Page 99 - The Hunt - Spring/Summer 2023

ESSENTIAL
ESCORT
JIMMY PAXSON SHARES THE INSIDE STORY ON OUTRIDING. BY EILEEN SMITH DALLABRIDA
PHOTOS BY JIM GRAHAM
For many of his 65 years in the saddle, Jimmy Paxson has been a competitor, reaching the loftiest levels of puissance, the time-honored sport of show jumping. For more than 30 years, he’s led the corps of outriders at steeplechase events. These skilled
and savvy equestrians keep horses, riders and spectators safe. Outriders escort competing horses from the paddock to the racecourse—but their duties don’t end there. If a horse
throws his jockey, the outriders’ job is to catch it before the riderless mount injures fans, other horses or itself. If a horse is wobbly, an outrider mounted on either side will help the animal off the course.
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