Tankers Town at Badders - explanation on SH's diary.

[kerilli]

here:
http://www.sharonhunteventing.com/diary/sharon-hunt-diary-may.html

she is so philosophical about it, i take my hat off to her. just hope he goes elsewhere and goes brilliantly with no more nerve attacks.

 

[AutumnRose]

I really feel for her but admire her being so philosophical.

Do you think it'll cost her a place on the team for Europeans?? Such a shame, i do think TT is one of the best xc horses ever.

 

[Bossanova]

She's such a lovely person, what a shame for her but thats the sport I suppose- it doesnt always go your way

 

[TinselRider]

My good friend is one of her grooms and he told me just how bad his nerves get, I felt so sorry for Sharon.

Unfortunatley though it just seems to be one of his quirks that Sharon (I feel) copes well with

 

[Thistle]

Gutted must be an understatement!

Looks like it was all planned to avoid the problem then it all went wrong.

 

[ldlp111]

ah she sounds so nice, same such bad timing.

 

[Saratoga]

Does anyone know why she got eliminated? I know it was for outside assistance for the leg up in the box but if you have a fall out on the XC (before the one fall and you're out rule) then you wouldn't get eliminated for a leg up?

If it was because she was lead in, i thought that was allowed as well?


Really felt so sorry for her.

 

[Thistle]

No outside assistance after starter says go

Exceeding time allowed (1 min) after starter says go.

 

[stacey_lou]

She was Aliminated beacuse your only given a certain amount of time to start and beacuse he wouldnt go she ran outta time.

I do feel sorry for her I woulda cried if it was me

 

[Saratoga]

Ah that makes sense...

 

[welshchick]

I feel so gutted for her.

 

[kerilli]

I think it will prob cost her a squad place, unless she can get him out a few times and prove it was a 1-off. I don't think they dare take a team member who might do that. very very frustrating for her.
Can you get a leg-up in the box before starter says go? Or is that outside assistance? If not, maybe she could lead him in and then get legged up and go, even if it wasted a few secs it might keep him happier?!

 

[Thistle]

You certainly can have someone with you in the box before 'go'

 

[Baggybreeches]

Wow thats interesting, my horse also 'panics' like this and once he has gone its very difficult to calm the situation down. Like she says though, one of those things........

 

[CastleMouse]

I felt so sorry for her when it happened

 

[shee]

i really felt for poor Sharon - she is so lovely!
though i do think selectors will be thinking hard if they really want a horse like that on their teams, however, i really do hope she gets him out and about for some good runs and she does get into the squad

 

[mrussell]

Its not a one-off thing though.... thats the problem. And from what I know, its becoming more frequent so something is unsettling him.

I spoke to her after missing Pratoni and she was just as pragmatic then. Horses will be horses, no matter how experienced they are....

 

[TarrSteps]

As above, I think the feeling is it's not really a one off and the horse does at least have the potential to freeze from nerves. Rightly or wrongly, no matter how great he might be in other ways, I can see why that would put selectors off. Would you really be okay funding the horse to go all the way to Kentucky or similar only to have it happen again. I know things can always go wrong but it's a bit like picking a horse with a known soundness issue - you'd kick yourself if it all went wrong.

So horrid for her, though. I hope she can get some great runs in the future and prove it's just a management issue.

Yes, you can get legged up in the box. I'm trying to remember who it was and which horse but there used to be an American rider who always had to be legged up in the box because the horse was a complete, dangerous loon as soon as it was tacked up for xc. Someone out there has to remember . . . the horse famously got loose at something like Rolex, tore all over the place, then was caught and, I think, set off xc anyway. I remember seeing footage of the rider and grooms getting him to the start - it outdid Shutterfly's performance during the last horse switching round of the World Championships.

 

[Jul]

Poor Sharon, I really felt for her too. I was WILLING him to go into that box.

Despite everyone's best efforts to get him in there, he wasn't having any of it. But interestingly, the moment Sharon hopped off to lead him in he followed her straight in there like a little dog. Unfortunately it was too late by then as 'go' had happened. But if it's becoming a problem for him then perhaps that's the best plan for the future, ie Sharon hops off and leads him in and gets a leg-up in the box but all BEFORE the starter says go.

Sounds a bit obvious with retrospect so I'm sure it's something they'll try for next time if he hesitates.