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SIMON GRIEVE: The Burghley Debrief · Shut Up and Ride

• 0:00
  Speaker A: Hey, listeners. So today we want to chat to you about Animal Friends pet insurance.
• 0:04
  Speaker B: Yes, yes, we do, but it's not what you think. We're not here to give you a great long speech about insurance.
• 0:10
  Speaker A: I mean, that is a bit surprising because we know how you love to go on, Simon. Anyway, did you know that Animal Friends Pet Insurance was founded in 1998 on a commitment to create better lives for animals?
• 0:24
  Speaker B: No, Jenny, I didn't know that. I also didn't know they provided horse insurance cover alongside dog and cat cover until recently either.
• 0:31
  Speaker A: Yeah, and over the years they have actually supported more than 830 animal welfare charities here in the UK and around the world. And one of those charities is the Amazing Blue Cross. They have supported sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897 and are very close to our hearts here at Shut up and Ride.
• 0:53
  Speaker B: Yes, they are. Animal Friends directly gives funding to support their Horse Home Direct Scheme, an admission and adoption service that can not only help you find the right home for your horse, but also find the right horse for you if you're looking to adopt.
• 1:05
  Speaker A: Together, Animal Friends and the Blue Cross aim to support both pets and people in need, whilst reinforcing their joint commitment to championing animal welfare. You can visit animalfriends.co.uk BlueCross for more information. And before we forget, I need to be responsible and let the listeners know that this was a paid advert on behalf of Animal Friends Pet Insurance, just in case that wasn't obvious. Thank you for listening. Welcome to the latest Shut up and Ride podcast brought to you by the people that kept the most handsome man in Eventing's head safe during the biggest five star in the world, the wonderful Charles Owen, who we. We have to keep them with us because no one else makes hats that fit the lovely co host today, Simon Greaves head. Isn't that right, Simi?
• 2:03
  Speaker B: That is absolutely right. Because I think I have the biggest head in the entire universe.
• 2:08
  Speaker A: No, my husband's head I think is bigger.
• 2:10
  Speaker B: Honestly, I can pretty much guarantee you mine is definitely bigger.
• 2:13
  Speaker A: Okay.
• 2:14
  Speaker B: When I go to an event, when I go to an event, I can pretty much forget anything because I'll be able to borrow it. Apart from a riding hat. I could never find one in the lorry park that's big enough to fit my head.
• 2:25
  Speaker A: So. Charles Earn, please never leave us, please. Otherwise Simon will have to give up eventing.
• 2:31
  Speaker B: Yeah, and that would be a disaster.
• 2:33
  Speaker A: That would be. So this is.
• 2:34
  Speaker B: That would be a disaster.
• 2:36
  Speaker A: This is the episode everyone's been wanting. Simon, grieve Everyone wanted this episode. We've had millions of messages. I am actually, I think now your private secretary, to be honest.
• 2:46
  Speaker B: Oh, yeah, Great private secretary to have.
• 2:49
  Speaker A: I know. And I'm Becky Moody's media manager. Apparently they're like, jenny, you be our media manager. So, yes, apparently all these riders are like, like farming me out. Before we start this episode. This is one of the messages people I get because they message me rather than Simon. This is the kind of stuff I get. Hi, this is from Sarah. Love, love, love your pod, all three of you. Thanks very much. She's buttering me up. I like this was listening to old episodes, giggling all the way through, and got to the part about Siamese issues with Speedos. My husband has a similar issue brackets Lucky me and is a horse rider. We struggle to find breeches that he can wear in public without getting arrested. I wonder if Simon has any brand recommendations. Figured he wouldn't mind me asking as it's not the kind of thing you can ask a staff member in the saddlery store. I love our listeners. It's a fucking brilliant message.
• 3:40
  Speaker B: That is really cool. That's so funny, isn't it?
• 3:44
  Speaker A: So I'm starting this episode with a public service announcement, everybody. What are the breeches Simon Grieve wears to make sure he can ride in public without getting arrested? Because downstairs is pretty punchy. Lucky James.
• 3:59
  Speaker B: It's not really about the britches, though.
• 4:01
  Speaker A: Oh, is it not?
• 4:02
  Speaker B: It's about the underpants.
• 4:04
  Speaker A: Oh, interesting. Interesting, Yeah.
• 4:07
  Speaker B: I mean, it makes sense, doesn't it? It is all about the pants.
• 4:10
  Speaker A: It's not something I've thought about, Simon, to be honest. Not something I thought. Yes, it is.
• 4:13
  Speaker B: You're a liar. You're a liar. You've definitely thought about it. I know you have, because you're that kind of guy.
• 4:18
  Speaker A: What's going on under Simon Greaves britches? Well, not my gay. I probably did have a good think about that and then you told me you liked men. I was like, damn it. Right, so what's the key? What underpants do you go for?
• 4:34
  Speaker B: So, as a general rule, I wear Aussie bum pants.
• 4:37
  Speaker A: Okay, interesting.
• 4:40
  Speaker B: They are very, very supportive. They're my faves and the website's really fun.
• 4:48
  Speaker A: Aussie Bum.
• 4:50
  Speaker B: Aussie bum. Yeah.
• 4:51
  Speaker A: All right. My Google history is going to be.
• 4:54
  Speaker B: George, can I get an example?
• 4:57
  Speaker A: Yeah. If anyone's listening from Aussie Bum, Simon would like a sponsorship, please.
• 5:02
  Speaker B: Oh, my. Oh, my. I absolutely would. I would absolutely would. The only thing is, my Aussie accent is not very good.
• 5:06
  Speaker A: Oh, go for it. I want to hear it.
• 5:09
  Speaker B: No, I can't do. I can't do Australia.
• 5:11
  Speaker A: Can you not?
• 5:12
  Speaker B: G', day, mate. Yeah, it's. Yeah, because. Oh, no, I can't, I can't. I end up going into New Zealand and then I go Indian and then I go, like, all kinds of directions, so.
• 5:26
  Speaker A: Because everyone here in Canada thinks I'm Australian. Do they? Yeah, all the time. Which I don't think I sound Australian at all.
• 5:36
  Speaker B: You did a little bit then. I don't think I sound Australian at all.
• 5:39
  Speaker A: Obviously. That's good. I don't think we should get Caleb Deegan back on. Right.
• 5:45
  Speaker B: I'm not going to be good.
• 5:46
  Speaker A: That wasn't.
• 5:47
  Speaker B: We really liked Caleb. He was really cool.
• 5:50
  Speaker A: Caleb was really cool.
• 5:51
  Speaker B: Go back and listen to that episode. If you haven't. See, that was a bit New Zealanders, mate, if you haven't.
• 5:57
  Speaker A: I just really like the Australian banter. I went on the Lions rugby tour about years and years and years ago and the songs. We were singing at them and they were singing. We were singing things like, you're only wearing yellow cause it's free and stuff like that. But in the World cup, the Australian songs, I can't really repeat them because I'll probably get arrested, were absolutely brilliant. They. They're so funny. Right, Simon Greave, now we've finished talking about your nether regions. This is the episode people want. They want to know the burly breakdown, how you survived, how you did, how it was. They want all the, I don't want any of this bullshit, oh, interview, end of the course type stuff where you're all PC. I want to know how much you were crapping your pants, how you were feeling like, give us. Give us the stuff that you haven't told the cameras already. Come on. Simon Grieve. How was it? How was it, first of all, from the expectations of last year? It was, oh, my God, I'm going back to Bernie.
