Dee’s Badminton 2015 Blog
Badminton 2015 .
On paper a badminton to forget ! But actually it’s still a privilege to ride there and to ride around the xc is still a fantastic experience.
The week started with a passport panic on Tuesday when we arrived , not that I forgot it but my vet had forgotten to fill in kenny’s last jab into the passport which made us illegal to compete ! However with a rather stressed phone call to the vets office and an email sent we got the all clear to enter the stables !
The stables at badminton are very special , we were in the block under the clock with just 3 other horses , meaning it was still quite relaxing for the horses .
Kenny settled in like he’d been doing badminton all his life even though it was his first time there.
On Wednesday I worked him in the morning in the dressage warm up arenas and although he was excited to be there , he concentrated really well and felt great . Wednesday afternoon we got dressed up and strutted our stuff ! I wore my signature Jimmy choos and I was very lucky to be supported by the beautiful Peachy belts and the stylish Holland Cooper supplied my Jacket .
Dressage day Thursday . My test wasn’t until the afternoon so I gave him some work in the morning which went really well . He was on excellent form when I got on him to warm up for the actual test , however it didn’t quite go according to plan ! His entry was very good but he did his droppings just as I trotted off from the halt which meant I slightly laboured trot off and then he went to canter into his first medium trot movement , something he’s not done for years but happened as I was trying to get the forward gear after our trot off . We put that behind us and he did some very pleasing work and with one more little mistake of a change when we didn’t need one , but that was quickly corrected we completed the test and scored a respectable 50 .
Onto the Friday , Kenny only enjoyed a leg stretch and a canter , I on the other hand walked the xc course . Although it was a big track it didn’t walk as technical as other 4 * that I’ve done in the past . However Saturday arrived and the feeling of xc day makes me go through many different feelings .. Sickness ,sleepiness , excitement. Warming up Kenny felt amazing , really on the boil and ready for anything . He set off out the start box like a rocket . For a dressage bred horse he gallops ! We jumped 1 , 2 and 3 and felt in the zone . He was great though the quarry not my favourite place at badminton as I had a bad fall there 6 years ago . He was super though hunts mans close and gave me the best ride through the lake . We were having a great ride until we got to the mirage pond . He jumped element A fantastic and I rode for the positive distance across the water but Kenny opted to put an extra short stride in and move to the right of element B . Pushing the flag and leaving us too close to C to jump it , I circled and jumped C and carried on . We had a great ride home , he gets very strong and he finished full of running and well on the bridle . I was really pleased until about 30 minutes later when I heard they had eliminated me .
I didn’t understand why , however the fence judge at the mirage pond had said kenny’s right shoulder was not inside the flag at element b . The thought had never even crossed my mind as the hedge becomes about 6 foot to the right and the ground on take off falls away . Sadly there’s was no proof to prove I was in or out but the fence judge was adamant so we got the big E .
Very very sad but taking away the positive my horse Kenny was sound and well , so was I and no one can take away the experience . So bring on Burghley and we shall be back next year with hopefully a little more luck on our side !
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