Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, August 2018.

INTERVIEW Get ready, you’re in for a treat! WALLACE THE GREAT Here our equestrian journalist, Abby Dickinson, took time out to get to know Christie, rider of mule, Wallace the Great. The Mule Who Changed The Rule T he rider of a mule questioned why her application for British Dressage (BD) membership with mule, Wallace the Great, had been refused. Following this, a viral campaign manifested with Wallace plastered across national media. The public out-cry not only brought attention to the exclusionary rule, but caused the over-turn of the rule to allow mules to compete in BD. We caught up with Christie Mclean, Wallace’s rider, following their first affiliated competition together. I’ve really enjoyed following your story. Firstly, would you be able to explain to our reader’s more about yourself and riding experience? I’ve predominantly worked with horses, so I’ve done the hacking, the grooming, the mucking out; that sort of stuff. I bought my own horse in 2016, as an unbroken project. I thought; ‘this will be interesting, lets give it a go’. With the help of a friend, I broke him in and have been producing him ever since, my riding going from strength to strength over the last year. My young welsh now rides elementary and riding has become more natural for me and something I enjoy doing. When I got on Wallace, a lot of things I implemented with my young horse, I have had to implement with Wallace too. Wallace appreciates having someone on him that doesn’t boss him around or make him do something, because he likes to understand it first. So, what brought about your decision to compete Wallace? He was originally doing agility, with his guardian Lesley, but she was finding he was getting a little bit bored. His brain is a bit more active than just doing in-hand work. She had a desire for him to do dressage, but she couldn’t do it herself, as she has previous injury. She originally asked a girl I shared a yard with, whether she would ride him. Unfortunately, the girl didn’t click well with Wallace, so Lesley reached out to me. I said “Absolutely! 14 EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018 • ISSUE 36

Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, August 2018. | Page 14