Hayley Watson-Greaves has mentioned a heartbroken farewell to her celebrity Rubins Nite, her “dancing associate, trainer and finest pal” for 19 years.
Rubin Royal son “Squeaks” suffered a bout of colic on Sunday (26 October) and couldn’t be saved. The 21-year-old had been having fun with a contented retirement from competitors for 2 years.
“He was probably the most unimaginable, particular horse, my coronary heart horse, who gave his all to me and to the world of dressage,” Hayley mentioned. “He liked being within the limelight, dancing to his music, and he actually made me the rider and individual I’m at this time.
“We had probably the most particular bond and partnership, one constructed on belief, respect, and love. Collectively we achieved issues I may solely ever have dreamed of.”
Hayley and Rubins Nite had been nationwide champions in 2017, represented Britain on groups, together with profitable the Compiegne Nations Cup in 2017, certified for and competed on the World Cup Remaining and had been reserves for the 2016 Olympics, in addition to profitable internationally throughout Europe.
Pictured Hayley Watson-Greaves and Rubins Nite at CHIO Aachen in 2017
Hayley purchased Squeaks as a two-year-old from the sector, for £3,000. She advised H&H that on the time, she would purchase kids, produce them and promote them on, however when she first noticed Squeaks, she had simply purchased one other horse so couldn’t afford him.
“He was at a yard down the street to be bought and a few months later, the girl rang me and mentioned I may have him for the quantity of livery the homeowners owed, so I paid £3,000 and introduced him residence,” she mentioned. “He will need to have loaded to go to that yard however the woman wasn’t certain he’d go in my trailer. I keep in mind standing in his secure, blowing in his nostril and giving him a scratch, then he simply adopted me on the trailer. And the remainder is historical past.”
Hayley defined that Squeaks received his secure title as he would whinny at any time when he noticed her, and since he at all times saved his secure squeaky clear, precisely as he needed it. She did all of the groundwork and preparation, then when it got here to backing him, there was a slight problem.
“He was such a mummy’s boy!” she mentioned. “We’d fashioned an actual relationship, and each time my dad took the lunge line and I went to lean over, Squeaks would run off. Then as quickly as I jumped off, he’d do his little whinny and are available over, as if to say ‘Oh, there you’re, you’d disappeared’! I did take into consideration promoting him however we’d fashioned such a powerful bond.”
Hayley added that Squeaks was at all times a bit sharp and spooky, which was another excuse to not promote him on. However she didn’t realise, early on, simply how good he would grow to be.
“My dream and aim was at all times to get to the highest of my sport – however I by no means dreamed it might be with him,” she mentioned. “He wasn’t the largest mover, however his work ethic, and our bond, had been unimaginable.
“When he was six or seven, he may have been one who was pushed an excessive amount of, too quickly, as he realized so rapidly; I keep in mind when he was seven, I attempted a few passage steps, simply to see if he may do it, and he discovered the gear, and that was it. That’s the place that large trot got here from.”
Hayley Watson-Greaves and Rubins Nite.
Hayley mentioned when Squeaks was 5, Carl Hester mentioned he “would make a pleasant horse for any individual”. When she took him again to Carl’s a few years later, he didn’t recognise him.
“He mentioned ‘Who’s this?’” Hayley mentioned. “I mentioned ‘I introduced him right here a five-year-old and also you thought he was all proper’! And he mentioned: ‘It’s essential to get this horse on the World Class pathway’. So I did, and that began the path to our worldwide profession.”
Hayley and Squeaks contested their first worldwide grand prix in 2014 at Addington, having competed at nationwide grand prix regionally that yr.
“It was so thrilling, to get my senior badge, particularly with a horse I’d educated since he was two,” Hayley mentioned. “However each time I rode him, even when it wasn’t such a superb check, he made it enjoyable, and I appreciated how far he’d come.”
Hayley mentioned a few of her highlights had been being topped nationwide champions and the season she contested the World Cup sequence.
“We did just about all of the qualifiers, and attending to the ultimate was superb,” she mentioned. “Squeaks liked the limelight, he liked a crowd. He was fairly a spooky horse so that you may need thought he’d be terrified in these indoor arenas however he wasn’t. When individuals clapped him, he’d exhibit extra, so these World Cup exhibits made him carry out and exhibit; he appeared to adore it.”
She added that though these moments, and naturally representing Britain, had been her highlights, Squeaks may need picked different favourites.
