Caroline Bradley

[humblepie]

I was in a book shop earlier today and they had a secondhand book about Caroline Bradley which got me thinking, it being Suffolk Show week. It is 30 years since she died. I can remember coming home and my mother telling me the news. Always loved watching her ride.

 

[JillA]

I loved that she didn't JUST ride, she as fully involved in doing the horses as well - she must have been ahead of her time in regarding them as something she wanted to have a relationship with. Very very sad loss when she died.

 

[Nicnac]

Gosh, I can't believe it's 30 years

So far ahead of her generation; a true horsewoman and such a loss.

 

[Goya]

She was the consummate horsewoman who gave everything for her horses.

 

[Faithkat]

and the person who found Milton as a foal

 

[Cazzah]

I vaguely remember her but she was an icon in our household...so much so I was named after her as my parents sat watching Olympia wondering what to call the baby due three months later

Seen videos and read lots about her and she was truly brilliant. Unfortunately I only got her name and not an ounce of her talent!

 

[Sparkly Snowdrop]

She was and amazing lady and one of my childhood heroes.

 

[TarrSteps]

Someone I worked for in Canada had worked for her when he was young so I'm only one degree removed.

By all accounts a consummate horseman.

 

[cundlegreen]

I was working in a horse near her in the morning. Went home to change horses, and couldn't believe the news that she'd died in the afternoon. She looked absolutely fine, but apparently it was just one of those things.She dropped off her horse after the prize giving, and they couldn't restart her heart. terrible loss.

 

[Tiffany]

Brilliant horse woman and although I didn't know her personally, I understand she was a well liked, genuine person. So sad she was taken so young

 

[Mrs B]

30 years?

I remember that day with great sadness - always loved to watch her as a child.

Here's just one clip of her with the beautiful Tigre ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0xDAMFbo4

Interesting to note both the old leather saddle when she gets off at the end and the groom walking past leading, with a fag on ...

 

[JGC]

I think I got that book out the library many times!

I don't remember her, but loved the stories about her and the relationship with her horses

 

[EventingMum]

Loved watching her ride. I remember being at HOYS, heading back to the lorry after a night out and seeing her still up doing her horses, it was obvious that she was very involved with all aspects of their care and although I already admired her she earned more respect that night.

 

[Bedlam]

My childhood hero. I adored her and Tigre.

 

[Archiepoo]

i wrote to jim L fix it to ride with her, was very sad to hear she had died, she was a wonderful rider.

 

[TarrSteps]

She didn't 'find' Milton, she bred him!!

She owned his sire, Marius, who was famously bought out of Ireland with a very Irish pedigree. . .and later turned out to be an imported KWPN horse by the Trakehner sire Marco Polo. Milton (technically Marius Silver Jubilee) was out of an Irish mare Caroline chose though.

The reason Milton didn't go to the first Olympics he qualified for was because the Bradleys still owned him and the deal had always been that he would never go because it had been Caroline's dream to get there on him and they could not bear to see it happen with someone else. They did relent later.

And me, a foreigner!

 

[Goya]

I was fortunate enough to have training from Caroline and stayed there. She was always last person on the yard at around midnight and first there around 6am making sure the horses were all ok.