June 2011

Since my last update there has been lots happening. Maddox has been ploughing on with his dressage, we have had lots of lessons and his lateral work is much stronger again. He has also started jumping and had another check up with the vet, he has had the all clear to keep progressing with his work which is great.

Bambi has been out eventing, he ran at Eland Lodge in April, he was rather fresh in his dressage so scored 38.5, 4 faults sj but clear xc with no time faults. Next was Milton Keynes for a 100+, he was good in the dressage but unfortunately the judge didn't really like him so he scored 37.6, again 1 down sj but clear xc and a couple of time faults as we weren't in a competitive position so I didn't push him.

Keysoe was next and he was fantastic, 26.5 dressage and double clear which should of won it for us but unfortunately the ground was running very fast due to the hard work the organisers had done on it and we clocked up 8 time faults for being too fast!!! I was very disappointed as this dropped us from 1st to 5th!!

Bambi then had his final run at 100 level at Shelford, 35 dressage and again double clear with 3.2 time faults as parts of the course were slippy from the rain that day but finished in 7th place. Next was his first Novice, we were first to go all day so he didn't get much time to trot around the arena before his test so wasn't as settled as I would of liked and scored 37.6, a lovely clear sj but an annoying run out xc at a double of corners on a curve, he got his turn but then turned too much, so we have lots of practicing to do!

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April 2011

Unfortunately Bambi didn't run at Lincoln as he picked up a bit of a skin infection after Oasby. He will be running at Eland Lodge on 16th April. I took him to Arena UK schooling and he went very well.

Maddox has been out to do some more Dressage, he qualified for the Sheepgate Indoor Winter finals, he produced a good Novice test to score 67% for 3rd and then scored another 67% in the Elementary for 2nd. He then did his first Medium test and scored 64%, he tried hard but lacked some expression so we have lots to work on.

Cracking start to the season.

I ran Durcouf (Bambi) and Spooky at an unaffiliated event on 26th Feb, Bambi completed with a 35 dr, double clear with some time xc for 3rd place and Spooky completed with a 29.5 dressage, 2 down sj and clear xc for 7th.

Bambi had his first affiliated run of the season at Oasby, he did a lovely dressage test for 33.5 which I think was the second best score in his section, he then jumped a lovely double clear with just 2.4 time faults xc for 3rd place!! I'm really pleased with how he has come on, he found all 3 phases very easy which is great. He will stay at BE100 a little longer as he has only done 5 now so I feel he needs more experience before moving up to Novice. Next stop is Lincoln on friday so fingers crossed for some good weather.

Maddox has been out doing a little bit of dressage, he has only had unaffiliated tests so far but always scoring in the high 60's%. He has also started cantering out as the ground is so good at the moment. I will hopefully start jumping him at the end of the month.

Thats all my news for now!!

Last week I took both the boys training to Arena UK, Maddox was very excited and a bit of a handful, the windy weather didn't help but it was good for him to be out. Bambi jumped a couple of show jump rounds, he was very good and keen.

I took them both to Laughton Manor for unaffiliated Dressage, both did two novice tests. Maddox won both his with scores of 71.2% and 69%, Bambi got two 3rd's with 63% and 62%. He still needs a bit more work but will soon get into the swing of it again.

We're off to Arena UK again tomorrow for more training and Bambi will hopefully being doing indoor xc at the weekend.

January 2010

Maddox and Bambi came back from their holiday at the end of October, both were relaxed but pleased to be out of the weather. Bambi started back with some gentle work. Maddox went back to Oakham for another scan and was given the all clear to start working again. He is allowed to compete in Dressage and start some jumping in the spring which is great news. I had planned to have Bambi out to BSJA over the winter and Maddox to BD but the weather put a stop to all that.

Bambi was treated to a trip to the beach on New Years Eve to give him a change, he loved it but did take some persuation to go in the sea.

My plan now is to take both horses to Arena UK's training shows to get them out and about. Maddox will be registered to British Dressage and hopefully will himself some pennies to put towards a new jumping saddle. Bambi will be prepared for the season by doing some unaffilaited Dressage and Show Jumping, as soon as the ground is good enough we will be out xc schooling and possibly for a days hunting!!

September 2010

Well I have now finished my season, its been really mixed...

After Belton I decided Maddox needed some confidence building so we had an xc lesson with Lucy which I found really helpful. He then did a pony club ode at Buckminster where he scored the best dressage of the day 18.8!! The show jumping caused no end of trouble, he had 3 down and time faults (this was relatively good!!) then jumped beautifully round the xc our only mistake being he slipped coming out of the water so didnt make the distance to the fence.

I also took Bambi to do the combined training, he did a lovley dressage of 27.5 and had 1 down sj with a couple of time faults to finish 2nd!! Very pleased with him. The week before he had done a little ode (75cm max) and won it so improvement all round with him.

I then had 3 horses entered for Cranwell ode, a mare called Spooky for a client, she went very well to finish 2th with a double clear. Bambi did a 34 dressage, 1 down and stormed round the xc but unfortunately we were too fast so picked up about 14 time faults!! Maddox was next to go but as I started studding him up I noticed he had half pulled a front shoe off and with no farrier on site I put him away again.

