Keystone Dawn Chorus – Natasha Baker’s ‘practically perfect’ Paralympic medal-winning mare

Keystone Dawn Chorus, or “Lottie” as she is known at home, is the team Paralympic gold medal-winning ride of Natasha Baker, who is herself one of Britain’s most decorated equestrian athletes.

“Lottie is like my little Mary Poppins, as she is practically perfect in every way,” Natasha told Horse & Hound ahead of the Tokyo Games.

“She has such a kind, generous personality – she loves to work and is willing. She will go into any arena or atmosphere and she wants to perform and work with me.”

As the pair prepares to ride down the centre line in Paris, we look back at their career together so far.

The beginnings of a partnership

In February 2017, Natasha’s two-time Paralympic and multiple gold medal-winning ride Cabral – who was better known as “JP” – was put down after developing a bacterial infection.

The pair had been at the forefront of British para-dressage success since winning two European gold medals in 2011. Natasha described him as her “horse of a lifetime” and wears a ring made from his hair in remembrance.

With the up-and-coming youngster she had at the time, Fireball, proving not quite forward-thinking enough for her to take to the top, Natasha took the rest of the year out of competing.

In the build-up to World Equestrian Games in 2018 she leased the then nine-year-old Mount St John Diva Dannebrog after an extensive search.

The pair went on to win two silver medals, but following the championships Natasha was once again left looking for a new ride.

In early 2019, she went to try Keystone Dawn Chorus who was at that time beginning her competition career in able-bodied dressage with Beth Bainbridge.

“The first time I sat on her I got butterflies,” Natasha said. “She had the best temperament in the world and the movement to go with it.

“I don’t have the use of my legs when I ride, but Lottie is a forward-thinking horse and she adapted to my riding quickly.

“It was helpful that in the weeks before I first went to see her, Beth tried to use her voice as much as she could while riding her, and her legs as little as possible which helped make it an easy transition for Lottie.”

The pair made their debut together in May 2019, competing at first in able-bodied dressage at novice, going on to place second at the national championships.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d be coming here,” Natasha told H&H at the time. “I didn’t have the best regionals – that was the worst test I’ve ever ridden – so to come here and put that right was a good feeling.

“There is a lot of pressure on me in para dressage, which is why we initially went down the able-bodied route in 2019. It was fun and Lottie loves to go into a long arena and to canter, which we don’t do in grade III.

“I have also been able to take her hacking, and I balled my eyes out the first time we cantered through a field because I have never had a horse I’ve trusted as much as her. I feel as though anything is possible with Lottie because we trust each other.”

The pair made their para debut a month later at Keysoe CPEDI3*, claiming a trio of victories and scoring 76.47% for their freestyle.

“We went into this show feeling quite under-prepared – we only learnt rein-back last week!” Natasha said.

“I always feel the pressure at internationals, but when the pressure is on, Lottie rises to it. This gives us a good benchmark of where we are ahead of our Tokyo campaign next year.”

Of course, everyone’s Tokyo plans were thrown up in the air due to the Covid pandemic. But in the end that might have worked out quite well for Natasha, because it meant that by the time Tokyo came around, she and Keystone Dawn Chorus were seasoned campaigners.

Rising to the big occasion

The pair kicked off the rescheduled Tokyo Games by taking the grade III individual silver on 76.27%.

“I think if we were here 12 months ago, I don’t think I would have got 76%,” Natasha said at the time.

“It’s our first competition together like this and fighting for the gold medal was never a thing coming here – it was just if I win a medal, then awesome. I just want to give her a really positive experience.”

But despite the odds being stacked against them, the combination went on to score 76.62% in the team test to help the British team to gold, and their seventh consecutive Paralympic title.

“We were hoping to come and maybe challenge for Bronze,” reflected Natasha, who added that Keystone Dawn Chorus grew in confidence from their individual test, with a stutter in the walk pirouette being the only blip in their sparkling performance.

“It’s an impossible movement for someone with no use of their legs!” laughed Natasha.

“She just tries to take over and go so small, like she’s saying, ‘I’ve got this, Mum,’ even though I have my leg on and my whip tapping her.

“I got a cracking pirouette in the warm-up, but unfortunately they didn’t count. But I could really push more – the leg yields were really nice, she was really balanced, up and powerful. And there was more relaxation in the walk. I can’t ask for more.”

The pair rounded off their Games in a poignant fashion, winning silver in the freestyle, riding to the same Avatar music Natasha rode the late Cabral to in Rio.

“Lottie has just exceeded every single expectation,” said a clearly emotional Natasha following her third medal ceremony.

“If you’d said to me that I was going to win two individual silvers and a team gold, I would have told you that you were lying, I just never imagined that any of this would be possible.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of everything that she’s achieved and everything that she’s done for me.”

The next chapter

In 2022, the pair won individual silver and freestyle bronze at the World Championships, despite Natasha having a disrupted run-up after many weeks of illness.

The freestyle was in fact a massive milestone for Natasha, for whom World Championship freestyles have never been particularly kind; in 2014 she struggled to get into the arena with Cabral, and in 2018 she had a dramatic fall from Mount St John Diva Dannebrog.

“I’m pleased I went in today – I had serious flashbacks of 2018 when I got decked,” Natasha explained. “I was so close to saying ‘I can’t do this.’ But I’m just so proud of her – she looked after me.”

After the worlds, Natasha took a 20-month break from competition following the birth of her first child.

During Natasha’s break, her coach Lisa Hopkins took up the reins and placed third in the elementary at the 2023 Winter Championships and fourth at the National Championships.

Natasha made her return in May 2024, winning all the grade III classes at Hickstead CPEDI3*. More wins followed at Wellington and Hartpury internationals and despite only actively competing together again for two months, the pair were picked for Paris.

“It’s so lovely having a different perspective now because my son is the most important thing in my life, whereas riding had been the most important thing for so long,” said Natasha following her wins at Hartpury.

“I love what I do and it’s so nice to come in and not feel so much pressure. I’m honoured, grateful and proud to be heading to my fourth Paralympic Games, it’s been an incredible journey since Tokyo and heading into Paris, now as a mum, makes it even more special.

“I can’t wait to show Lottie off to the world and show that elite athletes can also be mums.”

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