Longevity in the Grand Prix Arena: An Interview with Dr. Rob van Wessum and Walando
- eliteequineexchang
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
When a 22-year-old horse can still lay down competitive Grand Prix scores, riders everywhere want to know how. Veterinarian-rider Dr. Rob van Wessum—board-certified in equine sports-medicine and rehabilitation and a lifelong dressage competitor—has piloted his Dutch-bred partner Walando at Grand Prix since 2015 and is still campaigning him in the 2025 season. That’s eleven consecutive years at the sport’s pinnacle. Based at his Equine All-Sports Medicine Center in Michigan, Dr. van Wessum blends cutting-edge sports-medicine knowledge with a classical European training ethic. Here are the insights he shared about keeping “Wally” fit, fresh, and eager for the big ring.
Dr Rob Wessum and Walando competing at Grand Prix
1 · Start Slow, Move Up Only When Rock-Solid
Growing up in the Dutch system, Dr. van Wessum learned that a horse shouldn’t leave a level until it has posted at least ten 60 %-plus tests there. That long runway, he argues, cements correct muscle recruitment and joint resilience before the intense collection of Grand Prix ever begins.
2 · Summer Police Duty & Other Cross-Training Hacks
Walando schools full GP work only two or three days a week. The rest is an eclectic mix: hacking, conditioning canter sets—and, every summer, weekend shifts as a police horse, patrolling crowded public events. “Nothing keeps a horse’s brain and body sharper than varied work,” Dr. van Wessum says.
3 · Treat the Cause, Not the Calendar
Despite the horse’s age, Walando receives no scheduled “maintenance” injections. Dr. van Wessum warns that prophylactic joint injections can degrade cartilage over time; instead he focuses on meticulous shoeing, prompt diagnostics only when a problem surfaces, and a stringent fitness routine.
4 · Muscle First, Movement Second
Early years are about building raw strength, not flashy tricks. “Bigger-moving modern types put more torque on limbs,” he notes, so each horse’s workload must suit its conformation and bone.
5 · Keep Sessions Short & Surgical
Most work days finish in under 30 minutes: a brief warm-up, a handful of targeted GP exercises, then a loose-rein cool-out. Quality beats quantity—especially after two decades in work.
Final Thought
Eleven straight Grand Prix seasons tell a compelling story: soundness and peak performance aren’t products of miracle therapies, but of disciplined basics, purposeful variety, and listening to the individual horse. With principles like these, more riders might one day celebrate a 22-year-old still piaffing down the centerline—with a decade of happy memories in between.
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