Monday August 17th

Yes, I know it is a very long time since I put anything on the Blog, but lots has happened since I last wrote and having had no help on the yard there just hasn't been the time.

Iggy has gone to a new home down in the Borders and I was pleased to get the following message from his new owners, especially as many of the riders on the SERC forum were moaning about how tough the ride at Kirkton Manor was!

Just to let you know that Colin took Iggy to his first competitive ride this weekend. He did a 34k over those enormous hills at Kirkton Manor and came in on time and with a 39 heart rate!! Frankly we were amazed. He's a lot fitter than we realised and we are absolutely delighted with him.

I took the opportunity to take part in the 120 km. Ride with the Stars, organised by Sheik Mohammed's Jannah management. I went down with Susan Macarthur who had offered to crew for me and a 15 hh French Arab cross that I have bought called Rumelito. He had done the FEI ride in Belgium earlier this year with the British Intermediate Team and is a 12 y.o. Though small, he is a bit of a pocket rocket! Unfortunately he was not fit enough to do this length of ride and the fact that the balance of his feet was out due to poor farriery meant that he was 3/10 lame at the 80 km vet gate so was eliminated anyway. However, he was sound next day.  We have now got him home and sorted his feet and he is training again. Hopefully we will try to get him to the Red Dragon.

The ride itself was fantastically well organised. It was the equivalent of a major championship with all the top European horses and riders and the top vets. Entry, stabling and veterinary treatment were free to all entrants and there were substantial cash prizes to be won. The organisers said that they did not turn away any British entries, of which there were about 40. The course was very flat and the marking exemplary (as usual at Euston). The changes in the going, from wet to dry and deep to firm, would ,however, have accounted for most of the many eliminations.

The vetgate set up at the venue for the Ride with the Stars