Many years later, as I'm watching this, I wish Hickstead hadn't been in the background as Eric won the award. The horse did all the work! Eric did have to kinda apply checks and balances as they did the course, but it was Hickstead who knew what he was doing, cleanly and clearly jumping! This looked like a romp for the horse!
The sound Hickstead makes after he lands every jump is heartbreaking...I guess being a small horse in fierce competitions like these really takes its toll...and in the end, it contributed to his death
When horses jump they tend to hold their breaths so the woosh Hickstead produces after he lands is all of the air he held in finally being pushed out Alot of jump horses do that it's completely natural and did not lead to his death nor was it even related to that noise