• 7:02
  Speaker B: Do you know that that made a quite a big impact on me on the build up to it, because Burley last year was such a brilliant. It was just such a brilliant time. Had such a great time. And the horse went really, really well and the crowd were fantastic and so supportive and we jumped this beautiful double clear. He was absolutely superb. He was on great form. And I just. I did think I had to get myself in the right place mentally because I did think to myself, I wonder whether, you know, can I do it twice? Like, can we get. Can we go better? Like, was that a bit of a fluke? But then obviously, then I, like, look back on, like, he was so convincing at Birley last year, and he was so convincing at badminton in the spring, despite me not riding to my best, because I really didn't at badminton. I was disappointed with how I rode at badminton. I was really pleased with his attitude and how he'd gone, but I was really disappointed in myself. So I needed to kind of. And I. And I, you know, I told you about, you know, when I was going down to the vicarage and I was like, we're gonna, oh, shoot, I've missed. And. And I'm strangling him to the bottom of it. And oh, we've got. My line's terrible. He's the only thing he can do is run past. And he was like, simon, I think you mean to jump this, don't you? So I'm gonna jump there and you can come if you want. And so I just needed to keep on remembering things like that, and I could really trust him. And also, like, you can be as prepared as you like and you can be as confident as you like, but there's always that, that element of luck with any, any event, you know, any. Any cross country course. So. So it's. I definitely felt not pressured from anybody else and not really pressured like that I really needed to do well and think just like, I just wanted to. I was putting pressure on myself that I wanted to achieve similar to what I had last year. Um, and so I. And I did very similar to last year that we had exactly the same buildup and he went brilliantly at each one. We did Bergem and we did Heartbury. Four stars in the buildup. And he was fantastic at both Heartbury. He was on, on fire and totally with me and really traveling. And we went like a good, good lick and he was excellent. So that was really good for my confidence. And then I also, like last year, I made a real concerted effort to set stuff up that I was going to be meeting on the cross country course. So I did the same this year. I set up a few. There are a couple of things where, like, the Dairyman was a drop curved to a corner, and then the moltings was two brushes on the mound and then six strides to a triple bar, three strides to a corner on the curve. So I set all that up at home and actually I made the. The corner. Well, the corners, like, so oblique that they were bordering on impossible at home. And he was incredible each time, like, every time he just took it on and he was like, yeah, Got that make more difficult. And that was brilliant for my confidence. So. So the buildup actually went very, very well, despite me questioning myself quite a lot in the build up, you know, thinking, oh, God, are we gonna be able to be as good as last time? And then. So then we. We got there and I had. Maggie was helping me. And then it's relatively local, so Brooke and Amanda, they come. They came down kind of daily and had my friend Ali there and Marie there. Moral support. They're really good with me mentally. And. Yeah, so we arrived on the Tuesday, relatively. It's always so lovely arriving at the event because they're so welcoming and you get these, like, bags of goodies that the. The sponsors give and. Which is really exciting. And they give loads of really cool stuff. So you kind of do. And then it's just. I just really like getting there early so you can really settle in, take it all in. There's no one there yet. And just kind of chill and like, think, we actually are here. We've actually made it to Burleigh because it's just such a privilege, such an honor and a privilege to be able to go and compete at Burleigh Horse Trials. Just. Just to be there is incredible. So I like to get there and like, kind of make the most of it. It's like my 11th attempt. But it never gets. Never gets old. It's always just such a buzz and so exciting to get there. On the Wednesday, on the. On the Tuesday. Sorry. And then on the Wednesday, I rode him early. I went for a stroll down to the house and kind of had a look at the house and took my little selfie as you. As you kind of do. Would do. And. Yeah, so that was really cool. And then we had the briefing. Was up as 10. And the briefing's in the main, in the house and it's in this kind of like, library. And it's really beautiful and grand and you've got all these top, top riders there and all the best in the world are there. And it's just. It's so lovely to have everyone around you.
• 11:47
  Speaker A: And Gemma, I've seen videos and pictures. You two were like naughty school children sat munching biscuits. Like someone needed to come and slap your wrists.
• 11:57
  Speaker B: We were munching biscuits and I. And I did. We went down in the same car. Cause, like, they give you, like, they give you a lift down. And we were both in this lovely Defender and I kind of like all sat behind Gemma and I was like, oh, my goodness, Gemma. So I reckon you're in a really good. With a really good shot of winning this year, aren't you? And she was like, oh, God, no, don't say that. I was like, no, you really are like, this is really exciting. And she's like, oh, it is really exciting. But, yeah, no, don't say things like that because, you know, I just wanted to go, well, and. And then. Yeah, and we had. We had a bit of a giggle. It was. It was really good. And. And then they had briefing and then you have the photograph outside the house with all the riders there and it's just. Just such a. Like, it's so exciting and it's such a great vibe. And then I walked the course for the first time straight after the briefing. And I didn't want to sound, like cocky or anything like that, but I really liked it. Like when I first walked it, I mean, I'd seen it on. On videos or. So I suppose I kind of prepared myself, but I really liked it. Like, don't get me wrong, it was really big and really challenging and really, like, difficult and there are lots of places to make mistakes. But I just. I just really liked it. I, like, kind of got a really good feel.
• 13:10
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 13:11
  Speaker B: And. Yeah, so. So I bought that real quick and then we had the trot up and I was robbed. I should have won the Best Dressed.
• 13:20
  Speaker A: But you know who won it? I didn't even see that bit.
• 13:23
  Speaker B: Clark Johnson won it. He had a Dior jacket on, but he, like, kind of. He looked like he was going down the pub.
• 13:30
  Speaker A: Oh, bloody kiwis. I couldn't do a kiwi accent.
• 13:33
  Speaker B: Bloody kiwis.
• 13:35
  Speaker A: That's it.
• 13:36
  Speaker B: And like, I don't know, he just looked really casual. And I was. I was wearing. But I was wearing the same suit that I wore at badminton.
• 13:43
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 13:44
  Speaker B: But I did have a different waistcoat. I had a pink waistcoat this time.
• 13:46
  Speaker A: No, we were really smart. But I reckon we should run a competition to design something for you to wear at a trot up. I think that would be super fun.
• 13:54
  Speaker B: Yeah, that's a good idea. That is a good idea. I like that.
• 13:57
  Speaker A: Oh, remind me at the end. I've got a competition for us as well, which is super exciting. Anyway, sorry, carry on. Yes, I got something from Spruce Meadows.
• 14:06
  Speaker B: Yeah. So we did the trot up and he. Honestly, he looked a picture. He looked incredible. Yeah. I was so, so happy with how he looks. No, like, really good condition. Not too fat, not too thin. Real bright outlook. Trotted up beautifully. It was fun. Fantastic. And I had a Lesson with Ian Woodhead dressage. And he went really, really beautifully. Like, he was super. Just really encouraging me to ride forward and be positive. And I'd had a couple of sessions with Evie from Cadence Mindset to try and get me into the right headspace. And for the dressage, we talked about making sure that I really ride for each movement. And if it goes a little bit wrong, then I just keep riding and keep on being positive. And all of it is just about being bold in. In the dressage arena. So working with both those guys was really, really good. And then I have my dressage on the Thursday, so. So in the morning, early, I rode him early, early ish. And I had a session with Ian. And then when you're on that earlier, I kind of was like, just want to definitely make sure that I've learned the right test. I'm gonna go the wrong way, because wouldn't it. Nothing worse was that. Could you imagine going in there, be like. And going up, turning the wrong way or something, and be like, oh, hang on, I haven't learned this test same. Yeah. So that was. It wasn't stressful, but, like, that was in my mind. And so our dressed house was quite disappointing. He moved beautifully, and the trot work was really lovely. But then we came to the walk work, and I did halt, rein back, and then walk. And some people said that one of the photographers spooked him, but I think he was gonna jog anyway. But he, like, he just jogged through the entirety of the walk. And then when we went into cant, he then was quite tense and quite tight, and he finds the canter quite difficult anyway, and then we. He did the first cant flying change through a trot step. So therefore, like, that's a one or a two, and they're double marks. And then he did quite a nice flying change on the second flying change. And the third flying change did quite relatively nicely, just not on the marker, which was bad for me. And then this last flying changes in another change changed through a trot step, which obviously is then a one or a two, and that's double mark. So, like. So that literally ripped our mark right down. And so I was massively disappointed because actually, he tried really hard in the trot work. And. Yeah, it was just. Yeah, it was. I was really deflated. Really deflated. After the dressage, I kind of. I wanted to be positive, and I was really pleased with how much he tried because he tried really hard, but I was just disappointed with the mark and the kind of situation really, like, they couldn't. I couldn't argue with the marking. They were being quite tough with the marking anyway. But, yeah, it's just. It was just disappointing. And I found myself going into a little bit of a hole about it, like, kind of questioning myself. And I kind of. The old imposter syndrome was obviously coming in, and I was kind of saying to myself, you know, you can't even ride a dressage test, can you? Even fricking ride. You're such a loser. And you're expecting to go on the cross country course on Saturday and do it properly when you can't even, like, canter around a dressage arena.
• 17:34
  Speaker A: Naughty Simon was back in your head.
• 17:36
  Speaker B: Yeah, I know. And it's.
• 17:38
  Speaker A: You needed angry Simon to come back.
• 17:40
  Speaker B: Yeah, well, on the Friday morning, I kind of. I was like, right now? And no, sorry, to be fair, on the Thursday night, I was like, right, okay. So you're allowed to be as. As whingy as you like about it. Now you can say how rubbish you were or how rubbish the situation was. I'd never say how rubbish he was because he wasn't. He was really good. And finally I. I did an interview about. About this, and it's on the. Your horse website, Facebook page or whatever is. And. And I was like, yeah, no, he tried really hard. And we made mistakes. I made mistakes. And someone. Someone's written underneath it saying, yeah, you're no good at dressage. You rode like a sack.
• 18:26
  Speaker A: Is that your what's annoyed you this week?
• 18:27
  Speaker B: Yeah, no, no, no, not at all. I just was like, tell me something I don't know. And also, if you're gonna say you rode like a sack, aren't you supposed to say you rode like a sack of shit?
• 18:36
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 18:37
  Speaker B: Like, what does rode like a sack mean? Or am I missing something? Please, listeners, tell me if there's something I'm missing on that one. Anyway, so on the Thursday night, I was like, right, so you can be as whingy as you like, but tomorrow morning we're gonna. Part of that. So the next morning I was like, right, it's. It's done now. There's nothing you can do about it. We're going to park that in Thursday. And that is exactly what I did. So. Which was really good. And we had a really nice hack out on Friday, and I bought the course and I walked the course with Izzy. And she's brilliant. She really is brilliant.
• 19:11
  Speaker A: Does Izzy ever have floundering moments or question herself? Because she seems so. When I've met her. She's very.
