Lockdown living

What’s it like living with an elite athlete grounded by the abandonment of all sport? H&H asks the partners of top riders how they are coping with lockdown

- Sophie Rigby Art

Rebecca Hughes, wife of Team GBR dressage rider Gareth

A FEW years ago, I bought Gareth a guitar for his birthday, but he’s never had time to touch it – until now. Every afternoon he takes himself off into a different room to learn to play. Initially our young cat would run away from him when he picked it up and gave it a strum, but she’s stopped doing that now, so he must be improving!

He’s also been mowing the lawn as often as he can – Gareth is a homebody generally, so while it has been disappointing not to be working towards the Tokyo Olympics, he has been able to enjoy this rather strange break.

He tends to be grumpy when it’s cold and happy when the sun’s out, and luckily it has been mostly great weather.

He’s the one who usually goes out to Tesco to do the shopping – he tells me I don’t do it properly because I don’t go up and down every aisle. He very much likes the fact that there is now a one-way system in the supermarket as that was how he has always done it!

Chloe Breen, wife of Irish team showjumper Shane Breen

HICKSTEAD PLACE is a unique habitat with around 20 of us, including the lads, living in one household, so I call it our self-isolation bubble. The priority has been trying to keep everyone safe, but it’s pretty much been business as usual and we haven’t gone too stir-crazy.