Monday, November 21, 2005

International FEI Junior Competition at CDI*** Copa Mexico

Mexico City CDI*** 2005 - by Erica Urf

Riding on Borrowed Horses

Each rider would draw for their horse. After some last minute shuffling around to eliminate unsuitable horses everyone had a horse that would stand up to the task. Wednesday the 9th of November, was only the second day we were able to ride. It was the day prior to the show and the day of the jog. The Children’s riders went first, then the Juniors.

This is where some slight turmoil began. My little 15.0HH Lusitanian stallion appeared to be off on the left fore leg. After all the other horses in the CDI had completed the jog they decided that the following day, the first day of the show, they would re-jog my horse at 12:00 PM prior to the start of the Prix ST. Georges, only four hours before I would ride my test. So the afternoon of the 9th I tried another horse that was brought in at the last minute for an American rider that did not work out. It was a nice little stallion but had some connection problems that would be of hindrance. I felt that I would be able to get around a test but it would all be schooling.

After a quick talk with Ruth Koch, Albrecht Heidemann and my father we decided that it would not work. The same owner of that horse then brought down a stallion by Ferro, that he was willing to pull out of the national competition for me to compete. It was arranged that the American rider would ride the horse first as she did not have a horse, but whether my horse would pass the re-jog or not was questionable. After her ride she decided that the horse was too complicated and she could not manage the stallion.

So on I got and worked through some of the horses issues. In the end he went well and it was a toss up. The next morning I was to try the Ferro horse again before the re-jog. If the Lusitano was fine I would take him as I could do more on him. Upon my arrival I was told that the vet had looked at my horse, Otto, and said he was fine. So I did not have to ride the other stallion. When the horse was re-jogged the result was the same, even after a long night of the grooms icing and walking him, he was still slightly uneven, but in the end the ground jury passed him. Good thing as we had no back up horses.