Success stories A dream come true: Kelly Smith and Polo's journey

In October 2023, I treated myself to the best 40th birthday gift ever—my horse, Le Pogues Storm, known as Polo. My journey with him began in July 2023. Recently retired from racing, Polo was calm, well-mannered, and a dream to ride. I immediately thought how amazing it would be to have him, but at the time, I had no funds for a new horse, and Polo wasn’t for sale.

In August 2023, I had the chance to ride him again and Polo’s kind and honest nature hadn’t changed, but once again, I was told he wasn’t for sale. As I drove home that day, I felt a sense of longing, wishing he could be mine one day.

In October 2023, Polo was advertised for sale, and I knew I had to act. After some discussions and negotiations, I ended up picking him up at the end of the month. I was over the moon.

Polo settled in quickly, enjoying his new home in Chessington, Surrey. He was an easy-going horse who needed some TLC and to build up his strength. I registered him with RoR and spent the next few weeks getting to know him, hacking, and having lessons together. Polo had never tasted carrots or polos, but it didn’t take long for him to discover they were delicious!

On 25 November 2023, Polo began showing signs of colic. After five tense days of treatment, Polo was diagnosed with colitis. I feared I might lose him, but by day five, he was eating and responding to the medication. When the call came that he could come home, I was incredibly relieved.

Since then, Polo and I have gone on an incredible journey together. Together, we achieved success in intro and prelim dressage, 50-60cm showjumping, and showing. We qualified for the Sunshine Tours Championships at Hickstead in September 2024, and Polo even helped us win the overall intro dressage competition and the most points in novice showjumping.

Looking ahead to 2025, Polo and I are entered into the BD Quest and Team Quest competitions. We recently qualified for the RoR Winter Championships at Pickering Grange, where we finished a respectable fourth in the Intro Championship and sixth in the Prelim. Our aim now is to compete in the RoR Regional Championships. We’re also working on accumulating points for the RoR competition leagues in the hope of qualifying for The Jockey Club RoR National Championships at Aintree in August.

Polo is a versatile horse. His flatwork is beautiful, his showjumping is thrilling, and while his canter is still a work in progress, I’m excited to continue his retraining journey. Polo isn’t just my horse—he’s my best friend, and together, we’re making dreams come true.

Thank you for reading.