Burghley fallers

[HihoGinger]

We saw Clayton hacking back past the arena as we were going out on the course. Didn't realise he'd fallen, but for what it's worth, the horse seemed ok.

Very sad to hear about Heartbreak Hill. We knew there'd been a problem with him, and the length of the hold on the course worried me, but it wasn't until I came on here that I found out the sad news.
I took some pics of him today. I hope you don't mind me sharing, in his memory.

R.I.P. handsome

ETA, Sorry about the size

 

[Darremi]

You could see the going cut up pretty badly most of the way round. The Cottesmore Leap is at the very highest point of the course and after an intense series of combinations. I think this is the wettest Burghley in a few seasons, so the horses were running out of petrol for such a sizeable obstacle.

 

[BBP]

Ground was just a little bit...sticky, for want of a better word. Not muddy but giving underfoot. Perhaps it was more tiring than expected. A few looked full of running at cottesmore leap, but most looked to be pushing hard to get any sort of stride. Weather I would say was spot on for most, not too hot.

Nice photos of Heartbreak Hill, he and his rider were so brave, I won't forget them.

 

[atlantis]

I agree the going was a little sticky. I was pretty hot at times today (pushing a buggy round the hills) but I thought quite a few looked a bit tired. Sort of heavy on their feet. A lot of fences looked hard work. We didn't see any falls though so can't comment.

Very sad about heartbreak hill. My heart goes out to his rider. rip handsome man.

 

[hcm88]

Just watched Clayton's fall back (wish I hadn't though). He's visibly annoyed, I can imagine he knows exactly what went wrong and could see it coming from a mile out just like we could watching it. After his disappointment at Greenwich I can imagine he'll be particularly irritated by this as he was in a competitive spot, and although its no excuse I do understand his immediate reaction. But, when your horse has just fallen into a ditch and chested the fence your immediate reaction should not be to walk away! He just left him in the ditch for the fence judges to collect which isn't really how its meant to be.

The going was soft and in places did get quite sticky, going early on was definitely an advantage.

So sad to hear about Heartbreak Hill, my thoughts are with Paul and connections I was shopping when it happened and came back onto the course and although I hadn't heard anything I just knew something had happened. RIP

 

[Thistle]

I suppose the question is why didn't people take the long route (correct me if there isn't one at the Cottesmore leap this year). If you are on a horse who is clearly tiring, you know you need to get home and the next fence requires a bold forward horse. Is the will to win so great that you disregard basic safety?

 

[oldvic]

Quincey is fine - he must have hit a nerve. Clayton's horse looked fine this evening too. It was an error of judgement on his part not to take the alternative when his horse failed to pick up after the cottage. He had a heavy fall so it is a bit hard to condemn his reactions after.

The ground rode very tiring as it was dead and sticky. This meant horses were having to make a greater effort at every fence and the hills would have been tougher too. That is why so many horses tired badly and even the fittest and best ridden finished more leg weary than normal.

 

[Wishful]

I'd guess the disrupted season might not have helped as well as the ground. Most of the horses would have had a lot more prep normally had more prep runs than this year. Blair in the foot and mouth year (01) was apparently not at all pretty as preparation was so disrupted, so it's not surprising that horses are getting more tired on a warmish? (wasn't there, but it didn't look cold) day with ground on the softer side of good after a severely disrupted season.

 

[Eventer2012]

I suppose the question is why didn't people take the long route (correct me if there isn't one at the Cottesmore leap this year). If you are on a horse who is clearly tiring, you know you need to get home and the next fence requires a bold forward horse. Is the will to win so great that you disregard basic safety?

I totally agree with this - I think also this year has been so bad with cancellations most of these horses haven't had the build up of runs that they usually would have done before a 4-star and combined with the ground, that's pretty stamina sapping both physically and mentally.

