Equestrian Life July 2016 Edition

EVENTING
EMMA HYSLOP-WEBB
Where has our
SUMMER GONE...
It feels like Winter, we have horses in winter rugs again
and turnout is limited, Sunshine please return.
As I write this article we have just
returned from Bolesworth where
we got invited to do the Express
Eventing, what a venue! Returned from
Houghton and withdrew from Luhmuhlen
and packing for Stratford Hills.
We took four horses to Houghton, Wally,
Ozzie, O.B and Matcho. We had Wally
doing the 3* combined training, Ozzie
in the 3*, Matcho in the 2* and O.B in
the BYEH class. We had our hands full.
We had O.B in the top ten in the BYEH
class, Matcho jumped a super double
clear in the 2* allowing him to move up
to Advanced level. Wally was just there
practising for Luhmulen, he was somewhat
a fresh and a little excited to be
out. Ozzie did another personal best in
the dressage, I had to do a couple of one
handed moves as my top hat flew off.
Not sure if we got any extra marks for
that! In the showjumping, he then had
the last show jump down, but he tried so
hard and jumped super. Cross country
day came and we went for a steady round
following our tumble. He was super as
you can see from the photo.
On our return I decided that I should
turn Wally out as I am a little precious
with him, he has not been turned out
for two years, hand grazed only. As he is
so excited when he goes out competing
I decided that something needed to
change. So we let him out with the
Shetland, he now goes out every day and
plays with other horses, picks sticks up
in his mouth and is generally allowed to
be a horse. He is a lot more rideable as a
result. I discussed with my trainers about
Luhmulen and we decided to keep Wally
for Burghley. Having missed Badminton I
would like to save him for Burghley.
When the time arrived for Bolesworth
we decided to have a yard away day, so
everyone got up early did the yard and off
we set for our road trip. We left in ample
time to get there only to get stuck in the
most horrendous traffic, we were running
out of time fast so I decided to get in my
kit whilst we were stuck in traffic. Stock
shirt and stock on I decided I could put
my jodhpurs on only for the traffic to
start moving... so there is me driving to
Bolesworth in my stock shirt, stock and
my pants...... We had a giggle about this
but we had not got time to stop. I just
put a jumper across my lap and know one
would know any different, until we got
to Bolesworth and the Police were doing
checks on the lorries, that took some
explaining. Matcho had been tacked up
in the lorry and we arrived with 20 mins
before my test.
I had the opportunity to take two horses
to defend my title so I decided to take
Ozzie and Matcho. Ozzie did his music
test to a bit of swing, then ‘Wanna Be
Like You’ from Jungle Book. He got
a score of 26. Matcho did his test to
‘Uptown Funk’, ‘I stay out Too Late’ by
Taylor Swift and ‘Diamonds’ by Rhianna,
so we had every one dancing. He finished
on 29, so I was delighted with both boys.
As we went cross country in reverse order
I was second last to go and the arena was
very wet and deep, only for Ozzie to peck
on landing in a hole and fall to his knees.
38 July 2016 Equestrian Life