• 19:19
  Speaker B: If she does.
• 19:20
  Speaker A: Quite rightly.
• 19:20
  Speaker B: If she does. Yeah, if she does. She's very good at covering it up,
• 19:24
  Speaker A: even since her accident. And this is Izzy Taylor for people who aren't obviously eventing aficionados listening. Izzy Taylor, very good friend of Simon. Why she hasn't ever won a five star, I have absolutely no idea.
• 19:35
  Speaker B: I think, Yeah, I don't know.
• 19:37
  Speaker A: Best cross country riders in the world. She's an extraordinary woman. So go look her up. If you don't know who she is, you should. But she wouldn't be the most. When you know her, she's very charismatic. But sometimes interviews don't do her the justice because she's just absolutely.
• 19:54
  Speaker B: I think, I think she's been. She's done lots more on media stuff.
• 19:59
  Speaker A: Oh, 100%.
• 20:00
  Speaker B: I think she comes across really well. But she did go through a phase of being very unapproachable and people thought she was really scary. But I think that's part she's. She. Because she likes. She's very professional, like really professional to, you know, so, so there's no being silly. There's no, like, we get the job done.
• 20:20
  Speaker A: No one works harder than her. Sorry, Simon, but they don't like.
• 20:24
  Speaker B: And that's not an insult to you. Yeah, she. She's. She's unbelievable.
• 20:28
  Speaker A: Single mom of two kids. When I was working with her once, she got up at four and had taken like six horses to the gallops and I arrived on her yard at 7 and she'd already done, like, whatever and then was going back to the gap, like doing cross country schooling afterwards. Like, she's. And then still had to pick up the kids, go and take one to a dance class or something. Like. Yeah, but. So I feel like she's so concentrated on the job that the time to, like, think about anything else or anyone else isn't there. But for me, it would be so interesting to be inside her little brain walking a course and if she ever
• 21:01
  Speaker B: goes, oh, she, she is incredible. But I do think that she is. She likes to do other things now a bit, you know, like last, last winter we went off and did other things. Like we went to see Mumford and Son in London and. And she stayed over and like. Whereas obviously she would normally be like, I can't do that because I've got to, you know. Well, she's got the horses to do and. Yeah, so. So it was great to be able to walk the course with her. She is an absolute legend. And I also walked the course with Chris Bartle as well. Who is, who was brilliant too. So it was great to have some inputs from some really cool people. And then on the Friday night, what did I do on the Friday night? Just had dinner and like chilled and I felt really good. I felt really good. And oh yes, by the way, you
• 21:53
  Speaker A: were invited to a cocktail party. But because I'm not your personal assistant, I hadn't opened that email. Someone was like, hi, Jenny, could you invite Simon to a cocktail party in Burley? I'm like, I didn't open it till afterwards.
• 22:06
  Speaker B: Oh no. Which one was that?
• 22:08
  Speaker A: Oh, I don't know, I have to look it up. No, I did.
• 22:10
  Speaker B: Oh, I did on Friday night. I know, I know what I did on Friday night. I went to a drinks thing for the British Eventing Support Trust.
• 22:16
  Speaker A: Oh no, it wasn't that one. This was somewhere in Stamford, like a really posh, like garden thing.
• 22:21
  Speaker B: Oh wow.
• 22:22
  Speaker A: And they invited me and Ben as a secondary thought. They were like, oh, your Ben could come along as well. But we'd like to offer a invitation to Simon. I was like, I, I. Okay, I'm not his personal assistant.
• 22:32
  Speaker B: Oh, oh, I missed out, Ginny.
• 22:34
  Speaker A: You did. But I did reply to them and say very sorry. Didn't open this until afterwards because they sent it to the Shut up and Ride podcast email. And we, I'm sure if we, we are there, we would love to attend and I will pass it on to Simon. So I'll forward you the email as a good secretary should.
• 22:50
  Speaker B: I love it. Yeah, no, so it was the. I don't think they called them legends. They might have called them legends.
• 22:59
  Speaker A: Yes, it was. I saw a post about it on social media. It was like the Legends night. I was like, oh, Simon, legendary status.
• 23:05
  Speaker B: And there was me and there was Piggy March and there was Nicola Wilson and her husband Al, who is also a legend.
• 23:14
  Speaker A: I don't know how to be fair.
• 23:16
  Speaker B: He'd just done the cycle, the cycle from Scone to Burley, like raising loads of money for best, which is amazing. And Austin o' Connor was there as well.
• 23:25
  Speaker A: Fucking Ledge.
• 23:26
  Speaker B: Yeah, he's pretty cool, isn't he? And we had a great time, had fun time and. And then I didn't sleep all that well on Friday night. Bit better than I had done earlier in the week though, which is good. And I woke up and I just, I felt really good.
• 23:41
  Speaker A: I felt really good.
• 23:43
  Speaker B: Really, like apprehensive and nervous. Yes. But like, but no more so than I would be at a normal three day event or, you know, anywhere El. So nerves are a privilege. They are. And. And they were definitely there. And then I went and walked the course on my own, which I always do. I walked the course four times. And the final one, I always walk on my own. Always. Somebody that isn't going to say very much, because I like to be. Get right in the zone and think, right, this is exactly where I'm going to go and where, you know, this is the blade where I'm going to go on, and. And this is the route I'm definitely going to take. Um, and then I finished that and then had to kind of like, amuse myself for like an hour or so. And then. And then I went to go and watch the first couple, and then Amanda said to me, oh, Buster's just been stung by a wasp. About half an hour before I was supposed to get on, apparently he. Maggie was fiddling around with his stud holes, and. And he all of a sudden just launched in the air and basically took her out and freaked out. And he'd been stung just. Just, like, on his elbow, like, just in front of where the girth goes. So. And, you know, I just. She told me, and I laughed, but obviously I made sure he was okay first. But then I. I was like, is it all right? And she's like, yeah, you know, he's fine. And then I laughed, and I was like, you couldn't write it, could you? Like, of all the times that you could be stung by a wasp in this entire week. It's half an hour before I get on. So anyway, so we iced it.
• 25:28
  Speaker A: Maybe that wasp was just a really big Austin o' Connor fan. Was like, let's get him, Simon.
• 25:34
  Speaker B: Could be. Anyway, so. And we got the vet to look at him, and he seemed absolutely fine. And to be fair, it didn't cause any issues at all. But. And I. And I said to his own. I said, he's been stung by a wasp, and I will just see how it goes. And so I was very aware of that in my warmup. Just. And he felt great. Like, he felt totally normal. So. But, like, my head was going, oh, my God, he's been stung. He's got this poisonous system. And when I start galloping around, then all this. All this poison is going to get through his body and he's going to die, and it's going to be terrible. He's not being bitten by, like, you know, black mamba, Simon. He's been stunned by wasp, I'm sure.
• 26:18
  Speaker A: Fucking jellyfish.
• 26:20
  Speaker B: Let's just calm down a bit. Let's calm down. But I couldn't calm down. I was like. Anyway, so he felt fine and I went and I warmed him up and he felt amazing. And I jumped some of the practice fences to the angles and he was really good. And I was starting to myself a bit by this point and. And then Nick Turner was in the warm up and I said something, right, Nick? And he was like, yeah, yeah, just make sure that you don't overfold. So I was like, okay, that's a really good tip. And then we went. And then you kind of go from the collecting ring and then you walk down and then it all starts getting a bit more busy and a bit louder and you can hear the tannoys more. And. And then I went down and there was a gap before me.
• 27:07
  Speaker A: I know. Which was amazing. I was so happy.
• 27:10
  Speaker B: I know. It was great because it just meant that I was on a lot more.
• 27:13
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 27:15
  Speaker B: So I walked around and then I kind of like trotted and went into the start box and then we dropped out. And as soon as we jumped out of the start box. How did I describe. So the start box was at an angle and then you had to curve to the first, but they started the stringing to the left of the start box and then you had to curve around the string. So, like, there was a gap between the corner of the start box and this first bit of string. And I tell you, it would be so easy to go to the wrong side of that string. And then you have a start that's a really bad start. And we so nearly went to the left of that string, like. And so I was like, oh, God, I was so close. And that's because I was so busy thinking about that. We actually then flowed really nicely to the first and jumped out of a really nice rhythm. And I didn't check, so I was like, this is a great start. I mean, it was a bad start. And then a really good start. And then the second fence. Should I be really boring and go through the whole thing?
• 28:13
  Speaker A: Yeah, go for it. I think the fact that if you don't want to hear it fence by fence, just press the forward button and forward a couple of minutes. But if you want to hear it, we're here for it. People can make their own choices.
• 28:22
  Speaker B: I'll make it so it's really quick. So fence.
• 28:24
  Speaker A: I'm a grave. You can also check the analysis on each podcast. So if we know that our viewership drops off after 26 minutes, we'll know the fuck why. Simon Greave because you're pouring because you.
• 28:34
  Speaker B: I'm really dull.
• 28:34
  Speaker A: But I genuinely believe if people want to, like, we're giving people the option, they can forward you if they wish. But I want to bloody hear it. So if you don't like it, listeners, poke off.
