I can’t believe its been so long since I checked in—time is getting faster or I’m having more trouble organizing as get older! I ran Kaylin Dines' Steely (Unbridled Numbers) and my Lilly (Helloway) at Great Meadow, where the organizers did a great job, with mixed results. My dressage was good, but I had no rhythm with Lilly in show jumping and had two rails. Steely’s show jumping was good, though I did have rail with a hind leg because he was cross-cantering. On cross-country Lilly was very good and got better and better as we went; she’s pretty quick. Unfortunately, Steely threw a shoe galloping between three and four and another between six and seven, so I pulled up, not being worth running and making him sore. It was a big bummer as both horses were completely prepared from Fair Hill. Sometimes that’s how things go! Lately, it seems things have been going not quite right more than they go well. I have to remember that if I’m not winning, I’m learning, but someone must think I have a lot to learn!
I was lucky to get to go to Burghley with my Mom. It’s aways so inspiring to watch the best riders and see the top level of our sport. I thought the course was massive and I wouldn’t have wanted to jump around with a horse that didn’t have some real scope. The ones that did it well made it look easy. Eventing riding has evolved in technique and style, and I’m kind of in awe of it. It’s really difficult but something to inspire and aspire to! I would say, not that I didn’t know before, you have to ride to find it, you can’t wait to see your jump. You have to be in good balance, from leg to hand, especially when jumping massive jumps. No one got hurt, but there were so many rides that triggered pins because of the balance and technique people were using.
Another thing that struck me at Burghley was the completely different styles of the most successful riders. When you watch Tim Price jump around compared to Gemma, both are completely effective but have completely different techniques, both correct. I loved watching Dom Schram and marveled at how smooth his round looked—short reins, two point, just change the balance a little. He did beautiful job at Burghley, but was just a little slow.
I had a funny week at Burghley because I hurt my finger quite badly (closed it in the door heading out to the airport) and it was fairly painful the whole time I was there. I still competed at CVCTA when I got home but I’m not sure how I did it with my compromised finger. I was really pleased with Lilly, Steely and Storm, and Kaylin was third in her first Preliminary in a long time with Why Not. I had a silly rider moment on Lilly when we trotted off the bank into the water and just kept trotting to the chevron, where I forgot to tell her she should jump! I circled round and she jumped it easily and I continued on. Steely ended up 4th and Storm was amazing and tied for first, though because we were three seconds faster, we ended up 2nd.
I was lucky to get to go to Burghley with my Mom. It’s aways so inspiring to watch the best riders and see the top level of our sport. I thought the course was massive and I wouldn’t have wanted to jump around with a horse that didn’t have some real scope. The ones that did it well made it look easy. Eventing riding has evolved in technique and style, and I’m kind of in awe of it. It’s really difficult but something to inspire and aspire to! I would say, not that I didn’t know before, you have to ride to find it, you can’t wait to see your jump. You have to be in good balance, from leg to hand, especially when jumping massive jumps. No one got hurt, but there were so many rides that triggered pins because of the balance and technique people were using.
Another thing that struck me at Burghley was the completely different styles of the most successful riders. When you watch Tim Price jump around compared to Gemma, both are completely effective but have completely different techniques, both correct. I loved watching Dom Schram and marveled at how smooth his round looked—short reins, two point, just change the balance a little. He did beautiful job at Burghley, but was just a little slow.
I had a funny week at Burghley because I hurt my finger quite badly (closed it in the door heading out to the airport) and it was fairly painful the whole time I was there. I still competed at CVCTA when I got home but I’m not sure how I did it with my compromised finger. I was really pleased with Lilly, Steely and Storm, and Kaylin was third in her first Preliminary in a long time with Why Not. I had a silly rider moment on Lilly when we trotted off the bank into the water and just kept trotting to the chevron, where I forgot to tell her she should jump! I circled round and she jumped it easily and I continued on. Steely ended up 4th and Storm was amazing and tied for first, though because we were three seconds faster, we ended up 2nd.
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