We made it to Kentucky!

gunnergundog said:
You're on a roll! Enjoy. What does today hold?
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Today our division of the Medium Amateur Owner Jumpers starts. So we have a table 2b class this afternoon at 2:30. I go 15th in the order out of 24 riders. This division is contested at 1.30m. Just as a refresher a table 2b class is where we have to jump the first course clean and then we stay in the ring and do our jump off. In the USA we only raise for a jump off in a table 2A course. That would be where everyone does the first round and leaves the ring and those who were clear come back and jump a shortened (and sometimes raised) jump off.


Tiddlypom said:
Very well done, super performances. You partnership in the ring looked totally different to the one in the video you showed us recently of you schooling at home.
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I've said it from the beginning, this horse is FAR better at shows. He LOVES them. He doesn't necessarily love schooling at home but, and you might find this hard to believe, he's schooling much better at home this year than last year. It's at least possible now to see glimpses of how he might ride something at a show that we simulate at home.

Also anyone else notice how he loves the new bit and there's been ZERO shaking of his head? 😊😊😊😊 I'm sure it's also to do with the fact that we have done speed classes and in this ring he's got room to run.

It's a Waterford cartwheel bit. It's currently set up as a loose ring Waterford and we're not using the leverage but if we needed to all we have to do is switch the rein. Me personally I'd rather not use a bit with leverage but there are still some holes in our flatwork and realistically it'll take time to fix them. I thought this wasn't the worst amount of subtle leverage to have kind of on standby as we work harder on our dressage. I've got a call into my dressage trainer for a lesson before the next show. We'll ideally try to get a lesson a bit more often.

Em

Here's a pic of it: https://www.doversaddlery.com/waterford-cartwheel-bit/p/X1-010952/
 
I have no idea why a Waterford is considered a strong bit. If it's well made and the joints don't pinch the tongue, it seems to me to be a mouthpiece that conforms to the mouth shape, equalises pressure across the bars and tongue, and is a great bit for horses which like that.

Cudo clearly loves it!

Good luck today.
 
ycbm said:
I have no idea why a Waterford is considered a strong bit. If it's well made and the joints don't pinch the tongue, it seems to me to be a mouthpiece that conforms to the mouth shape, equalises pressure across the bars and tongue, and is a great bit for horses which like that.

Cudo clearly loves it!

Good luck today.
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So he went in a full cheek Waterford last fall. But came out this year not loving it as much. So we went back to his original bit a loose ring slow twist. In the beginning of June though I noticed he wasn't softening in the bridle the way he used to. So we played around and I think his ultimate bit will be a simple curved mouth loose ring single joint but it's not quite enough right now. I bought this bit the day before we left. He's hacked in it one day then shown. And it will stay just a show bit until he needs something different. And we did his teeth again 13 days before we left. They weren't bad but we're of course just looking at them, not feeling what he's feeling.

I like this bit but my ultimate goal is to soften things down to be able to go round on a very light rein and use my leg and body for the controls.

Em
 
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Just watched your explanation vid on YouTube.

I hope Cudo is ok and recovers quickly. Sounds like he's just fine, if a little rattled, but no apparent injuries.

Don't blame yourself. Sh*t happens and everyone and everything is ok. There's no way you could have prevented it, it was a freak accident.

He's got a great owner, who loves him and I'm sure he will be right as rain in no time. He's a credit to you.


Stay positive and know you've done brilliantly, came back with two rosettes and try remember the good times, that after all your hard work you deserve.

Great big hugs.
 
Horses ! One minute you are on cloud nine and then they bring you back to Earth ! Don’t beat yourself up, I haven’t seen the pictures but it sounds like he’s ok, which is all that really matters. You sound very shocked and it’s hard to not think about the what ifs ? Take care of yourself as well as your lovely horse x
 
Emily, what an awful shock for you. You have had some ridiculous highs and lows over the last few days, you must be emotionally drained. However from the photos it looks as if, thankfully Cudo got off very lightly. It sounds like you are doing all the right things for him and here's wishing you all a safe journey home when you feel he's able to travel.
 
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Oh no, what a freak thing to happen.

I had a horse try to jump out of my trailer. He was 20yo, a good traveller, I’d owned him for 19 years, and he had never tried to do anything similar before. He got stuck straddled over the breast bar, he didn’t make it as far as Cudo did, though he was fine once we released him.

Lots of folk leave horses unattended on a horse box or trailer at shows. Take care, you look more shaken than Cudo does.
 
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Bumming horses! Please take away the positives and just focus on how well he has jumped and that he will be back to face another day. It was just an accident, they happen - doesn’t make it any easier though x
 
I haven't seen any photos, but I am extremely glad that despite getting himself into a pickle he only has minor scrapes.

No, I don't think many people will thought you did anything wrong at all.

Give him a treat from me!
 
What a shock, poor you and poor Cudo. You did nothing wrong - for most of us, if we couldn’t leave a horse alone on the trailer we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere at all. It was a freak accident and it sounds like Cudo isn’t badly affected.

Such a shame after two incredible days. I hope you get home safely and can enjoy reflecting on your successes!
 
