April 2007
We have had a slightly mixed month, some good bits and some bad bits. Star Quality has had a small operation following another colic attack, so will now be off for the rest of the year and we are yet to find out what the future holds.
Yet another horse sneaks in, Art Deco (Dec) who I have already managed to take show jumping a couple of times, where he has been very good.
Art Deco
Jakata, along with another 30 horses has been balloted from Badminton. We luckily have a back up plan, so now we are off to Lumhulen in Germany, which is very exciting, so I now have a new event calendar.
Boris, has also left. He is off to do some intro's.
French Touch (Vinnie) is back after a month in the field.
Danielle Jackson has also become my full-time working pupil and has moved her two horses Rookie and Welland Early Evening, both Intermediates, in.
Belton
Star Quality had been withdrawn, so it was a nice quiet weekend. Hermes did a lovely test and seemed much more relaxed and did a long awaited for double clear.
Maybe Cavalier also did a lovely test but got a 38 which wasn't actually that bad in the section, then proceeded to jump the most beautiful show jumping round... but unfortunately had four down!! I think a couple of trips to Keysoe should sort that out. We then had a fantastic ride cross country although we were joined by an out of control Lawrence Hunt, who ended up smashing his foot in when the horse fell on him. He had a three hour operation and has pins in his foot and he will miss Badminton, poor Lawrence, I only wish I could of done more to help then just pull up.
Hex was also here, but he was quite excited after going so fast cross country last weekend, so was a little tense in the dressage and we had a silly stop cross country as I was really far to busy trying to slow him down.
Burnham Market
Another quiet one, as Star Quality and now Sonic Boom (just a kick, nothing to worry about) had both been withdrawn.
Hermes, did an ok dressage and then was a little naughty in the show jumping. He has such a good jump and goodness knows I can't get him to knock one down at home, but he does insist on spooking at the fences and then they come down, silly pony. I'm pretty confident that in time he will be pretty amazing. He just hasn't quite got it yet.
Jakata did a lovely test in the advanced, but didn't do his changes. So I was pleased with his 40, then just a very unlucky roll of the last fence in the triple meant another 4 faults. We had a lovely ride cross country, where he was very bold, but no placing in such a hot section, maybe next weekend.
