Big emotions on a big stage for Hans Peter & Invictus

Sometimes it is not so easy in our sport, because even if a rider already has a lot of experience, his horse may not yet have it. The many new experiences, the big arena, definitely also a certain inner tension, whether everything will go well or not; all this is felt by our horses.

Invictus is a stallion with a lot of potential. He’s wonderful to ride, he’s eager, strong and elegant, but he’s also still young and has little experience. You could see and feel all this today at the CHIO in Rotterdam. Already when he entered the arena, he was completely overwhelmed by the imposing arena and the backdrop of the audience at the biggest dressage show in the Netherlands.

Hans Peter nevertheless thanked the CHIO audience: “Our horses are living beings, they need time and a lot of experience to grow and learn. For Invictus and me, today was not the performance we had dreamt of, but an important step in the right direction. So a big thank you to the great audience here at the CHIO Rotterdam; we’ll do our best next time.”

Hans Peter Minderhoud and Invictus. © Arnd Bronkhorst