Starting…
With thirteen gold medals in the Dressage World Cup, European Championships, World Equestrian Games, and Olympic Games alike, Charlotte Susan Jane Dujardin, crowned highest world ranking rider, is a very well known and respected dressage champion. In 2016, Charlotte and her horse, Valegro, had their last performance before she marked Valegro as retired because he was past his young, dressage age. People only imagine Charlotte with Valegro. But he has retired. Now what? When someone talks about Charlotte Dujardin, they only imagine her with Valegro, her “dancing pony.” Not so much do they remark that she’s got a “dancing pony” 2.0. Imhotep, or “Pete.”
Imhotep, Like the Egyptian King?
Imhotep was born on July 29, 2013 in the Netherlands. The gelding was sired by Grand Prix stallion Everdale, and his dam was Della D’ottie. He was bought as a two-year-old by Charlotte’s trainer Carl Hester, after being spotted by their friend, Henry Boswell. “He sent me a video of the horse and I ended up buying it from him,” Carl told Horse & Hound following Imhotep’s three wins at the National Championships in 2021. “It’s the only time I’ve bought a horse from a video and I wouldn’t recommend it, but when I saw him get off the lorry I was happy!” In 2023, Imhotep was nominated the Dressage Horse of the Year by his Olympic and World Championships appearances. Imhotep’s latest performance was in Paris 2024 where he achieved first in the Olympics.
“Since Valegro, Pete (Imhotep) is the one who’s given me that feeling of so much confidence in the arena,” Charlotte had told H&H. “He’s a very inexperienced grand prix horse, but he always tries and I absolutely love that.”
Who?
Imhotep was very naughty, and would buck all the time when he was ridden as a yearling. As Rob, his early trainer, remarks, “behind the young Imhotep’s bravado lay a sweet character. He was always the naughty boy of the class when he was younger. But I discovered that underneath that exterior, he is actually a very sensitive chap.” When he goes to unfamiliar places to show and win rosettes, all of his toughness slides away, and he hides behind Charlotte until she can give Imhotep confidence. After a year of training, Rob “competed with Imhotep as a young horse, taking him to the National Championships in 2017 as a four-year-old, competing him in the lower levels. Then, Carl’s rider Sadie Smith took over in 2018, taking Imhotep up to “medium level,” states H&H. Charlotte Dujardin then started his training in the Grand Prix level when he was around six years old. His first international appearance was in August 2020.
Later in Life?
Ever since, they went unbeaten and unrivaled at the national level. More success followed the pair when they won the Grand Prix and the freestyle at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Charlotte’s return to competition, only two months after the birth of her daughter, Isabella. At the European Dressage Championships at Riesenbeck, Imhotep scored as one of the world’s best as he earned personal bests of 82.42% in the grand prix and 82.58% in the special, and claimed the bronze medal on 91.4% in the freestyle – all despite Charlotte admitting she still “had the handbrake on”, or she still did not completely trust Imhotep enough to let him go as free as she did with Valegro. Then successfully, the combination finished out 2023 with victories in the Grand Prix.
“I have a real partnership with Pete that I absolutely love,” said Charlotte following their win in London. “To me, that is what it’s all about – when you can reassure them, hold his hand and say it’s OK. He has so much energy and never stops – he just keeps going and going and I love that – it’s me all over.”
Mentality?
Some people worry about Imhotep’s mental stability, with the stress of competing at an international level, but as Charlotte says, “He lives outside all night long, with another horse, pretty much all year round – until we are flooded.” Carl Hester, Charlotte’s training partner, confirms that being outside with his horse friend, Vogue, also known as Jaguar, really helps motivate Imhotep to a better attitude. He says, “Grass is natural. People are horrified and I know they don’t believe me sometimes when they come to the yard and see horses in a field, together.
Charlotte said, “I know it doesn’t suit every horse. Valegro couldn’t live out 24 hours a day because he likes food – he couldn’t be one of those horses. But for some horses like Jaguar and Imhotep, the more highly strung horses, it’s a brilliant way of keeping them. It keeps their mental health up and pumping.” To Imhotep, competing at the international level with that mentality is like playing with legos as a kid. Challenging, but fun.
And Never Ending
Charlotte and her horse Imhotep continue to shine and dance under a proud British flag that ensures Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep’s success.
Bibliography:
Williams, Oscar. “Imhotep – from the ‘naughty boy in the class’ to one of the world’s best dressage horses.” Horse and Hound, 22, Jan. 2024
This article explores the ups and downs of Imhotep’s life as a horse of the world’s best dressage rider. It remarks how Imhotep was once a naughty horse who bucked a lot. Now, he is a world-class Grand Prix horse. This article comes from a reliable source, the Horse and Hound website. It is written by experienced riders, trainers, and owners. It has been publishing news for over 140 years! This article was very useful because it gives me quotes and information about Imhotep, and I am researching him.
Slade, Lisa. “Imhotep’s Outdoor Life.” Chronicle of the Horse, 13, Jul. 2023
This article gives a clear idea of how important Imhotep’s outdoor time was to his stable mentality. It remarks that Imhotep, the star dressage horse, was not even stressed out, thanks to his 22-hour outdoor time with his friend Jaguar. This article was based off of a reliable source, Chronicle of the Horse. The Chronicle of the Horse is published by experts who have been letting out issues for almost 90 years! The Chronicle of the Horse was a useful source for informing me about Imhotep’s stable mentality.