Ben Maher and Tripple X reached the pinnacle of equestrian sport, taking the gold medal in a home Olympics back at London 2012.
So it’s no surprise the 35-year-old rates the stallion as his horse of a lifetime.
“He was bred at my place, I was the first person to put the tack on him, I was the first person to ride him, all the way through to a London Olympic gold medal,” Maher told CNN EQ.
“So I have a close bond with him in my heart, we really grew up together.”
Despite their successes, Maher admits Tripple X wasn’t always such a reliable companion.
“He is a stallion and when he was younger, he was a nightmare,” admits Maher.
“He was excited about everything else except for jumping. He gave the people in my team who work for me a very difficult life.
“He grew up all of a sudden when he was eight years old. He always competed well in the ring, he always jumped clear rounds. A very reliable horse for the right day.”
