Harry Mutch may be struggling with a swollen ankle after Wednesday’s trot-up but he did not let that affect Thursday’s riding at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

The Whitley Bay rider, 26, twisted his foot after he was pushed onto the grass verge by his horse but still made sure steed Shanbeg Cooley could make his Burghley debut.

Shanbeg Cooley scored 44.8 in the dressage and will be hoping for a better ride in the cross-country, showing his stallions’ jumping strengths on the 5* stage.

“I was trotting a lot and jogging alongside the horse and as he went to walk he pushed into me slightly and pushed me onto the grass verge and I twisted my ankle,” he said.

 

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t walk as long as you can ride.

“It’s his first time, we got a score on the board and we’ve got things to work on and do but to get him in and see the crowds was just great.

“It’s serious, it’s big all the way, there’s a lot of tough questions when the horse will be getting tired.

“All the distances and lines look true and fair enough so as long as we do our job, care for our horses around the track and feel our way then hopefully we have a good ride.”

Mutch will also be riding HD Bronze, who he is aiming to complete on this year following a fall at Cottesmore Leap on his debut last time out in Lincolnshire.

And the equestrian ace puts a lot of his progress down to being based at the yard of the first rider to claim the coveted Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, Pippa Funnell, last year.

“Pip’s been amazing, I was based at hers for a little bit last year, we got together and she’s just a massive help for me,” he said.

“Just to have that experience and someone who knows the place so well is great.

“She wants to give you that experience through it as well and you can’t ask for anything more really.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (31st August - 3 September 2023) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world’s top equestrians and over 170,000 visitors. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk