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Pinch me – did that really happen? This isn’t the kind of story you read very often so when Georgie got in touch with her real-life story of a Pony Club horse going round the toughest course in the world, we had to share it. You’ve probably heard of this particular V8 Super Cob…
It wouldn’t be unfair to say Mulry is a true cob. A Clydesdale cross thoroughbred, the result of an accident on a star-filled night in a field in Ireland. 11 months after the Thoroughbred stallion escaped, Mulry was born. I remember as a youngster he wasn’t anything to look at and when my friend Vanessa and her mum, Sallie, bought him as a five-year-old to do Pony Club and general hacking, I was a bit shocked they'd bought him!
But then you saw him jump. So careful, precise and he always tried his best for you. He was also a great character and liked being the centre of attention. Vanessa’s mum took over the reins on Mulry and did some Novice Eventing, her lifetime goal was to do a Novice International at Tattersalls. Just before the trip to Tattersalls, we were at Eland Lodge watching the cross-country phase, and Mulry, who was normally so careful in this phase, misread a Trakehner and Sallie ended up in the ditch, unhurt but a bit shook up. Understandably, Sallie decided to hand over the reins to her trainer Ben Hobday for Tattersalls International. Mulry and Ben had a storming round and Ben came back gushing about Mulry saying how he would do intermediate easily.
Fast forward a few years, they’d done some intermediates, some two-star events (as they were known then), and before we knew it, Ben and Mulry were flying around Advanced courses and had entered Bramham three-day event. How was this half shire horse with hooves the size of dinner plates now going to Bramham three-star? A successful trip around Bramham and other international events led to a Burghley qualification. Was this happening? A pet, a Pony Club horse had qualified to go round one of the toughest courses in the world?
Mulry’s Error went on to complete Burghley and Badminton on numerous occasions with Ben Hobday in the saddle and being behind the scenes at these events was an incredible experience, a real once in a lifetime opportunity - all thanks to an amazing horse and some very kind friends.
The admiration I have for Mulry, who isn’t even my horse, is incredible. He has the heart of a lion, the personality of a prince and has made so many people’s dreams come true. He could teach us all a few life lessons; don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough, not the right size, not talented enough. If you believe, try your heart out and trust those around you, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
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