• 28:43
  Speaker B: Okay, so Fence two.
• 28:46
  Speaker A: I'm joking. Don't poke off. Like, follow and share this podcast, please.
• 28:51
  Speaker B: Fence two, I overbalanced him for that. Took a check when I shouldn't have done. There was one stride less there. Fence three, I was really good. Kept coming around the turn. It's a big house. And then you went down into the water. That was super. And you're brilliant to that. Kept coming under the bridge. And then you jumped Fence under the bridge and then away.
• 29:07
  Speaker A: And then. Sign me. What happened?
• 29:10
  Speaker B: And then what happened?
• 29:11
  Speaker A: Wasn't this where Tina turned?
• 29:12
  Speaker B: No, no, no. Still, we got another one. We've got another one first. And then no, double two. And there you've got this massive wall of people that you're kind of jumping into. And he just doesn't care anymore. He's just like, hey, everyone, I'm here. And you're like just very merrily jumps into them.
• 29:26
  Speaker A: Oh, look at me.
• 29:28
  Speaker B: And the crowd was just amazing. Like, literally everywhere. They were just like screaming and like clapping and cheering and like, go on, Sime. Go on, Buster. You're doing so well. Oh, my God, this is so cool. And then we went down and then again to the brushes. Brush Oxa. I. I kind of saw a distance and then changed my mind and slightly questioned myself, which was a bit annoying. But he jumped it really well and then came round. I think I slightly overbalanced for the swan, which was a big drop into the water. But I'm being a bit picky. Like, it was fine. And he jumped it brilliantly across the water, over the little island in the middle. And then you had a step up. One stride to an angled house, two strides to another house. And this one stride was really short. The two strides are really. And I was traveling at speed. And I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. I just missed. But I don't really know how I missed because. Yeah. And it felt an incredibly smooth miss because he was so clever with his feet. And he jumped up and did a 2 to 1 stride. Jumped that jumping. But because it was a little bit of. It was a bit of a mouthful, we landed a bit short. So I actually then asked him to wait for three, which he did because he's so bloody clever. And he popped in the third stride. And and then we kind of galloped away and yeah, I, I, I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. Like, I've watched the, watch the video and it is a complete misser and he's really clever. But I, I don't know what I did. Like, it's really unlike me to miss, but I, but yeah, I definitely missed. Anyway, so then we galloped up the hill and then you go through capabilities and you jump the big brush, bullfinch brush thing, which my sister was fence judging and you say hi. I, I actually didn't, I was trying to be really good and go fast and so I was like, right, focus, come on. No looking at the crowd, no chat to anybody. Come on, keep going. And then you go under the bridge and then he, he went a bit like, oh, goodness me, that was quite a hill. So I, I kind of gave him a moment to just take a breath and then I went again and then we came to the. I feel like I'm being really boring going on about my ramp, so I apologize, but I love it. So, and then we come to the Dairy Mound and you go up a steep slope and then a great big table and then four or five, about four strides really to a log and then onto a big drop and then curve to a left, right handed corner, left hand curve to right hand corner. And he bounded up the bank and then was quite close to the big table and he said he was quite deliberate over the big table. And I had decided in my head that if he did that then I would wait for five. Whereas if he'd been really bold and forward over the table and really jumped out over it, I'd have gone for four. Because I felt that on landing over the next part of the log, if you were galloping on an open stride and you jumped it too big, you'd really struggle to get to the corner. So hence I thought it best to go for the five. So I went for five. And he did. He was very neat over the log. I was a bit late to look for the corner, so he wasn't 100% sure that he was going that way. But he was really good to me and was like, yep, there we go. And I held him in. Not well, but he, it just wasn't perfect. And we took the flag and as I galloped away, the lady who was judging it was stood right in front of me and I was like, was that okay? And she kind of looked all coy and I kind of like giggled because she can't communicate with me. I Don't know why I asked her, because I know she can't. And I go, but I was fairly sure that we were okay. And then there was a long gallop, and I kind of tried to kind of get a move on. And then you had two skinny brushes with a. With a kind of, like, dip in between them. And they were really lovely, friendly profile, nice and brushy. So. And I kept. I'm gonna keep coming. I keep coming. And as I was keeping coming, I was like, oh, no, hang on. And I saw like. So I. I checked. And as I did that, I apologized to him. I was like, oh, sorry. Cause it's just. There must be nothing more annoying than having some pussy on your back going, whoa, hang on. Let's do that when you're really going for it. But he jumped you there nicely on. And I saw few put four in there, so I was pleased with that. And then we came around and you dropped the Cotsmore leap. And he was. He's just brilliant. He doesn't even look like he literally skipped it. And I was like.
• 33:48
  Speaker A: I was trying to explain to my kids that you could park a car in there, because my mind, yeah, you
• 33:52
  Speaker B: can drive a Defender through it.
• 33:54
  Speaker A: So I was like, you could fit one of mummy's favorite cars in there. And they. It's just unfathomable because he skipped it. It so easily.
• 34:01
  Speaker B: Yeah, he's just. He's just. He's so cool. And then you go down Winners Avenue. And I tried to keep moving down there, but again, I. I probably could have gone faster down there maybe, but I. I also. I have got this kind of. I think one of my biggest fears is getting to three or four fences from home. And for my. My friend to be really struggling, I would. I would hate that. I. I need to get over that, though. I need to get him fitter and stop thinking that because, you know, when he's going, he's going anyway. So down to those. There were two gates with back rails on two gates, big spreads, and they were massive. But he pinged those like, absolutely amazing again. And then you had a whacking great big table before you went over the bridge. And then through capabilities cutting again. And then the two. The brush. Brush oxer over a ditch and then curved to a corner on six strides. And again, he was absolutely magical through there. I was quite tight on the line, so it ended up being a little bit short on the six, but he was super clever. And then you carry on down to the Maltings, which was the two Brushes that I practiced at home, two brushes on four and then curve on six to triple bar and then curve on three to a corner. And he was just match through there. Like I felt really prepared for that.
• 35:20
  Speaker A: Well, that's all your training and exercises, isn't it? That's what you've done at home and you're.
• 35:25
  Speaker B: You like to think so like the practice would definitely help. And then we jumped a few straightforward fences and he was brilliant there. But again I kind of like I asked him to wait at the big. There was a big log pile but if I once want to walk that, I kind of thought that really needs respect because it was fucking massive but also really upright in front. So it just needed some proper respect. And then you had gap down to the trout hatchery. And I tell you what, I wrote that really well. And he went, and he went through that really well.
• 35:57
  Speaker A: Like it was people do you know what, I'm awesome.
• 36:01
  Speaker B: Yeah, it was, it was, I mean too much inside rain but. And like it was just. I was so good. He was so good. And then I landed over that and
• 36:12
  Speaker A: I was like, you're a legend.
• 36:17
  Speaker B: I don't know whether I was saying that to him or me. No, I was definitely saying to him
• 36:20
  Speaker A: and to yourself, you're allowed to do it.
• 36:21
  Speaker B: He was so good. He was so good. And then, and then we went. Then you go down through the dip and then up this long hill and then there's a great big oxa parallel before you go down through the woods into the defender valley. And defender valley I was really pleased with from myself there because you had to jump, go up a mound and then jump this roll top and then there was a left handed turn, then jump through a rail ditch and then a skinny brush out. And I was super effic going around the turn to the rails. Like, you know, I was really saving time there. And then he did leave a foot on the skinny on the way out. That was kind of probably the closest point I had to maybe falling off. And you can sit on the, on the head cam I go. But yeah, because I was just about to fall off. And if you want to see the head cam, it's really cool. It's on my Instagram or it's on the Burley the Birdie Facebook page. It's just.
• 37:19
  Speaker A: Oh my God. Yeah. And again so cool because I'm your secretary. I had lots of people saying, oh, we cried when we watched the head cam footage. I was like, oh, I know.
• 37:28
  Speaker B: Wait. It's just, it's just it's just so cool. And then you go out down towards the leaf pit. You had a whacking great big ox with a ditch underneath to jump. That is huge, that fence. It is absolutely massive. It's absolutely massive. Like insane. And then up the hill and then came to the leaf pit. And I had made this pact with myself that when I get to the top of the leaf pit bank, I am to look. So I didn't really like the leaf pit very much. I thought it was really strong question. Especially at that stage in the course when I thought he'd be tired. When he was tired, I was like, you. Whatever you do, when you get to the top of that great big drop, you don't look at the drop, you don't look down into it. You look to that corner, which was the third element. So I was cantering around the turn and I looked to the corner and I did not take my eyes off it. And it was just brilliant. Like, I landed in the bottom, rode up to the. Up to the brush and then curved to the corner, which is so oblique. Like, how he picked it up, I've no idea. But he did, and it was just poetry. Felt amazing. And again, I swore and I was
• 38:35
  Speaker A: like, fucking hell, you're so cool. And you can count to three. Cause he could hear you counting your stride.
• 38:42
  Speaker B: But. Yeah, but you can also hear me counting from the step to the brush.
• 38:45
  Speaker A: It's brilliant.
• 38:46
  Speaker B: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Oh, one.
