LARRISTON RED BAILEY AND DAN TITTERTON DRESSAGE AT THE BADMINTON MMCUP19
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With the first dressage of the day for Dan Titterton completed on Larriston Red Bailey (Bailey) we caught up with him to find out how it went and his thoughts on the MMCUP19 BE90 cross country course after he had his first walk of it.
Talk us through your dressage test on Bailey
I thought it was a good test, it was pretty consistent and very accurate. It was going too well shall we say and I forgot two movements – the give and re-take the reins in both reins of canter. Apart from that I was pleased with it given the circumstances before we went in
How was the atmosphere in the dressage arenas ?
It was quite quiet to be honest. bailey was on very early. Looking at it now it is much busier now and I will expect it to be like that for Billy later on. It was nice but quiet.
This is Bailey’s second time here at the Badminton MMCUP how are you feeling compared to when you came in 2017 and how do you feel his performance was in relation to his first experience here?
I think my expectations are a little greater this time having been round there before. That said I don’t think he has got as good a mark for his dressage as he did last time but that was down to those costly errors
I understand you had a bit of drama with losing a shoe just before you were about to go in?
Was next to go, 2 minutes before i was due to go in and he pulled a front shoe off, something that he has never done before. Luckily it came off before we went in rather than during. It was a bit of a drama beforehand as we had a half hour wait for a farrier and for the stewards to fit us in again
You have walked the cross country course what are your thoughts?
It is as I expected it to be, quite similar to 2017 in the fact that is the same way round and they have re-used some of the fences. There is some decent questions midway through. I think it will ride very well but I think it will catch plenty out also.
Is there any particular questions on the cross country course which may pose more of a question for Bailey?
Yes, some of the combinations in particular 13 and and 14, which is a corner to a skinny. There is a couple of options on how you can jump it. I will be taking the longer route as I did a couple of years ago. just to a) waste time and b) to make sure he jumps it correctly.
When you say waste a bit of time I assuming that is because he is quick across the country?
Yes, he doesn’t normally operate at BE90 so its very much a slow pace for a big galloping horse like him
How many more times will you walk it?
So we did once yesterday when we arrived, I will do it again today midday and possibly either this evening or tomorrow morning
Are you doing any of the organised coursewalks?
I will do the one with Yogi Briesner. He is somebody I have got a lot of time for. I walked it with him a couple of years ago and I thought his knowledge was very good
Which is Bailey’s strongest phase ?
Cross country – he is a big galloping horse and big galloping tracks are what suit him. He struggles to shorten in the showjumping ,particular over doubles just due to his size and we can sometimes just have silly poles. The dressage he divides judges opinions a little bit. He is very consistent he will do the same test week in week out, some judges like him and some judges don’t. His marks can vary massively!
Have the horses settled well in their stables?
Yes they are grand now. Bailey settled in straight away, Billy not so much. He has been a little bit fiery shall we say especially when Bailey leaves him. He did quite a lot of Passage on the grass last night when having a in hand leg stretch!
You have another ride later on Vision B the Dressage horse turned Eventer! How will he cope with this atmosphere?
Your guess is as good as mine!. I have no idea. He is naturally a lazy horse so he does need something to put a bit of fire in his belly, but he can just go over the top sometimes. Whether at 5.30pm it will be a bit quieter for his test I am not sure but we will find out once we get on him!
We will catch up with you later after Vision B and find out how you got on. We wish you the very best of luck for later on Vision B and for the rest of the event with Bailey
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