July and August Eventing
Following my successful ride around Buckminster with Skibo in July, my plan was to give him a few weeks off from competing and concentrate on getting him really fit for his Badminton qualifier at Shelford in August. I also aimed to upgrade Sam to the next level, so extra schooling to improve his dressage and showjumping were very necessary. We went to Vale View Equestrian and had a couple of lessons with Caroline Moore which went surprisingly well. Sam is becoming more and more relaxed and trusting in his own work, and the showjumping just gets more and more impressive.
My next competition was Carlton in Bedfordshire. I shared the travelling there with my friend Kelly Hibbitt. I ran Sam still at the lower level as he was already entered in that class. It was a blazing hot day and I was pleased to be riding just the one horse.
Sam did a lovely relaxed test but I was still surprised with his score which put him in the top ten. I didn’t think it was quite that good but I wasn’t arguing!
The showjumping was not so good. Sam charged round showing off and took two fences down which was so frustrating. He cruised round the XC with only one sticky moment when the jockey forgot where we were going and had to put in a handbrake turn! He was definitely ready for the next level, bigger jumps may just back him off a little and slow him down.
Next was Shelford with Skibo and Sam. Both entered in the BE 100 and Skibo’s big qualifier day.
I was very nervous warming Skibo up for the dressage and I think it was obvious. Emily Chandler stepped in and gave me 20 minutes instruction which was calming and built some confidence. I needn’t have worried, Skibo was brilliant and we lay second after this phase. Sams test wasn’t quite so fluent but he tried very hard and I was pleased with him.
Skibo then had one down showjumping. Rider error – I over rode him in a related distance but we were still in with a chance if we went clear XC.
I was a bit worried about the XC as there was a new shiny trakhenner on the course along with a scary corner and double of angled hedges. We set off positively and all was going well, until we approached the hedge which Skibo sailed over in the spring. Not this time, he took one look at it and slammed the brakes on. I was so cross with him, all hopes dashed in a single second but this is what he does from time to time and maybe I should have been more prepared.
Sam had one jump down and I was over the moon with him. The XC didn’t go quite so smoothly, he got a bit overwhelmed half way around and refused the corner. It gave me a good idea of where we go with him now and I wasn’t too disappointed with him.
News at home is that we are having a new 60 X 30 jumping arena built so no excuses for bad showjumping next year! It’s chaos with all the earthworks and the trucks bringing in the hard core but it will all be worth it in a couple of weeks when I have a huge arena to ride in!
My plans for the rest of the year are to compete at Oasby and possibly the 3 day at Aldon in Somerset then hang up the eventing gear for another season.
