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.