Maggie and her Thoroughbred Divine Comedy are headed to the Fair Hill CCI2* on Oct. 15-19 for their fifth attempt at a CCI2*. This is their second year at Fair Hill, and they are looking for redemption after a temper tantrum in dressage last year left them just barely over the qualifying score of 75. Follow along as Maggie brings you a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most prestigious events in North America.
The lists. Photo by Maggie Deatrick.
We’re down to the final stretch, and everyone is holding their breath. These last few days are always a bit nerve wracking. Dante could go out in the field and step on a rock and end up with a stone bruise. He never has before, but that’s no reason to be sure he won’t start now. Every rider is a bit on edge at this point.
Meanwhile, I’m crossing my t’s and dotting my i’s. Dante got brand new shoes last Monday. I like to do it about ten days before the jog; long enough before to make sure he doesn’t have a hot nail, but short enough that there’s no danger of loose shoes throughout the event. I also had the farrier leave an extra set, in case we do lose a shoe.
My last flat lesson at home is tonight, and my last jump lesson is on Monday evening. In between, he’ll do fitness, either gallops or trots, and have one light day of hacking. He had a massage yesterday and will get another on Monday, to keep those hard working muscles loose.
Meanwhile, the number of massages I am getting is zero.
To keep my mind off the six trillion things that could go wrong, I like to throw myself into the logistics of planning. Anyone who knows me will quickly tell you that I am borderline OCD when it comes to planning and packing. I love lists and agendas and thrive on the process of unpacking, cleaning, and re-packing.
This is good, because the past four weeks have been a whirlwind of those things, with Plantation Field two weeks before Morven, and then a week and a half from Morven until horses arrive for Fair Hill.
A few things have slipped through the cracks (Oh, you wanted to dry clean your jump coat? Sorry, you ran out of time. A haircut? Whoops, forgot to get that scheduled.) but overall the fairly continuous process has actually kept me on my toes. I currently have a running list of everything I need to get done each day through Monday, and Tuesday my groom will make the 40 minute drive with Dante to stabling. Sadly, I have to work that day.
I’d like to say it’s particularly tough because I’m an amateur and I don’t get to see the barn every day, but the truth is that it’s tough for everyone at this point. From the West Coast riders who busted their butts for the past few months to earn enough money to come all the way out here, to the East Coast riders who are competing six or seven horses at Fair Hill, plus a few the weekend before at Maryland and a few the weekend after at Waredaca, the amount of planning that goes into this time of the year is just astounding.
So kudos to everyone out there who is making it work. Whether you’re part of a well-oiled machine, or simply a one horse amateur, it’s a major accomplishment just to make it to the event in one piece.
