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Diary of a First Timer at Badminton!

23rd May 2008

Ever wondered what it's like to get a last minute chance to compete at Badminton?  Well that's exactly what hapened to Tor Brewer, an event rider based in Gloucestershire whom Dengie have been working with to fine tune her horses' diets.  Tor has competed in five European Junior and Young Rider championships finishing in the top 10 in the individual competition at three of those events, but had never competed at Badminton before.  This is her account of how her dream finally came true...

"It has always been an ambition of mine to ride at Badminton and I have always had great faith that Highleadon (aka Rodney), a horse my mother bred, would be the horse that I would do it on.  Rodney is now 12 years old and I know him inside out which has helped me to get everything right in the crucial preparation stages for this year's event.  Although I didn't know if I would get the chance to compete at Badminton, I still planned the spring as though I would.

Rodney stayed in steady work over the winter as he can take a while to settle back into work if he really gets into the swing of a holiday.  For various reasons he had had a quiet 2007 season so I carried on doing a few shows and having some lessons on him in the winter months.  And thank goodness I did as he ended up missing all his events in March due to the weather and two seperate illnesses.  Fortunately I use a high fibre diet for Rodney based on Dengie Alfa-A Oil with sugar beet and a high fibre cube so even when his workload became a bit sporadic, I didn't have to keep changing his diet very much and so I was able to maintain his condition and keep his brain intact!  I eventually took him to two events and gave him quiet runs as part of his fitness training as, although I wasn't in Badminton at this stage, I was still hoping I would be.

When my mobile rang the Thursday before Badminton to say I was in, I was so excited!  Rodney was being massaged at the time in the hope that we would get in.  The weekend went very quickly with all the arrangements that needed to be made but I made sure that Rodney was kept in his normal routine and by the Tuesday morning we were packed and ready to go!

I drove the lorry with my two sisters who were helping me all week.  I obviously didn't read my directions very well as we went under a really low bridge into Badminton village, fortunately emerging the other side unscathed and parked up outside the village hall for the vets to check the passport matches the horse - as if I was going to take a novice horse to Badminton in Rodeny's place?!  During all the years I have been to Badminton as a spectator I have never seen the stable yard, it's like going back in time and is one of the things that makes the event so special.  It was raining hard and it was cold by Rods settled into his stable well - he has done enough 3 day events to know the routine and it doesn't put him off his food!

On the Wednesday morning I finally rode on the famous turf - what a great feeling - and Rods was excited at the thought of it too!  After the riders briefing we had to do the trot up and we were both surprised to see so many sepctators there just to watch us trot up.  Then it was down to preparation for the dressage.  I was drawn fifth to go (early for a first timer) so I had to get him settled before his Thursday morning dressage.  Knowing him as I do, I knew after his second session of the day he would calm down and he did!

He did a lovely test, one small mistake in the canter but I was pleased with him.  The judges could have been a little more generous in the trot work but it was never going to be a dressage competition.  I then walked the cross country course for the first time - on my first walk I walk it to have a look and get a feel, not making any decisions until my next walk which was that afternoon with Pippa Funnell.  This took some time as we went into great detail at every fence - walking Badminton to ride it on the Saturday is quite different to walking it to have a look!

On the Thursday evening I went to the reception in the main house for owners and riders followed by an early night - it is amazing how tiring it is at a 3-day.

On Friday morning I walked the course again before taking Rods for a hack around the park and a pipe opener ready for Saturday.  It was good for him to see some of the crowds and settle amongst it all.  I walked the course again and went through the plan for the big day with all my supporters.  Supper and again early to bed and surprisingly I slept well.

Waking up on Saturday morning, the lorry park has a very different feel to it.  I saw Rod as normal first thing and then went on my final walk, it's interesting how many changes there were on the course that morning - the odd flower pot or rope can be enough to change your view of a fence.  Rodney and I went down early enough for him to have plenty of work before I had the most fantastic ride.  I had one silly run out at a corner in an otherwise great round and he finished well with plenty of energy which was a great reward for the effort I've put into his fitness work.  He fortunately had plenty of time that afternoon for some hand grazing and ice before he was finally clayed and bandaged for the night feeling very pleased with himself and rightly so.  Rodney always eats up and loves electrolytes so I soon know if anything is wrong - but he was absolutely fine.

Sunday morning is always a muddle at a 3-day event, washing off clay, going for a gentle hack for 20 minutes then plaiting and putting patterns on his quarters before the final trot up.  He trotted up well which is always a relief.  I was then in the first group to show jump and he knocked a few down.  he doesn't find show jumping easy after galloping for four miles the day before, but he completed his first Badminton and that was an amazing feeling.  The stable yard and lorry park began to look empty as everyone starts loading up to leave, some happier than others.  As I only live an hour away from Badminton, Rodney was pleased to have a couple of hours of grass that evening in his field at home.

It took us both a couple of days before what we had achieved began to sink in.  Rodney is now having a couple of weeks of spring grass having had a clean bill of health from Chris Rea, my vet.  He will then start his build up to Burghley and I can't wait!

Tor

You may not be planning to ride at a 4 star event, but if you would like help fine tuning your horse's diet why not give us a call on 0845 345 5115!

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