Group lesson Friday 29th August 2025:
I had Kris. I really struggled to keep him going! I love him and his personality quirks so much, but find I never quite know what I'm going to get with him from one minute to the next! We did a small course of jumps (I think there were 4). He went over all the jumps okay, but I struggled to keep him in a canter - and he even walked over one of them at one point, as if to say they were far too small for him!
Hack Friday 29th August 2025:
I had Mickey. As always, I really enjoyed riding him - he's good fun, but I always need to be careful around the other horses and ponies with him because he's not much of a fan and can and will kick if they get too close!
Spectating at first ever Scone Palace International Horse Trials (for us, Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th):
There were rather a lot of teething problems this first year, I feel. As a pedestrian, I was less than impressed that I was expected to walk quite so far to get to the entrance (they had closed the normal public entrance and made me walk an extra mile to the next one, but without even indicating that that one was there/how far away it was!) I was then expected to walk right through the woods, up a small hill and right along the border of the large field-sized car park. I mentioned this to the staff and they could not have cared less - a less than impressive "Welcome to our first horse trials!" in that respect.
Location-wise, I preferred Blair Atholl in a lot of ways, but Scone, despite the confusing pedestrian access, was still easier to get to and was not quite as spread out once I was in. Oh, and they released all the cars down the small "pedestrian" road after the trails on the last day! Great idea, not! My friend who drives was confused because it was a totally new exit for her, and she isn't familiar with the place or Scone. I was just trying not to get run over, myself, although at least I knew where I was going!
Almost all the photos show the palace, for the aesthetics, but you only see the palace at certain cross country jumps, really, as the horse trials took place right at the back of the palace, nearer Perth Racecourse. The stalls were the same ones as always. I particularly enjoyed looking around the arts and crafts marquee - so many talented people, and now I really want to try felting! I've also found a new favourite pizza place! In general, though, I took my own lunches and snacks to save money, as everything is always so hideously expensive at these things.
I watched a lot of dressage and show jumping. I also watched a bit of the arena eventing and the Pony Club Games, which are always a highlight for me - I love how game both the ponies and their young riders are, and wish I could just vault on the way they do! I doubt I would've been as fearless as them even when I was younger, though, as I never seemed to have lived the "I am young, therefore invincible and can do anything!" stage of life. I've always been rather cautious. The games always look so fun! The commentary is an absolute hoot - the man really needs to do stand-up or something, the way he casually comments on the young riders falling off, ponies getting loose and then generally just putting their heads down straight away to graze so their riders can catch and get on them again. I by far prefer watching them - they just seem to bounce back from everything and, while being around horses and riding is, of course, inherently risky, and their games are delightfully wild and chaotic, it still seems a lot less scary and dangerous than the cross country!
Apologies to all of those who love cross country. I know they're making the jumps safer, but to me, it isn't worth risking a horse and rider's life for, and the risk seems so much bigger with that discipline. One day, I started off over by the cross country - a big solid log jump down a hill into water. Classic cross country, as far as I've seen. I stayed there for all of 10 seconds. The very first horse I saw attempt it initially got its front legs caught on the log, the rider swore and it was absolutely gut-wrenching and horrible to watch. I thought I could be about to see one or both of them get seriously injured or even die. While I think it's great that the jumps seem a lot safer on the whole - maybe not thrilling enough for some riders at that level who are into that sort of thing? - some of them are clearly extremely dangerous. I just don't think it's worth risking horses' and riders' lives for jumps like the one I was watching the day the horse got stuck, basically. Nope. I really hope the horse wasn't injured. It did manage to get its legs unstuck and the rider took it round again. The second time, they cleared it.
To anyone who knows more about cross country, if you are reading this...do you think it was right that they just continued after that, without the horse's legs being checked first? I don't, really. Also, why the need for such massive thrills? I know everyone's different, but...why would you put such a wonderful creature and friend AND yourself at risk like that?
It had rained a bit another morning and I saw at least 2 riders retire from show jumping events because their horses were slipping on the grass and they didn't want to take the risk. I admire that. I know it's extremely expensive to enter shows and qualify for them. It must take an incredible amount of work, too. At the end of the day, though, if you know something's wrong and you could end up permanently injuring or losing what should be your best friend and trusted companion, it really isn't worth the risk in the long run. Not at all, in my opinion. I have so much admiration for the riders who realised that and retired gracefully for their horses' sake, putting their own ambitions and egos aside. Good for them! Good horsepeople, really putting their horses' welfare first.
Tragically, there were 2 horses that had to be put down in this inaugural year of having the horse trials at Scone. To me, while I don't know all the details, it seems like both cases could have been avoided if the horses' welfare had really been put first. Freak accidents happen, but WERE THEY? Were signs missed? I suppose we'll never know. It just seems so unnecessary. Such a horrible waste. RIP, Jump Start II and Storm Clara.
From Scone Palace's website:
"It is with great sadness that we announce that Jump Start II, owned and ridden by Susan Young (GBR), was humanely euthanised as a result of an accident while competing in the CCI2*-L class at Scone Palace International Horse Trials, Perth, UK, this morning, 23 August.
Jump Start II, a 16-year-old gelding slipped and fell between fences 20a and 20b. He was immediately attended to and treated by two veterinarians on course. He was transported off-course by equine ambulance to the on-site veterinary treatment unit. Regrettably, after being X-rayed, he was found to have sustained an inoperable fracture to his shoulder.
**********
Very sadly, a horse due to compete in a 90cm showjumping class also suffered a fatal injury in an isolated incident while waiting to jump. Storm Clara was being held by a connection of the competitor, was startled and got loose. The horse was treated by the veterinary team, was discovered to have sustained a catastrophic fracture, and had to be euthanised on humane grounds.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the connections of both horses."
While finding that quote for you, I also stumbled upon the death of a teenage girl who was eventing near Scone, Australia. Their statement of regret seems far more genuine than the Scone Palace one about the horses, to me. Was that just because a human was involved, not "just horses"? Again, I suppose I'll never know. Apparently, they arranged counselling for attendees who attended afterwards (many probably teens themselves).
Most inconsiderate of it!