Like A Good Wine, They Get Better With Age

Apr. 10,2013

PJ McGinnis

On Monday, ProEquest gave you an exclusive look at a morning with Rich Fellers and Flexible at home on their Oregon farm. Now, find out more about the reigning World Cup Champion of Show Jumping before this famous pair returns to Europe in just two weeks to defend their title:

As this year’s winter circuit came to an end, most horses got enjoy a few relaxed weeks with lots of sunny spring turnout and grass. And while the packed schedules of the top North American horses continue, the luckiest of these show jumpers got the best of both worlds while they prepared to fly across the Atlantic for the 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final.

Riders and trainers have worked all circuit to perfect the ideal combination of training, fitness, and maintenance that will help their qualified mounts peak at the upcoming Final in Göteborg, Sweden, April 25 – 28th.

Nevermind that they're both towards the older end of the spectrum; the most infamous partnership might be 54-year-old Rich Fellers and 17-year-old Flexible, who let us know that they’re a force to be reckoned with when they claimed victory at last year’s Rolex/FEI World Cup Final. Their huge win in 2012 was emotional and inspiring to say the very least, especially considering the fact that many vets believed Flexible would never return to competition after several soundness and injury issues.

Owned by Harry and Mollie Chapman, the Irish Sport Horse did not have just one, but two extremely unusual conditions that threatened his international show jumping career in years past, but Fellers’ incredible horsemanship and patience helped his partner make a remarkable and exciting recovery. Despite a blocked vein in his front leg, a fractured scapula, a suspensory injury, and a torn inferior check ligament, nothing was able to stop the stallion from returning to the grand prix ring. Fellers made sure to give Flexible the time he needed to heal naturally, and proved that successful rehabilitation and recovery programs require putting the welfare of the horse first, no matter what.

Apart from the use of angioplasty- a common technique to fix blocked veins in humans and small mammals, but never before used in an equine- the majority of Flexible’s recoveries were successful through patience and traditional techniques. His owners let him rest at the Fellers’ farm in Oregon and never pushed him to quickly return to work in the ring.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, Flexible was soaring over fences again like he had never missed a beat, and he brought home more wins than ever before. Between representing Team USA at the 2012 London Olympic Games with consistent rounds and claiming the first American victory of the World Cup Jumping Final in 25 years, it’s clear that this 17-year-old stallion refuses to be written off as “too old” for his job. Seven years after he was injured, the results speak for themselves and continue to highlight Flexible’s determination and proven longevity. His laundry list of grand prix wins is even more impressive when you consider the minimalist approach that Fellers uses to keep his mount sound, fit, and happy.

Fellers and Flexible competing in the Thermal $1 Million Grand Prix on March 17th. Photo ©ProEquest

In this current day and age of show jumping, there are hundreds of available medications and therapies that people use to keep horses comfortable, ranging from basic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to extravagant hydrotherapy spas (yes, this is for the horse… not the rider!) Jumping huge tracks at the 1.50 – 1.60 meter level definitely takes a toll on a horse’s body, so people are constantly searching for new ways to help keep our animals comfortable and sound.

Considering the hundreds of feed supplements, fancy magnetic blankets and expensive acupuncture sessions etc., it’s a little ironic to think that the 2012 Rolex FEI World Cup Champion eats boring rolled oats and cannot be bothered with endless massage/acupuncture/spa appointments because he’s busy grazing out in the field!

The sixteen-hand Olympic jumper goes in “normal” steel shoes and doesn’t require any exotic therapies, expensive treatments, or feed; fancy that!! His right leg will swell up every now and then, but the horse remains sound and it’s nothing that a $3 bag of ice can’t help fix.

Flexible's feed card on the front of his stall bears evidence of his basic management program. The bottom "Rx" line reads: Sat. Bran Mash. Photo ©Cheval Photos

Instead of complicating the horse’s daily routine, Fellers simply focuses on fitness and consistency with the stallion by varying the intensity of his flatwork depending on their show schedule. This relaxed style of managing and preparing an aging Olympic horse may seem old school in the current show jumping industry, but there’s no doubt that it still works! Even with a relatively quiet start to 2013, he’s already secured a win in the $25,000 Smartpak Grand Prix at HITS Desert Circuit in February, and jumped well in the AIG $1 Million Thermal Grand Prix despite one toe-ticked rail.

While this 17-year-old Olympic horse is a textbook example of continual success and longevity, the average age of the horses at this year’s World Cup Final will be about 12 years old. He might be up against horses that are in the prime of their careers, but Flexible’s experience and long-time partnership with Fellers definitely gives him a competitive edge in the ring.

Whether they’re at the Olympic Games, a smaller 1.40m class at Thermal, or the upcoming 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final in April, hats off and cheers to Fellers and Flexible for proving that it’s still possible to be successful through perseverance and good horsemanship skills.