Liz Taylor

Mixed Success for Enigmatika

Since my last blog Enigmatika and I have now undergone two further endurance rides with mixed success.

The first was at Cranham Ride, it's a tough and technical course with a few good hills, which Enigmatika has not really experienced yet!
We opted to enter the 40km ride (25miles), with the aim that a successful ride would then upgrade her out of Novice into Open, enabling us to up the distance and aim for advanced status next year - with the ultimate aim of her being able to complete some race rides next season.

I am looking for Enigmatika to complete the novice rides at a good speed, but the speed must be consistent and suitable for the conditions.
I would find it pointless to bomb round and have a lame horse at the end, or likewise to go so slowly that it hasn't done anything for her fitness or experience...there is a happy medium there somewhere, and this happy medium is very dependent upon the ground conditions, the terrain and the horse.

Enigmatika gave me a fantastic ride around Cranham, coping with the hills easily and confidently. She completed in a good speed and with plenty of fuel left in the tank. After a glowing report from the vet at the final inspection, who commented on what a promising prospect she looked, Enigmatika passed the ride with one of the very few Grade One's awarded that day, successfully upgrading her to Open, and strolling round the venue like she'd just stepped out of her stable!

Two weeks later we decided to enter her for a 50km (30mile) ride at Badminton Ride. It started off an awfully wet day (sideways rain!) but she vetted well and off we set. I was having a wonderful ride around the 'Badminton Loop' springing along in a gorgeous, balanced, ground covering canter. However, when trotting down a slight incline we had a innocuous slight slip, which we didn't think anything of, until the next bit of road when it became clear she had overreached slightly and thrown a shoe. I quickly called the ride farrier, but unfortunately he took an our to fine us, meaning we would have been out of time if we had carried on...and therefore we would have been eliminated. I am pleased to say, that once the shoe was put back on Ennie trotted up sound for the vet, so no harm done.

Badminton was supposed to be our final ride of the season, however as that was cut short we have entered 50km (30 miles) at the Red Dragon this weekend at the Royal Welsh Showground. This is one of my favourite rides, a superb route over the mountains, some really tough climbs but some fantastic riding. However, I have just seen the weather for this weekend..... I'll let you know how we get on!

Liz