Retraining racehorses a saga
- Thread starter eml
- Start date
Sorry long neglected diary! Fiddley now needs some100 runs if the ground ever gets better he is working at novice/intermediate in training. Kirkum sadly will not stay sound although we are convinced most of his issues are mental.Baby chucka is a superstar, qualified on his first outing for RoR dressage final at intro and prelim ( his first prelim test) he competes in his first ODE at the end of this month.
Chucka went eventing at Keysoe and brought home a rosette!!
Lovely soft dressage test with a few mistakes as we only did a brief warm up not knowing how he would cope with the whole days effort.Not really important as the judge really was conservative in marks with only 5 points between the top and bottom over a very large class
Show jumping came next longish course with 12 jumping efforts on a horse that had never really jumped a full course. Warmed up well over three practice jmps and went well round he first half of the course untill a related triple where he knocked out a pole scaring himself and running out at the next. E took time to settle him down agan before completing so with time penalties ended up with a 24. Not too worried as we saw this as his weakest phase and needing practice.
Went to the XC start with five minutes to go and did a couple of warm up jumps, went into the start box and stood quietly and walked in and out when competitor in front refused all the first four jumps so putting the course on hold. started and ran strongly and rythmically taking everything in his stride,including having to pass two other competitors who had stops.Completed clear and in time( only one of four out of 60 to do so)
Left before the end as we didn't consider we might get placed but a local friend was also there so collected our rosette for us. Best news he was saintly all day,tied up , stood quietly on lorry etc Had lots of energy left at the end so obviously fit enough!
Next outings AstonleWalls for Chucka at 80 and Shelford for Fiddley at 100
Lovely soft dressage test with a few mistakes as we only did a brief warm up not knowing how he would cope with the whole days effort.Not really important as the judge really was conservative in marks with only 5 points between the top and bottom over a very large class
Show jumping came next longish course with 12 jumping efforts on a horse that had never really jumped a full course. Warmed up well over three practice jmps and went well round he first half of the course untill a related triple where he knocked out a pole scaring himself and running out at the next. E took time to settle him down agan before completing so with time penalties ended up with a 24. Not too worried as we saw this as his weakest phase and needing practice.
Went to the XC start with five minutes to go and did a couple of warm up jumps, went into the start box and stood quietly and walked in and out when competitor in front refused all the first four jumps so putting the course on hold. started and ran strongly and rythmically taking everything in his stride,including having to pass two other competitors who had stops.Completed clear and in time( only one of four out of 60 to do so)
Left before the end as we didn't consider we might get placed but a local friend was also there so collected our rosette for us. Best news he was saintly all day,tied up , stood quietly on lorry etc Had lots of energy left at the end so obviously fit enough!
Next outings AstonleWalls for Chucka at 80 and Shelford for Fiddley at 100
Chucka did his 80 at Aston today. Dressage better but a bit tense and careful.Show jumping much better but could be improved with more mileage BS over winter. XC he flew round under time really ready to go to 90 if we can improve the SJ! He is seriously talented at the age of 5 which ironically makes us more worried about producing him correctly!
Change of plan for Fiddley as the Aintree ROR Show clashes with Shelford so we are off to Aintree to do arena eventing, ROR performance horse and hopefully getting into the final 'ROR performance horse of the year' Fantastic judges and prizes and a chance to catch up with lot of friends.
Change of plan for Fiddley as the Aintree ROR Show clashes with Shelford so we are off to Aintree to do arena eventing, ROR performance horse and hopefully getting into the final 'ROR performance horse of the year' Fantastic judges and prizes and a chance to catch up with lot of friends.
Saddly Fiddley had a pulled muscle which meant he missed Aintree .He is now happy over 110cm and Chucka schooling easily over 90 cm XC. One more outing eventing for each, ROR dressage outing in a fortnight for both and then practice SJ over the winter. I cannot believe how good these two are!
Fddley and Chucka had a ';just about' at the National ROR dressage gettng 7th and 8th places , unfortunately this year they only placed to 6th ( previously to 10th)!
However two more events to go ,Fiddley BE100 at ALW in November and Chuck his first 90 at Solihull this month..... showjumping for both all winter!!
However two more events to go ,Fiddley BE100 at ALW in November and Chuck his first 90 at Solihull this month..... showjumping for both all winter!!
Another year another season. We no longer run the riding school so it is timefor our own horses to be important.
Emma has already done her UKCC3 qualification and is hopefully doing her BHSI this year.
We have retained a few RS ponies, two younger ones to produce for eventing and Pony club competition homes, two older ones one for me to ride ( saintly Misty who we have owned since he was three) and a little one to try driving .
