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In our series ‘That Special Bond’, we highlight what this sport truly is about; the unique connection between horses and humans. Speaking with some of the top names in the sport, we learn more about the horses that have shaped careers, fulfilled dreams – and sometimes even broken hearts. 

This time around, WoSJ speaks with Canada’s Tiffany Foster. “Honestly, all my horses are special; I love them all – they are all so good and they have all given me so much,” she says. “Any horse that I have in my team, that I take a chance on and try to work with, I try to connect with as much as I can – that is how I work. I think horses give you more when they feel connected to you, and I try to learn how to speak their language.”

“It is hard to pick just one, but I think that it would have to be Brighton (Contendro II x Quick Star, bred by E. Santing),” Foster begins. “I have had him for ten years; I got him when he was seven and he is still going strong. He has been special for me throughout the years, and a winner.” 

It was Andy and his love for Brighton that sealed it

“When Brighton was seven, he jumped at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, and Gilbert De Roock – who we bought him from – acquired him there,” Foster tells about the very beginning of her journey with Brighton. “Gilbert had watched Brighton go on the first day, said he wanted to buy him and owned him by the end of the week. When Brighton was younger, he was shy of other horses and afraid of the traffic in the warm-up, so Hester Klompmaker –  who rode him in Lanaken – told Gilbert there was no way he could be tried there. Gilbert bought Brighton anyway, and they were all standing there excited, watching the final and this new horse he now owned – but Brighton ended up having a really bad day, a round where he had poles down and ran through the water,” Foster laughs. “However, Brighton came to my barn immediately after Lanaken for me to try him. When you ride him at home, he does not give you a feeling of having a lot of scope. Especially back then, he did not feel like he could jump massive courses – and that feeling made me a little bit hesitant about him. At that point, you could not really tell – even though Eric Lamaze, who was helping me at the time – was convinced about his talent. Anyway, because I did like Brighton a lot, we showed him to Andy Ziegler of Artisan Farms. After just a few jumps, Andy said: ‘We have to buy this horse, his technique is amazing, he moves great’ – so it was Andy and his love for Brighton that sealed it.” 

“He has been a winner his whole life,” Foster continues. “The first show I took him to, we were second in a 7-year-old final and as he has gone on, he has kept that record up. The funny thing with him is that when I jumped a 1.40m class, it maybe felt like his limit, but then when we did a 1.45m class, just to see, he would jump clear, and he always did this when we stepped him up a level – without ever feeling spectacular. In the end, I have jumped Nations Cups with him, and we were clear in a five-star Grand Prix at Stephex. His comfort zone is the 1.50-1.55m region, but when you really need him, you can do a 1.60m track with him and he gives his all to you. I think if you look at his record, his clear round rate is in incredible; he jumps clear all the time! And he goes fast a lot, too. In 2021 he won six classes nearly in a row: He won the two-star Grand Prix in London, then I took him to Calgary and he won the Grand Prix qualifier there, the 1.55m winning round and then the three-star Grand Prix during the third week. Then I took him to my home show at Thunderbird and he won the €100,000 Grand Prix there.” 

 I tried my best to listen to what he wanted to do

“He really suits the way that I like to ride and train,” Foster continues to speak about Brighton. “I don’t really jump him at home, and never very big. He was the first horse that was purchased for me as a young horse and as a developing project. He was also the first one I got to plan for myself, and I decided how I wanted to bring him along. He has given me a lot of confidence in that regard, because I tried my best to listen to what he wanted to do, how he wanted to be trained and what would work the best for him, and he really rewarded me by always being so good, always trying so hard for me. I think it has been important for me in my own development as a professional, to develop a horse like Brighton; to follow my instinct and have it pay off.” 

