Who Stole Spring? Who cares - Rise Up Singing!

Michael Jung

This time of year more than any other is a complete pain in rear for so many reasons! The constant flux in the weather plays havoc with all manner of plans, as spring tries to kick start itself out of winter.

This time last year my children were enjoying time on the beach in 20c heat, and this year it's snowing! March is my traditional 'serious build up' to Badminton. As entries close, the cross country course is finally set in stone (almost) following a TD visit, and the press preview day looms closer.

All sorts of information needs crunching in preparation for updates to the website, mobile apps etc. etc. It's intense, and intensely exciting!

If you've been following the news around the entry list for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, you'll know there's quite a lot to get excited about, apart from the fact we've all missed having the event in 2012, not least of which are:

• Michael Jung, (reining World, European & Olympic Champion) is making his Badminton debut, and both of the horses he has entered have just made an impressive start to the season coming 1st & 3rd in a 3 star event in France. This has to be the man to beat. 
• The man above is probably the biggest single threat to William Fox-Pitt's tilt at the Rolex Grand Slam, and the Rolex Grand Slam is not something you can plan for, it's like waiting for the stars to align. 

The Great Awakening - Although My Leg Still Feels Asleep

Boomerang XC Schooling Field - A Hive Of Activity Today

This weekend has been uncommonly warm and sunny in the UK, although probably not quite as warm or sunny as Rocking Horse Horse Trials in Florida, which has headlined the US eventing season over the last few days. Over at Boomerang Stables, which has one of the few truly great cross country schooling facilities, the eventing community had woken from hibernation and there was plenty of pre-season activity. It has been one of the busiest days I've ever seen at Boomerang, and there was an incredible buzz around lorry park which was six deep in horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes with riders excited about getting out onto a real course in the coming weeks.

Sometimes You're Thrown A Curve Ball

A Lovely Hack In The Sunshine, Although I Did Unintentionally Find All Of The Gears This Horse Has - Lively To Say The Least!

Two days ago we had 7 inches of snow at home, and the driveway was as slippery and steep as a luge run, but two nights of rain, raised temperatures and it is all gone. The yard where I have been riding these last few weeks has managed to keep it's arena open during the snowy period, although turnout has been abandoned due to very soggy paddocks.

Yesterday, I rode in the arena on the flat trying to work on my balance, and the horse's acceptance.  This went reasonably well, but as I'm quickly coming to realise, I still have some way to go to get my core stability back. As I noted before I've been totally spoilt by the very balanced and accepting horse I've recently retired, which means I have to work even harder with this temporary loan horse that is a very nice mover, but a little less forgiving of me, and perhaps needs a little schooling on the flat.

Spring Cleaning & Ringing the Changes

Great White Charger

It's mid February, a little early for spring cleaning perhaps, and I know I should already be in the thick of getting the Great White Charger fit for what is likely to be his last season (or two). I have to confess to handing over that responsibility to the yard staff due to work commitments, although I did manage to go galloping for some film work last week. Although I haven't had a great deal of time to ride I have managed to keep myself fit by cycling and walking a fair bit, both at home and whilst away on trips abroad.

I'm clearly not alone in all of this as I notice a number of google search terms bringing people to my blog along the lines of "getting an event horse fit" popping up, and indeed, as you might expect a few articles across the web touching on the same subject.

Crocuses Are Out - Spring is a-coming

There has been the odd day so far this year where Spring is clearly in the air and it's this that gets me all fired up and excited! The crocuses are out, the UK eventing season is just around the corner, the media is full of Badminton first timer blogs (which this year I have to say "good luck on getting in", the entry list is bound to be littered with WEG Medalists and no end of championship level talent!), and there is generally an air of "all change please, all change".