Time certainly flew by in Kentucky at NAJYRC. We arrived mid afternoon Monday and got all unpacked and settled in the best that we could. Devon got to go on a nice big hand walk and ate some delicious Kentucky Blue Grass. I probably could have just left him right outside the compound and he never would have moved a foot all week with all of the grass.
Tuesday I rode twice. I got on in the morning and went for a big walk around to show him the sights. He can get a little worried about things so I tried to show him as many places as possible. He was certainly feeling very good and was quite fresh. That afternoon I got on and did a little long and low flat school just to loosen him up. The grooms and coach Jon Elliot arrived late Tuesday night and Florence and I didn’t see them until early Wednesday morning.
Things started to get a little busier in the barns by late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning and everybody was bathing horses getting ready for the jog (and to avoid heat stroke). Devon went on a hack Wednesday morning to loosen up. Then it was back to the barns for a final bath and braiding. Florence and I trotted up Devon and Tuck for our team vet, Dr. Mitch Byrd and they both looked great. The ground jury held quite a few horses but in the end accepted them all. People were definitely trying to wear outfits catered to the scorching sun, but there were still pants and long sleeve shirts that had been planned before we knew Lexington was going to be on fire. After the jog my coach from home, Charlie Plumb, arrived at the horse park so he and Jon and I headed to the dressage warm up to have a flat lesson. Devon felt great despite the sweat dripping from him. He was sharp and obedient and ready for our test on Thursday.
Thursday morning came very early for my groom, Kelly Lynch and myself. Kelly did a fantastic job of keeping Devon clean and happy all week. I got on and went down to watch a few tests go and to let Devon have a look around with all of the horses and commotion going on. I hacked around for a few minutes and headed back to the barn to get changed and get him cleaned up. We had a very respectable test. He was a very good boy and kept his cool throughout the entire thing. We headed into cross country sitting in 4th place.
Friday morning I got on early and had a light jump school. Devon jumped well (although he decided he wanted it to be cross country day). We put him away and Charlie and Jon and I went to wheel the cross country course. There were some good questions out there and it certainly, for most people, rode harder than it looked. After we wheeled it was off to watch Florence and Tuck do their test. They had an amazing test. Tuck is a fantastic mover and she had a forward, fluid test to put them into first place going into cross country. I walked the course one last time on Friday afternoon and prepped everything for Saturday morning.
Saturday certainly was full of surprises. The morning came around early. The horses had to be fed very early and walked around a bit to loosen up. I had been having a little bit of trouble with my brakes on Devon and Charlie and I had been playing around with bits for the last few weeks before NAYRC. I decided to use the Myler Combo bit that I had galloped and jumped him in. It seemed to give me the best brakes. Devon is a big horse and he is incredibly powerful. He warmed up very well and stood around like he was out on a hack. He went out of the start box strong, but nothing unusual. I tried to leave him alone because the course was so long and I thought he would settle into a rhythm and stop pulling. He was a little strong to fences 3 and 4 but jumped through the water at 5 and the two brush fences at 6 very well. He picked up a little steam headed down the hill to the table before the coffin, but luckily I had the roll back turn to get him completely listening to me again. He jumped through the coffin perfectly and we headed up the hill. Once we got to the top of the hill before the massive bank to the toothbrush we were fighting a bit. He had started to get a little low in the bridle but I got him back after a few more strides than normal. He trotted off the bank and put in a perfect four strides to the toothbrush. He is a very honest horse and certainly knows his job well. We galloped up to the quarry and he jumped the log behind the wall well, but as soon as he turned towards home he took off. He jumped through the quarry and started running away with me down the hill. I circled him before the hanging log and he came back after I got his attention. After he jumped the oxer it was all over. He bolted towards home and I had no control. It took me a few minutes to get him back under control. I don’t know what made him take off or what got into him. He has always been a little bit strong for me but never to the extent he was on course. We walked back to the vet box trying to figure out a plan for the future.
Devon’s owner, Kathryn Sullivan, flew out to watch him compete. I’m so sad she flew out all the way across the country to see him get too strong! We all had a big chat and decided that it would be best to have Charlie take him a round a time or two to see if he tries to do the same thing with him. Charlie has the advantage of height and strength whereas Devon can just pull me out of the saddle. Needless to say the weekend ended there. Everything always works out for the best and I’m sure we will figure out how to fix things soon. Huge thank you to everybody who helped get me to Kentucky and was my support group all week: my parents, family, groom Kelly Lynch, team vet Dr. Byrd, coaches Jon Elliot and Charlie Plumb, all of area VII and an extra big thanks to Liz Aboody and Andrew McConnon for watching the horses at home and keeping them entertained all week! Hopefully Devon and I will be back at it soon.
Photo One: Lizzie and Devon performing their dressage test. Photo provided by Brant Gamma Photos.