Toddlers and Tiaras, Horse Edition: The Best of Le Lion Social Media, Part One

It’s been all systems go at Le Lion d’Angers this week, where the Young Horse World Championships are well underway and the competition is heating up fast. But it’s always important to enjoy the time you spend in beautiful places with exceptional horses — and that’s just what the riders, grooms and connections behind the scenes are doing. Here’s some of the best snippets of life at Lion from Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Team Ireland were the first to arrive, thereby securing themselves the best possible photo ops in front of the house:

But Estonia wasn’t far behind. The golden rule? No matter what time it is when you get to Le Lion, you take a photo in front of the house. Duh.

As the stables filled up and horses settled into their home for the week, everyone’s true colours started to show:

While others — like Kevin and Emma McNab’s daughter Annabelle — stayed focused on very important jobs. 

Masks are part of the fashion brief at trot-ups these days, and even the ground jury aren’t exempt — but we think they pull of pandemic chic quite marvellously.

Several British riders wore patriotic masks made by the Chalkdown Riding For The Disabled Association branch, as modelled by Tom McEwen:

Spain’s Albert Hermoso Farras had the unfortunate honour of being the only hold at the first trot-up — and his relief on being accepted was palpable and infectious:

Team Italy’s equine members got a bit of extra pampering ahead of the competition: 

…while other horses needed no extra help to feel good, like Caroline Powell’s firecracker Greenacres Special Cavalier, or Cavvy.

Oversized puppy Inchello DHI returns to Le Lion with Yaz Olsson Sanderson to try to go one better than his second place finish here last year.

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Trot up ✔️

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Business lederhosen on the left, sports casual lederhosen on the right. That’s what we call versatility. 

Find yourself a man who looks at you the way Nicolas Touzaint looks at literally any of his horses:

Dutch rider Sanne de Jong has got colour coordination down to a fine art:

Peter Nixon has been hard at work snapping for Horse&Hound:

How to social distance, a primer by Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Kai Steffen Meier:

France’s Camille Lejeune unpacked his grooming kit for a photo:

You can nearly smell the autumn air in this picture, right? Oliver Townend enjoys a quiet schooling session on a crisp morning:

What’s the collective noun for a group of Irish eventers?

Ingrid Klimke and her team enjoy a stroll through the picturesque parkland of the hippodrome:

EquiRatings have made their predictions — but who’s your money on to win?

Some serious #girlpower holding down the fort at the schooling arenas:

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#equestrianstockholm

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“Say CHEEEEESE!” Cavvy and Jip, Caroline Powell’s head girl, show off their best angles:

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🧀

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Arena familiarisation is always best with a stunning sunset creeping in:

Leader of the pack: Tom McEwen throws down the gauntlet on day one. 

Brian Morrison, the saddest man in eventing, looks delighted with Global DHI’s test:

Kitty King struts her stuff with Monbeg Hendricks.

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Monbeg Hendricks test today. Currently in 5th place on 32.4.

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Sweden’s Aria Ramkali wastes no time in getting on course after her test:

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