Editorial: Lynne Clark
Kim Masson lifts the lid on life behind the scenes with Becky & Bomb, Olympic pressure, and the realities of grooming at the highest level.
As the old adage goes, no hoof, no horse. The same could be said for grooms and top riders. At least to some extent anyway. For professional riders, competing at the top of the sport would be almost impossible, or certainly very challenging, were it not for the dedication, hard work and skill of the people working tirelessly in the background to keep everything working like a well-oiled machine. No mean feat really when horses are involved, notorious as they are for choosing the worst times to throw a spanner (or shoe!) in the works. Best laid plans and all that…
For the longest time, the work of grooms went largely unrecognised in the public sphere. We knew the names of the top riders and horses, but not the people who worked tirelessly to look after them. Thankfully, that has started to change in recent years as some grooms have now become almost as well known as the riders they represent and the horses they care for. The shift in public conscience reflects a greater appreciation for the fact that it does, in fact, take a village. Physios, vets, nutritionists, farriers, saddlers, coaches, sport psychologists, and, of course, grooms. The linchpin of both the mundane and the sublime, grooms allow the extraordinary to happen by taking care of the ordinary, day in, day out, at home and abroad.
The village supporting dressage rider Becky Moody & Bomb at the World Equestrian Games L-R: Andre Buthe (Team Vet), Becky and Bomb, Sam Daplyn (Team Physio – Horses), Mark Watson (Farrier), with Kim Masson (Groom) at the front.
Yet there is nothing ordinary about the skill involved in caring for top level equine athletes, not least the paperwork involved in their transport, the thought of which would be enough to cause many of us to break out in hives! Attention to detail, the ability to work under pressure, and incomparable organisational skills aside, grooms require an intuitive instinct about both the horse and rider they work with. What to say and when during times of immense pressure requires a level of dexterity as deft as sewing in the perfect plait. Little wonder then that their passion, skill and dedication is now finding its way out of the shadows and into the limelight.
One such groom is Kim Masson, Absorbine’s Groom of the Year 2025, and groom to international dressage superstar Becky Moody. Ironically, Kim hates the limelight, which is evident straight away in her very polite, but rather bemused reply when I ask her to meet for a chat. Her uncertainty that people would be interested in what she has to say is evidence of the innate nature of grooms to shy away from the centre of attention. Their work, by its very nature, takes place in the background. Coupled with the fact that grooms seem almost to be victims of their own efficiency in some ways – when their work is done well, there is nothing to see – little wonder at their illusiveness. The chance to chat to Kim presents a brilliant opportunity to peak behind the curtain, and see what things are really like on the other side.
Kim with her award as Absorbine’s Groom of the Year 2025
Kim’s journey started, as so many of them do, at a local riding school where she started riding lessons at age 17 (quite late in the grand scheme of things as she points out!) Describing the “slippery slope” many of us know only too well, she quickly ended up helping out and then ultimately buying her own horse only a few years later. And not just any horse, but an ex-racer, which she describes as a “completely ridiculous thing to do” after only a couple of years riding. Next came an Irish Draught mare who she competed successfully to BE100. It was through this experience that Kim came to know and train with Becky’s sister Hannah, and it was this connection that lit the initial spark between Kim and Becky. In what I come to quickly realise is her typically self-depreciating fashion, Kim tells me that it all came about because of the simple fact that she had an HGV license. Becky had been chosen to represent the Nations Cup in France and couldn’t drive herself and her horses all that way and then compete as well. Hannah volunteered Kim for the job instead, at which point she had only ever actually met Becky once (at Hannah’s wedding, where she did the photography!)
Some might consider this quite a daunting challenge in itself, but by her own admission, Kim confesses that the only international level dressage she had ever seen at this point was on TV! Driving a lorry to another country with someone you had only met once before, with a horse you had never even met, does not strike me as something for the faint-hearted! Just as well as it likely stood Kim in good stead for the week in France which she describes as “a baptism of fire – everything that could go wrong, did”. One of the horses picked up an injury just before the competition and when I ask Kim what the biggest lesson was she learnt from the experience, her reply is telling: “how to provide support when things aren’t going right”.
Herein lies the crux of what makes a great support system – and a great groom – someone who knows what to do when the chips are down. Because we all know it’s much easier to be part of the cheer squad when the team is doing well, as opposed to when it’s not. When I ask Kim about the strategies she has developed to navigate challenging circumstances and situations, she explains that riders, no matter what level they are at, are essentially all the same at heart. They may differ significantly in skill and aptitude, but at a basic human level, every rider just wants to do their best – whether that is at Prelim or PSG. “People feel the same passion doing a BE90 as being selected to represent their country, and so when things go wrong, the way to show support is no different – there will always be another day”. That’s not to say that she always gets it right, laughing as she explains that you quickly realise if taking the mickey isn’t the right thing to do at that exact moment in time!
