Badminton XC - thoughts?

[PorkChop]

I was glued to the coverage all day

Loved Opp Buzz

There was some fantastic riding, some amazing recoveries, can't remember who it was but the horse that lost its footing in the colt pond and picked up to jump out was so genuine, and also loved the horse that jumped the small tree in colt pond as if it was meant to

If I could scrap one fence on the course I have to say it would be the quarry complex near the end of the course, I especially hated the log at the bottom of the slope, thought the drops and hauling needed to get through even the direct route was unnecessary at that stage

 

[rhino]

I was watching today it was fab!
There was a horse and rider at the colt pond. The horse had a stumble in the water lost impulsion but carried on with the direct route pretty much from a trot. Such a genuine horse, does anyone know who this was because I missed the riders number?

I think she went on to fall off later on in the course though.

Think it was the French rider Gwendolen Fer

 

[only_me]

K, I asked a question on the other thread after watching OT, do you think that because there are more "horse friendly" fences now (eg. waves at the lake) it can encourage lazy knees? It does make it slightly safer but is it a double edged sword?
Just a thought I had?

 

[CalllyH]

Thanks kerrilli, i really shouldn't laugh at oils misfortunes but one can't help but smirk a little. Hope the horses ok.

I'm surprised at cruise master though leaving a leg he's normally pretty ok isn't he?

 

[NinjaPony]

some great riding and some shocking riding imho. i thought EL was justified in giving that horse 3 smacks, he could have gone, he has oodles of scope, he's let her down at 4* water a few times before. It wasn't a perfect approach but other riders go away with far worse because their horses were honest and generous.
I hate the way Buck rides.
I thought Marina was the only one of the Germans who rode well, normally i'm a big fan of Ingrid but she was riding much too fast imho, I saw that fall coming about 10 fences before. Ostholt was horrible. I remember Marina the last time she rode at Badders, hope she goes v well tomorrow. Would love Toddy or Nicola and Buzz to win.
I felt so so sorry for Ruth, being held did not help that horse at all, and even though she was doing all she could, he looks the sort who gets suspicious if driven. He could have helped her out.
V sorry for Caroline Ryan-Bell too, was looking great till then.
Aoife Clark is seriously classy.
Ditto some of the YRs.
Buzz was awesome. Interesting that her other horse jumped a bit like Buzz too though.
Toddy did a fabulous job. Fine to wake up a tired horse with a slap, and ride home with hands and heels.
Whoever it was who rode the final gallop stretch as if it was the Grand National finish, not good.
OT's horse is a horrible dangler. I saw that one coming a mile off too, poor Oli didn't deserve that, he was doing a great job out there.
I thought Cinders rode fantastically and that mare was utterly awesome.
Could go on and on. Some stunning horses that I really covet, but some not quite so appealing! Some great riding and some surprisingly bad riding.
I was pleased to hear Pippa and Ian saying about the coffin canter. Shocked me how some riders approached that fence. Oli was clever, obv didn't trust that horse to keep its knees up even at that reasonably early stage...
Feel desperately sorry for Mandiba, esp if he ran back and fell off the bank because of the airjacket going off (as has been said on COTH). V lucky not to break his back, apparently has a broken rib, poor lad.

you can watch it online at FEI tv, btw.

Agree with pretty much all of that

 

[Puppy]

Buzz was awesome. Interesting that her other horse jumped a bit like Buzz too though.

I believe they're half brothers

Such a shame about that bang to Bee Diplomatic. A very quick reaction by Nicola though - great horse(wo)manship

 

[TarrSteps]

Lots of "dressage movers" and even top sj lines are famous for jumping with a low knee, even if they're tight below. But often these horses are also very scopey so when they're not wrong/tired/inattentive they win and it's not considered a problem. (And many horses jump safely their whole careers that way, it's just an "if and when" issue.) If anything I'd say fences now are less forgiving of that style, too, with more uprights, difficult distances, bending lines etc. which can catch out a horse that's not so snappy in front.

 

[Chloe_GHE]

I was a little disappointed that there weren't any big drop obsticles or steps complexes I really like that, fave fences were that bounce in the woods, and the step up with rail on top

 

[kerilli]

Agreed, but that was Emily Baldwin at the Lake-there seems to be a bit of confusion between the 2! I didn't see Emily Llewellyn's round but it sounds like he wasn't an easy ride!

oh oops sorry, i get them confused.
CalllyH, this is the same horse that dangled a knee so badly at Kentucky and nearly killed him. It did it 3 times today, he was lucky to get away with it at the Lake, due supreme stickability and a forgiving fence.

only_me, i'd say maybe at the lower levels, where roll tops and brush tops seem to be taking over, but not at higher levels. a lot of those horses today seriously impressed me with their lovely snappy knees, even when tiring, esp at the third log of the Quarry, and the first part of sunken road. snappy knees are life savers, esp if rider misses a bit.

