Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2016 | Page 79

Equestrian

guidance of trainer Lizzie Murray,
daughter of dressage legend
Jennie Loriston Clarke.
Now nine, Hotmale, or Hugo as
he is known at home, is lucky to be
alive, so everything they achieve
together is a special bonus. When
he was four, he had entrapment
of the small intestine, which
resulted in nearly all his intestine
being removed at Liphook Equine
Hospital. ‘Really, he shouldn’t
be here, says Dawn, ‘he has the
minimum amount intestine left
that a horse can function on.’
“He was showing symptoms
of poisoning. The intestine was
dying, and the incision became
infected. Six months later he had
to have a hernia operation and
now he has a mesh to support
his tummy and prevent another
hernia,’ Dawn says calmly.
Hotmale has qualified
for Petplan Elementary
Championships and should
qualify for the British Dressage
Elementary regionals 2017. He
and Dawn are sponsored by Nikki

Collinson, an Island-based animal
and human chiropractor, who has
helped the pair extensively over
the years.
Now there are 14 horses in
Dawn’s yard. She’s just bought
a two-year-old colt bred for
showjumping and she’s going
to work with Karen Ledger’s
four-year-old Irish Sports Horse,
LSS Grenada, which has plenty

of ability. “I’m so grateful to my
Mum, Dad (John), my brother
Wayne and my fiance Mike for
all their never-ending support,
which has enabled me to build up
my business and compete to the
standard I have,” says Dawn, who
is yet to set a date for her wedding
to Mike.
“My nickname is ‘last minute’”
she says and laughs.

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