Tigger, formally known as Massachusetts in his previous career as a race horse, has been part of the Henderson family for 7 years! My sister bought Tigger in 2012 from a race horse trainer out of a field to give her some experience riding over national hunt fences. Tigger’s highest placing at this point was 3rd out of 11 in a selling hurdle at Stratford in August 2010. Not exactly the schoolmaster we wanted for Georgia but they do come with bigger price tags then some houses! The trainer she was based with kindly agreed to train him and that was the start of our journey with Tigger! 

 

Out of his 14 starts with us Tigger won one race at Stratford Upon Avon with a professional jump jockey and my sister enjoyed a 4th place in a hurdle race. Tigger retired sound from racing in Autumn 2015 and has remained with my sister since. 

 

In all honesty I had very little to do with Tig until August 2018. Tigger was coming back from his loan home, my sister didn’t have the time for him due to uni and somehow I ended up with him. At first I didn’t really see eye to eye with Tig. He was and still is a miserable little monster in his stable. His stable ‘manners’ I could put up with as it was his attitude to work though drove me mad. Tigger was challenging in the school. He would try most things to avoid working, I never felt in danger and have so far not fallen off him due to one of his tantrums. He would completely evade anything I asked by applying the breaks whilst just on the flat, napping and rushing polework. Fortunately for Tigger I am not easily put off and my mum loves him so it means the world to her when she sees him doing stuff. 

 

It was after Christmas I started to see positive changes. There were less arguments and when we were working as a partnership Tigger felt good. Slowly but surely Tigger got better and easier to ride, on a good day he felt super and on a not so good day he was still well behaved. 

 

The horse that arrived last August is very different to the horse we have now who has jumped a few British Novices, competed his first one day event and has successfully taken part in dressage competitions. I can’t wait to share more of our story and keep you up to date with Tigger's progress. 

 

Jaymee x