Upon returning home, Becky was without a top ride for a couple of years after the injury in France. In the interim, Kim stayed on to groom at Premiers and Nationals and continued to hone her skills as a groom. She tells me that one of the things she enjoyed most was seeing the journey of the young horses, including the now world renowned Jagerbomb. Known as ‘Bomb’ at home, long before he was the megastar he is today, Kim tells me a funny story about when he was a youngster and Becky joked that she’d never get a good photo of him! “She’ll kill me for saying that, but I did get a good photo of him!”, she laughs. It feels a bit surreal to me to be sitting chatting so casually about one of the best dressage horses in the world! I ask Kim what he’s like and she replies that he is “really sweet, really kind”. Though she goes on to explain that at competitions, it very much depends which Bomb comes off the lorry! He can be exceptionally hot and when I ask how she figured out the best way to manage this, I am surprised to learn that they had to figure it out at the Olympics of all places!
Finding a 4-leaf clover hand grazing Bomb at the Paris Olympics before any competition had started certainly turned out to be a good omen!
“It’s probably not the time that you want to be trying new things”, Kim laughs, before explaining that it was actually the TRT method that turned out to bring about the most profound change, and one which Kim credits as one of her biggest learning curves, helping Bomb channel his energy in a way that allows him to better cope. Not that any of us can imagine not being rather nervous and excited to be at an Olympics! Indeed, when I ask Kim what it felt like in that moment to be standing in front of the palace of Versailles, her answer is telling. “It’s really important in these moments, at these big shows, that you don’t let that affect you too much. You have to treat it the same way as any other show, because as soon as you start thinking ‘oh my god, oh my god, we are at the Olympics’, you’ll freak out”. The ability to remain calm under immense pressure is a hallmark of any exceptional groom. Though Kim does concede that she did have a bit of a moment tacking up Bomb for his first test when the significance of it all became very real!
Kim hand walking Bomb at the Paris Olympics against the backdrop of the Palace of Versailles
As soon as Becky was down the centre line, Kim admits that’s when she broke down. I assume out loud that she must have felt the same when Becky stood on the podium to receive her medal and Kim lets out a laugh. “There were no tears at the prize giving, that was one of the most stressful parts! I was far too worried about getting Becky on and off because Bomb was so hot!” Her concern was such that she recruited the Team GB farrier to help as there was no way she could safely keep hold of Bomb while also trying to get Becky back on after the medal ceremony. “It was fine, nobody died, they got their medals, and we got some nice photographs”, she concludes laughing. This makes me laugh too (there is a lot of laughing throughout our chat) and is testimony to Kim’s persona – this is someone who isn’t afraid to poke fun at herself, who is able to take her role seriously without taking herself too much so.
Getting Becky safely back on-board Bomb after the prizegiving at the Paris Olympics
This is borne out further when I ask her what she learnt most from her Olympic experience, to which she replies, “to always have spare food in the lorry in case you don’t like the show food that’s on offer!” It turns out that the food in the canteen wasn’t that great, especially for a self-confessed foodie like Kim. The direness of the situation was such that she “escaped on a bicycle to a local pizzeria with some other grooms”. The fact that the whole episode is described so comically as to be worthy of an episode of Monty Python again makes me laugh, especially when Kim then quips, “maybe I should have given a horsey answer haha!” Interestingly however, the riders ate offsite, whereas the grooms ate onsite with the volunteers. One has to wonder if any of the riders had to take a similar bike ride…
Team GB Paris Olympic Grooms, L-R: Lucy Scudamore, Nat Campbell, Rich Hauwaerts, and Kim
Bicyle rides and pizza heists aside, Kim speaks at length of the camaraderie shown by grooms to one another, looking out for each other and supporting one another, whether it be with paperwork (of which there is copious amounts!), making sure all feed and supplements used adhere to the clean sport rules, pitching in at shows, travelling in convoys, the list goes on…
Pitching in: Rich Hauwaerts, groom for Charlotte Fry, helping Kim cool off Bomb after his test at the Paris Olympics in 33 degree heat
When travelling Bomb by plane for the very first time earlier this year to Texas for the FEI World Cup Dressage Final, her first call was to Super Groom Extraordinaire, Alan Davies. Having flown horses the world over (not actually flown the plane himself, but you get the point), Alan was able to give Kim invaluable advice and support on the process. After all, it’s no mean feat travelling a horse by plane! When I ask Kim about the experience, she recounts how packing for the competition was much harder than any other because of the weight restrictions for flying. The most stressful part however was not the flight itself, but the 48-hour quarantine process at the other end. “Having restricted access to the horses was very stressful”, Kim explains. “It’s a long time to leave them and while they let you take in hard feed, you aren’t allowed to take in forage”. This proved particularly problematic for Bomb, who prefers a hay/haylage mix. Consequently he had to go straight on to the hay that was provided and wasn’t eating enough. “He’d just flown 10 hours and then he was immediately changed on to different forage. And you’re thinking about stable management 101 and all the things you wouldn’t ever normally do. That was one of the most stressful parts of the whole thing”. Thankfully, Bomb was fine and once restrictions were lifted, Kim could breath a sigh of relief.
