Rider News Update from easibed
Issued May 2007

Building Up To Badminton

International event rider Ruth Edge gives a brief insight into her meticulous preparation of two horses for Badminton 2007, aptly described as the world’s greatest three-day-event and taking place this week, May 3rd – 6th

Profile of Ruth’s Badminton Rides 2007

TWO THYME
13-year-old bay gelding by Broadsword
Owned by Phil and Maureen Smith

Major Successes:
• Winner of Intermediate and Open British Championships at Gatcombe (2002/2004)
• Winner of World Cup Qualifier at Burnham Market (2005)
• 11th Badminton 2006
• Reserve for World Equestrian Games 2006

MARSH MAYFLY
10-year-old bay mare by Glenbrae
Owned by Hugh and Ann Lawson

Major Successes:
• 7th World Cup Qualifier Chatsworth (2005)
• 4th Bramham (2006)
• Winner of Scottish open championships at Thirlestane 2006
• 17th Burghley 2006

The Build-Up
by Ruth Edge

Both horses have had Badminton as their aim since last year, so their training really started in earnest at the beginning of January. Mayfly loves her hacking, which she does with her owner Ann Lawson, and it plays a vital role in her fitness programme. On the other hand, Two Thyme (Jasper) isn’t so keen on hacking and he spends more time in the school.

Having been in work before Christmas, but not doing fast work, both horses started canter fittening work at the beginning of February. They started off cantering once a week but this soon progressed to every fourth day, with a combination of flat and hill canters. Ann also does Mayfly’s canter work. In between cantering, Jasper would be schooled about four times a week and jumped maybe once a week. Mayfly would typically only get schooled once a week, jumped once a week and hacked the rest of the time. Both horses get a day off once a week.

With the entries for Badminton having to be in before the horses have done their first event in the middle of March at Lincoln, it all of a sudden dawns on me that after Lincoln, there are only six weeks left before the big event. I’m really lucky as I knew when I entered them, that both horses had got enough qualifying points to get an entry accepted, which is in contrast to a few times in past years when I have sat nervously waiting to see if I could get past the ballot. This year 50 horses were balloted out.

Both horses ran at Lincoln in the Open Intermediate, an event which has been their first run of the season for some years now, so they should know their way round without me! Jasper won his section and Mayfly was fourth and so with the first hurdle cleared, the canter work started to build up and we had regular training sessions with Judy Harvey for my Dressage and Peter Murphy for Show Jumping, in addition to some valuable help as a result of me being on the World Class Potential Programme.

Jasper’s second and final run before Badminton was at Belton Park where he contested the Grantham Cup. He finished second this year, having won the year before, so it is obviously one of his favourite events. Mayfly’s second run was at Burnham Market in the World Cup Qualifier and although the organisers did a super job with the ground, it was on the firm side, so having had a few too many show jumps down to be in contention, I decided to go steadily round the cross country, which she did beautifully. Although both horses have had a month without a run before Badminton, they have had plenty of variation to their work, including Jasper coming with me to the Winter Dressage Championships. Even though he was not competing, I had some training with Judy while I was there. Mayfly on the other hand stays at home a much as possible, as she is not a good eater while she is away so we try to minimise staying away from home as much as we can to try and help her keep her condition.

The horses’ last gallop is hill work on the Sunday before Badminton and although it is classed as a Three Day Event, we (the competitors) arrive on the Tuesday, though I am setting off on Monday for a lesson with Judy on way down and will arrive at Badminton around Tuesday lunchtime. It takes a while for us to get ‘camp’ set up and settle the horses in the stables. On Wednesday there is a briefing in the morning, from which time the cross country course is open for inspection. Wednesday afternoon is the first ‘Trot Up’ (horse inspection). Thursday and Friday is Dressage, Saturday cross country and Sunday the final horse inspection followed by show jumping.

At the time of writing this we are packing up ready to set off. The horses have had their final gallop and once we set off in the lorry tomorrow (Monday) morning I will feel that we have accomplished a lot to get this far - keeping the horses in peak condition and touch wood, sound so far. That’s the build up and preparation over, with all those long hours of work about to be put to the test as ‘The Competition Begins!’

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