Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Visit Badminton Horse Trialsis one of the world's most prestigious and renowned equestrian events. Set in the magnificent grounds of Badminton House, in the county of Gloucestershire, England, this competition of CCI5 level is one of the highlights of the international eventing circuit. Visit Badminton Horse Trials attracts the world's best riders and horses every year. Seaver went to meet Libby Seed, eventer. Finishing 28th out of 83 starts at the Badminton event in 2022, she looks back on her experience.
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Libby Seed, Seaver's partner rider, is a talented English eventer. She has been passionate about this sport from an early age. She has established herself as a true competitor in this demanding discipline, taking part in the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials show in 2022. Today, Libby is dedicated to the training and development of her young horses. She carefully prepares them for future competitions.
To follow her daily life, visit her Instagram account!
Taking part in the Badminton Horse Trials was of particular importance to Libby and her family, who put a lot of effort into it. Preparing for this event takes a lot of time, and is very demanding. intense both physically and mentally. In terms of preparing the horses, Libby has adopted the same approach as for the previous events in which she has taken part, focusing on his horses' physical condition, and his own. Libby confided to us that she had "(...)concentrated on dressage, which was the most difficult part of the competition". for her and her mount.
During her first steps at Badminton last year, Libby was overwhelmed by this sense of unreality. She describes the key stages in her arrival at the competition.
"Just get out there and enjoy the experience with your horse."
The first step was the veterinary visit. Then it was time to collect the rider's pack and install the horses in the stables. The atmosphere, the prestigious facilities and the setting of the competition made an immediate impression on her. Although the competition had not yet begun, she realized that she was going to be part of it. Particularly enthusiastic and eager to get started, she remembers her first training session on site and her walk around the stables. She tried to enjoy to the maximum and soak up the atmosphere. This experience represented the dream of a lifetime and she was going to savor every moment of it.
For the young rider, as for many of the participants in the competition, it's cross-country race provided him with the most nervousness. "When it comes to dressage, it's all a question of preparation". according to Libby. All you have to do is apply what you've worked and rehearsed in training, so that's the least stressful part. The cross-country event, on the other hand, generates lots of adrenalinThis was especially true in the hours leading up to the event. In order to prepare herself for the event, Libby walked the course several times on her own, but also accompanied by her mother, who has accompanied her to competitions since she was very young, and her trainers.
As for the show jumping, all she wanted was a clear round. She wanted to finish the show, and she did! It was a real source of pride for Libby to finish her show jumping competition with no penalties, and to have gone all the way through this unique experience.
If Libby Seed were to draw a lesson from this experience it would surely be this: "Taking part in an event of this level is an immense privilege, especially after having worked day and night to reach this level.". When the competition goes well, even without a final result, it's the best reward of all, and a very rewarding one at that.says Libby.
"It's a privilege to enjoy and savor every moment, because you never know if you'll have the opportunity to compete at this level again."
Libby Seed
She stresses that it's essential to enjoy even stressful situations, and to fully absorb every experience.
The Seaver team is delighted to count such a talented rider as Libby Seed among its ambassadors. We are delighted to offer her a protection and a peace of mind when riding a horse. Thanks to the use ofairbag SAFEFIT by SeaverLibby is sure to be protected in the event of a fall. This is particularly important when working with young horses.