Our last XC for a while... Siz at Heytesbury HT demonstrating the fact that 2** is too easy... Obviously...
This is not the blog I wanted to write this month....
This month I was going to wrap up my last mainland trip and detail Sizzle’s preparation for the Melbourne CCI 2*. However, it was not meant to be.... a few days ago Siz was diagnosed with a nasty tendon injury and he has to sit out for approximately six months. Devastated is an understatement as he was really starting to hit his straps as a competitive 2* horse! So this year I will be watching those results from my phone screen rather than the big screen, but I count myself very lucky that it is fixable and he will be able to come back at his best after a bit of a holiday
April trip! My last blog was written halfway through that trip, and we had Heytesbury the next weekend. I had never been to Heytesbury HT before, and despite being sure we were lost due to all the strange little turn offs and terrible roads... We got there and were pleasantly surprised! The trucks parked on top of a hill with great views of the beautifully presented XC course below. The show jumping arena was nestled in a corner in front of the canteen with a cafe style seating area and the dressage on a lovely spongy grass surface. Can't whinge about that!
Siz at Heytsbury HT jumping so well Photo courtesy Paul Munn
Sizzle did a great dressage test that had him leading halfway through the huge 2* class! Alas we dropped a couple once all the scores were up but I was thrilled with how consistent and competitive he is getting in these higher tests
Will also did a very nice test to be right up there in the top few after dressage, if it wasn't for his ditzy rider trying to do half pass instead of leg yield in the 1* test we might have done a lot better
Siz at Camperdown HT making light work of the big apex
The XC looked awesome and well suited to both my horses; big, bold and solid fences with some technicality thrown in to separate the field a little. Sizzle blitzed it and made the 2* feel like a prenov. I didn't go for time which cost me placing wise but I kept in mind that he has a hard run at Camperdown HT so he deserved a kinder run.
Will also blitzed his first 1* after two years doing nothing over 90 cm! He ate up the XC that actually caused quite a lot of issues due to the clever technicality that the course designer integrated into the course and minimal time meant we crept up a few places.
Sizzle jumped an unbelievable clear show jumping round (unbelievable because we had a rail down... it just wasn't the top one!!) We ended up seventh which I was very happy with.
Will also jumped very well for just one rail and ended up a very respectable second in what was a large and competitive 1* class... he's back!!
Dave (David Gardiner) and Alex (Alexandra Deegan) both did well at Heytesbury with both of them completing their first 1*'s. Woohoo!!
Will having a jump at AGFEST in the Prydes Easifeeds demo. Measured at 1.35-140!!
They all travelled well home and everything seemed ok soundness wise, until Siz came back into work for Melbourne a week later and seemed off... I only worked him lightly as it felt like muscle soreness (not surprising considering his last month). He then seemed to come right and I commenced my usual routine until I jumped him lightly and he wasn't his usual expressive self. He was unsound the next day and so off to the vet he went. After a multitude of X-rays and ultrasounds it was clear what the issue was. But I guess that's horses..you can't just order in a new part and be right to go the next day! Hopefully if all goes to plan he will be back in the New Year and my favourite little man will be doing what he loves in no time. In the meantime, Will has had a haircut and is entered for some CT days and SJ days to keep him going until I can get back over to the mainland!
So until next time,
Alice 
