Treasured Teachers: Grand Prix Horses in Active Retirement as "Professors"

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F.O.C.U.S.

Grand Prix horses that have had a long international career in the spotlight as high performance athletes are not always ready for a full retirement to the field. Once in a while horses that were “officially” retired resurface in the show ring - albeit at a lower, easier level - as treasured teacher to less experienced riders.

Belgian Team Horse Botticelli

One of the most recent examples is Belgian team horse Botticelli who competed with Charlotte Defalque at the 2022 World Championships and 2023 and 2025 European Championships. In December his retirement was announced at the World Cup qualifier in Mechelen, but since April 2026 he has taken on a light schoolmaster role as part of a carefully managed transition into full retirement.

Defalque felt that a sudden retirement straight to the field was not in her horse's best interest. She told Eurodressage that, "after our farewell, I had a clear plan and reduced the intensity of his work while maintaining a daily but lighter routine focused entirely on his physical and mental well-being. Botticelli has always had a very strong personality, and it quickly became clear that a change in routine was not easy for him. He was sometimes feeling “left behind” and he continued to seek work and interaction on a daily basis, particularly when I was working with other horses. Every time I walked past his stable, he would call for me and ask for even more attention, as if he sensed that something had changed."

At the 2022 World Championships in Herning

This made Charlotte conclude that a full retirement was too early for him and a transition plan was drafted.

"I gradually introduced a few riders to work with him in a relaxed and playful way," she said. "I realised he remains in excellent physical condition and genuinely enjoys staying active, teaching riders, and remaining strongly engaged in daily stable life. It also showed me that he still takes so much pleasure in what he does, and that retiring him at this point would have felt too abrupt for him."

A match was found in Belgian Victoria Evrard who has begun to ride and compete Botticelli at national Young Riders level.

"Meeting Victoria felt like a very natural continuation of this process," said Charlotte. "Botticelli still had so much to teach, and Victoria had so much to learn from him, as well as so much affection, kindness, and love to offer him. The intention has never been a return to a sporting career or to performance, but simply to keep him happy, stimulated, and balanced during this transition period. This has included some lower-level national competitions, purely as part of maintaining a structured and enjoyable routine for him. Botticelli absolutely loves being on the move. He recognizes the sound of our truck and the moment he hears it, he gets excited in the stable, ready to go on a trip."

Victoria Evrard and Botticelli at the 2026 CDN Flemalle
(Photo © Clara Boccart)

Defalque, who bought Botticelli as a 5-year old, moved through the youth levels to senior Grand Prix with the meticulous help of her then trainer Jeroen Devroe.

Charlotte concluded, "this phase is intentionally temporary and will most likely come to an end in the short term, depending entirely on how he feels. The objective has always been to follow what suits him best, allowing him to enjoy, feel valued, and transition gently into a quieter retirement. My team and I have known Botticelli for more than fifteen years, and I have cared for him since he was five years old. We know him inside out, and he is truly the horse of a lifetime for me. His well-being has always been, and will always remain, my absolute priority, and every decision regarding him is made with care, respect, and affection."

Can't Slow Me Down: GP Horses in Active Retirement

There are many more examples of international Grand Prix horses whose retirement from sport ended up being recalibrated into a "professorship."

Belgian 2021 European Championship team rider and Olympic team reserve Alexa Fairchild announced the retirement of her then 20-year old Dabanos d'O4 in 2023, but this retirement turned into an active one as her groom Manon Voss took over the care and ended up learning from him at home as well as competing him up to national Inter I level through January 2026. Dabanos is now 23.

Spaniard Juan Matute Guimon's career-starting Grand Prix horse Don Diego (by Don Frederico x Wolkenstein II) was officially retired from sport at the CDI Madrid in October 2021. The black was 18 at the time. One and a half year laters, however, the gelding returned to the international arena under Luxembourg Young Rider Céline Wagner, who showed the then 20-year old Hanoverian at the 2023 CDI Camarma de Esteruela.

"A true competition horse, he was not happy in the retirement," Wagner told Eurodressage in 2023. "He got very skinny, lost a lot of muscles, and seemed very unhappy. So Juan decided to put him back to the barn. He never lost his ambition to the training. Hence, as a young rider I need much to learn and Don Diego is the best school master I could ask for."

The 19-year old Cupido (by Rhodium x San Remo) had an international career at Grand Prix level under Robin van Lierop followed by becoming a Dutch U25 team horse with Zoe Kuintjes. In December 2025, after the CDI Kronenberg Indoor, the owner and rider announced Cupido's retirement from sport, but four months later the ride on Cupido was allocated to Dutch junior Justin van Teunenbroek.

Codi Harrison's internationally competed Grand Prix horse and 2023 Pan American Games team gold winner Katholt's Bossco (by Don Schufro x Michellino) was officially retired from sport in March 2025, but the now 19-year old has returned to the national ring at Intermediaire II level with a new rider: Erina Malarkey. She took over the ride on the liver chestnut shortly after the announcement and competed him yesterday, 16 May 2026, at the Gold Coast May Dressage show in Wellington. "He's a saint of a horse with exquisite talent," Erina stated, expressing her gratitude to learn from the gelding. "While Bossco and Codi have been *very* hard at work teaching me the one and two tempis…the piaffe and passage remains one of his favorite party tricks. This horse…spectacular, spectacular, spectacular. Living a dream."