Tales from Stoneleigh: 'We moved her twice each day — five steps to the solarium and then five steps in reverse back to her stable'

Five months ago, one horse competing at the LeMieux National Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh (14-17 September) this week, was just embarking on a long rehabilitation period after fracturing its cannon bone.

MFS Caliana, a 10-year-old chestnut mare had spent nine week on box rest.

Her owner and rider Jennifer Johnston Harman explains: “We think ‘Cali’ sustained her injury while throwing some impressive shapes on the lunge towards the end of the winter. She took a lame step and then by the afternoon she was non-weight bearing on her near fore. It took us five days to diagnose what was wrong and then she had to spend nine weeks on box rest in a very confined space. We moved her twice each day — five steps to the solarium and then five steps in reverse back to her stable.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

TOPICS

Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.

Tales from Stoneleigh: ‘We moved her twice each day — five steps to the solarium and then five steps in reverse back to her stable’

Cali then spent weeks in walk doing steady rehabilitation to re-build the muscle she had lost.

“It was a real labour of love, but thankfully she was a good patient and I think that has a lot to do with how well she has returned to competition,” explains Jennifer, who rides full-time.

There was one good thing to come out of Cali’s injury.

“As she was so bored walking all the time, she started offering piaffe,” laughs Jennifer. “So that’s made us even more determined and ambitious to move up the levels.”

Cali came to Jennifer as a “very tricky four-year-old”.

“She can throw angry, ginger lady tantrums!” says Jennifer who spent two days travelling down from her home in Aberdeen to compete here. “But we’ve stuck with her as she’s also fabulous.”

The pair have had “lots of fun” contesting premier league competitions and competing in the prix st georges and advanced medium championships this week scoring 66.11% and 68.71% respectively.

Continued below…

Tales from Stoneleigh: ‘I’m riding with a broken leg’

Tales from Stoneleigh: ‘I drank some sloe gin and bought him for £361.05’

Tales from Stoneleigh: ‘I went onto Google and typed in ‘work for an MP’’