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“The horse is always the most important member of any team, and that is what I feel the most when we win: That my horse won. This does not mean that I don’t credit my rider, or respect him, but I always feel more for the horse than anyone else! I don’t think that my rider or I won a class – I think my horse did,” David Honnet – who for the past nine years has worked with Great Britain’s Scott Brash – tells World of Showjumping.

“Working long-term with a good horse and a good rider can be incredibly rewarding. The most interesting part of my job – and something I think we are all looking for – is to have a good horse,” the 36-year-old says.

“The main aspect for me when working with horses is safety,” David tells. “Horses are in general very sensitive animals and react really quickly to noise or anything moving, so to keep our horses safe is my focus. I would rather be too careful than sorry afterwards because something that is minor can quickly turn into something major; your horse can simply spook at something, slip on bad surfaces or get kicked by another horse and end up being unable to compete or worse.” 

To keep our horses safe is my focus

“Furthermore, I believe we put the horses in environments that are not natural for them. While it is absolutely beautiful to be in the centre of any city, it is not a place for a horse. Therefore, everything is, more or less, dangerous when you come to events such as these and I always keep this in mind when I handle my horses.”

To make sure the horses are at their best and ready to perform, David believes they need to move a lot – like any athlete. “At home, we normally ride the horses in the morning, and in the afternoon, they go out again – in the paddock, in the walker or for a handwalk and some grass. We also have a water treadmill that we use,” he tells about the daily routines at home. “In the afternoon, we also do all the tasks we had no time for in the morning like clipping, packing the truck and cleaning around the stables.” 

Horses are made to move and I wish more showgrounds would pay attention to their actual needs

At the shows, the schedule for Scott’s horses is pretty much as at home. However, it can be challenging to get the horses out as much as needed if the showgrounds don’t have adequate space. “Scott normally flat works them in the morning and if the class is late in the evening I handwalk them again in the afternoon,” David says. “I have to see how the horses are feeling and how the place is where we are; if it is safe to take the horses out or not. Sometimes it is not safe to even handwalk and then I think they are better of resting in their boxes. If I think it is safe, I am more than happy to take them out for a walk and some grass – in the end, horses are made to move and I wish more showgrounds would pay attention to their actual needs.” 

While David does most of the shows, other team members step in when needed. “I do most of the driving myself and I think driving is the hardest part for any groom,” he tells. “Now you start to see more and more drivers, and I think that is good. For myself, I like to drive and when I get home, I can get the rest I need but I know this is not the case for everyone else. I myself would not want to have a driver because I enjoy the driving, but I think most grooms struggle with the traveling when they don’t get the rest they need. And lack of sleep is directly related to the safety of everyone, which is why I think riders and owners should pay more attention to this.” 

I think most grooms struggle with the traveling when they don’t get the rest they need

“I do most of the shows, but doing them all alone is not possible,” David points out. “I think we are lucky to be more than one that can go. It is up to us and Scott who goes where, we discuss it all together. Everybody does every horse – we try to do what is handy for everyone.”

“It is hard to find good grooms,” David says about the current staffing issues the industry is experiencing. “In my opinion we should work towards some certification level; there should be a FEI qualification, with a test proving your knowledge and skills. A certification like this could then qualify the grooms for certain benefits. It is necessary to somehow create a meaningful career path for grooms, where the really good, qualified professionals are compensated and recognized accordingly. Currently, there are no FEI regulations taking these issues into account so there is a legal void.”

It is necessary to somehow create a meaningful career path for grooms

“I would say that the most important factor is a good atmosphere,” David points out about what he believes is important in keeping the staff once you find the right people. “Everyone within a team has to be working well together and get along with each other. That is when you can do the best job; when you feel like you are not working but having fun. Everybody has to do their part and if you want to talk about getting results, the main thing is the horse. Grooms do play a key role in this sport, but no groom is a superstar alone. As a groom you can work all you want, but if you don’t have a good horse with a good rider there will be no results.” 

David is a board member of the International Grooms Association (IGA). “I encourage all the grooms to become members; the more we are, the more power we have to make changes happen for us." 

“I think everybody can see that Scott is very good to work with,” David tells about why he has stayed so long with the former world number one. “He knows what he is doing and he is really focused on the horses. We are very similar; I don’t like to fight, I don’t like tension – and neither does Scott. He is the boss, and if he wants something done, he tells me. He has an amazing skill on knowing exactly what each horse is ready for – it is actually incredible to witness. Somehow, he knows two months ahead which horse is going to be good at which show!” 

“I enjoy each day,” David says when asked about his motivation. “That is why I keep doing it. It is a hard job and if you don’t enjoy it, you can’t do it. I am lucky to have many good friends within the community. We help each other and have fun together. My favourite moments are probably those after competition, when you can take your time with your horse in peace and quiet and everyone is relaxed.” 

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