Aoife Clark - any news on her horse?

Alec Swan

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Accepting that most on this thread don't and possibly wouldn't ride and 'do' any 4* course, that certainly doesn't invalidate their doubts and fears. I have never ridden any horse at that level, but it would be a fool who failed to see or recognise the reckless riders, or the horse which is 'off its legs' through either unfitness or for any other reason, and was likely to be a danger to itself or its rider.

Formula 1 races are monitored and dangerous driving is dealt with immediately, by penalising the offender with pit stops and delays. The Organisers and the Committees of these Advanced Events are themselves watching every horse and rider, and from screens, and it should be a simple matter to contact fence judges and stop a horse, and rider, when it seems that there is risk to either.

I watched the televised events, and there were horses which, perhaps with no 'fault', should quite clearly and simply have been stopped during the course. Why weren't they stopped en-route? When there is a major incident and a life is lost, be it a rider or a horse, when in the view of the Committee, the animal couldn't continue, then British Eventing, as a sport, will have serious questions to answer.

Generally during NH racing, most competent jockeys recognise an animal which is spent, and pull up. It's time that our top drawer Event riders learn to take the same path.

Alec.
 

Alec Swan

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http://www.burghley.tv/vod2014/

then just do a search for Aoife Clark

Thank you for the inclusion.

Whilst you're at it, viewers, watch that excellent girl Hannah Bate. I know her, and her professionalism, her attention to seemingly insignificant detail, and her dedication are beyond question. HOW I wish that I had a horse for her to ride! One day perhaps, one day! :D

Regarding Ms. Clark, I would suggest that her useful horse could have been given a more thoughtful ride. The fall was evident, from strides out.

Alec.
 

ihatework

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I didn't manage to catch any of Burghley this year, so thanks for the link!

I find these these threads quite fascinating.

Firstly the fence she fell at - shocking piece of riding. The horse looked wrong behind coming up the straight and I agree she rode recklessly at it. Poor poor horse.
I don't know the specific criteria for what warrants a verbal warning versus a yellow card, but I do agree that some consideration should be taking with regards to prior verbal warnings, with a view to upgrading to a yellow card if previous warning has failed.

That said, I'm not sure her round up until that point in time was bad enough for the officials to step in and stop her.
She had a couple of mildly sticky fences early on - the sort that many top event horses will have not infrequently.
The fence where the horse left a leg in the ditch was definitely a big blunder - but I'm not sure I would condemn her for picking him up and kicking on at that point in time. He may possibly have strained himself there which could attribute for later problems - but it wasn't evident from the ground and that is where the rider has to make a judgement call - given he threw some good jumps afterwards there wasn't anything screamingly wrong.

Glance off at a corner - well that is exactly what that fence is designed to test, and it would be reasonable to expect a couple to do precisely what she did.

However we are now getting into the territory of an accumulation of smaller incidents that build up to a bigger picture. For me the fence prior to the fall was the turning point where the horse didn't get much air and starting to look as if either the petrol or the confidence was going.

With the adrenaline pumping I am under no illusion how difficult it must be as a rider to know when to make the call to stick your hand up. I'm sure much of that comes with experience. I hope she has had good reflection on this round, realised how lucky she has been and will learn for the future. Eventing doesn't need another death, equine or human.
 

ester

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I was watching on the big screen at Burghley and they didn't show her fall at the time (only because they couldn't show everyone) but after his earlier mishap at discovery valley he fair old walloped the rail coming out of capabilities cutting (where she didn't make it easier for him by taking the very slightly longer route) - it seemed a harder hit then that it perhaps seems to be on the replay videos, perhaps we got more sound? I was very surprised that she didn't pull him up at that point and we only heard about the fall on the tannoy and wasn't hugely surprised but it was bloomin scary watching her ride down to that jump the way she did - it's a fair old slope and am amazed she wasn't yellow carded. Great shame she didn't seem to take anything from her earlier warning either.
 

Horsemad12

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I didn't manage to catch any of Burghley this year, so thanks for the link!

I find these these threads quite fascinating.

Firstly the fence she fell at - shocking piece of riding. The horse looked wrong behind coming up the straight and I agree she rode recklessly at it. Poor poor horse.
I don't know the specific criteria for what warrants a verbal warning versus a yellow card, but I do agree that some consideration should be taking with regards to prior verbal warnings, with a view to upgrading to a yellow card if previous warning has failed.

That said, I'm not sure her round up until that point in time was bad enough for the officials to step in and stop her.
She had a couple of mildly sticky fences early on - the sort that many top event horses will have not infrequently.
The fence where the horse left a leg in the ditch was definitely a big blunder - but I'm not sure I would condemn her for picking him up and kicking on at that point in time. He may possibly have strained himself there which could attribute for later problems - but it wasn't evident from the ground and that is where the rider has to make a judgement call - given he threw some good jumps afterwards there wasn't anything screamingly wrong.

Glance off at a corner - well that is exactly what that fence is designed to test, and it would be reasonable to expect a couple to do precisely what she did.

However we are now getting into the territory of an accumulation of smaller incidents that build up to a bigger picture. For me the fence prior to the fall was the turning point where the horse didn't get much air and starting to look as if either the petrol or the confidence was going.

With the adrenaline pumping I am under no illusion how difficult it must be as a rider to know when to make the call to stick your hand up. I'm sure much of that comes with experience. I hope she has had good reflection on this round, realised how lucky she has been and will learn for the future. Eventing doesn't need another death, equine or human.

Agreed!
 

twiggy2

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Firstly the fence she fell at - shocking piece of riding. The horse looked wrong behind coming up the straight and I agree she rode recklessly at it. Poor poor horse.

With the adrenaline pumping I am under no illusion how difficult it must be as a rider to know when to make the call to stick your hand up. I'm sure much of that comes with experience. I hope she has had good reflection on this round, realised how lucky she has been and will learn for the future. Eventing doesn't need another death, equine or human.

THIS
 

Hedgewitch13

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Even my non horsey mum pointed out the horse wasn't right after the ditch debacle and said 'told you it wasn't happy' when it turned turtle over the other fence. So why the hell didn't Aofie notice it wasn't right?? Shocking riding :(
 

Puppy

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I've never really looked into yellow cards/warnings before this year, its all come to light a bit since Mary and the list makes interesting reading actually... interesting that OT got one for abuse of whip at Badminton, don't remember his round but remember others using whip poorly that haven't been given one so must have been bad!?

He passed me between huntsman's close and the quarry and smacked the horse who looked completely exhausted - I've never seen Armada look like that before. I was very uncomfortable seeing him pushing the horse on and I'm not surprised he was disciplined for it. I would have welcomed the officials making him pull up.
 
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