The end of the year is always a good time to reflect back on what's happened over the previous 12 months. It's a good time to examine the good and the bad, to learn from our past in order to make a better future.

And 2004 was a year of incredible highs with our Olympic teams proving themselves against the world's best competitors. But 2004 also proved to be a year of increased awareness in equestrian sports, with the welfare of our horses being given top consideration, as it should be.