Burgundy Boy (known to everyone as Bugsy) came into my life as a just backed 4 year old off Exmoor. His TREC career started in 2004 as the guinea pig for a TREC judges course, my introduction to TREC, and his first competition. From there we sped up the levels and competed at Level 4 from 2006 until 2014 and thereafter at Level 3. Living on the edges of Exmoor until 2013 meant that we had wonderful TREC training country. The highlights of his career were a top five placing in the Level 4 National Championships in Pembrokeshire in 2007 and reserve Level 3 champion on home territory at Treborough in 2018. Other than TREC, he was a fixture on many riding club dressage, show jumping and eventing teams, and had a presentable collection of British Dressage novice and elementary points. He loved his work but was happiest bowling along on a loose rein on a POR. He always knew the way back to his trailer wherever it was parked, which was useful on the occasions when I had lost the plot with my map.
His breeding was a mystery on his dam’s side, although his sire was a full thoroughbred racehorse from whom he inherited his weak and flat front feet. There was definitely naughty pony and a bit of Arab in his mix. His TREC career would have been more illustrious if only he could have been kept sound more consistently. It says a lot for his big heart and cheeky character that he was still enjoying dressage, jumping and fun rides (albeit on good going) almost to his 25th birthday. We did not quite make a combined age of 100 but he gave me 21 years of fun and companionship and always tried so hard to do his best at everything.