7th out of 33 after dressage on a score of 33 - our worst score in ages! He didn't like the ground though - it bogged him down and it was hot too - not a good combination for Monty energy levels. Quite toughly marked section though - Chris led it on 30 so we weren't far behind.
SJ warmup was so sticky he didn't even want to canter through the boggier bits - he really detests ground like that. Didn't do much and hoped it was better in the ring. Went in at the gallop, got him back, lovely stride to first fence and he had it down - think he just got stuck in the mud. Next few fences were horrid with him getting in deep and helicoptering over the jumps. Thought he was going to stop at 5 and no idea how he cleared it so decided nothing to lose and just booted him and flew round the rest.
Should have withdrawn then. I know he hates that kind of ground and the XC was causing carnage but I loved the look of the course and really wanted to give it a go. XC warmup he also hated - another sign to withdraw. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. He also calmly walked into the start box, stood there and waited for the signal to start before going - not like him at all. He did fly out of the box though and took a stride out at the first so felt happy to carry on. Good stride to 2, spooked at the road crossing bark chippings like normal, not great strides to 3 and 4 as ground so holding and by now was really having to work to keep him galloping due to the ground. He flew the ditch palisade at 5 that had been causing loads of problems. Spooking at the tractor that was doing something to jump 6 but jumped the house well followed by tight turn to a log on a left bend but locked on nicely.
Trakehner at 7 and I did screach at him as could feel him backing off but he got a good stride and jumped it well. Good over the straightforward fan fence at 8, a bit looky at the skinny big brush on rising ground with a drop behind it at 9. Really finding the ground hard work by this point, sticky over straightforward fence 10, had a little look at the log with a drop behind at 11 and still looking at the table at 12. Got him back for 13ab - a shaped double brush followed 3 strides later by one of those skinny brushes like I fell off at Boomerang and jumped successfully at Badminton. He locked on and jumped well at the sort of fence he could easily have nipped out left at so pleased with that. Great stride and jump over the corner at 14 but seriously getting bogged down by the ground by this point. Got him out wide and back to me before riding forwards really strongly for the fence before the water, growled at him, smacked him on the shoulder, couldn't have ridden it any more positively but he nipped left at the last minute and I found myself on the bloody floor again. So frustrated. The water was only a stride behind the fence but we practised jumping into water with no problems over and over last weekend. There was a big crowd watching and it was right by the XC collecting ring so lots of distractions - wonder if it would have caused such a problem somewhere else on the course or if the ground hadn't been so tiring but I'm still annoyed with him for chucking in the towel and even more so for refusing a 2nd and a 3rd time resulting in another fall and elimination. By that point he'd had a chance to look at the question and really should have jumped it. Before Badminton he had never refused anything more than once and even those refusals were very very few and far between and basically due to me not riding him forwards and just sitting there and wibbling. Really not sure why he's suddenly started this but it really worries me. I worry there is something wrong with him - the last time he stopped was last summer when his feet were hurting him but it was soft ground on Sunday and he was only checked out at Liphook a month ago and given the all clear. Plus he seems 100% happy to jump 1m15 SJ courses and never even hesitates so doesn't seem too likely. If it's not physical then I'm not sure what has caused the sudden loss of confidence when he's always been a bold XC horse - looky but never doubted he'd jump what I pointed him at as long as I didn't wibble and destroy the canter. Hambleden was brilliant - he was bold and fabulous and didn't have any iffy jumps and flew round. So what happened between Hambleden and Badminton? Or was Badminton too much mentally and now he's learnt he can throw in the towel and just refuse to jump so if it looks a bit tough he'll just give up? It's really not like him.
I messaged Chris afterwards and hopefully he will help us to sort it out. He sounded confident it could be sorted and is happy to ride him for me to try and give him some confidence back. Just need to work out when we can do that and I don't think it will happen before my next run. I've withdrawn from Nunney and entered a 90 at Stratford Hills instead - it's miles away but we need a 90 run and I just hope that's enough to give him enough confidence to complete a course. Also moved from the 100 at Rackham to the 90 as we've been round that before and should be fine. I'm so gutted. It's taken me years to build up the confidence to move up to 100 and we absolutely stormed our first 3 events of the year and it gave me so much confidence. I'm riding so much better, seeing better lines and strides, he should be gaining confidence from that but it seems he's not and I just don't get it but it's enough to have started me on the slippery slope of not trusting him to jump which could well spell the end of us eventing as I can't do it if I don't trust him to look after me. I'm really sore after falling off twice in the same way, especially given the second fall was without my air jacket. I don't bounce and I don't like falling off :( I really hope we can fix this. I love him to bits - he is an amazing horse and I want him to be happy so if that's not doing eventing then I won't keep trying to make him. I absolutely love eventing though and I find myself looking at Novice courses and wishing I could jump them and whatever happens I don't think he'll be the horse to take me there. He is responsible for giving me the confidence and ability to get to this stage though. I just need one who can take me to the next level now - anyone got a spare Novice horse lol??
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Trakehner:
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