RIP Bar Hammond

[Seahorse]

I was lucky enough to work for her for 2 years and am sitting here nearly in tears after finding out that she has died

She always said that she wanted to be remembered for breeding her bears and monkeys than for her horsey achievements and I'm pleased that she was mentioned for doing that too in the H & H article.

She was a wonderful if slightly eccentric person, her riding and training methods were brilliant and very understanding. I never saw her lay a finger on a horse, she was more likely to give them a sugar lump than tell them off.
She made me love dressage and I still quote her even now 10 years later!

RIP Bar xxx

 

[Daffodil]

I can't recall where this was but I have an enduring memory of her leading one of her horses through the horse box park with bare feet , and I also seem to remember a fair amount of mud around at the time!

 

[oldvic]

She certainly was a remarkable person and very generous with her considerable knowledge. She had great humour and was always supportive and able to lighten the atmosphere when things went wrong.

 

[SJFAN]

I was sorry to read the (belated) obituary. I knew her a little many years ago because she was a customer of my equestrian photographer boss.

 

[Seahorse]

She used to smoke and then stand on her cigarette end with her bare feet to put it out!!
Wish I had know before, I would have gone to her funeral

 

[Maizy]

I was only thinking about her this weekend, I didn't realise she had passed away. She can't have been all that old? My love to her family who have always been very kind and generous with their knowledge. x

 

[SJFAN]

No, not that old, 66 if H & H is right.

 

[Maizy]

[ QUOTE ]
She used to smoke and then stand on her cigarette end with her bare feet to put it out!!
Wish I had know before, I would have gone to her funeral

[/ QUOTE ]

She also used to use the length of time it took to finish a cigarette, to know she had warmed the horse up, and could start working it!

Whenever I see people smoking on horses, I think of her!

 

[Seahorse]

Yes me too.

How did you know her Maizy?

 

[Seahorse]

She always used to wear these big flarey skirts and walk around with bare feet around the yard, one day I was struggling with tempi changes on one of her horses and she got on him with her skirt on, bare feet and did 15 perfect one time changes across the diagonal (with no hat!)

I had the most wonderful time working for her, and I loved every minute of it. She gave me the most brilliant horses to ride and I learnt so much from her. I hated dressage before I went there but now I love it and never want to do anything else.

Its funny but I had a feeling she might have died a while ago and I was searching the internet trying to find out. All I could find was that High Lawns had been sold.
Does anyone know how she died and where she was living? Is Christopher still alive?
Is there any way of finding out, I really want to pay my respects to her family.

 

[Maizy]

I've just tried to PM you and lost it - will try again.

 

[quizzie]

She found me my first event horse more years ago than I care to remember, an outgrown (16.1!!) novice schoolmaster. We ended up going advanced! She will be missed.

 

[DomB]

Its funny but I had a feeling she might have died a while ago and I was searching the internet trying to find out. All I could find was that High Lawns had been sold.
Does anyone know how she died and where she was living? Is Christopher still alive?
Is there any way of finding out, I really want to pay my respects to her family.

It was throat cancer that she died from. They sold High Lawns (within the family) shortly before she died. Chris died last year from a very short illness. I have many fond memories of staying with them (and her monkeys) at High Lawns.