Osberton stutter cannot prevent season being a success

The end of my own season seems quite some time ago now, with my final run being the three-day event at Osberton.

It wasn’t quite the ending to the year I had hoped for with either Miss Brodie or Harry Robinson, as both horses picked up an annoying 20 penalties on the XC. After a whole year without any cross-country faults on any of the horses at all it was frustrating to end the season this way, but they are not machines and neither horse did anything drastic with Harry being caught out by inexperience and Jules’ shoulders unfortunately missing a flag even though she made an attempt to jump the fence.

Still, there were plenty of positives and lessons to take away as well as it being a good chance for all my owners to get together.

Overall I have certainly had my most successful season to date with highlights including jumping clear around my first Advanced at Chatsworth and realising a huge ambition in qualifying for next year’s Bramham Horse Trials.

All the horses and I have been enjoying some time off since Osberton, with Jules and Harry about ready to come back in and start light work again in preparation for their winter training.

Tayvale Eccossaise will have a little longer to give her some more time to mature.

Next month I am returning to my previous mentor and coach, Ruth Edge for some intense dressage training with both Jules and Harry until Christmas. I am really looking forward to this and hoping that the opportunity will put us in a good position going into next season.

Before I leave for Ruth’s my column goes “on tour”. I am doing an arena XC training date at Killerby Hall Equestrian on Sunday, November 8, and myself and Jules will be taking part as guinea pigs in the BE Masterclass with Chris Bartle at Bishop Burton on November 12.

Keep up to date with all our news and upcoming training at Phil Brown Eventing on Facebook or www.philbrowneventing.com.