Maddox was then entered for Shelford BE100, he jumped a beautiful double clear with a 30 dressage but picked up 6 time faults which cost us first place, we finished 6th. I then took Bambi and Spooky to the Pony Club at Shelford, Bambi did the Intro course, 33ish clear sj but then spooked near the water, he just didn't understand what was being asked and there was too much for him to look at, we picked up 60 penalties but jumped perfectly round the rest of the course. Spooky did a 33 dressage in the Pre-novice, had a silly stop sj but flew xc to finish 4th.

Both my horses were then entered for BE at Little Downham, Bambi was first in the BE90, 33 dressage, 1 fence down and clear xc to finish 4th, very pleased with him. Maddox did 29.5 dressage in the Novice but unfortunately it all went to pot, 1 stop sj and 3 down with time faults, xc he went well and jumped lovely but stopped at the coffin, same fence as last year grr!

Bambi went to Milton Keynes for his final BE90, a poor dressage score of 39.5 ( lots of very high scored), 4 faults sj and clear xc to finish just out side the top 10.

We had training with Lucy that week which was really good, working on turns and related distances.

I took Maddox to Catton park the following weekend, he did an awful test but managed to come out with 32, warming up for show jumping he was not at all happy, stopping a lot and jumping to the left so I withdrew him from the rest of the competition. I wasn't too sure what was goin on so gave him a light couple of weeks then took him back to Lucy to have a look and to get some advice. It was decided he wasn't right so he was booked into Oakham. I have had concerns about him this year and wasn't sure he was 100% but couldn't find anything. On examination the vet found very slight lameness in front which was so hard to see, and on being scanned we found a minor tendon injury, it looks like a strike injury which was likely to be done in the field. So Maddox's season was cut short, never mind, hopefully he will recover well and be out next year.

Bambi went to Eland lodge for his 1st BE100, he scored a 28 in the dressage and then double clear to win his section! I was most surprised but it was exactly the boast I needed after Maddox's bad news.

Poor Bambi then had to sub Maddox in the BE100 open at Buckminster, 37 dressage, 4 faults but clear xc, he had some time as I took the long route at the corner, I didn't feel he was quite ready for it, but he finished really well. Time for a short break for him.

He was then entered for Carlton but had a slight accident in the stable a few days before which resulted in a swollen knee and a quick trip to Oakham. He is fine and it was nothing more than some bruising and sweling.

2 more events left for Bambi, Shelford 31.5 and double clear left him in 2nd then Winkburn, 33 and again double clear left him in 4th. I am completely thrilled with how he has come on and matured this year. I am pleased to of ended his season on a good note with some fab results.

I have also been doing a bit with Jimy this summer (horse I broke 2 winters a go) he has done some dressage shows scoring 65%, he's done some unaffilated show jumping and is getting better everything. I took him to Wragby show to have a go at some showing, he finshed 3rd in Ridden Horse (he's not actually a ridden horse type) and we then entered him in the Working Hunter, the jumps were put quite big, ranging from 2ft6 to 3ft but he flew round and did a loevly individual show to win it!!

Maddox has been back to the vets, lots of improvement so was allowed to be turned out for 6-8 weeks, Bambi has joined him for a little holiday. I am hoping both horses will be out competing in December, Bambi BSJA and Maddox BD.

A quick update on the boys progress so far this season.

Maddox competed at Lincolnshire in the Novice, he went lovely in his Dressage test and I think that was the best he'd ever gone at that level but only got a mark of 33.5, having looked at the scoreboards I think the whole section was harshly marked. He then produced a lovely show jump round just lowering one fence which he barely touched. Across country we had one silly run out at 4b, a narrow fence under the trees which was a bit spooky. I took a couple of long routes on him at difficult fences as he can be a bit sticky at his first couple of events, unfortunately I crossed my tracks at one of the long routes therefore collecting another 20 penalties.

Burnham Market was next, it always seems to take forever to get there and I think Maddox felt the journey, he came out for Dressage a bit flat and didn't go very well but still managed to get 33.5. I had a couple of hours before my show jumping so I fed Maddox and a new horse came out of the lorry raring to go, he jumped a beautiful clear round which I was delighted with as the ground was getting pretty deep. Cross country didn't go to plan, some how Maddox managed to forget how to jump at first fence and laid on it getting his foot stuck. It was then evident by fence 8 he wasn't comfortable so we pulled up. The next day he had a swelling between his front legs and was quite stiff, so he had some treatment and rest.

I had already done my entry to Belton so decided to take him for the Dressage and Show jumping, he produced an accurate test for 35.5, again I feel the judge was possibly marking a bit harshly. He then jumped a lovely round with just one down. His show jumping has improved so much recently, I have been changing how I ride him and it seems to be paying off. I withdrew from cross country as he had missed a whole week of work and lost some fitness.

Maddox is now going to have some quite time as I don't want him to burn out too soon from Eventing.

Bambi has been super, I have taken him for a couple of schooling sessions at Arena UK over show jumps, he jumped everything put in front on him. I also cross country schooled him, I am pleasantly surprised with how good he's been. I have also done 2 Hunter Trials with him, both went better than expected. I will now keep building on this and go to some different places schooling so he can see as much as possible. He has been entered for 2 unaffiliated ode's then depending on how they go I will look to get him registered and out to do some BE90 classes.