I am Injured and Badminton Cancelled

Take It 2 The Top and Amazing Mika were due to compete at Badminton on Thursday in the Burghley Young Event Horse class. But sadly due to flooding of the parkland the entire event has been cancelled. I had thought that if I did the BYEH class at Badminton it may quench my thirst for competing at the worlds greatest 3 day event, but now it seems Take It 2 The Top will have to try and get to the real thing instead!!!
This afternoon I had a freak accident and am a bit lame with a quickly swelling ankle. I was untacking Top Gun when he stepped sideways a bit quickly and his saddle fell off. It was still attached to the martingale via the girth. As he spooked at the falling saddle the whole lot followed him. Poor lad shot backwards very fast to be followed by the saddle dragging along the concrete yard, with me holding on asking him to whoa. I was caught between him and the saddle which had become a deadly weapon, the faster he ran back the more the saddle flew about. Luckily after about 30 yards the saddle came loose and Top Gun stopped. I was left still holding on to him but felt sick and wobbly, my ankle felt very sore. Top Gun is a lovely kind horse and gently nuzzled me as if to say "I am sorry are you OK"
I am now sitting with my ankle well strapped up in vet wrap, pain free, drinking a glass of Bucks Fizz with paracetamol, hoping I can ride tomorrow.

Rain and Events Cancelled!

Photo Hambledon 2012 after the storm.

Almost everything this weekend is cancelled. Riders on route to Withington are tweeting not happy at the mid morning decision, many of them had already set off for Friday dressage. We live about 25 miles from Withington and its been raining non stop since I woke up at 6 am, its now 10 am.

We were due to run at Bradwall with the 2 brothers on Saturday and thats off too.

My gripe about weather conditions is the SJ and XC. At Hambledon last week it was numbers on the board for SJ, riders publicised times were ignored. This meant if you were on the ball you could get your number down and SJ/XC early before the ground deteriorated further. We realised what was happening and got our numbers down but it meant many very annoyed riders (mainly one horse riders) arrived for SJ on time and had over an hour to wait, and then jumped nearer the end in the very worst ground, despite being drawn half way through the section. I felt so sorry for the steward who was getting lots of abuse.

I have no idea why BE and or Events choose to ignore allocated times. It certainly suits us to go early, better ground, cooler conditions on a hot day, home earlier and to show jump all our horses before XC is easier as saves outfit changes and its easier to keep you eye in for a better SJ round and a faster XC time. Also you can then run the horses XC in any order that you prefer. So maybe the one on the best score last as you always ride quicker 2nd time round as you get the feel of the course.

Hartpury Top Gun Leads 2012 F.Points.

British Eventing have today put the list up for the 2012 foundation points rankings.

Top Gun is currently leading by 6 marks. I have never been even in the rankings before on anything, I couldn't be more excited if I had won the lottery.

Fab news for the stud at Hartpury and for all the students who have looked after him as he was growing up. I have just texted them, mum Top Totty and dad Take It 2 The Limit will be pleased too I expect!!

He still needs a few more runs BE100 before he will be ready for Novice so he may even stay leading a bit longer!

To see the ranking lists go to www.britisheventing.com click on About Us and then Top Foundation Points.

Scared to Death at Kelsall

You can walk the course on Jess Williams BLOG at www.equine-planet.co.uk.
Icon went bananas in the dressage, he is so intelligent he remembered that last time he was here the XC ran within yards of his arena.! We expected a 47 and got a 36. Weird!
I then walked the XC to find to my horror it was not the easy run I was hoping for. Its an Intermediate bigger than some Advanced I have done. I arrived back at the lorry to announce to Ant that we will SJ and go home!
Then Icon SJ with only one down and felt amazing. I nervously went and walked a few of the XC fences again, they looked more jumpable this time. the Burghley Leaf Pit replica still scared me to death. There were about a dozen massive tables/spreads and I hated those too, having ended our XC last weekend by us both sliding sideways across a table.
But feeling nervous I decided to go XC. It was one of those fabulous rides, Icon just said "I AM NOT TOUCHING A XC FENCE EVER AGAIN" and almost jumped me off about ten times. We jumped the wrong side of a flag (20 pens) at the triple brush after the leaf pit (photo) but who cares when he is such an amazingly brave horse.

Hail Hambledon Horse Trials !!!

Hambledon Horse Trials today with the two brothers. A long way when this weekend Solihull is on our doorstep. Both boys have done Solihull a few times, we felt they would learn more at Hambledon with the buzz of an International event. Sure enough every show jump was decked with flowers and there were numerous trade stands and flags. They both dressaged and show jumped well, young Take It 2 The Top coping well with the atmosphere. Top Gun went clear xc to finish 8th. Take It 2 The Top spooked sideways approaching fence 1 then went clear, although he wobbled into the water. He is still very green but is brave, has masses of scope and is a lovely horse to ride.
After we finished the hail storms arrived and we have just heard they have had to sadly cancel the next two days of competition.

Symm International Horse Trials

I have just applied for a £750 training bursary that is on offer to a few riders competing at the Symm International Horse Trials. Symm is a building company, working on stunning buildings such as Blenheim Palace, one of their joinery workshops is in Pershore, not far from my yard.
The bursary would mean I could have some help with my training of the lovely young Hartpury Horses. So far I have had only one lesson on Top Gun and none at all on Take It 2 The Top. Just shows how good the horses are. Maybe I would have won the young horse champs last year with a few lessons, I only needed 2 more marks in the dressage!