• 38:50
  Speaker A: I think that's so good for people to hear because I always say to people, count out loud, it doesn't matter. Like, I do. It's fine. I didn't realise a five star, like, fucking hell, it's brilliant.
• 39:02
  Speaker B: Well, I didn't realize that I do it as much as that, but I obviously do. So.
• 39:05
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 39:07
  Speaker B: And then I started getting quite vocal. What? You can watch the. The head cam thing, but I do get quite vocal.
• 39:14
  Speaker A: Come on, boy. Come on, boy. You can do it. We're nearly home. Come on, boy.
• 39:18
  Speaker B: But he was just starting to get quite tired at that stage.
• 39:20
  Speaker A: I'm not bloody surprised. He just had to carry you round on his back for five miles.
• 39:24
  Speaker B: Yeah. I was like, you're doing really well. Good boy. Cause he is a good boy. He is a good boy. Anyway, so then we came down and then you jumped the. Like, there was an open ditch in Defender Valley again, then up that steep hill. And again I was really encouraging him up that hill because it's really steep. And he was starting to get tired. And the arena fence Was a house to the moon, half moon, and then curved to another house. And he really was getting a bit low flying at that point. I think he just got to the top of that hill and he was like, do you know what, Simon? I'm quite tired. And he hit both. Well, he hit each part, but he was still jumping. But I was like, come on, mate, come on, you can do this. And then we had two more fences to go, and on the head cam, I start going really northern. I'm like. I'm like, come on, lad. Come on, lad, you can do it. Bit faster if you can.
• 40:17
  Speaker A: Where did that come from?
• 40:20
  Speaker B: It's really bizarre. Two more for me, lads, two more for me. And then. And then he jumped the second last really well, actually, bearing in mind that the fences in the arena, he'd been a little bit tappy over. He jumped it really well. Then I landed. I was like, come on, lad, one more for me. And then. And then I overrode the last one because I wanted to make sure. And. And then we finished and it was amazing. And he's just incredible. He's just incredible. Love him.
• 40:46
  Speaker A: And you're now northern. You've completely.
• 40:51
  Speaker B: No way. Yeah. So anyway, so then we finish and it's all about making sure that he's okay. So lots of water, lots and lots of water. Lots of buckets of water. Making sure that. Not scraping, just get the water on, tack off, water on. And he recovered really well. So, yeah, so super, super proud, super proud, super pleased. It was really great. And then the rest of the day was spent kind of making sure that he was okay. The wasp sting had no impact at all. There was a little bit of swelling, but, like, hardly anything. So that was brillian. He had trodden on a nail. His shoe had slightly moved and, well, he hadn't trodden it. It just got a little bit close. And so he was a little bit sore on that when we got him back to the stables. And then Stephen Hill Varier, who was there, did a really great job, like to just try and help with that. And he basically took the shore off and put it back on, back on again, and he was fine. So that was a real relief. And then I did some commentary, which I always enjoy doing, and I commentated with Tina and Nicola Wilson. No, no, just Tina. Tina and John Kyle. She's really good, isn't she?
• 42:16
  Speaker A: Oh, I love her.
• 42:19
  Speaker B: Yeah, she's really cool.
• 42:20
  Speaker A: Did I tell you my story about when I saw her in Kentucky with her daughter Izzy?
• 42:26
  Speaker B: No.
• 42:26
  Speaker A: So I. I love Tina. I know. I've known Tina, we've been to many a party together. Like, I would consider her a friend. And I've known Izzy since she was God tiny. And so when Tina. I saw Tina at Kentucky because Izzy had gone over to compete in the Four Star as part of like a youth thing as well. Izzy, oh my goodness, she is going to be some rider. Fucking hell, she's amazing. Anyway, so I ran over, I was like, hi, Tina. She gave me a big hug and she was like, oh, when was the last time you saw Izzy? And Izzy's here. And I went to give her a hug and I was like, yeah, last time I saw you, me and you were on a dance floor at Kate Tarrant's birthday. Slut dropping on the dance floor. And Tina went, yep, thanks, Jenny. And have you met my mum? He was standing.
• 43:06
  Speaker B: That's funny. Well, she's amazing, her mum. Her mum's incredible.
• 43:11
  Speaker A: I know, but she was just like staring at me. I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no slack dropping was involved, Harley. I almost said, yes, that was the time of when you had to take your son home. He was vomiting out the window. So luckily I didn't go on and say that.
• 43:24
  Speaker B: Yeah, thankfully you didn't do that.
• 43:26
  Speaker A: Yeah, but I love. Tina was just like, yes, Jenny. And have you met my mum? Oh, good, thanks, thanks. Sorry.
• 43:30
  Speaker B: Tina, she was quite funny. She said. I saw her later on just outside the stables. She was, I think she was just about to go home and she said, oh, yes. So, yeah, I think I was very honest in my commentary about you or something like that. And I was like, oh, right, okay. And then I listened to it back and she basically was like, yeah, Simon really screwed up there, there. And then she. And then she, oh, Simon's. Simon's riding. She was, I think she meant to say was. Was living a bit dangerously there. And she said something like, well, Simon's riding dangerously. Well, not dangerously. Not, not like that dangerously, but just like,
• 44:14
  Speaker A: I love her, she's great. She is great. And how good is Nicola Wilson on the commentary as well? More of those two, please. Really good, good. I love them both. I could listen to them all day. And yourself, you're very good at commentary.
• 44:26
  Speaker B: Well, they know, they know their stuff and they're kind with it, you know, like they're kind but honest. And yeah, I think, I think they're really good pairing. Really good.
• 44:37
  Speaker A: So you have a little bit of second of trot up PTSD from, From years past.
• 44:43
  Speaker B: Yes.
• 44:45
  Speaker A: How were the nerves for the. To the trot up. Even though you know he's fine, there's still a little bit of, like.
• 44:49
  Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, obviously, like, he still had that thing with the shoe, so. So there was. There's always a concern with stuff like that. And yeah, I did get really nervous with that trot up. Really nervous. But thankfully he was fine. And again, I nearly cried. Badminton. I did cry.
• 45:08
  Speaker A: So.
• 45:08
  Speaker B: I like you. Yeah. You're sorry. I know, because I was so.
• 45:12
  Speaker A: You.
• 45:12
  Speaker B: I know because I'm such a lad normally. I know. Such a lad. You know, I couldn't. Wouldn't cry at anything. So. Yeah. And yeah, it was just so exciting. And then I was a little bit disappointed that I. I was jumping in the morning, but at least it meant I could kind of get the job done. And he felt amazing when I rode him and I didn't. He went out for a walk in hand. Well, at five in the morning, he. We. I took him out and walked him in hand and so I didn't ride him before the show jumping because I kind of wanted to have all his energy. And then I drew him up. Then he felt absolutely amazing considering what he'd done the day before. And he jumped, warmed up really, really well. And he. I went in there and he really tried. I don't quite know what happened with the fence that we had down. We had one fence down, the first part of the treble, but I think I've just got a lot. A little bit onward. I think I got a bit keen in my body maybe, and then. But then when we finished, there was a big cheer from the crowd, which was really lovely. And I then was like, oh, fuck it. I'm just gonna go around and, like, do a bit of waving and see if I can wind the crowd up a little bit. So I went cantered around and I started waving and they went absolutely mental, Jenny. Like, mental.
• 46:34
  Speaker A: An info lack of honor.
• 46:36
  Speaker B: Yeah, it was just. And the commentators were like, oh, it's like he's won the event. And I was like, yay, thanks, everyone. And they were just so amazing. Like, the response was just so cool. Like, it was a massive highlight. If someone had just tuned in at
• 46:52
  Speaker A: that moment and hadn't seen every. Like was just tuning in to catch up, they'd have been like, my God, Simon Greaves won Burnley.
• 47:01
  Speaker B: Oh, my God. Could you imagine if that happened? That would be. That would be insane.
• 47:06
  Speaker A: Yeah, I can imagine it, Simon. I'd be booking a flight back for the party.
• 47:10
  Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. That would be. It would Be incredible. Anyway, so. Yeah. So grateful for that. The response was just mint. That was just so fantastic. And the support in general, you know, thank you to anyone who was there and anyone that wasn't there and sent messages. It's just so, so gratefully received. It's. I feel very, very lucky to be supported by such a bunch of amazing people. You know, it was just such a fabulous week, really. I loved it. And we finished 17th.
• 47:41
  Speaker A: That is pretty impressive because. Where were you after the stressage?
• 47:45
  Speaker B: 44th or something.
• 47:47
  Speaker A: It just shows, doesn't it?
• 47:50
  Speaker B: 47th.
• 47:51
  Speaker A: It wasn't a dressage competition. Apart from forget.
• 47:53
  Speaker B: No, it was. And if I got a bit faster, but I need to. Yeah, I need to work out how I'm going to do that without, you know, making him really tired.
• 48:03
  Speaker A: I think it's more important to improve on the stressage than go faster. Maybe.
• 48:07
  Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I would agree, I would agree.
• 48:09
  Speaker A: Sorry, that was a bit blunt of me because I.
