Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2017 | Page 79

Equestrian
GEMMA’S LIFE
ON MARS
He’s not always been the easiest of horses, but to successful
dressage rider Gemma Maddocks, the feisty 12 year-old
Mars is simply out of this world as an equine partner.
Mars, whose competition
name is El Paso Van Overis,
was seven years old and
already competing at
advanced medium level when
Sandown-based Gemma
bought him.
Her trainer Nicola Buchanan had
previously ridden the 16.1 hh gelding
for an owner and mentioned his
potential to Gemma – who at 21 already
had many years of succesful competing
under her belt.
Of her first encounter with Mars, she
recalls: “I rode him and he was brilliant,
powerful and exciting and I didn’t want
to get off!
“He’s not always been the easiest and
has tested me along the way” she added.
“The day we picked Mars up, we went
to Nicola’s yard for a couple of days
training. Two minutes into my first
session, he shot off bronking, ditched
me, then took off, jumped the five bar
gate out of the school and took himself
back to his stable in Nicola’s yard!
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