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Catalpa 2021

Preparations are coming along. How do I know? I spent 5 hours with the zero turn mower this weekend mowing the dressage warmup and three arenas. With the new course designer has come some new jumps and some tougher questions. Susan hopes to have all jumps decorated this coming weekend so we can shoot pictures and get up on coursewalk. I will be greeting on Friday as per usual, and already know that I have been assigned to the “Derecho jump” as jump judge. First element is the huge trunk of the magnificent old Catalpa tree taken down by the winds last August, through a small shallow pond and out over a big skinny coop. Start box for prelim and training is returned to the original spot so you get to run down that lovely alley of trees. Over 25 prelim riders this year!

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So the start box was where it was in 2019 or is it over by the dressage arena?

Can’t wait to see all the pictures!! I have never been to Catalpa, but it has always been on my bucket list if I am ever in the area. I’ve heard it’s a wonderful event. Thank you (and Susan) so much for volunteering/helping put it on. Eventing would be NOTHING without its amazing volunteers.

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Start boxes are back over by the dressage field.

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Will try to post pics Thursday. Incredibly hot (90) and humid here this week with no rain in the forecast. Thankfully Sat is forecast for a high of only 80. Whew!

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Thank you, Jesus! Huntington hates that culvert although I may be able to get him down there toward the end of the course.

I’ll be there as XC warmup steward. Looking forward to a big turnout–just read there are 185 entries!

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Thank you for volunteering!!

I’ll be there too - assistant XC controller - and am really looking forward to seeing how the new courses ride! Was just out at the farm over the weekend and things are looking wonderful!

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We are ready!


and we still have our sense of humor

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@GrayCatFarm @EssexFells So an eventful weekend for us. In case either of you don’t know, we were the ones that that fell down the 8’ embankment and down into the creek at the gravel road that is after jump 3 on Novice.

So here’s what happened. His brain was blown when we got there. He bucked in dressage warmup which is a little unusual as he normally bucks in CC warmup as he gets really wound up by the other horses. We warmed up fro dressage about 50 min ( a lot of walking) . 10 min before our test, he settled and we had a respectable ride.

On to CC warm up. He was a disaster. There were a lot of horses in warm up and he was bucking and spinning but we had 45 min so we worked. We had to start with the starter log and work up. He almost always bucks in CC warm up but this was excessive. I thought once we got away from warm up, it would be better…uh, no.

He did not want to come out of the gate and sure as heck did not want to go to jump 1 let alone the whole course. First refusal at 1 over on the second attempt. We drug over 2, he turned and spun 800 yards from jump 3 but I got him over it. I thought if we could get away from the barns and up the hill I could get him together. Nope. He got to the gravel culvert and decided he was going back to the barn. He turned and bolted thru the tall grass which is the tall (6’) weeds that hides the 8’ drop into the creek. All of a sudden he disappears from under me and I landed face first on the opposite side of the embankment . I turned around and Huntington was getting up in the mud and water below me as that is how far he rolled down into the creek.

He got up and started back toward the barn (he was on the opposite side of the creek so away from the barn) just as emergency personnel got there. I yelled, “Huntington, mommies over here!” as I did not want him to survive the fall only to injure himself getting back to the barn.He came running back to me, thank God. Neither one of us had a scratch. Witnesses said it was horrific to watch . They said all 4 of his feet were up in the air as he went down.

We schooled the next day. It ended up being hard trail ride as he was still spinning and turning trying to get to the CC course. Finally at the end of 1 hour 45 min ride where we did a lot of hill galloping and schooling all the water crossings, we decided to gallop up the hill …to the starter jump. He popped right over and we were in a nice uphill gallop when he locked on to the Training beer cooler jump and I thought, why not. He took it beautifully! It’s not ability, it’s his brain.

I THINK my mistake was starting him on some nice alfalfa the week prior and it made him hot as heck. at l;east I hope that was it. I did not have the heart to tell my husband so I borrowed someones 7th place ribbon, took a picture and sent it to him and told him we did great! lol

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Holy shit. Glad you and Huntington are okay.

Craziest thing ever. Not sure this would have played out as well if he would have rolled over on me.

So glad you are both ok. I bet a bit body sore, though. I was in the XC warmup area so didn’t see you once you left the starter gate. But my heart was in my throat as I listened to the radio. Of course, the details of what’s happening is never shared across the radios, but whenever the course is held you’re just waitingwaitingwaitingpraying to hear “Rider and horse ok!” (while fending off 10 other riders and trainers who are peppering you for updates on their start time :wink: )

Wow, I admire you as a rider just reading about how you stuck through all that bucking and spinning. Glad it ended well! Does he always come when you call?

He’s a dick and a momma’s boy all at the same time. He loves me but he doesn’t think about that when he is spazzing out!

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OMG. I sure am glad I wasn’t waiting behind you in the start box this year. (2 years ago when Cindy’s horse had trouble getting past #2 or 3, the starter is trying to count me down and I’m saying “I don’t think I should be starting right now…”) Glad you are okay. This was your other horse this year?

Catalpa was waitlisting before I even thought about entering this year. I don’t think we were ready; if we had gone we probably would have done Starter. I’m afraid my experience might have mirrored yours. I went to do some XC jumps locally yesterday and my mare was throwing a couple bucks after most jumps->did not inspire me to do a lot. Me: “You need to calm down if you want to jump.” Horse: “You need to let me jump a lot of jumps or imma buck you off.” (Not that she ever has.)

No this was the same asshole! lol Come to think of it it was the same thing. He was so wound up at warmup being right there he couldn’t handle it. Damn, I think it’s him!

I had to ride my guy 1 hour 15 min yesterday hand galloping up the big steep hill that prelim came down multiple times before he was calm enough to try over a starter jump. I seriously have the Catalpa curse!

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Wow. I am glad you are okay!

This might come across as harsh… but not every horse is cut out for eventing. This horse hardly sounds enjoyable to ride. Best of luck with him!

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