• 48:12
  Speaker B: No, it's good. Blunt's good because I got. I got 30 time folks last year and I went down to 18 this time. So we're definitely faster.
• 48:20
  Speaker A: I think you are faster, but I think it's from somebody who knows you and how much. I know how he can do a dressage test. I don't think the Burley dressage test is synonymous with what he's actually capable of. So it's working out that, isn't it, of what he could do at those big occasions. That.
• 48:36
  Speaker B: That's my plan. My plan is to do a bit
• 48:41
  Speaker A: more
• 48:44
  Speaker B: British dressage over the winter and try and do some more complex tests so that when I come to do a four star test or a five star test eventing, it's actually quite easy in comparison.
• 48:55
  Speaker A: Does he anticipate the moves? Because a lot of, like the top
• 48:59
  Speaker B: level can't move too much. Not really. Like the walk. The walk. Yes, to a point.
• 49:03
  Speaker A: Point, yeah. Because they do say that, don't they? A lot of top riders won't ride a Grand Prix once they've learned it. They'll ride all the moves individually, but they won't put them together because it stops the horses from anticipating.
• 49:15
  Speaker B: Yeah, and that's like. I didn't ride through that test. Yeah, I rode through elements of it. Richard Davison and Ian Woodhead, who both helped me, are both of the same opinion that you don't run through the whole test, you run through bits of it. So.
• 49:29
  Speaker A: Which I understand it's also hard as well because, like, dressage on grass is very different to, like, Dressage in arenas and what you do in BV and. And there's so much to it. But also you want them. You've got to ask them to be like, fully up for it, fully fit at their fittest at the La la la and enjoy it and then behave. Just be quiet and behave in a dressage test first.
• 49:51
  Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Which is.
• 49:53
  Speaker A: What's the point of it, isn't it? That's the whole point. So you've had a week to reflect.
• 50:01
  Speaker B: Yes.
• 50:01
  Speaker A: What are your burly reflections? Honest. Naked truth.
• 50:07
  Speaker B: Naked truth is I had a really lovely time.
• 50:11
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 50:12
  Speaker B: And that is my main thing. I want him to enjoy himself. I want him to have a fun time and I want to have a fun time. That is the most important part of it. And that's what we did. So that is a big win.
• 50:26
  Speaker A: I.
• 50:27
  Speaker B: The dressage could have been better. The cross country. I don't think I could have gone any faster this time, but I want to try and make it so that I can go quicker next time or have the confidence to. Because I think this thing in my head about him not making the distance, I can now park that a little bit. Because he does make the distance each time and he really does try.
• 50:51
  Speaker A: He's gone clear around his oaths. Bound three, five style does. Not many horses can say that.
• 50:56
  Speaker B: Yeah, I know. It's incredible. Absolutely incredible. And. And I. And also another reflection is I'm just. I'm so grateful for the support. The support has been from. From my own team, from my family, from my friends, but also from listeners to the podcast, people that watch my videos on YouTube, that follow me on Instagram and on Facebook. The support has been absolutely incredible. And the messages that have been sent, hundreds of messages that have been sent of people being lovely and 100% to
• 51:32
  Speaker A: me to tell you, hundreds.
• 51:34
  Speaker B: But this is it. And I feel bad because I haven't been able to respond to all of them. But. But, yeah, but they're so gratefully received. And like, like, like I said, there's been one not very nice comment that
• 51:46
  Speaker A: I've seen you ride like shit.
• 51:49
  Speaker B: You ride like a sack. Oh, thanks very much.
• 51:52
  Speaker A: So one of my favorite insults I ever heard was to a friend of mine when someone turned around when they were in a fight and said, you've got a face like a dropped pie. So at least they didn't call me that.
• 52:04
  Speaker B: Anyway, I'm sorry if that's going through the whole course. This is a little bit.
• 52:09
  Speaker A: No, I love it. If I was bored, I'd tell you to shut up. I absolutely love it and I think it's good because you're seeing it from a different. You're taking your time telling us about it. And I love it. And I think, think. I think that's the problem with trying to introduce new people to our sport. I mean, I've just come back from Spruce Meadows and if anyone's interested, go and watch the in out show because we did a lot of analysis and I tried to. I couldn't move from my spot and get in the course because we lost signal through my. Because I was live to Germany, I was trying to explain the course in a different way. Not just, oh, that's an oxa, that's an upright, like you would do, that's a corner, that's a brush. Try and explain that you've got to have that certain canter for that fence or that's a massive water fence coming off a rollback, so you don't have the time to gallop to it. So you'll see the riders choosing different lines because they haven't got the time to get to it. And I think understanding the intricacies of something in a fun way like you do, it really helps people understand how difficult it is or why it's so cool to watch. Because if you're going, oh, I know Simon's coming to that, and that was really tricky last time he did it. So this time he's going to sit up and kick a little bit or help the horse out there. They know what to look for. They're not just looking for you to get over the fence. And then when you start to understand that you can be invested in it and start to love it. And I think that's what I would love to see more in commentary and in our sport. And I think that's what Nicola and Tina do very well. It's not just, oh, didn't they jump that well, like, oh, and Tina's saying, oh, he made a bit of a meal of that. Do you know what I mean? Honestly, Trying to hurt your feelings.
• 53:37
  Speaker B: But yeah, no, absolutely not. It's really good, honest commentary. And, you know, and Nicola's really, as you're doing it, explaining what people are doing. It's really good stuff, really.
• 53:50
  Speaker A: And they can say it because they've done it. I think that's what's so wonderful. Because, I mean, again, how Tina's never won a five star, I have absolutely no idea. But she's got an Olympic bronze medal with. He was just called Henry. What was his course called Miners Frolic minus Frolic. Do you know what I mean? So it's not like she can't talk with utterances, expertise. Like there's nothing she hasn't done herself. Like, she's never. Like she's got it wrong so she can talk about it. And I just think they're brilliant. I mean, I cannot say how wonderful they are from a. Like what the plan is next point of view. Like, you've done. Not only have you completed three, five stars with him, you've completed the three, two, the two tough ones. Don't get me wrong, they're all five stars. All the five stars. The five stars. They're all a master.
• 54:39
  Speaker B: Yeah, they're all much of a muchness, I think.
• 54:41
  Speaker A: Yeah. But is there any bit of you that thinks, do you know what, let's go and have a go at Lamoulin or a Poe or even a. Let's get you to Kentucky. Like, I think there wouldn't be so many crowds cheering you there, I think.
• 54:58
  Speaker B: Well, I. Yeah, I think we. I think we'll aim for badminton again. Yeah. You know, without being to saying too much about it, like, financially running this horse is tough and, you know, we're not made of money. We. We are looking into sponsorship, which is exciting to be able to carry on running him. But, you know, midway through this year, it was looking very questionable as to whether we were. As to whether we were going to. Going to be able to go to Burley at all. Because, you know, because from a financial point of view, it's really expensive, so. And again, that's another thing, which is why I'm so excited when we are there, that I know how hard it is to be there from every element, like, to have the horse sound, to have the horse confident, to have you confident, to have. Have found a horse that actually is capable of doing it, that actually wants to do it, that isn't going to enjoy it, that you can afford to actually be able to do it. There's so many elements of it, so many reasons why you shouldn't be able. You can't do it. So that's why I'm so excited. So, yeah, I mean, going to Kentucky, I mean, that would be an amazing experience, but we can't afford that.
• 56:11
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 56:14
  Speaker B: So, yeah, I'm trying to explain this to the kids and I do love. And badminton is. Badminton is the.
• 56:20
  Speaker A: It's the one, isn't it?
• 56:21
  Speaker B: It's creme de la creme, isn't it? Yeah, it's amazing. And I'd Quite like to go there again and try and do a better job because I didn't do a good enough job last year.
• 56:28
  Speaker A: I was trying to explain this to the kids. This is very sweet, by the way. You're gonna like this. So at Spruce Meadows, I was chatting to, to one one of the best riders in the world. I'm not going to say who he is because I don't want to betray a confidence. But once we finished the interview, he was saying to me about how he. I've seen him produce this horse. I've chatted many a time about the horse. And he was saying to me about how the owner was keeps wanting to sell it and how much this horse is worth and, and we're talking in the millions. And he would like obviously wants to keep this horse is amazing horse and everything. And I was trying to explain this to the kids because every time he jumps a good round on this horse, this horse is worth more money. So then the owner's like, okay, now we can sell it for this much. So trying to explain to people watching or the kids like the better he does, the more likely he is he's going to lose the ride. And Gregor was like, holy fuck. Imagine having to go into what is the toughest of the Rolex Grand Slam series, Corsica. I cannot tell you how tough Spruce baddoes is. It's just an extraordinary event. Extraordinary. I know I've banged on about it before, but it really is really is amazing to go in there not only wanting to do well and achieve, but knowing if I pull off a clear on this horse, this horse is probably.
• 57:44
  Speaker B: This horse is worth so much more money.
• 57:46
  Speaker A: Yeah. And I'm probably never going to ride it again. So it's like a double edged sword. And do you know what the first things my kids said, Simon? My first thing my kids said, it was mainly James and Delilah both said, said mummy. Does Simon own Buster? Because I think they were worried that if you do well on Buster that he's going to get sold from underneath you.
