Jack at Bicton Eventers Camp

Last time I wrote the lorry was in lorry hospital having its MOT and some work done on it, its back and we planned on going to do and do a couple of dressage tests. Then I went down with a heavy cold which knocked me off my feet and wasn’t fit to drive the lorry so that went out the window.

Last week we had booked Jack onto a 3 day eventer’s camp run by Lucy and Padraig McCarthy at Bicton Arena. He had never stayed away and being 17hh we knew temporary stables would be a tight squeeze! So this was a chance to see how he took to being away before Badminton, as its just about close enough we could have taken him up and back in a day if he didn’t settle. He took it all in his stride and quickly returned to joker Jack we all know and love!

On the 1 st day they had a dressage lesson with Lucy and then in the afternoon they had a grid work session with Padraig, it ended with them jumping over 110m oxer at the end of the grid.

On the 2 nd day we worked to make the lorry more weather proof as Alex had found it quite cold over night with a draught, it’s got a basic living but I have never put bunks in it as we haven’t had the need to stay away. Which meant the back was turned into a bedroom!

They had a Show jumping lesson in the morning working on arena techniques and then in the afternoon they ran through a dressage test of their choice. Alex ran through the championship test although slightly squished into a 20x40ish arena! But this works well as we often have to put tests together in different orders or Jack comes around a corner and asks if he should be cantering yet or pre-empts movements! He thinks he is helpful!

On the 3 rd day they did Cross Country techniques in the arena in the morning and worked on how to ride difficult lines and then in the afternoon they went out in to the field and did some cross country practice. Then we packed up and brought a tired boy home.

He’s then had a day to chill out in the field with the sun on Sunday whilst a few of us went to support Maria Cooper from our yard who was competing in the Advanced Medium Petplan Nationals at Hartpury. We also visited Teletubby land on the way (anyone that has been to Gloucester Services will know what I mean!) I am so lucky to be on a fantastic yard where everything is like a huge family. Then back to it yesterday! Today they have a lesson planned and then he is having a Bowen treatment from Pippa Perry who has treated him every few months as a preventative to keep him feeling good for a couple of years. Saturday he is entered in the BE100 at Bicton to get another run before Badminton.

Badminton got very real this morning with the numbers and sections being released. It looks like he will dressage on Tuesday and then Show Jump and Cross Country on Wednesday as he is 8 th to go in his section.