On our way home from The Fork!

By Susie Beale; April 5, 2009

Cross country day dawned with beautiful blue sky, and the wind had dropped to a much more moderate 5mph! The mud was almost dry and the conditions were perfect. The CIC *** started at 10.30am and so Chris and I went up to the course to see how it was riding. The course was big and quite challenging, with multiple combinations around the course. It was designed by Capt. Mark Phillips, and he is known for designing a challenging course. By fence 8 we had had only ONE fence that was not a combination or a related distance!! The course was causing some trouble for the CIC*** riders and so I knew I was going to have to really be on my game to ride around with no jumping faults. As I mention in my last update I was thinking that I would not jump all the way around, and after walking the course for the second time and watching the CIC riders go, I thought that I would pull up after the sunken road, which was a little over half way around the course. In order to be granted permission to show jump on Sunday, I had to go and find the Technical Delegate to inform her of my plan and ask permission to do this. Permission was granted and so back to the stable to tack up to head to warm up.

Well, as you can probably all imagine I was a little nervous riding up to warm up, I had not jumped Isabella in over a month, and the 3 times I had jumped horses at home in the previous week, it was not much over 2’6” and now I was about to head out around one of the toughest courses of the year to date! With jumps that had a 6’ spread at the top and almost 4’ high, banks, ditches and water!!

Warm up went great, as they were running a few minutes ahead of schedule they ask me if I was ready to go. I was so I headed out to the start. We took it nice and steady out of the box and had a perfect ride to the first fence, on we went, 2, 3, 4, and I started to settle. Fence 6 was a difficult combination left handed corner to left handed corner, as the direct route, that was an enormous question and I had already decided that I would not take that route, but take the left corner and then bend the line to the second corner on the right hand side. She jumped perfectly and on we galloped! We had a little stumble coming up the bank out of the first water, but Isabella is a super star and still found her was out over the table for a clean ride at the water. On we galloped heading out to the furthest part of the course and the sunken road. This for those of you who may not be familiar with eventing is: a jump, a drop down, one stride, a bank up, a stride and another jump. This is where I had planned on finishing my day and walk her off the course. Well like all best made plans…………………….. it didn’t ride as smoothly as hoped, yet again Isabella was a star and somehow got us over the final element! Oh dear I say to myself, I can’t possibly stop here, so on I go. Two more jumps, they go great and I realize I am just four jumps and the 3rd and final water complex from home, so taking it nice and easy I canter on home safe and sound! What a fabulous feeling, the confidence that I needed!

Back at the stable we washed her off, then iced and wrapped her. Next came all the tack cleaning, washing the boots, and general clean up! Chris did lots on hand grazing and he and Isabella are fully bonded!! At 5.30pm we jogged her up and she looked great! I on the other hand was a bit stiff and sore,(Not nearly as sound as Isabella!) so now it was time for icing Susie!! Ice packs on both knees and twenty minutes of sitting!! We then poultice her up, 20 more minutes of grazing and settled her in with her dinner! Her favorite part of every day!

This morning she looked fabulous, we washed off the poultice and jogged her up, all good! Show jumping next! Again the CIC went before us so we headed up to watch, the course was very hard and only 6 horses out of about 50 jumped clean. They very kindly lowered four or so of the jumps for the advance division by one hole! Quite generous I thought!! Due to my LARGE number of time penalties on cross country I was fourth to jump (reverse order of go) so I was glad I had watched a number of the other division go. We had only one rail down, I was thrilled, she jumped her heart out, and just pulled the middle rail in the triple combination. The distance was very long and we just didn’t have quite enough step to clear the middle oxer, pulling down the back rail with her hind leg. Otherwise she was PERFECT! Only 2 horses in our division jumped clean, so I will take my one rail!!

Chris was amazing! He had a crash course in grooming this week end, and rose to the occasion admirably!! I am so grateful to him for all of his help and support.