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May 30, 2012
Two Horses, Two Three-Days: Part 5
Last time I checked in, I was in a flurry of packing for Jersey Fresh. At this point you've probably seen the results. And you're probably thinking that I might be a little disappointed in them. But really, I couldn't be more proud of Trip (aka Mr. Indiscretion).
Jersey was Trip's first "big time" event, there were banners flapping around every corner and spectators everywhere on cross country, and he never once lost his focus. It's such a cool feeling to know that the horse that you picked out at the racetrack has turned into a big time horse. Trip has taken a bit longer to bring along than some of my other horses, so it's extra sweet when all the hard work starts to pay off.
But back to the competition! We were on the road a little after our planned 5am departure. At the big three-day events you have "in-barn" inspections where the vets take a look at your horse to get a baseline report on their respiration, heart rate, etc. This is also the time where you can explain any bumps that the vets might find on your horse's legs. Thankfully, Trip has very little to poke at, so that was a stress-free experience for us. We also made it through the jog with flying colors ... also stress-free. Two boxes checked off for the day, so Trip got to settle into his stall for the rest of the afternoon.
The next day was probably what I was most worried about ... dressage! As I mentioned earlier, Trip took everything in stride, and he was placed 14th after dressage. My former dressage coach, Allison Kavey of New York, was kind enough to come warm me up for the test.
Trip then got to have a day off on Friday, so I hacked him twice and just let him relax in preparation for his favorite day ... cross-country! Again, I can't begin to express just how proud of this horse I am. Except for the coffin (more on that in a minute), he absolutely rocked around his first CCI2*. You can see in the photos that he leaves plenty of room between him and the jumps. Maybe Trip does want to be an Advanced horse!?
So ... the only bummer of the day was the coffin. Trip is notoriously spooky about ditches, and he backed off a bit too much over the 'A' element and actually unseated me. I was determined not to fall off though! I clung to his neck, but in order for me to stay on, Trip came to a stop at the 'B' element (the ditch). What a bummer! But I'm partially thankful because, if he had gone on to jump the ditch, I would have certainly popped off. So good boy Trip for keeping me on!
At the end of cross-country, Trip recovered beautifully. There was lots of icing and walking, but he looked great when we tucked him in for the night. The next morning, he again looked great and passed the jog without a second glance.
Now there was just one stadium round between us and Trip's first CCI2* finish. Trip put on his big boy pants and tried his hardest to leave the jumps up. He did tick two off the cups, but I'm not too worried about it.
So now Trip is on a mini-vacation while we plan the rest of the year. We know that our homework will concentrate on dressage. And Trip will probably jump every ditch in Area II between now and Fair Hill International CCI2* this October!
Special thanks to my incredible boyfriend Andrei for grooming all weekend. He was especially useful on Saturday afternoon when I was suffering from a debilitating migraine. Trip and Andrei got along great, and I can only imagine what their conversations were about!
As for Texas, she's back to feeling physically well, but it seems that our fall at Sporting Days shook her up a bit more than we realized. So I'm going to spend a bit of time rebuilding her confidence. She's a game little mare, so I'm sure that we'll be back on track shortly. I still believe that she's a future star, so this extra time spend now in our "step back" will be well worth it when she springs ahead again!
Apr 19, 2024
Membership
Top Tips for Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event First-Timers from USEA Members
The 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is truly an eventing lover’s paradise with four full days of competition, vendors galore, opportunities to meet some of the sport’s greatest riders face-to-face, and so much more. For a seasoned Kentucky veteran, hopping over to the Kentucky Horse Park for the fun feels easy enough, but attending Kentucky might feel a bit overwhelming for first-timers. We chatted with USEA members from all over the country to get their favorite Kentucky tips to share with you. Check them out here!
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Eventing News
Meet the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L Field
There are some familiar names and new faces on the five-star roster for this year's Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Which horses have had recent top placings? Which riders have seen success at the Kentucky Horse Park in previous years? Which horse is called "Grandpa" by his rider and which one was purchased for $1?
Apr 18, 2024
News
Canter Culture to be a Silver Sponsor of USEA for 2024
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is thrilled to announce Canter Culture as a “Silver Sponsor for the USEA American Eventing Championships” taking place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Aug. 27-Sept. 1.
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Interscholastic
Learn from the Experts: How to Prepare for the 2024 Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships
If you’re a new team setting out to compete in the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Eventing Championships in just a couple of weeks, preparing for the “happiest horse trial” in the U.S. may seem a bit daunting. With five components to the Spirit Award contest that require creativity and cohesion between team members, there is a lot that goes into preparing and packing to leave for the event.
