Badminton fun ride - has anyone done it?

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I've just looked online and it seems pretty good, the fences look very inviting :) Has anyone done it? I'm guessing it would be absolutely manically busy, luckily I don't think that would stress my boy too much....
 
Donkeys years ago, when they used to include the odd fence from the 4* course. I was about 13, and I jumped the Fallen Log, because my PC DC told me too. I got tanked off with down the entire stretch from Worcester Lodge to Badminton House. Then I jumped the drop into the Lake and promptly fell off.
Loved every minute of it
 
Best fun I've ever had. But also broke my horse. Took two years to get him better. I never had an MRI done but reckon it was at least partially due to a DDFT tear.

Nevertheless, I would go again if my horse wasn't the age he is. Or maybe it's better going now the age he is? Basically there are a LOT of horses there. I thought I had a laid-back horse but he got very exited at Badminton. He turned hard as steel and grew a hand as soon as I unloaded him from the box. I ride him in a very soft snaffle, because he usually listens to me even when wired. However, once we reached the start at Badminton, that was it. Off we flew. The jumps are lovely and he jumped everything. He was sound until I got him off the lorry back home (the adrenaline effect). I put the problems he had later down to lack of warm-up.

I'd say try a smaller fun ride first if you've never been on one (or if you don't do a lot of travelling/competition/or have regular adventures on your horse). That way you'll know how he/she reacts. I went on a small fun ride last weekend. We still did a lot of galloping/cantering - but we also had time to warm-up. To me that makes a big difference.

You know your horse best. If you don't think he/she will go nuts I'd definitely try it. Like I say, still the best fun I've ever had!
 
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I have been couple of years ago, we got there very early and we were numbers 25/26 I think, nearly 1000 riders the year we went. When we set off there were couple dozen horseboxes, when we got back there were fields and fields of them, couldn't find mine haha. Good fences, lovely ride and everyone polite but I would go early before ground around fences are mush.
 
Auslander said:
Donkeys years ago, when they used to include the odd fence from the 4* course. I was about 13, and I jumped the Fallen Log, because my PC DC told me too. I got tanked off with down the entire stretch from Worcester Lodge to Badminton House. Then I jumped the drop into the Lake and promptly fell off.
Loved every minute of it
Click to expand...

Ha Ha, sounds like a fun day, some of these PC DC's were terrifying, I wonder if they are still like that today.
 
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