Hambledon Horse Trials

Easter Fable did a lovely dressage test to score 29, had one down show jumping and a good clear across country. Being a big horse he found the twists and turns in the woods quite demanding but definitely benefitted from the run. Tall Story also did a good test and jumped confident double clear to finish 7th in the same class.

A Modern Duchess, who is still pretty green, coped well in the CIC* although she found all three phases fairly demanding. She did a good test but made a few green mistakes - she broke in the medium trot and changed in the counter canter - which were costly and frustrating as she's led the dressage at her other events this season. The rest of her work was really good so she still managed to score 50.6 putting her into 6th place. She show jumped well but had both parts of a related distance down, and was good across country. It was a tough course, particularly as the more difficult fences came in the first section of the course before they'd really got going. Also, as most of the course was run along winding tracks through the woods, it required constant concentration from the horses and was very intense for them causing some of the younger ones to be green as a result. Duchess was penalised for a momentary hesitation jumping down the staircase, but otherwise coped with what was a demanding course and definitely came on for the outing.

It was a good event and the organisers has done a great job on the going. Monika Hunt, who owns Sky Dancer, also provided a world class picnic that was much enjoyed by all!