 

[teapot]

Westwood Poser - really helped Polly out.

And the big Irish horse that fell in the water, had been going so well until then.

 

[chestnut cob]

I've loved watching the XC today

Would anyone mind answering a question for a numpty though please...?! I appreciate you would expect a horse to finish Badminton XC tired but there seemed to be quite a few who *appeared* to be absolutely knackered. Was it particularly warm there today, is it lack of fitness, or is that extra bit of stamina what marks the top quality horses out from the others? From my numpty perspective, the one that really seemed to stand out was (IIRC) Prada, who looked like she'd have gone around again. What made that horse finish still so full of running yet others looked knackered half way around?

Sorry for the stupid questions!

 

[Thistle]

Andreas Dibowski, not Osholt was the awful rider of number 100. The one who looked very very tired and poss finished lame.

Andreas Osholt retired (he wasn't great either)

Just checked this on results

 

[Supertrooper]

Chesnut cob - I would say lack of fitness!

 

[Puppy]

Chesnut cob - I would say lack of fitness!

I would say the heat. If you look at coverage from last year, with some of the same horses, they finished much, much better. I don't know about where you guys are, but it shockingly hot here, and I understand it's pretty similar at Badders.

 

[Jesstickle]

Surely the heat? I can't believe that some of the guys with tired horses don't know how to get them fit? It is the hottest easter in 70 years or something after all.

 

[Supertrooper]

Puppy - actually that may be true, it hasn't been that warm where I am today so just assumed it's the same everywhere!!! ;-))

 

[Kokopelli]

It was very hot there and I don't think the horses are used to that heat yet.

There was also little breeze which made it seem warmer.

 

[Puppy]

Andreas Dibowski, not Osholt was the awful rider of number 100. The one who looked very very tired and poss finished lame.

Andreas Osholt retired (he wasn't great either)

Just checked this on results

I don't remember seeing Andreas Dibowski (must have been whilst I was on BBQ/pimms duty ) but I thought Andreas Osholt was a league below every other partnership out there today. I was most surprised to hear that his horse is owned by some sort of German equestrian federation as I would have thought that they'd have plenty of more skilled riders to place such a horse with.

 

[chestnut cob]

Chesnut cob - I would say lack of fitness!

Thanks The thread below is interesting, re. roads and tracks etc.

Puppy - temperature here is back down to around 14C during the day so I wasn't sure if it was still baking elsewhere.

 

[Puppy]

Surely the heat? I can't believe that some of the guys with tired horses don't know how to get them fit? It is the hottest easter in 70 years or something after all.

Yep! I believe London has been specified as the hottest place in Europe this week. I am timing when I take my dogs for a walk due to the temperatures we've been having.

 

[Katie_B]

some great riding and some shocking riding imho. i thought EL was justified in giving that horse 3 smacks, he could have gone, he has oodles of scope, he's let her down at 4* water a few times before. It wasn't a perfect approach but other riders go away with far worse because their horses were honest and generous.
I hate the way Buck rides.
I thought Marina was the only one of the Germans who rode well, normally i'm a big fan of Ingrid but she was riding much too fast imho, I saw that fall coming about 10 fences before. Ostholt was horrible. I remember Marina the last time she rode at Badders, hope she goes v well tomorrow. Would love Toddy or Nicola and Buzz to win.
I felt so so sorry for Ruth, being held did not help that horse at all, and even though she was doing all she could, he looks the sort who gets suspicious if driven. He could have helped her out.
V sorry for Caroline Ryan-Bell too, was looking great till then.
Aoife Clark is seriously classy.
Ditto some of the YRs.
Buzz was awesome. Interesting that her other horse jumped a bit like Buzz too though.
Toddy did a fabulous job. Fine to wake up a tired horse with a slap, and ride home with hands and heels.
Whoever it was who rode the final gallop stretch as if it was the Grand National finish, not good.
OT's horse is a horrible dangler. I saw that one coming a mile off too, poor Oli didn't deserve that, he was doing a great job out there.
I thought Cinders rode fantastically and that mare was utterly awesome.
Could go on and on. Some stunning horses that I really covet, but some not quite so appealing! Some great riding and some surprisingly bad riding.
I was pleased to hear Pippa and Ian saying about the coffin canter. Shocked me how some riders approached that fence. Oli was clever, obv didn't trust that horse to keep its knees up even at that reasonably early stage...
Feel desperately sorry for Mandiba, esp if he ran back and fell off the bank because of the airjacket going off (as has been said on COTH). V lucky not to break his back, apparently has a broken rib, poor lad.

you can watch it online at FEI tv, btw.

