Lizzie Wilson-Fellows and Lets Chance It. Image by Simon Scully.
In elite dressage, we often celebrate the finished product: the polished Grand Prix test, the effortless piaffe, the seemingly seamless partnership between horse and rider. What we speak about far less is the road that gets us there – the messy, uncertain, often uncomfortable journey where instinct, patience and resilience matter far more than scoresheets. Few horses embody that reality more vividly than Lets Chance It.
Now competing successfully at Medium Tour with his owner and rider Lizzie Wilson-Fellows at only seven-and-a-half years old – and showing all the signs of a future Grand Prix horse – Lets Chance It, known fondly as Chance, has travelled a long road to get there. His story is not one of overnight success, but of patience and a willingness to question behaviour that didn’t quite make sense.
Lets Chance It showcasing his talent for piaffe at the 2026 EBM Willinga Dressage by the Sea. Image by Amy-Sue Alston
A PROMISING BEGINNING
Bred in New Zealand by Holly Leach, Chance (Chemistry x Riverside) showed promise from the very beginning. Sold as a foal to Bronwyn Paul, he remained with her through his early years, broken in and ridden until the age of four. He then returned to his breeder, where Holly competed him with success. By five, he was sold again, this time to Karen Allen, and made the journey from New Zealand to Tasmania.
On paper, it was a straightforward young horse story. In reality, it was anything but. For Karen, Chance proved to be more horse than expected – and while no one could have known at the time, his increasingly unpredictable behaviour was likely the result of an anatomical issue that caused discomfort as he matured.
Within nine months, and after several unfortunate falls, her coach Gary Lung suggested contacting Lizzie to assess whether he might even be saleable. Given his growing reputation, that was far from a certainty.
WHEN POTENTIAL OUTWEIGHS RISK
“True to form he was quite a tricky ride initially,” Lizzie shares. “He liked to spook and spin as quick as any cutting horse, and after a discussion with Karen I felt he wasn’t safe to sell on.”
However, Lizzie had an eye for his potential. “He had the most amazing natural piaffe that he found so easy, so with a push from close friend Nicky Rockwell I decided to take on the challenge.”
Lizzie immediately got him EA registered and Chance was taken to his first competition with the goal of qualifying for the six-year-old class at Dressage & Jumping with the Stars (DJWTS) in 2024. The warm-up alone set the tone for what was to come.
“In the warm-up, he was extremely athletic, giving my poor groom, Isobelle Muller, a few heart-stopping moments – and me too,” Lizzie says.
When one tactic failed, Chance tried another. “He tried spinning and when he couldn’t get me off, he changed tactics to bolting,” she says. “Then, when strongly half-halted, he reared and ducked his neck, so I had nothing.’”
Despite everything, they made it into the arena. “Somehow we managed to get into the arena and he won the qualifier on a 77%,” Lizzie recalls.
From that point on, progress was measured in weeks rather than leaps. “Every week we chipped away and had good days and bad,” she explains. “But the main thing was not to come off.”
Gradually, Chance began to change. “He slowly started to realise I wasn’t going anywhere unless he came too,” Lizzie says.
Chance placed fourth in both the Intermediate A and Intermediate B in the CDI2* at Willinga Park in February. Image by Amy-Sue Alston
TALENT WAS NEVER THE QUESTION
At the DJWTS finals they placed third – an extraordinary result given the challenges that preceded it. Yet even as results improved, certain patterns remained.
“The competition warm-ups were the main problem areas for his behaviours,” Lizzie explains, “but he always found the work easy. He had good changes and a good ability to collect and extend.”
The contrast – brilliance in the work, volatility in the environment – would eventually lead Lizzie to question whether behaviour alone explained what was happening.
The turning point came at the NSW State Championships at Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC) later that year.
“In the warm-up, he spooked and spun, but then fell and rolled over on me,” Lizzie recalls. “This was the first time I felt something was physically wrong.”
After competing, Lizzie acted immediately. “I took him over to REC Equine Specialists and asked them to X-ray his back, neck and hocks,” she says. “This was the beginning of his medical journey.”
Under the guidance of Hayley Lang, Chance was found to have mild kissing spine from T15 to T18, which was treated by injection.
Soon after, the pair travelled to Brisbane CDI – but another incident reinforced that the problem was not yet resolved. “On entering the arena, he was spooked by a noisy plover and again spooked, spun and fell over,” Lizzie says.
