Burghley Cross Country Day....

yep, but then Reddy Teddy was pretty tricky in the dressage after that, wasn't he? very few of them are tough enough to compete at 4* when young and cope with it mentally, let alone physically.
i hate seeing young horses being rushed, too.
 
Thoroughly enjoyed that - it's nice to see an influential XC for once and with no serious injuries to horse or rider (though does anybody know how nick is after his fall in the arena?).
Off up the yard now speak later people xxx
 
where did Clea have her problem, please? i was really hoping she'd do well.
not too disappointed to hear that OT ended up on the floor twice tho... perhaps someone will realise he isn't the best thing ever to happen to BE now... pushing horses to win every single time isn't good imho.
 
well after being world champion at 8 (or was it olympic? or both?) i think you will find that Teddy became rther naughty and it was some time before he won a major title after that. i think AN is fab but that horse is beautiful i loved it when i judged it ina novice three years ago and never had cause to change opinion but i think could have gone a little slower in his career especially after hideous fall at bramham 2006
 
i can't believe anyone can get a horse to 4 star as an 8 year old.
i checked up... when Blyth won Atlanta on him, Teddy had only done 2 Advanced 1-days. unbelievable confidence. a lesser rider wouldn't have been able to take him to the Olympics, that's one big difference i think.
 
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i can't believe anyone can get a horse to 4 star as an 8 year old.
i checked up... when Blyth won Atlanta on him, Teddy had only done 2 Advanced 1-days. unbelievable confidence. a lesser rider wouldn't have been able to take him to the Olympics, that's one big difference i think.

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Quite amazing that he was picked, if that is all his record had?
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Have to say it - I hate how fast he pushes his young horses! This horse is v young and his ride in the highclere AI was only 6 and already had 57 points! It's a topic close to my heart I must admit but i just cannot stand young horses being rushed

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I thought he really coaxed the horse around, it wouldn't do Andrew any good to rush a young horse beyond what it was capable of because its his future Olympic hope...
 
Well IMO an 8yr old has no place at burghley and a 6yr old has no place having 57 points, its that simple in my eyes and today although i think andrew gave the horse a lovely ride, the horse to me looked to lose confidence at a few jumps and it looked over faced. Yes he coaxed it round - but burghley is NOT the event to coax a young horse round!
 
If a horse wins a novice 4 times they are into intermediate. That is not that much. As for Blyth and Ready Teddy he took it to do a 3* had no expectations and it did far better than ever expected hence he got his spot at the Olympics. The Olympics are only 3*. Both these riders are very determined. Unlike OT I have never seen AN horses looking knackered or under prepared. Also AN horses do go into old age look at Lord Killinghurst he is 16. AN has nippy light little TBs and they mature at a younger age than a bigger horse like Mary King rides.
 
I do agree that he does it better than OT - we all know my opinions on him! However just because 4 wins at novice and your out you can still do opens.
I will never accept that 6yr olds should be doing advanced intermediates, no amount of talk will convince me that is right - how young would it have started off then and how quickly would it have progressed. It's too young.

BUT you are right on one thing - at least ANs horses are fit enough to do the job and ridden sympathetically - unlike OTs horses!
 
and let us not forget that in the last few years you also get points for double clears so it is even more difficult for a top rider to prevent his horse up grading. When you have a large string you cant always get into an open section if you have five to ride and only one such class at the end of the day.
 
Why not? I'd rather see Andrew coax a green horse around - SH could be as green tackling his first 4* in 2 years time - than I would see Oli rush one around!

And can I remind you SH is 9 not 8.
 
It said he was 8 in the commentary - and his AI horse was definately 6 - which is too young nothing you will say will ever convince me a 6yr old should be going around an AI!! So really no point trying.
And yes as I said he did coax it round and was sympathetic unlike Oli - if you read what I said you would have seen that.
 
My friend has a horse which is ON it is a nightmare finding events as they are really limited in number.
Also BSJA the 6yo age classes start at 1.25m but go up to 1.35m and bigger for finals. BE at advanced is only 2 fences at 1.30m with rest at 1.25m for the SJ.
 
Lol aha well I stand corrected - sounds strange but I don't feel 9 is as bad as 8 - and 6 well thats just ridiculous

As are the BSJA 6yr old classes..i'm not restricting it to just eventing - i think young horses have far too much pressure on them these days - honestly i could bore you all for hours with my ranting - i have nothing better to do! lol
 
Umm, firstly, the Olympics now is 3 star, i think back in Atlanta it was much more akin to a 4 star.
AN did not ride Lord Killinghurst as a youngster, Owen Moore did. He took it all the way to Advanced. It was obviously supremely talented (i think it won its first Intermediate) but he didn't rush it iirc.
i don't think you can compare BSJA 1.35 tracks for 6 yr olds with an Advanced event for 6 yr olds. The amount of fitness, stamina, training involved (an Advanced xc course has a lot more puzzles than a SJ course, and is much more punishing physically - drops etc), plus the fact that 1.35 isn't a big course at all to a pure SJer.
imho a 6 yr old horse should not be contesting Advanced events. there's plenty of OI classes, a lot more than there are ONs.
 
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