Duvet Day Does a Double Clear.

Had a lovely day at Stonar School Horse Trials. Duvet Day was in the BE100 and did a super double clear with just 3 time faults. He went so well I think he will easily do Novice. He once again had lots of admirers, he is the sort of horse that makes people stop to say what a nice boy he is, although they often add on "make a lovely hunter"which flattens the compliment a bit! Although today after the SJ one lady admired his big careful jump.

An amusing thing happened, Louise and Alloon Ice whom I teach competed in the BE90.
We both finished 20th in our respective sections and both recorded exactly the same time XC even though we were jumping different courses. Louise was slowed down a bit by a run out at a skinny when she slipped her reins over the preceeding ditch so much that she let go completely! Louise had a 25 dressage wow!

Next outing is Top Gun to do a BYEH class and Icon to the Welsh Championships.

Horror of Dead Cows and a Mixed Weekend.

Two days ago one of our cows broke its leg clean off, it was horrid and of course he had to be shot. Dermot, who looks after them was devastated, as it was his favourite. Then yesterday a second cow had a similar break. We realised we have a rogue horse attacking the cattle. Ant and his father Ron have kept horses with cattle for over 50 years and never had this happen before.
We quickly moved all 6 of my youngstock to another field and are wondering who is the culprit, it was very upsetting.

Yesterday I took Top Gun to Allens Hill for an eventer training class, 2'9", he was so lovely. 32 dressage and double clear and won it. I have discovered he likes soft mints so he had a whole packet afterwards.

Today Icon was at Salperton. He had a 39 dressage despite zillions of horses flies biting at him. Then I really fluffed the showjumping. I had no stride to the triple bar and we landed flat and then made an absolute pigs ears of the treble, stopping at the final part. I thought oh help he has never stopped, he is ill, retire! Then I spotted Ant who signaled me to give him a smack so I did, 3 sharp smacks and he flew it.

I was not sure if to run xc but Ant said run, it was good sheep ground, firm but not rough at all. After his smack in the SJ Icon set off like an idiot and I couldn't stop I managed to anchor him by fence 5 and we cantered sedately round the rest of course. It was boiling hot and very hilly and he finished extremely tired having had only 5 days since his last outing, too much Irish Draught blood!
The course was pretty technical with lots of drops and skinnies and steps with 2 waters both with skinnies out.
After the rubbish SJ I was relieved he jumped round clear XC even if we went slow enough to stop for an ice cream on the way round!

(photo is by kind permission of John Britter Photography)

Icon Brilliant at Lovely Longleat

I love it at Longleat, its unique as Monkeys and Sea Lions are making zoo noises while you do dressage, everything about this event is gorgeous. We just can't stop admiring the parkland, the trees, the house, the lake etc etc. There are always loads of spectators here adding to a fabulous atmosphere.

Icon buzzed a bit in the dressage, scoring only 43. Two down SJ were annoying after he jumped so well BSJA last week, but he finds sloping ground difficult and I felt I let the canter get a tiny bit flat in front of the planks and the fence after that came down too. He still got a well deserved pat though!

The XC course caused lots of problems but not for Icon he popped round, he is a real machine XC and was on fire today. It was a warm day and I had to let him catch his breath a couple of times and ease off the pace, he has not had a run for a while and it showed. I am home now and shattered (didn't sleep last night, too excited about Longleat) I am still buzzing about the ride he gave me, he is such a good boy.
See more news of my horses at www.stellabayliseventing.co.uk

XC Schooling and a Near Miss....Scary!

Took Top Gun and Milo XC schooling today at Bissell wood near Kidderminster. Its lovely for young horses, inviting fences, sandy going all through woodlands which was bliss on a hot day.

Sue Peckham came too with her horse Chewy. Sue is a very good friend, and has some really nice horses, I am hoping she will get one of them to the grassroots final especially as I help her with their training.

Milo was fab he is so quiet, he jumped really well and even cantered some of the baby fences. He needed a lead from Chewy into the water and his legs shook as he overcame his surprise at the wet stuff, soon he was happily trotting in on his own.

Top Gun was bold as usual and gave me a lovely ride, no lead required into the water for him.
I clung onto to the neck strap a lot in case of woodland creatures leaping out in front of me, mainly Sue and Chewy! Sues horse looked fab he was really pinging and had a lovely yippee look in his eye.

I had a lucky escape as I pulled Top Gun up after the last fence, my rein broke, he is not even strong, the billet ripped out, they are almost new reins. Luckily he pulled up on his own wondering why I had let go!! I am going to replace all my XC reins with buckle fastenings and have just ordered some from ebay.

My web site has more information about all my horses including Top Gun and Milo. You can view it at http://www.stellabayliseventing.co.uk/

Excitment at The Pony Club Show

Took Milo and Top Gun to Ledbury PC show yesterday. Within seconds of getting Top Gun off the lorry a young pony got loose and went berserk galloping about with the loud speakers giving a running commentary and advising loudly for someone to shut the gate. The loose pony had only recently been castrated and still had colt intentions and so tried to cover 9 year old Saffron Cresswells pony Rosie with little Saffron still on top! Saffron got off, let Rosie go and the colt pursued a terrified Rosie flat out across the showground!

