This has been my first full year up and running. I have been out competing on Maddox, have success in both British Eventing and BSJA. We had a slightly late start with the eventing as Maddox pulled a muscle in his back and had to have some time off. However once up and running has progressed extremely well.
First event at Bishop Burton doing his first Intro. It was a mixed day, riding in strong wind has never been an issue for Maddox and he produced an excellent dressage of 30.5 on his first attempt. It then didn't go quite to plan with a rail down in the showjumping and a refusal, both due to the arena being next to a barn full of cows!! Cross country I was quite pleased with although we picked up 40 faults, he gave me a good ride and showed me that he does have a lot of promise.
Little Downham Intro was next, we had a tyre blow out 25 minutes after we left home and didn't get moving again for nearly 3 hours!! Luckily I was allowed to slot in at the end of the class, he produced another excellent dressage for a score of 30, the best in his section all day. He then managed a double clear to win his section, which I was delighted with.
We were balloted from Catton Park where I planned to run him in the pre-novice so we re-routed to Eland Lodge for another Intro, again another consistent performance from Maddox. 30.5 dressage, double clear but we picked up 8.4 time faults to leave us in 6th place.
Maddox's next run was Buckminster Park doing his first pre-novice. He produced what I felt was a good dressage for him scoring 34.5, lowered one rail showjumping but gave me a fantastic clear cross country, he was really confident and eager to get over every fence. We finished on 38.50 to leave us in 6th place.
I then withdrew from Carlton as Maddox had put his hind leg over the electric fencing the morning before so I felt it was better to withdraw than risk further injury or lost confidence.
Next event was Solihull, another good dressage scoring a 30 again. We had an unlucky two rails down showjumping, both rails Maddox barely touched and they just rolled off. Again he gave me another fantastic ride across country, even jumping the beach balls before the water without even looking at them. We finished in 6th place again on his dressage score.
I was quite disappointed with the show jumping at Solihull so I decided to take Maddox for some training with Dale Burnham, was has actually worked wonders.
I then took Maddox to Draycott House, where we didn't have a great dressage scoring 36, he was a bit upset by the midgies and got a little bit tight through his body. He then however jumped a super double clear to finish on his dreaasge score in 9th place.
I was then planning on running at Winkburn but bad weather meant it was cancelled. So next run was Burnham Market, another good dressage of 30, this time thanks to Jess my dressage trainer, we had worked on the test as Maddox was finding some parts difficult being such a big horse. a lovely clear round show jumping but 40 faults cross country, both I take full blame for, a combination of the 3.30am start and me having flu meant my reactions with not up to scratch. So we had a bit of home work to do.
The last event I ran Maddox at was Oasby, in hindsight I think it was one event too many. An average dressage of 33.8, he didn't have his usual sparkle. One rail down show jumping, again a bit laboured. Cross country was a struggle and we didn't complete. Two refusals at the sunken road was very out of the ordinary for him. We then had a run out at fence 7, which we jumped on the second attempt , I then retired him knowing there were still more questions later on in the course and something wasn't quite right. The fence judge decided we had two refusals at 7 so eliminated us. I have challenged this with no success.
Since then Maddox has been having a well earned holiday and I have been concentrating on getting Bambi going. He was bought as a project in August. So far I have had him out a couple of times jumping to get him used to seeing different things. He has a very big jump but still needs some more work on his technique. Now just getting ready for the indoor season with both horses.