 

[kerilli]

The thing is, he wouldn't have realised that the horse wasn't going forward to the fence in the way he needed, until a few strides before (when he starts using his voice, in fact) and by then it is too late to pull out for the alternative, really. Fwiw I think Seacookie did something similar to the first part of Discovery Valley but luckily it was a MUCH smaller fence... and that was early on with 1 of the best jockeys in the world up!
I really hope all fallers are okay.
The temperature did rise very quickly but it didn't dry the ground out, it was sticky and sapping. I've never seen the Cottesmore Leap ride so badly either, maybe the small fence before it had an effect, not sure. But it's been there for decades and I can only remember it causing problems a couple of times before, total... nothing like today... must say though, of all the fences on the course it's the one I would be UTTERLY terrified of riding to!
edited to add: Lovely pics of Heartbreak Hill, thank you for posting. I saw him going along with his ears pricked, loving it. RIP boy.

 

[Puppy]

I've just seen Sam Penn's fall and her concern for her horse (and the worry in her voice) is truly tearjerking. Thank goodness they are both ok.

Did William pull up Seacookie because he didn't feel right?

 

[oldvic]

William pulled up Sea Cookie because he hit fence 6 very hard and wasn't feeling very keen. He is fine though and may go to Blenheim.

 

[Thistle]

Yes Puppy, Team FP said he just wasn't quite right so save him for another day

 

[kerilli]

Seacookie jumped the first part of Disco Valley very badly and then just didn't look 'at the races'. Good decision I think.

 

[Puppy]

Oh good. thanks for the update. V pleased to hear that it was nothing serious. We saw him riding back (we were at fence 5 then) and were most surprised at the time, but having seen the video on Burghley TV just now, they sure did hit that fence hard!!

Any news on Mark Kyle's horses. He looked to be having a good round on Step in Time before that stop, and the vid doesn't actually show him pulling up, but I presume that it was for a similar reason.

 

[doratheexplorer]

I can very gladly report that Sam Penn and Seven O Seven (Brooke) are fine.

Sam is totally gutted and devastated, but will certainly live to fight another day.

Brooke traveled back to the stables in the horse ambulance to save himself the walk back from the Cottesmore Leap, and got washed off and walked round there. He has a few minor scrapes on his bottom from where he slid into the ditch, and we ae expecting him to be stiff for a while, but he is happy in himself, eating up and fingers crossed will travel home fine this afternoon.

It was awful watching it on the tv at the start, but to see Brooke get up and walk was very relieving.

It looks like the xc caused all manor of problems - going to have a lot of catching up to be done!!

RIP - Heartbreak Hill and condolences to all connections, cant imagine how that must feel.

 

[Luci07]

I can very gladly report that Sam Penn and Seven O Seven (Brooke) are fine.

Sam is totally gutted and devastated, but will certainly live to fight another day.

Brooke traveled back to the stables in the horse ambulance to save himself the walk back from the Cottesmore Leap, and got washed off and walked round there. He has a few minor scrapes on his bottom from where he slid into the ditch, and we ae expecting him to be stiff for a while, but he is happy in himself, eating up and fingers crossed will travel home fine this afternoon.

It was awful watching it on the tv at the start, but to see Brooke get up and walk was very relieving.

It looks like the xc caused all manor of problems - going to have a lot of catching up to be done!!

RIP - Heartbreak Hill and condolences to all connections, cant imagine how that must feel.

Think you for posting that. You might tell Sam that her panic and immediate worry about her horse actually gained her a whole lot of new fans, including me and will be gunning for her next time we see her out.

For those who speculate about the alternative, not sure if it is the same as previous years but the alternative is not a great option. You would have to change the rhythm to wiggle around the fence which I think can be harder. If your horse is in a good forward rhythm you won't want to change it and i used to find some bigger fences would ride a lot better when inboard and moving! Also, this is not a fence which has really caused problems before. It will be interesting to see how riders approach it next year. My no experience of course building thoughts were that iif the hedge had not had that heavy pole at the top, most would have got through the top of the hedge.

 

[oldvic]

There was a tired looking French horse that popped the alternative without losing the flow or breaking rhythm and hunted home quite happily. Although it meant turning, it was a big enough sweep round to be able to keep going. The problem with those that fell that I saw was that they weren't in a forward rhythm. Having said that, I didn't see Sam.
Although there were a few hedges that could be brushed through, it is not a good idea to teach the horses that it might be an option. Also they need to be quite wide to have enough substance and that would probably take it over the maximum width.