• 58:05
  Speaker B: How cute is that? I know, it made me get emotional. No, Buster is owned by Jerry Tor and Elie Makel and Jerry bred him. And Jerry absolutely loves that horse. Like she has, she's, it's a love affair. He's like her child. Like he can do no wrong. He is just um, let's just say that that's not fair. She's, she's, she's completely realistic about him but like she absolutely adores him and she just, she doesn't want to sell Him. We've had. We've had these discussions before, and she's just like, why would I want to sell him? Like, she says, I love watching you with him, and you guys have got such a good, great relationship. Why would I send him to somebody else? He might not like that. That would kill me inside. If he went to somebody that he didn't like or they didn't like him. She said, so I'm not prepared to risk that. And I would say that horse is worth a lot of money right now.
• 58:55
  Speaker A: Now.
• 58:56
  Speaker B: So, you know, she's. Yeah, she's a star.
• 59:01
  Speaker A: I know. And that is. I mean, that is where, again, like, that element of it is luck. You're not riding around. And I think it is more in the show jumping world, maybe even the dressage world. But that thought of, I'm going to ride and do my best and do the best by the horse and do everything, but the better I do, the more likely is I'll lose the ride on this horse and it. And again, especially if you're attached to it. That must be awful.
• 59:21
  Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. But unless that's how you make your money, you know, and you. You. That's how you work your business.
• 59:29
  Speaker A: Yeah. And it just. Yeah, it made me. It was very sweet that my kids, their first thought was worried about you.
• 59:36
  Speaker B: Oh, that is really cute. That's really cute.
• 59:39
  Speaker A: Isn't that really cute? Oh, right. Yeah. So you need to get in the. Get on Spruce Meadows. So at Spruce Meadows, I got invited by lovely Ashley, who is the press officer. Can I just say happy birthday to her? Because it was her birthday during Spruce. Bruce. She's just one of these wonderful humans. You know, you meet really nice people and people just go out of their way to be nice to you, and they don't have to. She's just one of those. Anyway, I got invited to the posh riders thing. And on the invite is they. Last year they had Michael Buble, and this year everyone was terribly excited because they were like, oh, my God, this year. And the guy on the invite is called Blake Shelton. And I was like, I have no idea who this is. And they were like, what? And no one in the press office could believe I didn't know who he was. He's huge. I Instagrammed him, like, 5.6 million followers. He's like this huge country star, very good friends with Michael Buble, apparently married to Gwen Stefani. I was like, oh, I know Gwen Stefani is. But yeah. So I was the laughingstock of the bloody press office because I had absolutely no idea who he was. So I.
• 1:00:40
  Speaker B: Was he Amazing.
• 1:00:41
  Speaker A: It was amazing. He's really good. He should do it for a living. He was amazing. It was like this intimate concert with this, like, superstar. He's so charismatic. It was amazing. And I ended up just, like, standing there, and then someone would move in front of me so I'd move a little bit further forward. And there was. Obviously, it wasn't a big crowd. And by the end of it, I'd ended up at his feet. I was at the feet of Blake, right underneath him, like, oh, look. So I took a couple of photos and sent it to my Canadian friend going, do you know who this chap is? Any idea? Because I'm having a wonderful time. He's very good. She lost her shit. She was like, oh, my God, I cannot believe you're listening to Blake Shelton. He's like my childhood hero. Like, I was like, oh, lucky thing.
• 1:01:22
  Speaker B: That's so cool.
• 1:01:24
  Speaker A: But that's why then I messaged you guys from the concert going, you guys have to come to Spruce. Like, this is. This is pretty cool.
• 1:01:31
  Speaker B: I mean, I'd love to go to Spruce Meadows. I mean, I've heard about it for years and, you know. Yeah, sounds like an amazing place to go.
• 1:01:39
  Speaker A: Yeah, you need to come and just. Yeah, immerse yourself in it. Like, get in that course and just see it's another level. Another level. Yeah, it was. It's pretty. Pretty incredible. Yeah. It was good fun, though, because Jack Whittaker was there, and again, this is, again, things people don't realize. So Michael Whittaker was there because he's Jack's dad with his parents there, and I was like, I'll do Michael. I'll do. So I love Michael. I've known him for years and then chatting away, and I was like, love this horse. Jack Whittaker's horse is actually called Jack. Jack. Incredible horse. And I was like, you've got. You've got any? Because I hadn't seen much of Michael recently. And I was like. He was like, yeah, well, we can't afford all of them. And this one suits him, so he's riding this one. Sorry for my accent, guys, but it just shows. Michael Whitaker is having to make the choice between his horse it horse for him, a horse for his son, and that's where. That's where he's going.
• 1:02:28
  Speaker B: And it's just like, they're a good team, those guys.
• 1:02:31
  Speaker A: They really are. And Jack was amazing. Jack was amazing.
• 1:02:35
  Speaker B: He's brilliant. He's A brilliant jockey. Jack is.
• 1:02:37
  Speaker A: Oh, incredible.
• 1:02:39
  Speaker B: He jumps locally all the time. I see him very often. He's exceptional.
• 1:02:43
  Speaker A: He is exceptional. And then. And he said he'd come on the podcast, which is excellent.
• 1:02:48
  Speaker B: Oh, brilliant.
• 1:02:49
  Speaker A: And then I spoke to anyone who's into show jumping. If you don't know who these people are, look up the Philaparts family. Ludo is a legend of show jumping. And then his sons all ride. Nicola, Olivier, the twins. Just. Just look up Nicola. Philippa. Arts for me, people. You're. You're welcome. Can I just say, you're welcome. He's actually dating Jessica Springsteen. Oh, good God. I've had to film with him a few times. I just stare at him. And then their youngest brother, Thibaut, and I interviewed Tebow and I was like, what was your dad's advice before going in this legend of the sport? And he was like, leave them up. Go fast.
• 1:03:24
  Speaker B: Well, good advice.
• 1:03:27
  Speaker A: I know it's excellent. But that's what I love. I love the behind the scenes stuff and. And that's why I was sad not to be at Burley, because I love, like, for me, I love seeing you guys with your horses. Like, the passion and the love, but also the fun. But let's before we go, because we need to know what's annoyed you this week. Talk about Gemma Stevens.
• 1:03:47
  Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Wasn't that amazing? Wasn't that amazing?
• 1:03:49
  Speaker A: How's it 5 been more deserved? Yeah.
• 1:03:52
  Speaker B: I mean, she did a brilliant job. She, like, her dressage was. She did the most phenomenal job in her dressage. She did. She milked it for every single mark and really insane. Like, really showed her experience. And then cross country, I gather there were moments which were a little bit sketchy, but she was all the time. She's just so competitive and so bold and so brave and just gets on with it and like, really, like, good honor. And then the show jumping, she had like three fences in hand or something, didn't she? But she still went out there and jumped that clear around. Like she finished on her dressage score.
• 1:04:36
  Speaker A: Good.
• 1:04:36
  Speaker B: Good woman. Like, absolutely amazing. Good for her.
• 1:04:39
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 1:04:40
  Speaker B: So pleased for her.
• 1:04:41
  Speaker A: So please, so pleased for her because that is like. Is it a monkey on your back or whatever they call it? Like, I feel like she's just like. Especially because she had that amazing horse, Arctic Soul Spike, and I felt like she felt she'd never done him justice by winning him a five star and getting him the accolades that he. Oh, this is when we need Ben to be more eloquent than me. But I felt like she had this amazing horse and she never quite got the. That moment of glory that he deserved. And I think she. I'm speaking for her. We'll get her on. She can say it. But I think, like, again, then having another amazing horse and having, like, just putting that to bed and being like, I can do it. I can do these horses justice. And. Yeah. Was it. I saw you jumping in and giving her a hug. I was on the camera. You hugging her?
• 1:05:33
  Speaker B: Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, God, she had everyone around her, so I was like. I just. I did want to. Cause she was so sweet to me when we were at the briefing and the drinks thing as well. Cause I. She was like, oh, I know you were a bit disappointed with your dressage. She gave me a little cuddle and was very sweet about it. So I really wanted to be. And I really wanted to be there just like, to kind of cheer her in, which. So, yeah. Which is really nice.
• 1:05:55
  Speaker A: And also putting arcann to bed because.
• 1:05:57
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 1:05:58
  Speaker A: Didn't have the greatest arcan.
• 1:06:01
  Speaker B: Yeah. And she's. Yeah. And her jumping is going really well. She's on a roll at the minute. She's on a roll, which is great.
• 1:06:08
  Speaker A: Well, congratulations to Jem. So, Simon, grieve to finish this off. What has annoyed you this week?
• 1:06:17
  Speaker B: I was just driving home just now and I drove through one of the villages.
• 1:06:21
  Speaker A: It's always driving for you.
• 1:06:23
  Speaker B: I saw. Yeah. And I saw a lady in high vis, clearly with a daughter. Also in high vis with another daughter cycling, which is fine. Although it was getting quite late. It was getting a little bit dark by this point. The sun was really low. And I was like, I'm not really sure you guys should be out on the road right now. But anyway, whatever. And then. So I slowed right down and then they were on a. On a curb, on a bend. So I waited and I waited and then I crept past really, really slowly and went past this woman and I just didn't even get acknowledged.
