A zest for life, king of the field and beloved family member: top rider’s farewell to horse who brought her back into the sport she loves

Medal-winning dressage rider Nicola Naylor has paid tribute to the much-loved “warrior” of a horse who brought her back into her sport, and represented his country.

Amadeus, who competed on Nations Cup teams for Britain with Dan Watson, and was shortlisted for the Tokyo Paralympics with Nicola Naylor, had to be put down after a short illness, despite his owner and vets’ best efforts.

“Last Wednesday, at the age of 20, our beloved Amadeus left us for the big green fields in the sky,” Nicola said. “He was a brave and wilful fighter who challenged everyone and kept his very free spirit until the last.”

This year, Nicola became the first blind rider to compete at grand prix dressage, and won individual bronze at the para dressage European Championships. And Amadeus was the horse who got her back into the sport after she had lost her sight.

“We were looking for a team horse; I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. “We bought him from Holland, from Craig Rawlings, and he’d been in France in his younger years. He was a feisty horse and hugely talented. I remember we brought him home in the autumn, the day he arrived, I got on and I had a very lovely ride – the day after Danny got on and got bronced off!”

Nicola said Amadeus was green, and had been taught a bit, but could “do all the tricks”.

Daniel took him to his first show, a prix st georges (PSG) at Oldencraig, and he won.

“The following year, Dan took him out and he went from that PSG to grand prix within a year, as a nine-year-old,” she said. “In the subsequent years, I did a bit on him, a bit in paras. He was obviously super-talented and Daniel was having a very nice time and progressing well with the grand prix work. So I did ride him a bit but in those early years, I let Dan progress him, and he gave Dan an opportunity to do what Dan did.”

Amadeus and Dan were on Nations Cup teams in Compiegne, Rotterdam and Hagen, winning in Compiegne.

“As the years progressed, I rode him a bit more; I started learning PSG on him and we were placed at Bury Farm, then won the Hickstead Premier League PSG,” she said. “Those were the highlights; what was interesting about him was that he could go out and be brilliant – or go out and be extremely awkward! He could be sharp, or take against a particular corner of the school; he was a small horse but he was a warrior. He’d take anyone on, he had super-strong opinions, and he kept everyone on their terms.

“He was really talented so when he performed, and I think that’s what he’ll be remembered for, he was superb. And when he decided he didn’t want to, he was at least entertaining! And he never changed.”

Nicola said she suspects sometimes Amadeus may sometimes have been sharp for the fun of it; which carried on in retirement.

A zest for life

“Sometimes you’d walk him out and he’d be on all four feet, sweet as anything,” she said. “Another time, he’d just be on his hind legs. It was the same when we brought him home; my fields were like Aintree racecourse. He didn’t just retire and graze, there would be a time he’d just gallop round – we didn’t have a proper muck heap so had to build one in the field and he’d climb on to it and jump off, he thought it was great fun. He had a huge zest for life and was always doing.”

In his last year of competition, Amadeus had a slight injury and although he did return to soundness, and was long-listed for Tokyo, the decision was made to retire him from sport.

“He was 16, he’d done so much and I wanted him to enjoy his retirement,” said Nicola.

Amadeus enjoyed some hacking and light work, and was very much king of the yard to the end.

“I didn’t want him to be lame and couldn’t enjoy – not pottering about because he never did! – being a free spirit,” Nicola said. “I very much want that for all my horses as they give us so much, and it’s lovely if you can choose a moment when they can still enjoy life. That’s why I built my place, to have somewhere I could take them to.”

Nicola said she had expected Amadeus to live for years, so there was shock as well as sadness when he had to go.

“He gave us so much,” she said. “Amadeus not only gave us these amazing experiences in the sport, he was also a much-loved character and member of the family, who spent his last four years causing havoc in the yard and being king of the field. He will be missed hugely.”

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