his owner was nowhere to be seen so I was lucky enough to have 10 minutes to introduce myself and chat to him before the guy appeared.
I watched him being ridden and then had a 20-minute ride myself. I could feel and see that he needed some bodywork but that was okay, I can work with that. He was 12 years old, so you expect a horse of that age to need some maintenance. I loved Coops way of going; lovely rhythm, great jump and he was a beautiful soul. So I bought him. I am very fortunate to know all of Coops’ history from birth.
Coops was supposed to get me back into show jumping as well as dabble in a bit of dressage whilst I put Bella in foal. I soon discovered that Coops had more issues than I initially realised. He had ulcers, wind-sucked (I knew this at time of purchase), needed intense bodywork with fascia, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments and the biggest one, he was a diagnosed headshaker. So I took over 12 months to rehab him. I decided not to jump him because he would be so nervous that I knew that it would not be helping him with his anxiety and ulcers. Because he had had a lovely correct foundation with his dressage training with his first owner of nine years, Kate Hazeldene, I decided then to only dressage him. He had previously won the Level 3 Jackpot and was a member of the winning team with Kate at TTT Dressage in 2018. Kate sold him in July 2019 due to very sad circumstances.
It took another 12 months to have Coops going calmly around the dressage arena after his show jumping stint with his owner in between Kate and I. We started off at Level 3 base points but quickly progressed once I had his body feeling better and his mind calm to put his best foot forward. His headshaking can be very tricky to control. I have tried nearly every additive there is on the market. Some working well for a good period of time and some not at all. To this day it is still a work in progress to keep his headshaking under control.
We were only in Level 2 for six months before pointing up to Level 1. We initially struggled a bit with our forward and some lateral movements, but we improved. I had never ridden straight dressage at this level being the old show jumper/eventer that I was, so I was out of my depth a bit myself! So somehow, we learnt together and we are now getting very close to Advanced. When Coopy is well and feeling good he gives me the best feel doing our dressage tests. He is quite the showman, especially loving his medium trots. Unfortunately, Coops, now 17, has had some more health issues over the last couple of months. So I am not sure whether we will get back out into the dressage ring again.
One of our proudest moments is placing seventh in the 2024/25 Top Ten Dressage Awards and now achieving our 100-Point Dressage Award. Many thanks to the NRG Team for sponsoring this very special award. Thankyou also to the HRCAV for all that they do for their members in providing such a wonderful organisation.
Lastly, I want to thank my darling boy Coops, he has taught me so much. His beautiful soul who has tried so hard, even in the tough times. He has given me the love of dressage and the ambition to be a better horseperson and rider. Whether we compete again or not, Coops has a home for life.
This article first appeared in HRCAV Chaff Chat and is reproduced here with HRCAV’s kind permission.
