Blenheim - Amateur Dressage Champs and Arena Eventing Champs

Nice easy run up to Blenheim to arrive on Thursday lunchtime.  First error - realised hadn't told farrier to put stud holes in again when he came on Monday - doh.  Fortunately the ground was excellent and he is pretty sure footed so wasn't too worried about doing a dressage test without studs.  The first warmup was lovely - nice, big field, he was lovely and chilled and felt like he was working really nicely.  However, we only got ten minutes before being ushered off on a 20min hack down a narrow track through the woods, past a bonfire and numerous other orange horse-eating objects.  There were several horses coming the opposite way and no other horses going our way until the end when someone overtook us which really upset him.  I wouldn't normally take him for a hack in a snaffle bridle, no martingale and a dressage saddle!  I think he thought he was on some kind of sponsored ride and was very tense about the whole thing.  We then came out of the woods into a grassy area where we had 5mins to warmup before our test.  There were several dressage arenas, XC jumps and the arena eventing arena with tannoy for him to get used in 5mins!  Needless to say that didn't really happen.  He was tense and not really taking me forwards in a relaxed fashion for the whole test which was a pity as he was very obedient.  He got 7's for the first two moves and an 8 for his free walk but otherwise all 6's/6.5's to finish on the same score as we did at Badminton which is about 5 penalties worse than his average mark.  35.8 - 11th out of 15.  Not our finest hour.  The hack back down through the woods was no less stressful.  At one point we met a whole RC team trotting straight towards us who didn't slow down even when he started standing on his back legs.  I had to shout at them to ask them to please walk.  It really wasn't fun and definitely wouldn't be on my list of things to go and do again in a hurry!  After that was over I paid a visit to the farrier and got him to put on my spare shoes complete with stud holes ready for the jumping on Sunday - expensive mistake that one!

Some photos thanks to the lovely Gary Horner:

This final halt probably sums up Monty's opinion of the whole thing!

Had a relaxing afternoon munching on bacon sarnies and chatting with friends then headed off to find our accomodation for the rest of the week.  Settled Monty into his little field which he found a little confusing but sure he was happier to be out than stuck in a stable and we parked up for the night.

On Friday we took the horsebox back to Blenheim to watch while Monty stayed at home and munched.  Met up with another friend for some shopping, watched some demos plus a lot of the arena eventing to see how the course was riding and chatted lots.  Managed to mostly resist the shopping - just a new set of reins.  Got back and did a little schooling session in the field with some trotting poles and a few little jumps including some on the angle to get his mind ready for the arena eventing.

Saturday I decided it was a good idea to ride my bike back to Blenheim as my other half had disappeared off to London to watch cricket and I didn't fancy getting stuck in XC day traffic in the horsebox.  I took rather a long route into Blenheim as may have misread the map and entrances slightly turning a 3mile cycle ride into an 8mile one!  Meant I missed the first few XC riders and arrived rather out of breath!  Camped out by the two flower pots on the mounds for a bit, then the coffin and spread to corners and then moved onto the main water for the majority of the class before finishing up at the Ariat Dew Pond for the last few.  Then watched the high jump and finished up with watching the CIC*** SJ then a slightly shorter cycle home.  The weather was lovely and it was a great day!  No work for Monty today - figured I'd done enough in the saddle for one day!  Also had come down with a yucky cold in the afternoon and was feeling pretty ropey by the evening.

Sunday I felt pretty horrid with cold and Monty seemed on edge from the moment I got him in, picking at his breakfast while I plaited him up.  We headed back to Blenheim with a few hours to spare before we were on so time to catch a bit of the CIC*** XC and watch a few more in the arena eventing.  They had parked us so the CIC XC ran literally past the back of the horsebox.  Poor Monts was eyes out on stalks!  Got on him and he was certainly forwards in the warmup, really attacking his fences which is always a nice feeling to get from him as he can be a bit stuffy at times!  Went into the arena and tried to give him a quick look around as the arena was rather full of things to look at.  Started off well, I tried to make sure I really rode forwards for the distances especially to fence 3 which was a one strided double going uphill, very brightly coloured and was riding long - watched a lot come in underpowered and chip in two strides.  We did that well, then got a good turn uphill to fence 4 which he took out in front for no particular reason, Rest of the SJ's went smoothly then onto the XC.  First two fine then sharp turn behind the big oak tree and a spread log jump which they had painted bright white and was right next to the edge of the arena where there was an Equitrek display of trailers.  I'm not quite sure what made him decide he didn't like it but 2 strides out he just shot out to the left - totally wasn't expecting that at what looked like quite a straightforward jump (although had seen it cause some stops on the Friday).  Naughty pony!  Got a slap on the neck and came round again and cat leapt it but we were over.  Onto the skinny lions - popped 3 strides in instead of two as was a bit backwards to the first then round to the angled brushes.  Saw a good stride in and rode for it (he was a little sticky but not really anywhere to run as left took him into the scary crowd so on we went and made the 2 strides.  Missed the sharp turn back we had planned to get a good line to the triple brush so had to do a ridiculous wiggle round in trot to get straight so didn't get a great jump over it but he was honest and straight.  Finished coming round to the 1m10 skinny plastic joker fence - great stride and he went straight through it with his front legs.  Disappointing round after he coped so well with it all last year but he was wired from the start this time.  Staying away in unknown places does really get to him.

First part of the bright double at fence 3:

2nd angled brush:

Once we got him back to the lorry I noticed blood spattered up his leg.  On closer inspection he had managed to tread on his heel and cut a slice into it.  No bleeding now and he let me clean it up no problems so stuck a bandage on for the journey home and berated myself for not putting overreach boots on him.  I never SJ in overreach boots but I think I will do from now even though it was the first time he's ever done anything like this in five years I'm still annoyed I could have prevented it with boots.  Not quite sure where he did it - whether he lost his footing on one of the turns or did it when he ran out or took the awkward jump after I don't know.

the original wound:

today with the flap debrided and looking like it's starting to heal already:

Well, he was due a holiday anyway so he'll have some time off now until it all heals over enough not to be sensitive although he has showed no signs of pain or lameness from it which is positive so I don't think it'll be too long.

To top off the weekend, on the way home we stopped off at my parents' house to drop off the bikes we had borrowed, got back in the horsebox and it wouldn't start!  3hours later we finally got Monty back to the yard via a rescue horsebox.  We had to leave mine where it was and it finally got rescued the next morning.

What an experience in more ways than one!