Jumping for joy and fame

Well, this week for some nostalgia and famous horses. Firstly I go back to Bucephalus, the mighty stallion that Alexander the Great rode through many battles to create his mighty empire.

Legend has it that a wild horse was brought to Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. Philip was angry that such an unstable horse was brought to him. However, his son - only 12 at the time - set his father a challenge, saying he would pay for the horse if he failed to tame it.

He spoke soothingly to the horse and gently led him into the sun away from its own shadow. Eventually, Alexander rode and tamed him. His father was impressed and said: "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee."

Alexander named the horse Bucephalus because the horse's head seemed 'as broad as a bull'. Taking Alexander through many battles, the brave horse incurred fatal injuries in a battle in 326BC.

Alexander promptly founded a city - Bucephala - in honour of his horse.

Another modern day war hero has to be Sefton, the horse that served with the British Army for 17 years. Initially joining as a riding school horse; he was a favourite amongst all new recruits.

It was July 20, 1982 that changed Sefton's life. En route to the changing of the guard with 15 other horses from his regiment, a nail bomb detonated nearby, killing 11 people.

Sefton sustained serious injuries including a severed jugular vein and damage to his left eye. His rider, Trooper Pederson, reported that Sefton had responded so bravely that when the bomb exploded there was no chance of being thrown.

That evening veterinarians caring for him gave him a 50-50 chance of surviving the shock and extreme blood loss. However, he did recover and during this time received huge quantities of get well soon cards, mints and donations, which reached almost $1,000,000.

Sefton returned to his duties and, with pricked ears and no fuss, he regularly passed the exact spot where he received his horrific injuries.

In 1984 Sefton was retired and moved to the Home of Rest for Horses in Buckinghamshire where he lived to the age of 30, having to be put down in 1993 due to incurable lameness caused by a complication of the injuries he had suffered.

Now, for something a little different. Halla, a German mare, is the only horse ever to win three Olympic gold medals in show jumping. She was however, considered a very difficult horse and changed riders several times.

In 1951, Halla was taken over by riding star Hans Gunter Winkler and went on to win back-to-back World Championships in show jumping. The pair then competed in the 1956 Olympics in Stockholm.

During the first round Halla took off early for the penultimate fence and Winkler, who was thrown into the air, landed heavily back in the saddle pulling a groin muscle.

Winkler knew if he withdrew from the final round the German team would be eliminated. In extreme pain he rode, barely able to give any direction to Halla, and she completed the course almost alone.

Four years later, in 1960 in Rome, Halla and Winkler led the German team to another victory. Together they won a total of 125 jumping competitions, and Halla stands as the horse with most gold medals from the Olymic Games in the Guinness Book of Records. Halla was retired in 1960 and lived until the age of 34.

From one famous show jumper to another. Ridden by the well-known rider John Whitaker, Milton, an outstanding grey, won many International events. He was well known for his famous leap into the air that brought everyone to their feet at prize-giving.

Milton was bought as a foal by Caroline Bradley who told her parents he would be her Olympic mount. She trained him until her death in 1983.

After this many offers were made to her parents for the talented animal, but they refused to sell him. He was ridden briefly by Stephen Hadley before he became the mount for Whitaker and won international glory between 1985 and 1994.

Milton became the first horse outside the racing world to win more than _1 million in prize money, making him the first equine show jumping millionaire. Throughout his career Milton rarely touched a rail or refused a fence, and many times after a successful round would take a great leap into the air.

My final horse, or should I say pony, is Stroller the outstanding pint-sized mount with the talent legends are made of. Standing at just 14.1hh, he belonged to Marion (Coakes) Mould.

She jumped him in the British Junior Team and the following year they began competing in senior classes. During the late 60s the duo won 61 international competitions, including the Hickstead Derby which has never been won by a pony before or since.

Stroller retired at the Horse of the Year Show in 1986 at the age of 21 and was moved to Marion's parents home. Around 15 years later he died from a heart attack after a final emotional vist from Marion. And on that note I will say goodbye for this week... Enjoy and love your horses, they are indeed amazing.