It was time to reassess once more. “Back to the drawing board,” she says. With the support of sponsor Lara Tweedie, footage and veterinary records were reviewed more widely.
“Lara showed the video to her husband, Dr Mike Tweedie, who is an equine vet,” Lizzie explains. “After consultation with me, he sent all his X-rays and records to a friend in the USA.”
Following that consultation, Chance returned to REC Equine Specialists. “We injected his neck in September 2024,” Lizzie says. “And this started to show real improvement in his behaviour.”
“He is quite a thinker and a character, I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2026 brings,” says Lizzie. Image by Simon Scully.
A COMPREHENSIVE VETERINARY PLAN
As Chance’s rehabilitation progressed, Lizzie made the decision to switch to a veterinary practice closer to home.
Chance is now under the care of Hunter Equine Vets, with his treatment led by Livia De Biase, who does chiro, osteo and polytherapy (the simultaneous use of multiple treatments) with him. “Livia is really interested in performance horses and the osteo work and her eagerness to be involved has been incredible.”
Practice owner Madalan Baultussen administered Chance’s ‘Osphos’ treatment as part of the revised plan, following advice from Olympian Spencer Wilton. “With Spencer’s guidance, we treated him with Osphos, a bone pain medication,” Lizzie explains.
He also received regular PEMF therapy (a non-invasive wellness treatment that uses low-frequency electromagnetic waves to stimulate cellular repair, reduce inflammation and alleviate pain). “He has been regularly PEMFed from Hunter Pulse Therapy and Nina Leonard,” she says.
His support program is also extensive to ensure he is at his happiest.
“He is also supported with supplements of Rose Hip Vital Equine and High Horse Ulcer Armour, plus regular Pentosan,” she explains. “It’s quite a high-need veterinary journey, but it’s definitely helped tremendously.”
As the inflammation within his body began to settle, the bigger picture became clear.
“Chance was just trying to tell us he was sore internally,” Lizzie says. “The vets believe that soon the majority of his program will become maintenance for when and if symptoms in his behaviour show up.”
LOOKING AHEAD WITH PATIENCE
Despite his obvious abilities, Lizzie is taking a cautious approach to the future.
“I think going forward, we hope to get some good Grand Prix results,” she says. “But for now, we will stay at Medium Tour for at least a year.”
Age and maturity are key considerations. “He only turned eight on 8 March 2026,” Lizzie explains. “So even though he finds the work so easy, he needs maturity and strength going forward.”
At home Chance’s work is deliberately varied. “Training-wise at home, he combines arena work with pole work and hacking around the yards,” Lizzie explains.
“He lives in at night, except during the hot days when they stay out at night in the nice coastal breeze,” she says.
Throughout the journey, support from coaches has been invaluable. “I have been fortunate to have great coaches,” Lizzie says. “Jenny Gehrke always believed in him and was the first to think it was more physical problems than behaviour alone, along with Vanessa Way and Spencer Wilton.”
CHOOSING NOT TO WALK AWAY
Looking back, Lizzie is candid about why she stayed the course.
“The main reason I persisted with him, even though many people thought I was crazy, was because of his obvious talent for piaffe that was so classically correct,” she says. “He also showed good changes.”
“He will stay with me indefinitely,” she says. “But I do think he will get to a stage where someone else will be game to have a sit on him – so far, no takers for a joyride.”
BEYOND THE ARENA
Outside of dressage Chance is very much of his own personality. “He is quite a thinker and a character,” Lizzie says. “He regularly gets into mischief, like taking the stable door off its hinges and going for an adventure.”
Nothing within reach is safe. “He also likes to play with any hose that is in his vicinity and has been known to break many attachments,” she laughs.
That sharp mind and big personality, once a source of unpredictability, are now being channelled productively in the arena. At his first major Medium Tour appearance at the Victorian Dressage Festival in 2025, Chance exceeded expectations, finishing as Reserve Medium Tour Champion — a significant milestone in his journey.
That upward trajectory continued on the international stage. Recently, Chance placed fourth in both Intermediate A and Intermediate B in the CDI2* at Willinga Park, confirming that the careful veterinary management and patient retraining were translating into consistent performance.
“They say nothing worth having comes easily,” Lizzie reflects. “But the rewards are starting to show.”
For a horse once defined by unpredictability, Lets Chance It now stands as a powerful example of what can happen when behaviour is questioned rather than dismissed. Looking ahead, Lizzie remains quietly optimistic.
“I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2026 brings him.” EQ
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