When a rider packs up and moves across the world, sometimes a groom uproots their life to go with them. And so it was for Meigs Rutherford, groom to the US’s Cassie Sanger, the youngest rider at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials this week.
Cassie, 21, and her team of horses have been based with double Badminton and Burghley winner Ros Canter for a year.
“We’ve learned an immense amount from being there,” Meigs told H&H. “It’s been really helpful to see how they treat their horses as horses and not like glass animals or such. That’s meant we can take the pressure off the horses and not be so worried about them looking perfect every day.”
Meigs previously worked for US-based British rider – and now top trainer – Leslie Law. She had a mare she competed at grassroots level.
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“I ended up retiring her and took a break for a couple months,” she explained. “Then Cassie was looking for somebody to help her part time – she was riding with Leslie at the time – so I took over part-time working for her. Once she left Leslie’s, we transitioned to me being full-time and managing everything.”
Meigs has now been working for Cassie for about four years.
“I do go back and forth a bit to the States to visit my family and take care of some things at home and then I come back. I love it,” she said.
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Meigs said she finds Ros’s system very horse friendly, which really suits Cassie’s Badminton ride Redfield Fyre (“Yogi”).
“He is kind of a finicky horse, so it’s really worked out for him to be out 24/7 and just be a horse,” said Meigs.
Cassie has a team of six horses at Ros’s, including four-star ride Fernhill Zoro, three-star horses Mt Luxaan and Never Enough, plus two younger ones.
Meigs says she finds eventing here different in many ways.
She said: “But I think the biggest is that here, it’s not as over the top for everything – you do dressage on grass and usually at home it would be on a surface, and the same for showjumping.”
“He’s a funny horse,” said Meigs. “He’s super, super sweet, but he doesn’t show it to everybody, and he’s brave as a lion, until he sees something that catches him off guard and he’s like, ‘What was that?’”
Cassie Sanger and Redfield Fyre in the 2026 Badminton dressage.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Cassie and Meigs came to Badminton two years ago to watch cross-country, but otherwise this is their first time at the event.
“I know Cassie and Yogi are going to have a blast on Saturday – he’s definitely a cross-country horse. It’s what he’s here for. But I just hope they have a great ride and have fun,” said Meigs.
“I don’t get super nervous for cross-country now with him and I can definitely watch. Sometimes I get a little more nervous about showjumping because it’s not our strongest phase, but he’s been really coming along and I just hope that it comes out on Sunday.”
Cassie is stabled next to Ros, in a block that also includes Alex Bragg and Quindiva. Experienced event groom Sarah Charnley is looking after Ros’s double Badminton winner Lordships Graffalo again this week.
“Sarah and I are like a married couple. We pick on each other, but we’re there for each other,” said Meigs.
And what qualities does Meigs Rutherford think make a great groom?
She replied: “I think there’s a bunch of different things, but I think the ability to have time management is big and then also just being able to accept the pressure from the rider and if they get short or snappy with you, you just have to understand that it’s just in the moment.”
How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials
To watch Badminton Horse Trials live or via catch up, including the trot-ups, from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world, you need a 2026 Badminton TV Pass. Badminton TV is once again powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £22.99. Go to badminton-horse.tv to sign up. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. Also check out the Badminton app, which provides free live results and much more this year. Sign up for Badminton Plus membership for £4.99 to access the live Radio Badminton broadcast and receive exclusive offers from on-site exhibitors. Search for Badminton Horse Trials in your app store.
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To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 28-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 14 May.
Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