I would agree with the majority of this, except I would be surprised if Mandiba spooked at the air jacket. There was a bit delay between the pop and him moving off. Infact, it looked like, and I think a few others agreed on the other thread, that she waved her reins in dissapointment and he spooked at that. Would be interesting to see a replay, although don't think i could see him hit the deck again

 

[Puppy]

Thanks The thread below is interesting, re. roads and tracks etc.

Puppy - temperature here is back down to around 14C during the day so I wasn't sure if it was still baking elsewhere.

Blimey! We've been v nearly twice that!!

 

[kirstyhen]

I rode my mare at half 6, so technically it should have been cooler. 20 minutes schooling and she was very sweaty, it's not even that hot here!

I think it's the humidity that's been the real killer! That was what knackered them at Bejing, whereas in the dry heat of Athens, they finished much better.

 

[chestnut cob]

Blimey! We've been v nearly twice that!!

I think the maximum here has been about 26C and yesterday was warm until about 4pm, when it suddenly clouded over and it hasn't been anything like as warm since. Today I actually had to put a coat on to hack at 9am!

 

[TGM]

Before I comment I would just like to add a disclaimer that I am just a feeble PC mum who can just about manage 2'3" these days, and even when I was younger only negotiated 3'6" RC courses. But I do believe discussing performances in these top competitions is useful to all those involved in riding and managing horses and riders at the lower levels, even if I could not achieve a fraction of what any of the Badminton riders achieve.

I thought Ruth Edge rode really well, but it did seem her horse was quite sticky and lacking a little confidence all the way round, so it was not surprising that, at such a demanding level, it eventually went wrong.

Mark Todd nursed his horse over the final fences well, I didn't feel his riding was abusive at all, but just showed him carefully encouraging his horse home. I do wonder whether the horse will show sound tomorrow though, after scraping so badly over the log in the Quarry.

Oliver Townsend's horse was jumping dodgily throughout the course, so although the rider did his best, wasn't really surprising that his luck gave out eventually.

Opposition Buzz was just a delight to watch - you just had every confidence he was going to clear short of a major disaster.

I agree with others that one of the Andreas's rode very roughly - I'm not saying I could do any better, but wouldn't want to hold him up as an example to young aspiring riders.

 

[Vizslak]

It has been alot cooler today than the rest of the week (or the sun has been less fierce) but agree with K its certainly still very humid with not alot of air. The only horse I saw look ridiculously tired was Splash (ACM) and he didnt even finish. I seriously hope I never have to watch Oli ride that horse round another 4*, its truely scary to watch, I thought he rode very very well though. There were plenty came in quite fresh. Toddys horse looked v tired but he was pushing for that top placing, you would expect that when the horse is asked to give that winning extra bit for it not to have much running left in the tank, it actually finished looking better than I thought it would after it flagged earlier on and Toddy had to wake him up. Marina rode a fabulous round and her horse is wonderful, that was a highlight round for me. Obviously Opposition Buzz was wonderful too. Those 2 rounds are the ones that stick in my mind as pure class.

 

[Jesstickle]

Yep! I believe London has been specified as the hottest place in Europe this week. I am timing when I take my dogs for a walk due to the temperatures we've been having.

I've personally been loving it but brown horse has turned into a lazy slob. Which I think says everything about what heat does to horses given that I only wanted to ride for half an hour and after 20 mins he had completely died under me (obviously he isn't fit or anything but he can usually manage 40 mins without struggling too much!) Or rather, about what unexpected, sudden onset heat does to horses.

 

[TarrSteps]

Re the heat, it isn't just how it's been today, but over the last week and when the horses have been doing their last works. There are still horses walking around with winter coats (Badminton horses clipped, obviously, but they're still on the same "clock" as their furrier brethren) which shows how un-acclimatised they are.

 

[CalllyH]

Thanks k, I think oli needs to look for some new horses if thats the case.

 

[kit279]

Say, Tarrsteps, while you're in here - I thought Canada had some extremely nice horses out and about today. A couple of unlucky ones but by and large I thought the horses looked rather class and some of the riders were very stylish

ETS:- I nearly put North America instead of Canada just there