Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Jack

May and June Update

May started off with Badminton Horse Trials. I love going to Badminton and being only 10 minutes away, I normally make a few days of it, spectating, shopping and socialising. Inspired by the riders, I took Scooby (Landsman) along to Broadway just for a day out and to do some 'dressage is boring and quiet' practice. The following day after the event I headed back with five year old Danny to cross country school, he made light work of it and loves water!

I entered Scooby into the BE100 at Mount Ballan mid-May, after our rather lively run at Bicton Park, plus being exercised at Broadway, I got on earlier than normal to warm up for dressage so he could have a long walk and be 'chilled'. The plan worked and he did a lovely test going into 2nd place on a score of 25.3. After jumping a few fences in the warm up in a rather bouncy/wild way, I decided just to get the round over and done with, he went in and jumped clear, I'm not going to say perfect or stylish but it was clear! This was my fifth trip to Mount Ballan and I have never yet gone clear cross country so Scooby was under pressure! Scooby did his standard leave the start box at 90mph with his helicopter tail spinning and went on to jump a super clear, finishing on his dressage score for 2nd place! M&Ms well-earned for that double clear!

At the start of June we managed to fit in some cross country schooling at Rabson Manor with Rocco (MGH Rococo). This was his first cross country outing since October last year, he's feeling fit and well and made light work of it, so I am very happy to have my boy back out! I went to Wickstead Horse Play for a show jump tune up with Scooby ahead of West Wilts, Scooby was on top form and even had a play on the all-weather cross country jumps.

Feeling prepared we headed West Wilts Horse Trial which is one of our regular competition venues; Kathryn Harris and I had several horses running there over the three days. Scooby was competing on the second day in the BE100, but I opted to take him on the first for a sneaky 'dressage is boring and quiet' practice again. Onto the second day we did another really nice test scoring a solid 30. After my show jump lesson at Wickstead, I tried to put my new methods to practice in the ring, he jumped a super round but I tried to take a stride out and he tried to add a stride, so unfortunately we knocked a pole down. He followed this up by another super clear cross country inside the time! Faultless all season cross country so far!

After two days at West Wilts travelling backwards and forwards each day, getting horses plaited and bathed, we head back for a third day in a row, this time with Rocco to cross country school around the affiliated courses. The less said about the first BE90 fence the better, but you'll be pleased to know it didn't eat him, it was touch and go! He then went onto jump around the BE90 and BE100 clear making it feel so easy!

Onto Farley Hall, I've never been there before and it was a really lovely event, a stunning setting and easy to get to however it seemed to go downhill from there. We managed a 32.3 in the dressage which I thought was quite generous however we really didn't have our show jumping shoes on and had two silly slightly careless poles, oh well cross country is far more fun! When I walked the course it was clear it wasn't going to be a dressage competition, which sounds silly when you're talking about a BE100, but it was a serious track for this level. We set off and started well but took a dislike to an upturned boat before the water, on a tight turn away from the warm up and lorry park and that was our first refusal all season. He jumped it slowly the second time asking. I felt gutted and that I should have done more. Luckily we caught it on video and his owner was watching and said there was nothing more I could have done. I also saw a lot more trouble at that fence afterwards which always makes me feel better.

Rocco headed to West Wilts combined training just after Farley Hall, this was to be his first dressage test since Calmsden last October and show jumping since February’s BSJA. He worked in beautifully and continued this in the arena. I went wrong, which must have been out of shock for how well he was going! Apart from two small errors, his sheet was all 8's and 8.5's and he still managed to score 24! He then did two super show jump rounds.

To top June off, I was very lucky that Petplan Equine invited me to the Hickstead Derby. I've never been to Hickstead before and what an amazing venue it was. It was great to catch up with the Petplan Equine team on their stand and score 100% in their Responsible Rider quiz and myself and friends had a super day of shopping, show jumping and sunshine.

The next few weeks look set to be very busy, with Scooby and Rocco heading to Chepstow and Dauntsey Park next.

Jack’s top tip

Anything can happen when you go eventing so I always take spares of everything; spare breeches, stock shirt, bridle, girths, head collar, lead ropes ect. You never know when the next downpour of rain is coming, or your bridle decides to break.