Alice Casburn admitted to a hard time managing expectations for human and horse on her return to the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.
Casburn, 22, has finished fifth and seventh on her two previous trips to the fabled 5* event, establishing herself as one of the premier young eventers in the country.
But mount Topspin was slightly worse off after this year’s dressage phase, with the crucial cross-country leg playing on both of their minds.
“Lots to like there and lots I’d rather didn’t happen,” said Norwich's Casburn.
“He’s been really excited to be here all week so I had a little inkling that somewhere in the test he might be excited for the cross-country day and not really listen to what was going on.
“But actually I normally get a score of 37 with a clear round so to get that with a lot of movement, definitely the marks were thrown around a little bit, that shows the rest of the work is getting better which is really pleasing.
“He normally loves it here, I love it here, it’s kind of a local for me so you want to do well. I feel more pressure because I know that typically on paper he’s called a Badminton-Burghley horse.
“I think knowing I can go out there and do a good job on Saturday definitely puts more pressure on than our first year when I just wanted to get around and have that completion under my belt.”
As well as her riding, Casburn plays a big role at home on the family farm. She applied for and deferred a place at university twice, choosing instead to focus on the horses.
“I was doing my A-levels when Covid hit and mum had the yard at home so I started doing more of the horses at home, I’ve always really loved doing that but never thought it was really something I could do full time because it’s quite expensive and you need a lot of manpower,” she said.
“Then when it came to going to uni it wasn’t so much that I wanted to do horses I just couldn’t imagine waking up every morning not being able to ride. That’s when I decided this is what I want to do so I’m full time now.”
Competing at Burghley was always one of Casburn’s biggest dreams as a child, having attended the event as a spectator throughout her childhood.
“I’ve been coming here ever since I was tiny,” she added. “I’m pretty sure I was here in a pushchair one year. It’s just the atmosphere and everything’s incredible. I still look around now at all the people that are still my idols and they’re in the same stable yard as me.
“It’s really motivating and pretty surreal. It’s really motivating to have these events in the calendar every year because it’s just beautiful.”
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk
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