Bomb loading into position on board his flight to Forth Worth, Texas, April 2026. Sharing a crate with seasoned flyer, showjumper Tornado VS.
It is this very real pressure and immense responsibility that Kim reasons why many top riders struggle to retain grooms. “It’s not just long days and bloody hard work, there is a lot of pressure and responsibility. If I put the wrong number on the saddle pad, that means elimination”. Even the smallest error can have catastrophic consequences. This is not a pressure easily borne or sought out by many, which leads me on to my next question – what makes for a great relationship between a rider and groom? “That relationship is entirely built on trust, you need people in your team that you trust and when the chips are down, they are going to have your back and make the right decisions”. Trust of course is built on competence and knowing the right thing to do is underpinned by knowledge. Kim talks to both throughout, but especially so in the meticulous attention she gives to everything within her remit. When I ask her how on earth she makes sure to remember to pack everything, she exclaims “lists!!” Plus plenty of time to pack the lorry, which for an abroad show starts four days beforehand. Many of the skills Kim displays as a groom are ones required for her day job, working in the marketing department for an accountancy firm. For being a professional groom for one of the best riders in the world is not actually Kim’s day job! Staggering as that may sound, she uses all her annual leave to be able to fulfil her grooming duties, while working hybrid allows her great flexibility balancing the two roles.
Tellingly, Kim explains how she is in the support crew in her marketing role as well. The thought of being in the spotlight at her day job fills her with the same dread as having a light shone on her role as a groom. “Even if the grooms are asked to go into the prize giving, I am always the one saying oh no do we have to?” When I ask her how it then felt to win Groom of the Year 2025, she replies, “fantastic – but I was trembling for about an hour and a half afterwards!” In her usual self-depreciating way, she was convinced she wouldn’t win and was just delighted to be nominated. When I ask her if Becky was proud of her, she laughs and replies, “I’m sure she was, but she was probably laughing thinking, ‘Kim will be hating this!’” Her comment speaks to the closeness of their bond, one which seems to be built on a mutual ability to poke fun at themselves and each other. Kim jokes about the stewards making fun of her at shows when Becky decides to muck out or do Bomb’s bandages, and how she should get a lounge chair to recline in as she sits back and watches! Whether Becky is singular as an elite rider doing her own mucking out (I think she might be), I cannot say, but she certainly seems to be the people’s champion in the way that she is so relatable. This is borne out by Kim’s observations that Becky experiences a show differently from many other elite riders, “she’ll watch the warmups, mill about, stick around after riding”.
Becky and Kim celebrating at the World Equestrian Games
When Becky doesn’t have time to stick around however and is busy being whisked away to press conferences and media commitments, Kim explains that it is in those moments of post-competition euphoria, when it is just Bomb and her, that she cherishes most. Indeed when I ask her if she has one moment in her career so far that she wishes she could bottle and keep forever, that is the answer she gives. “Straight after the test, when Becky has to go do interviews and it’s just me and Bomb, that’s when it hits me”. That she chooses these moments as the ones she wishes she could bottle, speaks to an intimacy borne from care, not competition. Riders might choose to bottle moments where they won a title or a medal, the feeling they had to win in the spotlight. It says a lot about Kim as a person and speaks to grooms in general, that their proudest moments are achieved behind the scenes. “Maybe that’s why it’s so difficult to find grooms as well”, Kim continues, “so many people want to be the rider, the one out competing, chasing the goals”. When I ask Kim if she misses riding, she replies “not really, there isn’t a scratch to itch all the time. Even in my latter years of horse ownership when I was doing BE, I was putting so much pressure on myself that I wasn’t enjoying it”. This prompts me to reflect on how bad we are as riders at ruining the sport for ourselves and we both laugh in agreement. When I push her if she thinks she would ever get another horse again, she does concede, “never say never….”
Kim in those special moments when it is just her and Bomb
As we near the end of our chat, I ask Kim what her 17 year old self who just started riding would say if someone told her she would end up grooming for one of the best riders in the world at an Olympic Games? She bursts out laughing in the characteristic way she has throughout our chat and says, “oh my god, I wouldn’t have been able to comprehend it! I would have just kept saying WHAT?! WHAT?! Are you sure?” Her incredulity is testimony to her inclination for self-depreciation, one which is borne out further when I ask what her proudest moment is. She squirms at the question, but concedes, “I’m a very good HGV driver and can get the lorry into the tunnel in one go! I feel quite smug about that hahaha!” HGV driving aside, I decide to make my last question one directly related to grooming when I ask Kim what is the one thing she couldn’t live without in her grooming kit? She has to give this some thought before she replies, “my good quarter mark brush…and I don’t like it when a certain person borrows is and messes up the bristles”. I think the certain person might be Becky, but I’ll leave that between groom and rider…