Today started with Emma and Fiddly doing a clinic withe Willium Fox PItt in front of a large audience at Harpbury College for the BHS annual convention. He was a saint, loved the audience and behaved impeccably. next week Stafford Horse trials and dressage training.
Not sure how we fitted running the RS in!
Emma has already done her UKCC3 qualification and is hopefully doing her BHSI this year.
We have retained a few RS ponies, two younger ones to produce for eventing and Pony club competition homes, two older ones one for me to ride ( saintly Misty who we have owned since he was three) and a little one to try driving .
Today started with Emma and Fiddly doing a clinic withe Willium Fox PItt in front of a large audience at Harpbury College for the BHS annual convention. He was a saint, loved the audience and behaved impeccably. next week Stafford Horse trials and dressage training.
Not sure how we fitted running the RS in!
Not a good start to this season. F went to Stafford just after a foot abcess and pulled up lame after dressage, sorted our a deeper abscess in the same foot and took him out to combined training today only to see him go not right on the other hind in dressage and do a couple of nasty stops in SJ. Think this may be connected to his last season problem so withdrawn him from all other entries and taking him to favourite vet on Monday.
Chucka may find himself doing a bit more than origionally planned this year ! Off to Somerford to check out his XC readiness before doing BE90 at Solihull next month
Next weekend native dressage for Poppy and Amber to increase their cvs!!
Chucka may find himself doing a bit more than origionally planned this year ! Off to Somerford to check out his XC readiness before doing BE90 at Solihull next month
Next weekend native dressage for Poppy and Amber to increase their cvs!!
Another month passes!
Fiddleys abcess proved stubbornly deep so he has missed this month after a fe ouchy moments. Just as well we know him as I was verging on a lameness work out but called on his personal farrier instead!!( £20 as opposed to £500!!)
Poppy did really well at dressage winning the prelim and coming fourth in the novice. Plan for her is to do an Elementary, go XC schooling and show jumping at 80/90 then find her a good PC home as a genuine allrounder for mother and teenager. She has already proved her self in the showring and safe for polocross and horseball!!
Amber (Fifty Pence) is several years behind but is showing promise at dressge with big expressive paces but shows horror at the concept of leaving the ground yet!!
Star of the month however has been Chucka who folowed a clinic with Ruth Edge by completing his first BE90, a not too bad dressage was followed by a silly pole in the SJ and a clear XC puting him in the top half of the section.
Next month, Fiddley does eventing/showing clinic, Chucka does Chatsworth, hopefully both or one will do Shelford Manor
Fiddleys abcess proved stubbornly deep so he has missed this month after a fe ouchy moments. Just as well we know him as I was verging on a lameness work out but called on his personal farrier instead!!( £20 as opposed to £500!!)
Poppy did really well at dressage winning the prelim and coming fourth in the novice. Plan for her is to do an Elementary, go XC schooling and show jumping at 80/90 then find her a good PC home as a genuine allrounder for mother and teenager. She has already proved her self in the showring and safe for polocross and horseball!!
Amber (Fifty Pence) is several years behind but is showing promise at dressge with big expressive paces but shows horror at the concept of leaving the ground yet!!
Star of the month however has been Chucka who folowed a clinic with Ruth Edge by completing his first BE90, a not too bad dressage was followed by a silly pole in the SJ and a clear XC puting him in the top half of the section.
Next month, Fiddley does eventing/showing clinic, Chucka does Chatsworth, hopefully both or one will do Shelford Manor
Chatsworth yesterday, rainy and slippery with only about 10 clears without time penalties out of 89 starters so they placed in order of closest to optimum time and Chukka came 7th and won his first prize money!!
SInce Fiddley is till not 101% right chukka is doing Shelford in two weeks followed by Berriewood two weeks after that. Fiddley in the mean time will have a few confidence raising outings to dressage.
SInce Fiddley is till not 101% right chukka is doing Shelford in two weeks followed by Berriewood two weeks after that. Fiddley in the mean time will have a few confidence raising outings to dressage.
It was fair.. but the XC part needed an experienced rider to find good lines and a bold well balanced horse to get within the time on slippery grass, all the jumps were scaled down versions of those on the main course ( including the colourful ducks and skinnies/corner built from tree trunks) which caught out those who had only been arena eventing over portables on a surface or had only showjumped ( there was no entry requirement) and many did not get beyond the first substantial but narrow log.
Picture of them below ( I hope !!)
Picture of them below ( I hope !!)
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His summer coat is so dark!
Excellent pic... He's copying Fiddley's goody two shoes swotty face, such a superstar!
Excellent pic... He's copying Fiddley's goody two shoes swotty face, such a superstar!
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