“He liked Olympia,” she mentioned. “We competed there 5 or 6 instances and naturally the house crowd was behind him; he completely liked it, I’d swear that was his favorite present. He appeared to know when it was coming as he’d get his physio and chiropractor and vet checks, then we’d get out the three.5t lorry due to the congestion cost in London – and he simply knew, he’d be shouting and so excited.”
Hayley and Squeaks at Olympia in 2017. Image by Peter Nixon
Squeaks additionally liked the solar and sizzling climate, Hayley mentioned, so competing in Doha 3 times was a spotlight for him – and he was at all times susceptible to a spook. Hayley shared an image of him carrying a particular “most dramatic spook” rosette, given to him by illustrator Emily Cole.
“Something would make him leap, a digital camera clicking or a leaf falling,” she mentioned. “He was once a little bit of a handful to steer spherical at exhibits, as he was so excited; he’d are available passaging and piaffing, in all probability saying ‘I’m right here, all people!’ You needed to snigger, as a result of that was simply him. He liked the ambiance, and the odd spook was fantastic.”
Squeaks was additionally recognized for his mascot, the stuffed Kevin the Carrot, who travelled the world with him and groom Sam Davis, typically noticed protruding of Sam’s rucksack.
“He liked carrots, to the purpose it was ridiculous,” Hayley mentioned. “If he was in his secure, he’d whinny each time anybody went close to the carrot fridge, so we determined Kevin can be an applicable mascot. We had a giant one I purchased him one Christmas, and he had his personal fridge, Famous person Squeaks’ Carrot Fridge, proper subsequent to his secure! He would share them with the others, however he received probably the most.”
Hayley made the choice to retire Squeaks aged 19; she mentioned he would have loved carrying on however she needed him to bow out match, blissful and on the high of his sport.
“His final present was Windsor and he was a bit spooky so it wasn’t his finest rating, however that didn’t matter,” Hayley mentioned. “He’d executed a lot, and I knew the time was proper, even when he didn’t assume so.
“I nonetheless rode him however not as a lot, and Squeaks selected what he needed to do. If he needed to do some piaffe, that was fantastic, and if he needed to tootle spherical being a giraffe, no downside. That was just about our relationship all through his profession; we knew one another inside out and generally the horse has to have the ability to select.
“Then someday, I received on him and requested him to enter the world and I felt him say ‘I’ve had sufficient’. I’d at all times mentioned he’d inform me when he’d had sufficient, so I received off, hand-walked him for a bit and mentioned ‘I feel he’s able to go within the area’.”
The 2017 nationwide champions – with Kevin the Carrot
Hayley step by step prolonged the time Squeaks spent out, as he had by no means needed to remain within the area all day, pondering he was lacking out on one thing, till he was out all day together with his pal Ryan the Shetland, and in, nonetheless as king of the yard, at night time.
Then, final Sunday, Squeaks colicked and regardless of the vet’s finest efforts, Hayley needed to let him go.
“He made the choice for us,” she mentioned. “You at all times know you don’t need them to really feel sore or go lame, after which it’s a must to resolve however he did it for us. He selected a pleasant dry night too. We at all times used to say he farted rainbows as 99.9% of the time, if it was raining, it might cease as quickly as we went in for his check. He at all times managed to deliver the solar out.”
Hayley added that she has been comforted by the variety of messages and feedback from Squeaks’ many followers.
“I’ve been up and down, on waves of grief, and I’ve been watching his movies and remembering what it felt to journey him,” she mentioned. “He had so many supporters, and from them I can see how a lot he made his mark. It’s actually heartwarming and I’m grateful to everybody who’s supported us on our journey.
“He had a terrific relationship with Sam; she referred to as herself ‘Squeaks’ minion’ as he used to boss her round, he had a large character and was simply probably the most unimaginable horse. There gained’t be one other like him, that’s for certain.”
Hayley paid tribute to Squeaks’ deal with the job and work ethic, as quickly as he was contained in the white boards.
“His focus, energy, and presence had been unmatched, he at all times rose to the event and gave me his entire coronary heart,” she mentioned. “Horses make you who you’re, and Squeaks actually made me. He gave me recollections, classes, and moments I’ll carry for a lifetime.
“Thanks to Squeaks, for every part, in your spirit, the recollections, for being my dance associate, my trainer, and my finest pal. It has been the best honour and privilege to share my life with you. You’ll at all times be part of me.”
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H&H information editor
Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Enthusiastic about equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all facets of the business, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of alternative is showjumping, through which she competes her personal horses, and she or he additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping exhibits by to worldwide championships.
