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World of Showjumping sat down with Louise Barraud, who for the last year and a half has worked alongside Henrik von Eckermann – current world number one, as well as double World Champion and Olympic team champion. While Louise grew up in France, she always had a connection to Sweden through her Swedish mother – a connection that has grown stronger since taking on the role of being Henrik’s show groom. “I feel like my Swedish side is finally getting even with my French part,” Louise smiles. “It has been an incredible journey; so much has happened in such a short time – I feel lucky and just try to take it all in and enjoy it. Herning was my first World Championship, I did my first Top 10 Final in Geneva last year, while Omaha was my first World Cup Final – there have been so many firsts, and to win at them directly… I try to remember how lucky I am to have lived these experiences.” 

But first, let’s wind it back a bit… It was right after high school, when Louise – who had been riding all her life and had a horse of her own – did not know what to do, so her mum found her a job, and funny enough, for a Swedish rider based in Kessel, the Netherlands – not von Eckermann though, but as faith would have it, Kessel was where Louise returned years later. “Then, in 2019, I started to work for Janika,” Louise tells. “When I saw her ad, I actually did not believe I would get the job as I had never groomed on a higher level before. After being there to see how it all worked, I was so curious, but I was scared as well; I knew I had so much to learn – and still have. However, Janika had just gotten King Edward, and she reassured me that we were going to go up the levels together. She competed on a lower level back then, on a level I had been grooming before, and we grew together. It was nice to have the support from her in the beginning.” 

Henrik is very specific about everything, but he is straightforward

“When Henrik’s show groom Tiia left after the Tokyo Olympics, I was asked if I wanted to take her place since I knew the horses and how everything worked,” Louise tells. “Of course, it was something I wanted to do – high level sport with the horses I had worked with before. It was a great opportunity and it did not take me long to say yes. I had worked together with Tiia before she left, and we had done shows together, so I knew how she was working. When we knew that I was going to replace Tiia, she helped me – and she told me I could always reach out to her if I had any questions or needed help. She has worked alongside Henrik for so long and knows this job, so for sure it has been helpful to have someone like her to support me in the transition and I think it went well thanks to her.”

“However, I am not going to say that Henrik is easy to work with,” Louise says. “He is very specific about everything, but he is straightforward; he says what he wants and it is easy to follow. There is no wondering about how he wants things done, so it is easy in that sense.”

King Edward, a horse that took Henrik to Olympic team gold and was crowned double World Champion in Herning last year, had arrived at Henrik and Janika’s yard in Kessel only months before Louise. “For sure it is nice, and he is still the same horse as he was when I first started to work with him when Janika rode him,” Louise tells about her time with the now legendary little gelding. “He is still like a grumpy old man, maybe even a bit more, because I think he knows his status now. It is amazing to take care of a horse like him. King Edward is really easy-going, there is nothing complicated about him; he likes to go out, he is not scared of many things, he is simple and nice. As a personality, he does not like to be touched too much and he likes to be left alone and have his space. However, in his way he likes that we are still around; close by, but not too close – on his terms. He wants to be the first horse out in the morning, he knows how to make himself noticed when he wants the attention, and when he wants to be alone, he goes in his corner and only comes out when he is ready for it. However, he is not a cuddly horse – he is a bit distant. I have to say that he is my favourite! He is the one I’ve known the longest and we have been together almost from the beginning; I have done the whole journey with him and we have kind of grown together.”

King Edward is really easy-going, there is nothing complicated about him

“However, in general all our horses are really nice,” she continues. “Glamour Girl is a real personality, you cannot pass her box without saying hi to her, she wants attention and she wants to be cuddled, she is a really cool horse to have. Iliana is a little bit shy, but she is getting there. Once you get to know her, she is really calm and quiet in the stable, but a bit more girly. And then we have Dzara – we have a lot of mares. Dzara is more fun at the shows, I think she knows she gets more attention there, so she is a bit more on it. She can be a bit rough sometimes, but she is a nice horse. Calizi is the one I have most difficulties with to be honest, she does not really want to be close to you.” 

Louise believes that an important key to all the success she and Henrik have enjoyed is hard work and sticking to a routine. “We try to keep the same routine for most of the horses,” she explains. “That is why I write down everything we do at every show, to keep track of the changes we make. Sometimes it can be hard to remember everything, so I write down what we have done with each horse at each show; how we did the boots, did we do the boot check last minute or earlier, how we did the warm-up, all the details on the bridles we used, the material stuff… Sometimes with sensitive horses like Iliana I try to mark which shows worked well in the warm-up and why, where she was calm, where she was not great – you cannot remember all of it.”