I'd be very rich now if I had a tenner for every hour I've left horses alone in trailers and lorries over the last forty years Emily.

I hope Cudo is OK. What a shame he had to do that after your fantastic first two days.

.
 
Glad to hear he didn’t do himself too much damage. You’ll both be back to fight another day. You did nothing wrong - we all leave horses in horse boxes!
 
I’ve only just caught up with this thread -firstly congratulations on your fantastic achievements- what a super team you are.
Secondly , very sorry about his escapade, not seen the photos but glad he is largely ok. After the shock wears off I hope you enjoy your successes - and hopefully many more to come 🙂
 
Slightly ignoring whatever happened at the end as I can’t see any photos or story of what he did to himself, I hope he’s okay, but I have an admission...

I watched a few of your training videos and thought to myself, why is she in such a hurry to jump at 1.30? The horse looks stressed and anxious, she talks about her own anxiety when jumping higher, he looks like she’s pulled his back teeth out a few times pulling up from jumping and she’s said he made a mistake when really she missed at the vertical. Why not slow down and wait a bit. You know, all that judgemental crap you think when you watch someone else you have never met, even though you know you are a pretty crap rider yourself and your horse is no where near being a top end competition horse. But I still felt a bit holier than thou about poor little half ton fluffy having his reins pulled by his tiny rider as he tried to tank off.

But I’m glad I kept my trap shut and said nothing because I just watched your 1.30 video and you both look sensational. He looks every inch the showjumper and super comfortable out there and you ride him really well.

So I apologise for all my previous thoughts and am reminded yet again not to comment on things that I have no ruddy clue about. 🙂

Hope you are both okay. You make a great team!

(I love US shows, I did a few rounds at Germantown and wintered at the HITS circuit in Indio for 10 weeks once, and they are great places, but oh my the cost!!)
 
j1ffy said:
What a shock, poor you and poor Cudo. You did nothing wrong - for most of us, if we couldn’t leave a horse alone on the trailer we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere at all. It was a freak accident and it sounds like Cudo isn’t badly affected.

Such a shame after two incredible days. I hope you get home safely and can enjoy reflecting on your successes!
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agree with all of this. Hope the shock has worn off a bit now and you're feeling a bit less rubbish about it. We all do this, routinely, and it's just crap luck that he had an accident. It's clear how much he means to you.
 
When we first got Topaz, she had a similar sounding melt-down in our box and had to be cut free from the leadrope and removed, we still have no idea why she did it and she has never done it since! We were very careful for the next year or so of taking her out (though more because she was generally a handful to control), but in the end I had to start leaving her alone on the box as I normally compete on my own. If she's left and I have to be out of sight then all the ramps are up and closed as I'm not sure what set her off but figured I could minimize potential issues if it wasn't left open which seems to have worked so far...

Hold on to the first two days, you were amazing!
 
Hope the champ is doing ok and you as well. It's clear how much love you have for him.

Was a freak accident. You will both be back to jump another day and I look forward to the next successful outing report 👍
 
Cudo seems good today. Now we have not asked much of him but he looks well. He got a 2 hour therapeutic pulsing session and was totally zoning out and enjoying that time. By the time we were done and turned him loose in his stall he was playing and tossing his head and rolled happily.

He went out last night (on vet's strong recommendation and he'll go out again tonight and then be pulsed again at 7 a.m.

We're eyeballing leaving to go home tomorrow afternoon/ evening so he's traveling when it's coolest again.


For those that had issues with the video try this link:


Em
 
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The first two days were amazing. Don't beat yourself up over what was an accident. I think most people leave horses at some point I know I do! The video of the show was fab, I always find it interesting how different they can be away from home compared to in training.
 
That was the most awful bad luck hopefully it will be all fixed and over and you can forget about it .
What a great show up to then he looks fantasic in that big arena .
 
Oh BD, I very rarely venture into the competing room (I’m too chicken to compete!) but after reading this post and becoming quite emotional for you myself when watching your video, I just wanted to say that accidents do happen. At one time or another I think we have all done something we have done a thousand times before and then something has gone wrong and we feel terrible responsibility for the outcome. These things can’t be helped and if we could rewind and do things differently then we would! I hope all goes well and Cudo recovers quickly and I hope you don’t hold yourself to blame! Ps-you both look wonderful together x
 
BunnyDog said:
Cudo seems good today. Now we have not asked much of him but he looks well. He got a 2 hour therapeutic pulsing session and was totally zoning out and enjoying that time. By the time we were done and turned him loose in his stall he was playing and tossing his head and rolled happily.

He went out last night (on vet's strong recommendation and he'll go out again tonight and then be pulsed again at 7 a.m.

We're eyeballing leaving to go home tomorrow afternoon/ evening so he's traveling when it's coolest again.


For those that had issues with the video try this link:


Em
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Oh poor Cudo:( Thank god he's ok. There's no way you could have predicted any of this so don't blame yourself and you know now that he's fine. It was just one of those freak things. It says a lot for his temperament that he had no bother going back in the trailer again. He's home now and happy with Beau.
 
I hope Cudo is doing better, he really does have the best mum in the world so I am sure he is well on the mend..

Healing vibes and great big hugs your way
 
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