Hriday, who was part of the historic team that ended India’s 41-year wait for equestrian gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, said that setback has taught him to be stronger and given him confidence and motivation to work harder in Japan.
“That is obviously a painful spot because that was a lost opportunity. It was a medal that we thought was quite close to us. But this is the sport with horses—it had no fault of mine or the horse. There are rules in our sport that protect the welfare of our horses, and a small scratch on the horse’s leg got me disqualified,” Hriday told IANS in an exclusive interview from Japan.
“Of course, it taught me to be a bit stronger and showed me that it is possible to perform at that level. While it was shattering at that moment, it gave me confidence in the long run. I take the team gold medal we won as a blessing and the medal we lost out on as motivation to work harder to get it this time,” he added.
Heading into the upcoming Games, expectations for the Indian dressage contingent are naturally sky-high, given their underdog status in Hangzhou. However, Hriday remains grounded, focusing on execution rather than external pressure.
“We have all been in this sport long enough. In my mind, I’m going into the competition with the same view as last time—that we have to keep our head down and do the best we can, and hopefully that brings us a medal,” he said. “The expectations might have increased, but we have a new team this time—new riders, new horses. If we all ride a good round on the day, there is a strong possibility for a podium finish.”
As the only returning member from the gold medal-winning squad, Hriday is partnering with an experienced horse, Dono Di Maggio, and also addressed the controversy regarding his horse’s health and said, “My approach with him is based on knowing his strengths and weaknesses. He’s an older, experienced horse, and if I just keep him healthy and in a positive state of mind, he will put up a good performance.
“Any controversy regarding my horse’s health has been totally verified and cleared; it was not a serious concern. He has arrived in Japan well and is feeling good. My trainer has also arrived, and we still have time before our first event on the 25th to put up a good show,” he assured.
Speaking of the logistical challenges of transporting a high-performance dressage horse, Hriday, whose training base is in Europe, praised the support system ensuring the animals arrive in peak condition.
“Transporting a high-performance horse is a big logistical initiative. There is a transport company that the Asian Games Organising Committee appoints, which oversees transport and helps manage all the National Federations or NOCs with their requirements, and helps us get our horses to Japan and then back. And of course, the whole team that we have of coaches and grooms also travel with us when we come for an event; all our equipment also travels with the horses.”
–IANS
bc/vi