This was Top Guns first busy big show and with all this commotion he was out of his tree.
I quickly reloaded him and left him to destroy the lorry and got Milo out. Milo couldn't care less about any near catastrophe that was about to occur near him and behaved like a police horse. I rode him in the 2'3 and he jumped lovely all from trot as his canter is not yet established.

By this time Top Gun had calmed down and also jumped a lovely round to come 3rd. He then jumped a super double clear in the 2'6. I am getting very excited about his future. He soon got used to the atmosphere of the busy show and stood quietly while I watched some of the Ledbury Pony Club members complete their rounds. All the children I watched rode extremely well and it was lovely to see them enjoying their jumping.

Then it was home to collect Icon and off to BSJA at Hartpury. We arrived in time to jump the 1.20/Foxhunter. Icon was on top form and jumped a super double clear and would have been second winning £30 had I not been on a ticket so could not count for a prize!
I tend not to register BSJA during the summer as I Show Jump very little at that level until the winter.

I Let Duvet Day Down, I am So Sorry...polos for life any good?

First thank you to everyone who has asked how Mika is. He is better and now back out in 30 acres with the herd of young horses and cattle. He had pus in the foot which if treated early and correctly is an insignificant ailment, but very painful and can look like they have a broken leg, its similar to us having a septic toenail. It is caused usually from a bit of grit getting into the foot and working it way deep into into the hoof which then gets infected, its very common when we have a dry spell followed by wet weather, grit gets in the cracks which then close up as the hoof absorbs moisture. As soon as the pus is released it gives instant pain relief. Attention from a good farrier or your vet followed by few days poulticing usually does the trick.

I took Duvet Day to Llanymynech today to do a BE 100. He was fabulous, 37 dressage, one down SJ ( my fault) and clear XC. So exciting it was a big technical course and he just popped round. In view of his inexperience I chose the alternative at the 2nd water jumped the house and trotted into the water the wrong side of a flag, and so was eliminated but had no idea until I had finished.
Despite this it was a super day, blue skies, lovely course, perfect ground, riding a good bold horse and I am very excited about his next event now.

We were also thrilled our Friend Jo Challens had her first run of 2010 and came 9th in the BE90, she is amazing, she had a hip replacement in March and has only been back on her horse 3 weeks!

The secretary at Llanymynech agreed to write me a note saying I had a TE missing the flags out at the water trot in, many many thanks to everyone at this very lovely event, I go every year and its one of my favourites.

There is a photo (taken by Mike Bain) of us missing the flags on the Horsedeals website.

Top Gun does the Derby.

I took Top Gun and Milo to their first proper jumping competition at Tack farm near Hereford. Milo trotted around the 2 foot class and came 6th.

Top Gun was entered for the 2'3". He was quite lit up in the warm up. First a bucking palomino upset him and once he got over that a Dun pony came in jumping with the speed of a missile. After I had sat a few interesting spins and bucks and he was settling again a spotty horse came in, off we go again with Ant shouting encouraging advice like sit up and stick with him!

Once settled he jumped in the class violently swerving about as he spooked at spectators, the music and the banners yet he somehow jumped double clear.

I then took him in the 2'6" Arena Derby, 5 water trays, brushes, gates, walls as well as show jumps and a mat to walk over all in the 23 fence course. He jumped a really lovely calm and slow clear, it felt like he had been in Derbys all his life and to my amazement came 2nd. The speedy ponies either forgot the course or had fences down. His Dad Take It 2 The Limit was 6th at Bramham today so Top Gun has alot to live up to!

Shoes off at a late entry to Shelford

At 9.45 last night Shelford emailed me to say Duvet Day (Spicer) was off the wait list and in the BE100. Panic, I had ridden him and cleaned tack but we had no picnic! We decided to stop at a garage on the way which turned out to be hopeless, stale bread and dried up cakes.

Spicer did a good dressage 34, although he tripped in the mud, judge said he got stuck in it!
He was fab SJ with just one down, this is the first time he has competed at this height and he felt lovely. XC was annoying, I came out the water on a rubbish line and let him nip past the triple brush skinny. Stupid of me to risk it on the angle he has never jumped one before never mind out of water!! It was early on the course and he flew the rest making light work of the bigger fences.

When I pulled up at the finish he had lost a shoe, my friends Joy and Graham were fence judging so they put out a call on their radio "its the size of a dinner plate with 2 studs" (funny but sadly true!) Fence 5 quickly replied they had it, it was the water so he must have slipped before he ran out, no wonder he struggled to jump it.

After he was washed off, I grabbed Anthonys bike and pedaled off to find the lost shoe, when I got to fence 5 they had just given it to the quad bike score collector. I then had to chase the quad bike lady round most of Nottinghamshire, well one field but she was very fast. When I caught her she said she was going to make her fortune getting it weighed for scrap!!!

This was a lovely event very low key and a super first run for BE90 or BE100 its the first time I have been here and will definitely go again. It has not rained for a month and they had done a brilliant job watering the ground it was even a bit muddy in the dressage.

Just before dark tonight my Dad rang worried as Mika (2 yr old out of Butterfly) was hopping along on three legs. We rushed down the fields to find him doing a broken leg impersonation. I led him over the common with all the evening dog walking people staring at me as he hopped along. It was only a foot abscess which we soon sorted out and he is now all poulticed in a stable happily munching hay.