Monthly diary — October 2013

Then it was on to the US for a series of clinics. They went well although I had the unusual situation of having three combinations at three different clinics, all with a similar problem I couldn’t really help.

The horses each began well but became increasingly difficult, running out sideways or putting in big bucks if they even vaguely approached a fence. The behaviour was out of character and the clinic accentuated it, so it could be indicative of pain, but a range of other factors from feeding to training may also be at work. I have put them in touch with each other and will keep in contact to see how they progress.

I also managed to watch XC day of the CCI3* at Fair Hill International. Both the 2* and 3* courses have intensified, causing more trouble than usual – if this design trend continues, bringing the US back in line with European standards, zero finish scores will become less common.

Next I headed to Jersey for a clinic, then Vienna to see the Austrian squad. Squeezed between the two, I took Lissa hunting for her young mare Raffa’s (highly charged) first exposure.

Finally the month was rounded off participating in a Horse and Hound article – with the extreme privilege of riding probably the best two-mile steeplechaser in the world currently, Nicky Henderson’s Sprinter Sacre.