Wow what a bad year!
Poor Squirrel (White Walker) started the season with a tooth abscess in January and following some 'below par' results leading to it's extraction, we have just had such an unlucky year. After his tooth operation, a foot infection led to more time off in mid-June, but he recovered well and returned with a fantastic run at Glanusk.
Our next run was Wilton, where after a last minute decision to enter the Intermediate, we got back from the event having run Acco there the day before very late, and still had to get Squirrel ready. After going to bed at 12:30 and waking up at 4:00am to wash and plait him ready for an 8:30am test, I was very ill on the morning and sick on the way there and when we arrived. After struggling to tack up and walking round the dressage warm up, we just made it through the test and there is no way I should have jumped and needless to say I ended up on the floor.
This didn't do our confidence any good, especially a week before Gatcombe Novice Championships. We did a good test, but it all ended in the SJ. However, with Wilton only 6 days before, we had a lot to come back from and we were satisfied with our performance at Gatcombe round a big track.
His next event was Goring IN, where he show jumped the best he has in a while, and although more nappy than usual, he felt confident. XC he had a very uncharacteristic runout early on but as he hadn't had a run since Glanusk, we dismissed it.
The next morning, his leg was huge and he was lame. He is fine, but will not be fit enough to go to Weston now and so we have made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw him and give him the rest of the season off.
Although 2010 has been a real challenge for me and everyone who has helped and supported me, we have had some fantastic results with little Acco, who unfortunately we had to sell as it is just so expensive to run two horses at that level. It was a really tough decision but he is in a fantastic home.
We are now looking forward to 2011 and hope it's a better year!
Poor Squirrel (White Walker) started the season with a tooth abscess in January and following some 'below par' results leading to it's extraction, we have just had such an unlucky year. After his tooth operation, a foot infection led to more time off in mid-June, but he recovered well and returned with a fantastic run at Glanusk.
Our next run was Wilton, where after a last minute decision to enter the Intermediate, we got back from the event having run Acco there the day before very late, and still had to get Squirrel ready. After going to bed at 12:30 and waking up at 4:00am to wash and plait him ready for an 8:30am test, I was very ill on the morning and sick on the way there and when we arrived. After struggling to tack up and walking round the dressage warm up, we just made it through the test and there is no way I should have jumped and needless to say I ended up on the floor.
This didn't do our confidence any good, especially a week before Gatcombe Novice Championships. We did a good test, but it all ended in the SJ. However, with Wilton only 6 days before, we had a lot to come back from and we were satisfied with our performance at Gatcombe round a big track.
His next event was Goring IN, where he show jumped the best he has in a while, and although more nappy than usual, he felt confident. XC he had a very uncharacteristic runout early on but as he hadn't had a run since Glanusk, we dismissed it.
The next morning, his leg was huge and he was lame. He is fine, but will not be fit enough to go to Weston now and so we have made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw him and give him the rest of the season off.
Although 2010 has been a real challenge for me and everyone who has helped and supported me, we have had some fantastic results with little Acco, who unfortunately we had to sell as it is just so expensive to run two horses at that level. It was a really tough decision but he is in a fantastic home.
We are now looking forward to 2011 and hope it's a better year!