Liz Taylor

Best laid plans of mice and endurance riders!

Well, we have had a few changes of plan lately and the fantastic luck we have been having abandoned us for a week!

A week before the final Team Training weekend before going to Portugal for the European Championships we had Falaina shod...24 hours later she was hopping lame.  So out comes the vet, diagnoses nail bind and we take the shoe off and put her on box rest for a week.  We had the shoe put back on at the end of the week when she was sound, however after 10 miles on the gallops for the team training the soundness didn't last.

Unfortunately this didn't give us much time to get her fit enough for the Europeans so we had to withdraw...but horses will be horses and after withdrawing on the Tuesday I had a sound horse by the Friday.  She is still sound and back in full work, however we only have 4 weeks left of the British Endurance season and a few rides were chancelled during the foot and mouth scare, so we may not race her again ths season (unless I can raise some money to take her to Montcuq, France at the end of October - I'm working on it!!!).

Karaanza has been going really well again, we took her back down to Euston Park on 8th August for another 120km***.  In extremely hot conditions she was absolutely flying, she was eating up the miles easily and effortlessly.  We positioned ourselves just a few lengths off the pace of the leading group of Sheikh Mohammad's sons and their horses.  At the last vet gate we were in second place and feeling strong, there was a gap of an hour to the third placed horse.  Dengie Naked Oats have made such a difference to this horse it is amazing!

Unfortunately however, it wasn't to be and at the represent Karaanza's heart rate was higher than we would have liked and she was eliminated (her only elimination in over a year!).  I had some bloods taken when we got home and she was found to be slightly anaemic.  She is now on a supplement to ensure this doesn't happen again.  Karaanza has proved herself to be quite an exciting little prospect this year and she is off to do her first 2-day 160km FEI*** at the end of September - her last ride of the season before being rested over the winter as she has exceeded all of her aims (and my expectations of her) for 2007.  Her plan for 2008 will be a one-day 160km*** and to gain qualification for the World Championships.

The youngstock are well, SG Enigmatika is eating for two, and despite being barely 10 weeks in foal looks like she is due to pop immenently!!

Liz