Britains Gemma Stevens and Chris and Lisa Stones 16-year-old Chilli Knight lead the way on a score of 29.6 as we head into the lunch break on day one of dressage (3 September) at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Its a welcome turn in fortune for Gemma, who is bouncing back from huge disappointment. Just a couple of weeks ago, she was eliminated across country at the eventing World Championships with Flash Cooley when the gelding inexplicably ground to a halt at the first part of a rail-ditch-rail combination. I think Ive made it three days so far without crying, said Gemma of how tough it has been since the elimination. I have absolutely no idea why it happened none of us do.Wevewatched the footage back, and I genuinely have no idea. The horse is 100% hesactually wild and full of himself at home and hessound,hesfit andhappy.I genuinely do not know the answer to everyones question, other than its horses and its rubbish, and we have to try and move on. Itsreally,really hard, Imnot going to lie; it has been apretty lowpoint in my career.Gemma said that bagging a strong set of results at Scone Palace Horse Trials last weekend, including a win in the CCI4*-S with Cooley Park Muze, was the confidence boost she really needed ahead of Burghley. It wasreally greatto get back on at Scone and have three fantastic rides cross-country and be in the top 10 on all three horses. It gave me a big boost and I remembered that I couldactually ride. I have to somehow put what happened at Aachen in a box and somehow carry on.He cant trot! Speaking of her dressage performance with Chilli Knight today, Gemma was clearly delighted. I was just trying to aim to get in the 20s dressageisntChilli Knights forte. Hecanttrot! But the one thing that makes up for it is his heart he is always trying his best. Today, I really had him on side. We razzed him up a bit before he went in, which is not a normal thing for a five-star event horse, but it really worked. He stayed in front of my leg and was so much better. Gemma explained that Chilli Knight, who won the one-off five-star at Bicton in 2021, is a wise old campaigner now. Hekind of knows that he just needs to go inthere and only do whatheshas to do.Hessuch a little cutie he just knows the job so well.Hesgoeycross-country, but dressage is just dull to him. Jumping is much more fun, and galloping fast is what he loves to do.Gemma said that Chilli Knight will now very much be looking forward to the jumping phases. He absolutely loves it when we come to these big ones because he blooming well knows that Im not going to have the handbrake on on Saturday, and that is the best thing ever to him.Related contentHe was her favourite horse: Tim Price pilots Global Quest at Burghley in memory of Georgie CampbellHow to watch Defender Burghley Horse Trials this weekHRH The Princess Royal to attend Burghley Horse TrialsThe post It has been a pretty low point in my career: Gemma Stevens bounces back from disappointment to top Burghley leaderboard appeared first on Your Horse.