“He is a really funny horse, with a lot of character,” Foster tells about Brighton’s personality. “If you look at him go around at home, he looks like a hunter; he goes slow and he isn’t overly exciting to watch. It is funny to look at him like that – knowing that he actually is a really fast speed horse. I think that is part of the reason he has been able to win so many classes; he never really gets hot, he is always just quick over the ground and in the air. I try to not stress him or do anything that is hard for him. Even in the warm-up ring he never feels overly amazing, but I just have to trust him and know how he is in the ring. He is a really sweet, kind and affectionate horse in the barn. However, he is a bit sensitive, so we always try to make sure there are no other horses in the ring when I jump him – he does not like traffic, so we clear the space for Brighty – and he seems to like that a lot better.”

#TGFB: Thank God For Brighty

“For me as a rider, he has given me so much confidence and a feeling that I can win,” Foster continues. “I do spend a lot of time developing horses and that is often mainly about putting the mileage on, so to go out and feel like you can win, on a horse that keeps you in the game like Brighton has done and keeps it competitive, that goes such a long way for your own confidence as a rider. On social media, I have my own hashtag for him; #TGFB, which means Thank God For Brighty – because every time he goes with to the show, he wins, or gets a good placing. With Brighton, you know you are coming home with prize money. When I am having a bad show, or things are not going great, I thank God for Brighty – because he always makes me feel like I know what I am doing.” 

“I have been so fortunate to have so many amazing horses in my career,” Foster points out. “Victor (Elmshorn x Grandeur, bred by L. Koopmans) – who was my partner for the Olympic Games in London – was obviously a big one for me, because we grew into the sport together. He was also a really competitive horse, and he was great in the way that he was so versatile – I could take him to a class a little lower, and try to win, but I could also jump him in Nations Cups and the big Grand Prix classes. I had him for ten years as well; I got him to ride as an eight-year-old and we retired him when he was eighteen. I think any time you have a decade worth of time and a relationship with a horse, they become a part of your soul, a part of your family. Brighty is like that, Victor was like that.” 

I have been so fortunate to have so many amazing horses in my career

“Tripple X III (Namelus R x Catango Z, bred by Ben Maher) was another great horse for me that I really loved and had a special bond with, even though I got him a little later in his career. We got along so well and from the minute I rode him I loved him, and loved how much confidence he gave me. He was so nice to ride and such a scopey horse,” Foster tells.

“Another special horse is Southwind VDL (Baloubet du Rouet x Ahorn, bred by VDL Stud). I did not necessarily win a lot with him, but when we bought him, I had never jumped a 1.60m in my life and he was really my teacher, and he did such a good job at that,” Foster smiles. “He carried me around and took care of me. I had him going until he was seventeen and I think it was cool to see myself develop as a rider from trying to survive those courses to being able to ride well enough to go clear with him. And Verdi (Heartbreaker x Mister Blue, bred by Roy Veltmaat) was amazing as well.”

“The one that has been the most challenging for me, is Figor (Querly-Elvis x Indoctro, bred by H.W. Van Lindenberg) – my best horse at the moment,” Foster says. “He has a lot of nervous energy. I like to calm horses down; my favourite thing is to have a horse that has a lot of blood, that is going to go better the more relaxed I can get them. However, Figor has been the most difficult one along those lines because he is a really big horse and he has some serious moves when he is worked up and upset."

I had a hard time feeling like I could not connect to him 

"He has settled down a lot now, and he has gotten better, but I had a hard time feeling like I could not connect to him and get him to be calm and stay with me. I have figured out how to do it, but it took quite a long time and it is still a challenge. As he could be a little bit intimidating sometimes, I needed advice and Kent Farrington has helped me a lot with him.” 

“I don’t feel like I had a horse that got away, and it is a real testament to the Ziegler-family as well as Artisan Farms and everything that they have done for me,” Foster says. “Thanks to the Ziegler-family, I have had such amazing opportunities to buy these horses that could really teach me. I think that any time you go into a big class for the first time and your horse helps, takes care of you and shows you the way, those horses are always going to hold a special place in your heart. The handful of horses that I have jumped 1.60m or championships with, they all obviously mean a lot to me. I have been lucky to have these amazing owners, and I know for some of the horses we have had, people have offered a lot of money but the Zieglers would not sell, because they have known how important those horses have been for me and they have been in this for the sport.”

15.2.2023 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.