Sorry for the delay in this report - I've had a manic week with several 4am starts, only getting home until almost 9!
So to Tweseldown. I was feeling confident in the morning, and really looking forward to Borde Hill novice on the 27th. I felt we had done our homework and a nice, confidence giving run at Tweseldown would set us up beautifully. Sadly, it was not to be.
I had late times; a dressage of 12.30 then not jumping until 5pm! So I was able to bath and plait in the morning, with a bit of a lie in thrown in too (well 7am is a lie in when you usually get up at 5am...)
He warmed up nicely, although a little unsteady in the head which unfortunately he has been since his week away. I'm sure that'll sort itself out quickly though. Much more off the leg than previously. We checked in with our steward, who casually asked me if I were intending on fastening my chin strap on my hat before I went into the ring - oops! Everyone warming up must of thought I was an idiot - I have to admit, I do when I see people with their chin strap undone. At least my new hat is nice and snug as I didn't notice a thing haha.
We went in and did our test. I was very happy with it when I am out. He was a little unsteady in 1 of the 10m loops and I thought I was a bit quick in my trot-walk-trot but he did nice transitions and was lovely and forwards. He was also a little wobbly in my canter with his bum swinging in and to be honest I didn't do a lot to correct it.
I felt it was one of our nicest tests of the year so was pretty disappointed when I saw our dressage was 34 - our worst score by 4 marks this year. None the less, it would of been a good score a year ago so I was still a bit pleased so we're obviously improving a lot in this phase. However as the day went on, it became clear our judge was quite harsh with only 1 mark in the 20s. I was in equal 8th after dressage so couldn't complain with a rather full section, especially as when I looked back at the test on video I saw a few places I threw marks away. (Over confident after a 29 and a 28 on the trot perhaps??)
Anyway. I strolled around the XC. Its the first time I've seen the new cross country at tweseldown and it seems to have stepped up difficulty wise. There were several questions - a roll top with 4 curving strides to a hedge corner, a corner which came out of no where that had a lot of run outs, a log with a bit drop on the other side, and a palisade with 3 strides downhill to a skinny triple brush. However he is spot on with corners, I've done my homework on my skinnies and drops are just my own demon (first time I xc schooled him I fell off down a drop into water as he was very wobbly coming down it).
So I was a little apprehensive but still fairly happy. I then legged it round the SJ coursework (why schedule in a course walk if you don't allow time for ANYONE to walk all of it?? And I am Queen of power walking!)
Eventually it was time to tack up for the Show jumping. I pulled him off the lorry, where he had been fast asleep. I grabbed his boots, then saw he had a fat knee. Disaster! It was very warm with a lot of fluid around the joint. I trotted him up and he was 100% sound. I spoke to my mum who had been with him the whole time and he hadn't banged about, and to be fair he is very very quiet in the lorry. He hadn't tripped or stumbled warming up for dressage and the ground was good so I was at a loss.
I was 99% certain I would withdraw but decided to get the vet to check him out. She said if I really wanted to, I could continue although she advised not to. She didn't think it would cause any problems, but there was a much more increased risk that if he hit a fence cross country or stumbled ect he could do more damage. I would also never forgive myself if I ran and he went lame, so we withdrew.
Not quite what I needed a week before our first novice! On Monday he had physio with our fantastic sponsor, Ruth Mawer, and the knee was the same. He had slight soreness in his sacroilliac but nothing major and the tension released instantly. She advised that re. the back he only needed 1 day off then ideally lunged in the pessoa for the sacroilliac but given the knee, a quiet hack might be better.
Tuesday the knee was the same, as was it on wednesday, although the heat had gone by then. He was being cold hosed for 20min twice a day and arnica gel applied.
On Wednesday morning, I decided I really needed to make a decision re. Borde Hill so called my vet out. She examined him very thoroughly and really couldn't find anything wrong. There were no marks on him apart from what looked to be a tiny old scab, he had usual range of movement and was completly sound.
She said to give him 2 days of quiet hacking then crack on. If the knee had gone down by the weekend she said we were fine to take him. She also said even if it were still up, she was happy for us to take him as it wasn't bothering him, but obviously an increased risk going cross country. She said unless he went lame or the swelling increased, or was still there in a few weeks, there was absolutely no point in scanning it at this stage.
So I took him for a hack that evening, and the swelling had gone down a lot by the time we got home. Today it is very very very minimal, only a tiny tiny lump left - we're thinking it might of been an allergic reaction to a fly bite given it was never sore and he didn't seem to knock himself.
I schooled him yesterday and he was lovely, and I'm jumping him this afternoon. If all is well, we will be going to Borde Hill.
However it has meant I had to cancel a lesson and decided not to go show jumping today as planned as I need to work on things at home that I couldn't do during the week. So feeling a mix of excitement along with apprehension as this was exactly what I DIDN'T need the week before our novice. He hasn't been xc in 6 weeks.
But I am more confident than last time. I know I can jump the height, and he jumped the novice track at Larkhill (albiet schooling and some of the jumps were removed, but nothing influential).
I'm looking forward to a more testing dressage. I have a different plan for show jumping and cross country. The mantra will be We can do this. And I will not repeat my mistake at Somerely Novice where I went cross country with the attitude of we will take our time and pootle along. Although yes, making the time is certainly NOT my concern, I need to attack the course more to establish a forward going rhythm, although I will not hestitate to circle even if it incurs 20 penalties at a combination if I feel I need to.
My plans afterwards include Nunney international (where the novice is big but not technical) then on to Milton Keynes. Never been there before but BE website says the course looks strong but rides well and suitable for first timers. I can't remember my plans for after that but I do know I have the CIC1* at Firle Place on the 1st September in the back of my thoughts and perhaps even the CCI* at Aldon at the end of the season. But this is planning far to far in advance so lets see how Borde Hill goes first :D
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