JenniferB
Well-Known Member
Some of you guys may remember some of my ramblings about my favourite point to point horse on our yard. In his 2007-2008 pointing season he started horrifically - just absolutely wouldn't jump at the race (was very capable at home). He also put me off riding racehorses for life with his concrete mouth and complete lack of spatial awareness (trees? what trees? OH you mean THOSE trees that we're charging through...). Fast forward to mid season and the YO/trainer/rider etc got broken, I agreed to ride Don in the school just to get him out one day and kind of adopted him as my pet project - aim being to get him jumping better. I rode him every day for 6 weeks playing about over poles and little fences and gradually working up to schooling fences. He went out to a few more races and the first time the rider/owner was fit to ride again he managed to get him all the way round Mosshouses - I was absolutely howling with happiness big soft lump that I am. Unfortunately he picked up a little injury that day so his season ended prematurely. Given a summer to grow up he came out for his 2008-09 season like a different horse - was literally towing to the fences and has gone from being the horse nobody wanted to ride to being one of the favourites and schooling 'nanny'! He didn't exactly set the track alight this season but the fact that his attitude to jumping had improved so much means he's been given another chance to prove himself, and today he runs in a novice hurdle at Perth! Going back 18 months nobody would have believed he'd ever finish a P2P never mind run under rules
. I'm devastated that I can't be there to see him, just hope he doesn't get stage fright but we've been practicing at home and he's like a machine - you point and hold on! Just goes to show that sometimes the ones you'd write off can come good - loads of H&H vibes for him to finish safely (and preferably at the front!)
Phew that turned out to be a bit of an epic, so to those who were discussing my ebay bargain dressage saddle yesterday it fits!
Phew that turned out to be a bit of an epic, so to those who were discussing my ebay bargain dressage saddle yesterday it fits!