 

[amage]

Sam Penn's round looked a bit like that fall was always going to come at some stage.

 

[fatpony]

Dont know enough about eventing to comment on the rounds but just watched Sam Penns round and the way she called out for her horse pretty much before she'd even hit the ground made me well up. To some riders eventing is a business and they almost seem emotionally detatched from the horse - with her it looked like the sort of emotional relationship I have with my pony - which was lovely to see.

 

[ElphabaFae]

I can very gladly report that Sam Penn and Seven O Seven (Brooke) are fine.

Sam is totally gutted and devastated, but will certainly live to fight another day.

Brooke traveled back to the stables in the horse ambulance to save himself the walk back from the Cottesmore Leap, and got washed off and walked round there. He has a few minor scrapes on his bottom from where he slid into the ditch, and we ae expecting him to be stiff for a while, but he is happy in himself, eating up and fingers crossed will travel home fine this afternoon.

It was awful watching it on the tv at the start, but to see Brooke get up and walk was very relieving.

It looks like the xc caused all manor of problems - going to have a lot of catching up to be done!!

RIP - Heartbreak Hill and condolences to all connections, cant imagine how that must feel.

So glad to hear he will be okay! It was heartbreaking to hear her call out to him after he fell

 

[monkeybum13]

Wrong post, sorry!

 

[HammieHamlet]

Dont know enough about eventing to comment on the rounds but just watched Sam Penns round and the way she called out for her horse pretty much before she'd even hit the ground made me well up. To some riders eventing is a business and they almost seem emotionally detatched from the horse - with her it looked like the sort of emotional relationship I have with my pony - which was lovely to see.

I've had two horses with Sam in the past and can totally vouch for this - she is an incredibly talented rider and looks after them as if they are her own. I wasn't surprised in the slightest with her instinctive reaction to immediately check on the horse rather than worry about herself.

Hopefully she'll get to do more 4*'s in the near future as she totally deserves to be there.

 

[MandyMoo]

just watching the highlights now on the BBC.....some horrendous falls at Cottesmore Leap this year!!!!!!! I just teared up as Sam Penn shouts ''WHERE IS HE?!'' looking round the fence for her horse straight away, a real tear jerker.... so horrible these falls!!

Never seen Cottesmore ride so badly..!!

 

[Hedgewitch13]

Just seen that on BBC2 - made me well up! She was so quick off the ground to get to her horse - what a lovely lady.

Not sure I liked the faller montage though, there were some nasty ones

 

[Mickyjoe]

Horrible! I hate when they show thrills and spills like that.

 

[Laafet]

I still think that Will Faudree's was one of the worst, actually being there and see it was horrific. The horse was clearly very distressed, hence the whinnying, so was disgusted to see him get straight back on what was a very tired horse, who took some very lame steps when he got up. I know everyone says Clayton rode home, but I was at the fence and he must not have mounted him for a fair time afterwards, we never saw him back on the horse. However being on the landing side of that fence and hearing the massive crack will stay with me for a long time, my friend turned away and said 'we don't need to see this', we both work with racehorses so I knew what she meant. It was a massive relief to see his head pop round the fence.

 

[Freddie19]

Maybe I am being "soft" but why oh why did the BBC have to show a segment of the falls. I do not think they have done this before, and I hope they do not do so again. If I wanted to watch horses falling, I would have watched videos, as it was, I did not watch any that had a horse falling.

 

[JustMe22]

Very sad about Heartbreak Hill Such a legend in SA. Not had a very good year really, Paul Hart

 

[Suziq77]

Maybe I am being "soft" but why oh why did the BBC have to show a segment of the falls. I do not think they have done this before, and I hope they do not do so again. If I wanted to watch horses falling, I would have watched videos, as it was, I did not watch any that had a horse falling.

I agree! I had purposely not watched the clips of those I knew had fallen on Burghley TV and was pretty horrified when the fallers montage was shown. I don't see what that added to it all?!?! They could have just said who fell without showing the falls!