Fingers crossed that I am selected.

Oh No...Bang Goes My Air Jacket.....

Weston park Intermediate today, Icon got a competitive dressage of 35 but clunked a few SJs down. Then XC he set off full of enthusiasm and felt really bold, he was pinging and it felt very easy until........

.......... at the wide angled table we had a fab stride, but suddenly Icon seemed to misread the fence and went to put down on the top, as he did his hooves skidded on the wooden surface and we were sliding sideways instead of flying over clear. I landed on my feet with a loud bang of my air jacket going off, a split second later Icon also landed on his feet next to me, he stood on my foot.....Ow!

We decided to retire as he has another run very soon. First time I have set my air jacket off. Anthony made us laugh, he claimed the Army Cadets helping at Weston all ducked when it went bang....he said they thought they had been shot at.....!!!!!

After looking after Icon and working out how to load a new air jacket cannister, we had a lovely afternoon watching the advanced horses SJ and XC. A big crowd turned out as many Badminton and Olympic horses were running, amazing to be able to watch them close up.

Eventing Mag get it wrong!

I have had numerous texts from people telling me Eventing Magazine have me down in their results at Stafford as riding the stallion Take It 2 The Limit into 3rd place in the BE90 open instead of his 5 year old son Hartpury Take It 2 The Top. How on earth could that happen, very annoying both for me and for the stud, especially when the full brothers both did so well that day.

Louise Harwood (Skelton) texted me to say "you seem to be riding the whole family now!"

Next month maybe Eventing will accidentally have me down as winning Badminton!!!

The Brothers are Stars

Oh my goodness what a fab day, took my 2 full brothers to Sapey, Take It 2 The Top attempting his first BE100. They did not let me down and both finished on their fab dressage scores of 31 and 30 in 2nd and 4th place.
The ground and courses at Sapey were superb . Both boys gave me a super ride, Top Gun the XC tiger nipped round easy peasy and Take 2 Top felt like he just floated round. I was thrilled when he bravely jumped into the water the direct route which was a small log drop.
They both had time to text their breeder - stud manager Lotta at Hartpury College, hoof prints on my phone now!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hartpury-Home-Farm-Stud/73225432691

Link is to Hartpury facebook report.

No photos of my boys but below is Louise taking 5 year old Charlie clear XC at his first BE90. I have trained Louise for several years. In the last couple of weeks riders that I coach have had some fab results, around 9 double clears and several placings. Well done to Sarah clear again today, Sue clear XC at Sapey at her horses 1st 100 and Becky 9th and double clear in a 90 also at Sapey.

Horse and Hound - BE100 dressage test 106

Horse and Hound rang me today asking for my view on BE test 106. This is the dressage test ridden at 100 level that requires you to canter round and round on a 20 metre circle until you are dizzy......well maybe I am exaggerating slightly!

I have ridden it at every BE100 event I have competed at so far this year. Top Gun knows it so well he is going to do it without me next time!

We call it the roundabout test as the canter work feels like you are stuck on a roundabout and can't find the exit!! Event rider Tom Searle made me laugh, he has been practising 106 and says he now knows what it must feel like to be on a horse walker in canter!

Photos from Gatcombe

http://www.stephensparkes.co.uk/GATSPRING12.aspx

Click the link to see photos from Gatcombe spring event 2012, including Icon jumping those corners!!!!

Ledbury Pony Club Easter Egg Hunt

This is day that I help organise. I write out clues and hide them under Easter theme props - a toy bunny, yellow flowers, basket of eggs etc etc.
Then fellow instructor Jeni and I laid a trail round the pony club fields at Gadbury. The children rode their ponies following the hidden clues collecting ribbons on the way.
At the end of the hunt the children exchanged their ribbons for yummy chocolate Easter eggs.
Normally a fun day with lots of smiley faces.......... except today it was freezing cold, they did get their eggs but also got very very cold!!!!
We finished the day with the children practising bandaging ponies legs.
When I got home frozen, I made hot for hot soup and cheese sandwiches and eventually I warmed up....brrrrrrrr.

Double Clears Stafford and Howick

Top Gun and Take It 2 The Top both finished on their dressage at Stafford in 2nd and 3rd place. TTT was doing his 1st grown up BE event a "BE90 Open" he was the youngest horse in the class so finishing 3rd was amazing.
Stafford is the most wonderful event, perfect in everyway. Top Gun and TTT between them managed to text their breeders at Hartpury to keep them updated of their good day.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hartpury-Home-Farm-Stud/73225432691

Thought they were very quiet for a while on the lorry. Took them ages as mobile phones and hooves don't work very well together!!!!

Sunday I went to support riders that I coach at Howick. Emma and Sarah both came home pleased with double clears and top ten placings, at their 1st BE event. We celebrated with the most delicious Aberdeen Angus burgers that were more like a joint of beef.

Talking of beef our new Bull at the farm is an Aberdeen Angus called Eric. He will be out on Castlemorton Common with his ladies in the next few weeks.