The connections of Happy Times have paid tribute to the “incredibly special” Olympic and five-star eventing superstar, who brought great joy throughout his life.
Dinah Posford and Juliet Donald’s German-bred gelding, who with Sam Griffiths represented Australia at the London Olympics and the 2010 World Championships during his long and successful career, had to be put down aged 25 owing to a bout of colic.
He had spent a long and happy retirement from international competition with Mouse Berry, who looked after him while he was eventing, and loved him throughout.
“I felt honoured to be his slave,” Mouse told H&H. “He had an aloof temperament; latterly loving but that took time. Slave isn’t the right word but I was certainly staff! We all were.
“We used to call him HRH; he looked at you like a king. He was just incredibly special and absolutely beautiful.”
Sam took Happy on when he was five or six; he had competed at lower levels but Sam produced him to the very top.
“I had probably 12 years competing with him, and he finished sound and happy,” Sam told H&H. “I always knew he had exceptional talent; he was a bit quirky, especially in the showjumping, but he was a horse I ended up having a really good rapport with. We understood each other.”
Sam and Happy completed Burghley six times, coming third twice. They finished third and fourth at Badminton and won at three-star (now four-star) level at Belton, Burnham Market and Chatsworth. Happy’s official retirement ceremony was at Burghley in 2018.
“He was a beautiful ride,” said Sam. “You could ride him a bit like a warmblood in the dressage, then across country, he would gallop like a thoroughbred. In many ways, he was the perfect event horse, and very scopey, bold and brave. He had incredible presence and would very much go into a competition and say ‘Look at me’. He brought us great joy.”
Sam said Happy’s willingness was a standout feature, and that he “always seemed to excel at Burghley”.
“Dinah and Juliet absolutely loved him to bits, and were great supporters, and he brought us together as real friends,” he said. “Horses give you ups and downs, but we had great times.
“Then Mouse looked after him beautifully. Every time we saw him, he looked great, she did a wonderful job. I always knew if he retired to a paddock his days would be short; he needed the limelight and she provided that for him.”
Happy was already with Sam when Mouse went to work for him.
“Every single person in the yard worshipped him,” she said.
“People always said how immaculate he looked but that’s because he was physically immaculate; he was so easy to produce with his conformation, he was as near perfect as a sport horse can be.
“He was totally granny-proof; I was a granny when I went to work for Sam and I rode him at all the events. He was an absolute gentleman.”
Horsemanship
Mouse paid tribute to Sam’s care and horsemanship, adding that his yard was always a relaxed and happy place.
“Sam rode him beautifully; always so quiet, and his horses stay sound because he only runs them when it’s right,” she said. “He’s an incredible horseman, which is why we got on so well. I’m not great if the horses’ welfare doesn’t always come first.
“Happy wasn’t the easiest to ride; a bit over-enthusiastic and quirky but he and Sam got on so well. I don’t think he’d have been half the horse with anybody else.”
Mouse had always had the goal of showing Happy at Royal Windsor Horse Show. He won at Frome show in 2019, then made it to Windsor in 2021, coming second with Sarah Gwilliam on board.
“He was brilliant there, and beautifully ridden by Sarah,” she said. “Then Hayley, Sam’s partner, took over and was very successful with him too.”
Mouse said Happy was still enjoying his work to the end.
“He was fit and sound and well, and had wintered really well,” she said. “He’d eaten his breakfast that morning, and I was there.
“Our amazing vets came within 20 minutes, and we’d always said he would never leave us or be allowed to suffer. He had the most amazing owners; he went on having the best of everything in retirement, as if he was going to Badminton. The same physio and acupuncture and farriery, the best food, everything he needed or wanted. No expense was spared for Happy.
“The first time I ever saw him – Sam was riding a horse for me – I fell in love. They talk about love at first sight, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It was a real honour to have him.”
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