Michele and Amistad in a pre-Olympic training session at Maizey Manor this summer
I recently discovered some more lost footage of Amistad at training camp in England earlier this year on my phone, and this little gem was so sweet, and yet brought back so many mixed memories, especially for I’m sure for Michelle that I wrote to her and asked her how he was doing, and if it would be alright to post it.
“Amistad is healing really well and he goes out all day; he is sound but seems to miss all the attention he was getting. The Olympics were the most amazing thing to experience, to represent your country is the highest privilege one can receive. The fact that I couldn’t finish the event, and also the bad luck a good team like ours had leaves me with a sense of unfinished business!”
On her website Michele writes that pre-London she was considering a switch to dressage, but those plans have now obviously been put on hold, while Amistad may do dressage once his leg is healed – time will tell.
The day I spent at Canada’s training camp at Maizey Manor a couple of weeks before the Games remains one of my fondest memories of the summer – the camaraderie and team spirit, the quiet, efficient atmosphere, and the happy horses and people seemed to make up all the ingredients for a successful Olympics but alas….
Michele told us a little bit about Amistad that day, about his history as a ‘bucket baby’ because he was weaned from his mother at a week and a half, and here is the little clip of him suckling after he eats, in this case a peppermint!
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Many thanks to Michele for the update and for her permission to post this, and wishing Amistad a long and happy second career whatever that may be. Go Canada and Go Eventing!
