How an Arab woman’s special bond with her horse got her into Paris Olympics

Oakley, United Kingdom – The towering trees surrounding the yard almost tremble as a grey horse thunders across the terrain, effortlessly clearing one wooden fence after the other.

Perched atop, the rider studies the obstacles with focused eyes, guiding her mount’s steps as if they were one.

At Slaoui-Fellous Equestrian stables in Oakley in Southern England, Moroccan rider Nour Slaoui and her trusted steed, Cash in Hand, train almost daily.

The deep bond between the duo will be put to the test as they head for the Paris Olympics in late July.

In early March, Slaoui secured qualification for the Olympics, making her the first rider from Morocco and the Arab world to compete in equestrian eventing.

The 29-year-old credits her Olympic achievement to the special relationship she shares with her horse, the Cashman, as she endearingly calls him. The two began their Olympic journey five years ago and worked their way up through several competitions.

“We know each other by heart, and I am delighted to share this adventure with him,” Slaoui told Al Jazeera.

‘We trust and know each other inside out’

Slaoui – born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1995 – had a natural knack for riding early on in her life, often accompanying her family on days-long treks across the Atlas Mountains on muleback.

At the age of 18, she took a gap year from her studies at Warwick University in England to train as a riding instructor at the National Riding School in Saumur, France. Upon returning to the UK, she continued her training alongside her coach, Deborah Fellous, and co-founded her stables in Oakley, where they now have 17 horses.

Over the years, her talent grew into a passion that led her to specialize in eventing. The classification is equestrian’s version of the triathlon, a gruelling three-day test of the partnership between horse and rider spread across three disciplines: dressage, cross-country and show jumping.

“At first, it required a lot of hard work and determination as I was keen on mastering not just a single discipline but the sport as a whole,” she said. “But, although it has been a steep learning curve, I knew in my gut, straight away, that I wanted to be a professional eventing rider.”

Transitioning from riding as a hobby to pursuing it professionally was a significant shift for Slaoui, who struggled at first with figuring out how to go about it.

“As a rider from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, growing up, I had no exposure to eventing,” she said. “I only discovered the discipline when I moved to the United Kingdom for my studies, and so unlike most other competitors who have been competing from a young age, I had a lot to catch up on in a very short period.”

After meeting Fellous, Slaoui had enough guidance to launch her international riding career.

“What makes Nour a good competitor is that she is persevering,” Fellous told Al Jazeera. “She shows complete commitment to the sport and doesn’t let bad performances affect her.”

Slaoui was relatively inexperienced in eventing at first, having started only a couple of years prior, and she was searching for a young horse to progress with. Then one day, she met Cash in Hand.

“I crossed paths with Cash in Hand about five years ago,” she recalled. “What drew me to him was his wonderful temperament – a very genuine horse that always wanted to please from the get-go.

“We trust and know each other inside out, which is crucial in all phases, especially in cross-country, where we tackle big, solid fences.”

Riding for peak performance

According to Khadija El Mrabti, a Moroccan equestrian rider and trainer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), eventing demands a high level of harmony and synchronisation between riders and their horses to navigate through its three stages. This requires versatility, trust and exceptional communication between the horse and rider, making it a challenging yet rewarding sport.

“In my experience, effective communication between rider and horse is greatly influenced by the harmony they share,” El Mrabti explained. “When there is a mutual understanding of the horse’s personality and emotions, its performance improves significantly.”

Cash in Hand, a cross between an Irish Draught and a thoroughbred, has always excelled at the cross-country competition of eventing, but, according to Slaoui, he initially faced challenges in dressage and show jumping.

“Thanks to his personality and the guidance of my coach, he improved, and we continue to grow together, achieving some great performances along the way.” Slaoui said, “He is still considered a young horse, so I am excited to see him reach his full potential.”

Witnessing their relationship evolve over the years, Fellous believes that Slaoui and Cash in Hand complement each other.

“He has helped Nour grow as a rider,” she noted. “I’m very excited to see them continue to improve because I believe they both haven’t reached their peak performance yet and there’s even more greatness ahead.”

Last year, Nour travelled all over Europe, earning points and qualifications to secure her spot in the Olympics. The experiences have “undoubtedly prepared the duo well for Paris, where they’ll face the intensity of a major competitive environment and the pressures that come with it”, Fellous said.

“I would advise her not to put too much pressure on herself and take it as an opportunity to raise interest for this sport to hopefully inspire others in the future,” she added.

Over the past seven years, Slaoui has competed in several international competitions, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, the Montelibretti Standard Show, the World Championships for Young Horses and the Nations Cup. Her talent and prowess earned her a reputation, but participating in the Olympics is the fulfillment of a long-held dream.

“I hope my journey inspires others that regardless of starting late or coming from a different background, with enough dedication, determination, patience and passion, anyone can rise to the highest ranks in any field,” she said. “This is only the first step in a much longer story that will see me challenge the world’s top riders, aiming in time for a medal.”

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.