Harry Meade and Dunauger

I am actually very surprised at this for many reasons, I saw Dunauger run at Powderham and he looked fit and well there, ok, that was near the beginning of the season but he has run since then, at Hartpury so a few weeks ago, so I don't understand why he tired out that quickly, surely he knows by now how fit his horses needs to be for a big 3 day, he's done plenty of them. Harry has also had a very good upbringing with horses, firstly with his father, then he went on to work with WFP, so some very good training with top riders.
This is the first time EVER that I have heard anything against Harry, so am quite perplexed about it.

Dunauger's results have been a bit hit and miss this season. Not only that, but Burghley was running on a shorter course this year too!

I am not about to hang, draw and quarter him though, if it was his fault, then it's been a very expensive lesson learnt.
 
Bah this horse's welfare issue seems to being between the pro/amateur issue.

Amy Tyron, Harry Meade (if it's true - really want to see his round before I make judgement) etc etc
 
He should know what's best for his horse without a pep talk! My source saying how tired the horse was is a very experienced competitive horse person so have no doubt that the horse was that tired and should have been pulled up. Not sure how much we'll see on video, it'll show too many people up!
 
kerilli i agree, most amateurs only have the once horse so may be more inclined to save them for another day???? I really dont mean to label pro's or amateurs with the same tag as the bad ones are in the extreme minority.
Whilst speaking to friends of mine this year who fence judge every weekend for BE, they said the higher levels are getting more breath gasping than the lower as the more experienced ppl are pushing young horses around intermediates etc to get the value up due to the current climate. they said many riders are looking very dangerous and the horses just not getting the prep they should be.

I hope the earlier post are wrong as it would be a shame for a brit to be riding like this, but glad burghley have taken the oppinion they have (if they have).
 
I reserve judgement on Harry Meade - didn't see his round and can't comment until I've seen it. I've always thought of him as a mature sympathetic rider so won't pass judgement yet. But of all the events to do it at - that has to be seriously flawed judgement to think you can push a tired horse around a 4* course. If Dunauger had not survived his fall, that would have been incredibly bad publicity for his rider and all of it on camera as well...
 
I love and have always loved Harry as a rider, he is kind and sympathetic. Harry was clearly very worried. Dunauger is new to Harry (beginning of 09).
I know I will definitely not rate Harry any lower as a rider.
 
maybe it has a virus, it wouldn't be the first horse to be jumping out of its skin one day and then flat as a pancake with a virus. the point is, it doesn't matter where you are, if the horse feels wrong, you pull up.
anyone else remember WFP retiring xc yonks ago at the Euros when on the team? he got loads of flak for it at the time but i was told the horse was bloodtested and was viral. so, he didn't get carried away by duty, adrenalin, excitement, or anything else.
what was that horse called? nice quality dark bay, was ridden by a girl before, i'm sure he won Burghley on it.
 
His round is now on Burghley Tv, poor horse looks knackered from about fence 14.

You should see it at 19, it breaks into a trot it's so tired and going for the jump it gets trapped on he is digging his spurs in but it is plainly knackered.

Poor horse
 
I am pretty shocked at this, he's not the sort I would of associated with this having seen him ride a few times this season, but then if at the end of the day he holds his hands and admits his mistakes then I can forgive him to an extent. This is half my problem with Amy Tryon, she never held her hands up and admitted liability for what happened.
 
Yes, thanks LizzieJ, it was Chaka. previously ridden very very nicely by Judy someone, she was jocked off, poor thing.
i second what was said up there about Dunauger usually being really up for it, i thought bitting had been an issue because he was SO strong and keen xc, that's why she went so slowly with him last year etc.
 
I wonder why you can't see past fence 6?!! I was nearly in tears when I heard how tired the horse was and saw the screens go up. I think some of you may be reserving judgement for some time!
 
I was at Burghley today, didn't see the round in the flesh but I saw it on the big screen

The horse had a run out at a corner and took a flag out, Harry then circled round quite a bit, everyone thought he was retiring, but he then took the alternative and carried on

As he was going round, everyone around me was saying the horse looked tired etc, it was quite obvious. The horse came into a trot before the fence where he got stuck, so he circled and represented, where the horse took off with the front but not the back!

Definately not the kind of riding expected from Harry....
frown.gif
The horse was clearly tired
frown.gif
 
If video stops before fence 6 just move the cursor thingy along a bit and it restarts. I have to say the horse looks tired to me- poss something not quite right with it if it is usually full of running- and Harry not quick enough to realise until it was too late. Just glad the horse survived its ordeal.
 
to me it looks like he was going to call it a day after that jump. The way he patted the horse when it trotted, and cantered into the fence. No doubt he is extremely regretting choosing to jump one last fence.
 
[ QUOTE ]
His round is now on Burghley Tv, poor horse looks knackered from about fence 14.

You should see it at 19, it breaks into a trot it's so tired and going for the jump it gets trapped on he is digging his spurs in but it is plainly knackered.

Poor horse

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. I've just watched it and am shocked. I thought a few times he was stopping up to retire, but no - he picked up trot again and carried on. The horse was completely flattened - there was no way he could got over that fence. I am shocked that he wasn't pulled up. Surely the stewards could have radioed to the member of the Ground Jury in the control box?
 
I think Harry made a serious misjudgment, sadly. He was up on the clock by the double of corners but he lost his way and I think started to ride without his head, probably panicked a bit? Dunauger, to me, looked to still have plenty of bounce but not a lot of forward motion and when he broke into trot before the fence he got stuck on, I believe Harry really lost the plot and just didn't know what to do. By this time Dunauger was just too fatigued.

Would Harry have pulled up after that fence if he'd jumped it? That we will never know.

But i'm not about to start a witch hunt, I think he will be beating himself up enough after this.
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
His round is now on Burghley.tv but mine keeps stopping before fence 6!

[/ QUOTE ]


ditto

[/ QUOTE ]

Mine too!
frown.gif
 
The horse looked shot to pieces. Leaving legs left right and centre. It has left me shocked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top