Final farewell to much-loved Olympic horse, and other things the equestrian world is talking about
Tributes paid to special British team horse
Britain’s top-scoring dressage horse at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Rascher Hopes, has died aged 33 after a long and happy retirement. Known as Streaky to his friends, the gelding was produced to prix st georges level by Hilary Sawyer, who co-owned him with Leonie Porter, before the ride passed to Emile Faurie. In addition to their Olympic performance, Streaky and Emile represented the nation at the 2001 European Championships and the 2002 World Equestrian Games, and contributed to the team bronze medal at the 2003 European Championships at Hickstead. Emile said: “I knew Streaky would be a grand prix horse from the first time I saw him.”
Would you know what to do if you lost a tooth?
Dentist Stevie Potter, a member of the recently formed UK Sports Dentistry Association, who is also a rider, warns others that “what you do in the first five minutes of your tooth falling out is crucial” when dealing with an adult tooth. She also encourages every rider to take a close-up selfie of their mouth and smile as it is now, in case they need reconstructive surgery in future. Stevie also promotes equestrians wearing a professionally fitted mouthguard, saying: “You could potentially save yourself from a life-changing dental injury where you lose a front tooth and you’ve got a lifetime of dental work and expense ahead of you.”
Find out what you should do with a lost tooth
*New series* From furry field pony to show ring star
Horse & Hound subscribers won’t want to miss our new exclusive series in which we help you transform your muddy, hairy horses into sleek animals ready to impress the judges, with expert tips from top professionals along the way. The first two parts of this five-part series are now available, and the remaining articles are coming soon.
Part one: transitioning from the field to starting work after a winter holiday
Part two: establishing your horse’s fitness with a week-by-week plan
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
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