Quero Quero with Erin Buswell

This article is from the September 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Synopsis
Stable Name: Quero
Height: 15.1hh (with shoes on) 
Age: 13.
Breeding: By Quidam’s Rubin 
Owner/Rider: Erin Buswell

Top 5 Results:
• 3rd Caboolture World Cup 2018
• 2018 Australian Young Rider Champion
• 2018 NSW Young Rider Champion
• 2018 overall Stal Tops Series Australian Champion
• 2018 NSW Triple Crown Young Rider Series Champion.

How do you describe Quero’s personality?
Quero would definitely be that person who thinks that they are a trendsetter. He loves attention and always poses for the camera. He’s a pretty confident and friendly little guy.  

How did he come into your life?
Growing up riding school ponies, Mum and Dad always promised that they would one day get me a horse. Living in Singapore, you aren’t allowed to breed so if you wanted to buy a horse, you had to go overseas. Being a young girl, we were only looking for a little horse that would be happy to eventually take me around the 120cm classes. Quero was gentle on the ground, small enough and a lot of fun to ride. So he ticked all the boxes for me! 

How was your first ride?
The very first time I sat on him, he had been turned out in the paddock for three days and he was off his rocker! We actually scratched him from the list on day one because we thought he would be too much horse. However, my coach Clive Reed convinced me to have another ride on him. 

What was your early partnership like?
My early partnership with Quero was pretty slow. As a 13 year old girl I was small so he took me for a bit of a ride, but I eventually got the hang of him. I spent a lot of time doing the 1m height classes and gradually moved up in height to 120cm. At the end of the day, that’s all we bought him for.

Did you think he would be the horse to take you to the top level?
Absolutely not! We had no clue how much power and scope this horse had packed away. It’s quite amazing. Each time I think we might run out of scope, he just kicks himself into another gear and away we go. I watch the videos and he makes everything look so easy. 

*Before Quero had reached double figures he had travelled from Germany to Singapore then on to Australia. How did he acclimatise with each move? *
When he came to Singapore, we took it very slow and made sure he had plenty of time to get used to the change in climate. When he came to Australia, he was quite well-travelled by then. He’s quite the travelling pro with a few air miles to his name! 

What has been your biggest challenge with him?
Definitely weaning him into the agricultural competitions here in Australia. I remember the first Adelaide Royal I did, I think I got eliminated in nearly all of my classes because he was so spooky! 

You’ve now taken Quero through from the smaller classes right up to Young Riders and then on to World Cup. What’s been the advantage of having such a long term partnership?
I think the biggest advantage we have is the fact that we know each other inside out. I have complete trust in him when we go into the ring. I know when he’s not feeling happy about the ground or the surroundings. Knowing the horse so well, I know when I can push him and when I should take it nice and slow. He is very special to me and ensuring that he is always feeling confident in his jumping is the most important thing for me. Our journey has been remarkably rewarding. Quero and I have been up through all of the ranks together. 

What is his preferred work environment?
He is definitely an arena horse. I try to change it up and hack him in a paddock or do some hill work with him to try and keep him exposed to different environments to keep him desensitised so he isn’t too spooky at a show. 

What’s his work ethic like?
Always enthusiastic. A little bit cheeky and likes to test the boundaries at times, but doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s a very enjoyable horse to work with as he keeps things interesting but also knows his job. 

How does he handle the big occasions? 
Quero is what I would call a performer. He is very showy. He knows when he’s in the spotlight and he thrives on it. The bigger the atmosphere, the more challenging the course, the better he performs. One thing that I have always admired about Quero is his enthusiasm towards performing. Every time we go into the ring he is just so alert and excited to do the absolute best he can for me and the audience. 

What does a week in Quero’s life look like?
Mondays he usually gets off. At home I only do flatwork, unless we do some pole exercises before a competition. He doesn’t get worked hard, especially during competition season. 

What has he taught you as a rider?
So many things! I think patience is really important as a rider and Quero has taught me that. Quero isn’t a horse that you can get frustrated with as it’s ineffective. But rather to work through an issue with patience and a plan. 

What celebrity does he remind you of?
I believe Quero is a celebrity himself! He even has his own Instagram spoken from his point of view. The blue badge is definitely in our sights and on the way. But if Quero was a human celebrity, he would be Johnny Depp because he is super quirky but seems to get away with it. 

Does he have a best friend?
He makes friends with everyone! He is always very social in the line-ups and loves to talk and play with the other horses. His all-time friend is definitely my old junior horse, Nightwish. A few years ago, I handed the ride over to Conor Reed. 

What is the first thing on your shopping list for him?
Some new rugs! He is always ripping his rugs at very inconvenient times. 

When was the last time he made you laugh or cry?
He makes me laugh daily! He’s always so inquisitive and spooky. Every now and then he’ll go to sniff something and it’ll move when he breathes on it and he scares himself. I remember once in South Australia, we were jumping on a football field and he kept jumping over the white lines. The last time he made me cry was when we won the Young Rider Australian Championships in 2018. It’s been a long-time goal for me and to be able to win it on Quero was very special. 

Most treasured moment together?
Definitely when we went clear in our first World Cup. A lot of work, effort and preparation went into that, and to be able to jump clear in our first World Cup was an amazing and rewarding feeling. 

Does he get much downtime during the year?
I try to keep him in work throughout the year. He rarely gets jumped at home. After a big show run he will usually get a couple of weeks off. 

What are your plans with him for the next 12 months?
In the next few months, the Australian League Teams is very exciting and definitely our main focus. I feel so privileged to be able to compete amongst some of Australia’s greatest talents. In the later future, the World Cup series will definitely be our focus. 

What is his most annoying habit or quirk?
He spooks at the same thing every day on the arena. Another thing we have struggled with in the past is him jumping out of paddocks if there aren’t enough horses around. But I’m not about to get angry or annoyed at him for doing what he is bred and trained to do. 

If you could change one thing about him, what would it be?
Absolutely nothing. What more could I want? Quero is just anything and everything I could possibly want in a horse. He is the most amazing horse. Definitely one in a million. The problem with having a horse like him at this age is that I’ll spend the rest of my life looking for one just like him!

3 things we don’t know about Quero?
1. He is the easiest horse to take care of, almost self-maintained. He always poos in one corner, so mucking out takes about 60 seconds flat.
2. He is terrified of donkeys.
3. He was actually supposed to be a breeding stallion, and passed stallion tests with flying colours but never grew big enough! 

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