OMG it's august weekend plans!

[HufflyPuffly]

Obviously, cannot and was not commenting on any specific incidents this year or previous years. I have not witnessed any first hand. I tend to be busy competing so don't have much time to spectate (unless happens to be when walking courses).

I have ridden through it multiple times without incident from 90 to Novice but always rebalance before the downhill section - which means a careful (power, not pace) jump at the top (if there is one, which there usually is in the Novice). Usually the Novice has a jump in the water as well (not this year), did it last year no problem. Have not had any stumbles or trips. This year, Reilee (in 90, her first time there) when I rebalanced her, chose to trot down and pick up canter again in the water, which was fine and the jump after was good too.

Tend to get more falls in water when jumping in as potential for rapid deceleration causing unbalancing is greater. Hence why need power but not pace for jumping into water. The steep downhill can cause involuntary acceleration unless compensate for it, leading to a similar deceleration and unbalancing effect when entering the water. My horses do their interval training up and down hills here on our mountains which I am sure greatly aids their balance when out eventing.

I trust the quality of course design and maintenance at Cholmondeley Castle a great deal based on my own experiences. I can completely understand if other people feel differently based on their own. I hope the horse recovers well.

Hopefully the horse will be fine, just need to keep the wounds clean really (knees and chest). Another lady on the yard did the 90 on the Saturday with no issues, so it may be just unlucky or as you say needs more careful riding than maybe people think! I can't comment I've never ridden there but it does seem to be a bogey fence!

You are blooming brave, the trakehner to corner in the novice was terrifying!!

 

[shortstuff99]

Going through water really can alter the pace, stride etc, just look at Tim Price falling in the water at Burghley, just tripped and he said he got complacent and didn't balance him properly!

I once jump judged a pimple in water at Keysoe Novice, and so many riders had issues or made a hash at it. I walked it many times and there was no holes either side of the fence, it was riders getting the striding wrong I could tell from 5+ strides out who was going to have an issue but rather then sort it the riders left it and then came a cropper. Water riding does take some practice.

 

[ScampiBigMan]

You are blooming brave, the trakehner to corner in the novice was terrifying!!

The trakehner to corner and the coffin were our favourite bits!!! Knew I just had to set her up to figure out the questions and then let her do her stuff. She loves figuring out the question and then showing off how clever she is. She thinks v v fast! She is pretty incredible to sit on alot of the time - particularly XC - it has always seemed to come v naturally to her & she has concrete confidence in her own ability. Reilee has the natural talent to figure things out & then execute but not q as much (over)confidence as Nix. Still need Nix to be as rideable SJ and dressage as she is XC, OH thinks being able to gallop XC is what makes her rideable when I ask.

Until SJ calms down again a bit, we'll stick at Novice - so may not go back up until next year. The Int SJ fences are q big so do want more rideability than I had yesterday SJ! She is wonderfully rideable in all manner of exercises at home - it is in competition - & particularly at an event that she gets over excitable.

 

[Lexi_]

Interesting stuff! The combo who had a rotational will have ridden in well (not fast or without due respect), she is convinced there is a hole from the injuries to the horse...

Also a bit concerning they didn't request any investigation for footing afterwards (it happened on the Sunday, so I think you were fence judging that day Lexi_), as it does seem to be a 'known' issue. If the water is known to be tricky, surely something should be done? Rotational falls aren't to be trifled and if it was a solid fence changes would be made...

Well if I ever compete there at least I'll know to be super careful in the water!

Yes we were there both days. If that’s the combo I’m thinking of who fell towards the end of the day, she was having a lovely round and it seemed a huge shame - we’d just been commenting on how well they’d jumped the coffin. I spoke to the water jump FJs at the end of the day and they said she was really unlucky to fall and they both seemed in a bit of shock afterwards, so I really hope they’re both doing ok!

Fence repair may well have gone over to check - I didn’t hear them being requested on the radio, that’s all, so please don’t take it as gospel!

I just know from being on that fence and other water jumps in previous years that fallers have often been convinced of a hole and when we and/or fence repair walk in to check it, there’s nothing there. What you can feel from above must be a bit deceptive sometimes.

Ultimately it’s very unfortunate for those who fall off at it, but two falls at one fence across two days of competition isn’t that high..? I think there were 3 at fence 18 on the Sat alone!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Yes we were there both days. If that’s the combo I’m thinking of who fell towards the end of the day, she was having a lovely round and it seemed a huge shame - we’d just been commenting on how well they’d jumped the coffin. I spoke to the water jump FJs at the end of the day and they said she was really unlucky to fall and they both seemed in a bit of shock afterwards, so I really hope they’re both doing ok!

Fence repair may well have gone over to check - I didn’t hear them being requested on the radio, that’s all, so please don’t take it as gospel!

I just know from being on that fence and other water jumps in previous years that fallers have often been convinced of a hole and when we and/or fence repair walk in, there’s nothing there.

Ultimately it’s very unfortunate for those who fall off at it, but two falls at one fence across two days of competition isn’t that high..? I think there were 3 at fence 18 on the Sat alone!

They are a mega combination so it was very unlucky, as like I said before I would be very surprised if it was just a misjudgment of pace. It's odd as it seems to be a thing with fallers about there being a hole but none found, just shows you cannot be complacent about any of it really.

Yeah it's not a high statistic over this competition, wonder what the issue with 18 was?

 

[ScampiBigMan]

In 90, ones I watched have a problem with 18 (whilst was warming up for XC) didn't seem to like the blue in front at the bottom (looked a little like a water tray, can see in pic below), plus the approach was right by the XC collecting ring & going away from it again - so perhaps some didn't want to go round again! & some combinations did look v tired by that point of the course. So perhaps a combination of factors (as so often).

But can see from Eventing Scores that 18 was no problem in 100, only in 90 (same fence for both classes).

There were only 2 horse falls recorded at the water on Eventing Scores, both in the BE100 (no coffin on that course so presume different combination to the one Lexi referred to). Plus, one rider fall in BE100, one rider fall in Novice and two rider falls in Intermediate (three & a bit days stats so far).

90 & 100 approach and line through water very similar this year (unless people went to the LHS of Int & Novice first elements at the top of the hill, which was doable but didn't seem to give much advantage versus adding complication to the line)