It is motivating to work with someone like Henrik; he always wants to be better

“Henrik is focused at shows, but at home, he is the same. I think there isn’t one minute where he is not thinking about something that we could improve or do better – he is always on it. And if you don’t see him in day-to-day life, you might not understand how devoted he truly is. It is motivating to work with someone like Henrik; he always wants to be better, keep going, and for sure I want the same. I try on my part to think about how we can be better and make sure the horses are at their best all the time,” Louise tells. 

Of all their recent successes, it is the World Championship in Herning that stands out for Louise. “I really loved the atmosphere of everyone around us there, supporting us, it was really a team effort,” she recalls. “And seeing King Edward jump so great every day, he really deserved the individual gold as well. At the Olympics we were so close, which was a big accomplishment as well and then the World Cup Final in Omaha for sure was a big highlight too. Being a part of the Swedish team is really nice, they are all very supportive and helpful, always there to make sure everything runs smoothly. The horses are the main focus and the management does their best to make sure the riders can focus on their riding. All of us grooms get along well, and it feels like one big family.”

All of us grooms get along well, and it feels like one big family

“I think the biggest strength of the Swedish team is that the riders have known each other for such a long time and they have gone through a lot together; it has built a strong bond between them,” Louise continues. “They know their horses and they know how every individual rider is; who can be left alone, who needs more support… I think the recent success is a result of a long-term process. Growing up, Malin and Butterfly Flip were a dream couple for me, and I remember going to Gothenburg Horse Show a few times to see them. Riders like her, Marcus Ehning and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson were all idols of mine when I was younger, and working with them closely now, remembering how I looked up to them as these amazing stars, still feels unreal at times. Now they pass and say hello; sometimes I still feel like a child when they talk to me.” 

“I try to just breath, take a nap, calm down,” Louise says when asked how she deals with the pressure that comes with her job. “When we are at home, I try to rest as much as possible and I think that is the main thing. As grooms, we are always on it; there is always something to do, something to fix and organize – it is good to sometimes take your brain off it by doing something else.”

When I come in the stable in the morning and I see my horses happy, I forget about the hard part

“We are as involved as the riders, even though the general public does not see all our work that goes on behind the scenes,” Louise says. “We are like the nannies! When someone who does not know our sport asks me what I do, I tell them that I am like a nanny to the horses… I take care of them from morning to evening and make sure they are safe and sound, and care for them as much as I can. That is also what I enjoy the most; being with the horses and following their progress, seeing them grow into it and achieve things that maybe in the beginning of their journey you were not sure about. It is really amazing to see what they are capable of and how much they give us. When I come in the stable in the morning and I see my horses happy, I forget about the hard part. For sure it is nice to win, but I just want my horses to do their best and be happy while they do it. I am always happy with them, and proud. Seeing them happy, in good shape, and that they are doing well; that is my motivation.” 

The days and weeks are long for anyone working with horses, but especially for grooms who travel from show to show. “Sometimes it would be nice to have nights that are longer than four hours. Also, for the horses, it would be nice to have their safety and well-being taken into consideration more,” Louise says. “I think the recognition of grooms is getting a bit better though – it feels like some shows are trying – but there is still room for improvement."

"If I could, the late-night classes are the first thing I would change," Louise points out. "Especially during the indoor season, our days get extremely long and also the rule of turning the lights off does not help if we are not done with our work – we should not be pushed to hurry up and finish our horses. In my opinion, the basics should be there at every show; toilets, food and the lorry parking near. At some shows, you don’t want to think about what could go wrong when you are walking alone in the dark in the middle of nowhere to find the lorry park!” 

I think you really have to be passionate to do this

“It is not easy to get into the community, since everyone has known each other for so long,” Louise says about getting to know her fellow grooms. “Most of them have worked many years with their riders, so you do feel tiny when you start. However, I have to say that everyone has been really nice to me and now it feels like a big family you can rely on. If you have any problems, if you need any help, you know you can count on most of them; they have all been in these situations themselves, they are always ready to help.”

“I think many younger grooms maybe only see the glitter from the shows, and don’t understand the hours. It might seem dreamy doing all these big shows, but it is not glitter when you drive all night and get home only to pack, unpack and go again – and maybe some stables don’t have great conditions,” Louise points out. “I think you really have to be passionate to do this, and when there are bad times, not give up too fast – because I think it is worth it in the end, if you love what you do. Yes, it is a hard job, but for me it is also rewarding. When I look back, it has not been easy, but the horses are amazing, I get to be with good friends every weekend and do what I love. Maybe most people expect it all to be easier, which it isn’t, not even when you win – but for me, it is all absolutely worth it.” 

6.6.2023 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.