FIVE-time Olympian Karen O’Connor had this to say when asked about training horses and riders for the cross-country phase:

“Loose jumping is a huge part of our programme. We start the horses off on a [lunge] line doing ditches and water. It improves their footwork and establishes confidence.

“It’s very important to understand the rider’s responsibility. It’s 100% the rider’s responsibility to choose the direction and speed and then work with the horse to find a good take-off spot. Not seeing strides is a ridiculous notion but a rider has to be willing to use a range of take-off spots.

“There is a need for more competitors to be course designers, and for courses to be designed so that in a worst-case weather scenario, the course is still safe and jumpable.”

O’Connor suffered a horrific rotational fall at Morven Park in October 2012 which resulted in several of her thoracic vertebrae being broken. Following what she describes as a life-changing incident, she had two rods and 15 fifteen screws inserted into her back.

“The fall that finished my riding career was the result of rider error. Just 45 minutes earlier, I had jumped the same bounce perfectly, on my 2008 Olympic partner Mandiba, but this time I allowed my mare to get behind the leg and then over-rode from three or four strides away.”