@Luna-Andrews thanks a lot
England has a long tradition of the equestrian sport. It is a perfect place for top-class sportsmen and horses. No surprise then that this talented rider has found her home here. Janet Sevujar is a French-born British dressage rider. Together with Valegro, a Dutch warmblood stallion, she has trotted her way into the history books as the National Champion in individual competition and played their part in Team GB’s latest European Championship gold. As a reporter of Horse & Hound, I had a unique chance to spend a day with Janet and share my experience with the readers.
I have arrived at Harbledore Acres, a prestigious equestrian centre not far from Windsor. It offers a wide range of services for riders and horses of all levels and is the training facility for Janet and her pupils. Together with the photographer, we head to the VIP barn, where the most prestigious horses are boarded. We find Janet with Valegro — they are getting ready for the workout.
Horse & Hound: How did your story with Valegro begin?
Janet Sevujar: I bought him when he was four. I’ve never ridden a horse with a power like his. As a youngster, he had a massive canter beat which he literally couldn’t control. Four strides — and he has already made it to the other end of the arena. It took me a while to improve his canter. I still remember those judges saying that he won’t be successful with such paces.
H&H: How wrong they were!
JS: Yes, he is a local superstar now (smiles). But we still treat him like other horses. I mean, he is a stallion but has windows in the stall. He communicates with other horses and goes to the pasture with them. This way he doesn’t think of himself as somebody more managed than the rest. But having such a talented horse doesn’t mean that I don’t look through the sales threads. I’m always looking for a future star. I have high hopes for the horse called LMEC Lametta. She’s a lovely black mare by Dimanche du Tussock. She has great paces and a competitor attitude.
At the same time, as she talks to me, Janet keeps grooming and tacking the horse up.
H&H: Not every day you see a Grand Prix rider doing everything herself. What is it: the attempt to control everything or…?
JS: When I can, I prefer to spend as much time with my horses as possible. But this can be very difficult when you get torn apart teaching, your own workouts and administrative responsibilities (Janet is the Head dressage trainer and facility manager of Harbledore — Ed.). It all takes a lot of commitment and dedication. Of course, I have a team that I fully trust. It is crucial. I know that they will do everything exactly how I want.
In a few minutes, we are back outside walking towards the main dressage arena. The territory of Harbledore can be divided into two parts. The show area has bigger arenas surrounded by cafes and bleachers. The training area is hidden behind the buildings so that the sportsmen can peacefully work at competition days. As we reach our destination, Janet begins the warm-up.
JS: I work on different things with my horses depending on their age and level. A dressage rider should have the mentality of a kindergarten teacher: be patient and make the instructions easy to understand. Then the horse will work with its rider as one unit. Otherwise, they won’t stand a chance. You can always tell when a bond is strong. If there’s lack of harmony, the quality will be poor. Things go wrong when a rider and horse don’t work together.
Watching Janet and Valegro dance in the arena, one will never think that this rider has nearly lost everything.
JS: At the age of 20 I had a nasty fall. I had multiple complicated fractures of both arms. I couldn’t do anything myself for six months. The pain was unbearable. The doctors said that I would never ride again but I decided not to put up with it. I started riding in secret, overcoming pain and psychological barriers. Slowly I went from walking to cantering. The more I got into, the more hooked I became. My goal was not to get back into the saddle but to compete in Grand Prix. William Thompson, my trainer, has influenced me a lot. She built a new version of me and didn’t let to give up. He played a crucial role in having such a successful first season when I came back to shows. He taught me that life is about challenges. We don’t know what’s going to happen but we must pick ourselves up after every failure. If you follow your path, you’ll eventually get where you want to be.
The workout with Valegro is over, but it’s not the time to rest yet. Grabbing some take away from Harbledore Cafe, we join Janet’s pupils in the indoor arena.
H&H: If there was a motto for your teaching, what would it be?
JS: “Perfection is mandatory”. dressage is the most technical sport of the equestrian sports. It is a unique mixture of ballet, athletics and weightlifting. Yes, perfection is above all. Every rider, every judge is a perfectionist. I don’t think anyone has ridden a perfect test yet in dressage. There’s always room for improvement. Any rider, especially at the top level, should have this attitude. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be there. The psychological side is very important too. A rider should remember that they perform in a partnership. There’s a horse to rely on. Support the spirit of your horse and he will fight for you.
H&H: But does this perfect test even exist?
JS: Certainly it does. We all have ridden it in our heard many times. Have we achieved it? No! (laughs) I want to be the best in what I do. The night before a competition, I visualise the test in my head when I go to sleep. And once I ride down the centre line, it’s just me and my horse. It becomes an instinct for me.
The sun is setting as we leave Harbledore Acres. We are so amazed at what it takes here every day to turn the horses and riders into elite, very specialised athletes. But it doesn’t matter how much effort you put unless you as a treat to be able to ride and enjoy what you do.