• 1:06:59
  Speaker A: Really annoys me.
• 1:07:00
  Speaker B: And I just. And I find that. I find it really. And I. I went to stop and I was like, actually, this is a dangerous place to stop. So actually, I'm not going to stop.
• 1:07:08
  Speaker A: Stop.
• 1:07:09
  Speaker B: But I really wanted to just say please, please thank people for slowing down for us. Like, it's like, it doesn't take much. It doesn't take much to acknowledge somebody else. I know that you're worrying about your kids being in the right place or whatever, but you. It's absolutely imperative that you thank people for slowing down for You. Because it just pisses off the general public and they make. They think even more that we're knobs. So they think that anyway. And you know, like, if you can be, you know, they're gonna carry, potentially that driver might then carry on and be like, you know what? Last time they didn't say anything. They didn't even acknowledge me. So I sort of. I'm not even going to slow down. I just find that really, I think it's quite selfish.
• 1:07:47
  Speaker A: Yeah, you wouldn't like Canada. People don't say thank you over here because like, they just walk in front of you. You're like, what? That is a good one. I like that. I'm trying. I've got a few things that have annoyed me this week.
• 1:07:59
  Speaker B: One of them go for it.
• 1:08:01
  Speaker A: I don't have. I like, I'm sorry. Spitting. Spitting in public. What the fuck? When is that ever? Okay. I was walking past just some member of the public in Spruce Meadows and he. I was like, right, right next to me, like, it's not like. Like if you've got something in your mouth or a flies thrown into your gob, then absolutely hand over, like indiscreetly spit it out. But just spitting, like, it drives me mad. My son did it once. I think he'd seen footballer do it. And I was like. I nearly had him adopted. I was like, no, he will go to boarding school if you fucking do shit like that. Like, it's unacceptable. You do not spit. It's awful. So spitting has annoyed me. Just. I just don't. Is that not like. Is that unusual to hate spitting? I just. It really drives me mad.
• 1:08:50
  Speaker B: Yeah. No, I'm not a fan. Not a fan of spitting. It's just not sometimes, like, I've been known to spit quite a lot when I'm running.
• 1:08:59
  Speaker A: When you're what?
• 1:09:00
  Speaker B: Running.
• 1:09:01
  Speaker A: Running. But I'm sure you just don't do it in front of someone at their feet.
• 1:09:04
  Speaker B: Oh, God, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, no. It's like when I'm out on a long run and I'm like, you know, and you get a bit too much phlegm going on.
• 1:09:15
  Speaker A: Bit too much phlegm. And then my other thing that's annoyed me is my inability to just have a glass of wine now at this age without it ruining everything. Like one, maybe two glasses of wine. That's it. Can I sleep? No. Do I get a headache the next day? Yes.
• 1:09:32
  Speaker B: Yes. Oh, no. Fucking hell.
• 1:09:35
  Speaker A: Life.
• 1:09:35
  Speaker B: Oh, Jenny. That's disappointing because it's a bit of a That's quite a nice thing in life for you, isn't it? Having a glass of wine.
• 1:09:41
  Speaker A: I do. Like on a Friday or a Saturday night, little glass of wine, don't drink much anymore and it's like, oh, you can't have chocolate. So it's going to go on your hips and raise your blood sugar. You can't have caffeine because it gives you anxiety. Now one glass of sodding wine and I've got. I'm up at 3 o' clock in the morning questioning my life choices, hating myself, got double anxiety. And then I wake up in the morning, I want more coffee, which gives me more anxiety and quite frankly the whole world can just off. Oh, I think I need some estrogen. Just. So we had two glasses of wine on the Blake Sheldon night night and I woke up and I was like awake at like 5 o' clock in the morning, just like Lana.
• 1:10:21
  Speaker B: Were you really hungover?
• 1:10:23
  Speaker A: Yeah, I was a little bit. And I only had literally two glasses of wine. It was a free bar as well, Simon. Do you know how hard that is for me? It was a free bar. I knew I had to work the next day. A free bar.
• 1:10:33
  Speaker B: Showing bad luck.
• 1:10:35
  Speaker A: I know.
• 1:10:36
  Speaker B: I mean, I could think of worse things to happen.
• 1:10:38
  Speaker A: Yeah, you, they were doing gin cocktails, Simon. You would have been in heaven.
• 1:10:42
  Speaker B: Oh, that sounds good.
• 1:10:44
  Speaker A: I know. And there were so many drunk riders and I wish I could tell you all the gossip, but I really can't because I'll lose all my jobs.
• 1:10:49
  Speaker B: No, you can't. No, don't, because you'll just, you'll. You'll get yourself in serious. No one's going to ever be interviewed ever again if you do that.
• 1:10:54
  Speaker A: I know. I'll tell you off camera anyway. Right. The Burley Special. I just want to say, and on behalf of all our listeners as well, who adore you, I am so proud of you because it is really tough and I really would love people to listen even if you going, oh, I don't know who she is, blah, blah, blah. The Elisa Wallace episode that went out before this one, she talks about how she fell at the last fence and got pulled up because her horse was exhausted. And I just really want people to listen to that episode because as you know, and she talks about it quite a lot of depth. The competitor hat and the horsemanship hat. The horseman should always win, but in that moment you don't always know. And she explains why it happened and how no one hated herself more and how the death threats she received and she Cries about it even still now, even though it was a long time ago. And I think that's one of the things that you always worry about as well, isn't it? How do I know which hat has to win at that moment in time? Because in that moment, the adrenaline, the everything. And it is. And you are always worried about doing right by your horse and. And I just think it is super hard what you have to do. And I don't think people ever really understand unless you're doing it, how hard it is. So just very proud of you.
• 1:12:16
  Speaker B: Oh, thank you. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, the horse comes first always. And, you know, rosettes and prizes and prize money are all great, but it should never be to the detriment of the horse.
• 1:12:32
  Speaker A: No, no. And I think that's like, oh, you have to listen to the episode. Because she just. She didn't. He was jumping so well and she didn't even like. Yeah, anyway, go and listen to the episode and she explains it. But, yeah, it's just the horse. And I'm just glad that Buster's all happy and he's happy.
• 1:12:49
  Speaker B: Yeah, no, he's good and he's not. He's very good.
• 1:12:53
  Speaker A: Right?
• 1:12:53
  Speaker B: Hopefully not. Hopefully not.
• 1:12:55
  Speaker A: You beautiful human. Please make sure you like.
• 1:12:59
  Speaker B: Thanks for listening, everybody.
• 1:13:01
  Speaker A: Yay, Lovely Benji. He's gonna be back on the next episode. Please make sure you like and share it. I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks, tickets to our tour are going to go on sale, so please make sure you come to that. And you've got a couple of demos as well coming up, haven't you, Simi? Simi?
• 1:13:17
  Speaker B: I have, yeah. I've got one at Moulton College in Northampton, Northamptonshire, that's coming on the 23rd of September. So go on, horse monkey. If you want to buy statistics tickets. And then I'm doing another. I'm doing a clinic in Scotland. That's gonna be December.
• 1:13:32
  Speaker A: Can you do that?
• 1:13:33
  Speaker B: Scotland, Bonnie? Scotland. Can't wait. I'll just love Scotland. It's gonna be great fun. Yeah. Aberdeen and Aberdeen. I. Yeah, Aberdeen.
• 1:13:42
  Speaker A: That's quite a long way. I guess you have to fly up there.
• 1:13:45
  Speaker B: Yeah, I'm gonna fly up, yeah.
• 1:13:47
  Speaker A: Oh, that's super exciting. Right, you gorgeous human. You fabulous human.
• 1:13:52
  Speaker B: And you, you're a fabulous human, too.
• 1:13:54
  Speaker A: Oh, I'm a very tired human. I got back from Calgary very late last night and being live on TV and very cold. But congratulations to Ben Meyer, who, by the way, won the Spruce Meadows with a arm he could barely move because the day before in the Nation's Cup. He fell off at the first fence and properly creamed in.
• 1:14:12
  Speaker B: Oh, no.
• 1:14:13
  Speaker A: And he hurt his shoulder so badly. And then went on to jump three rounds in Spruce Meadows because it went to a jump off with six riders on four folds. No one went double clear. And Ben went in the jump off and he took a fucking stride out to the last. Bold, having fallen off at a first fence the day before, galloped. And you see riders coming to the last and they gallop, but they always take a bit of a pull. And he didn't. He pressed and jumped to meter 60, taking a stride and out.
• 1:14:44
  Speaker B: I mean, that was brave.
• 1:14:47
  Speaker A: That was brave. I mean, unbelievable. Unbelievable. And he couldn't even lift his arm up like insane. So, yeah, go watch that, people. Right, all that is left to say. I'm gonna try and do a Scottish accent. Can I do one shot sharp and read sharp and read sharp and read. All right, love you guys.
• 1:15:07
  Speaker B: Love you.
• 1:15:08
  Speaker A: Bye Bye, Sam.