So it’s 34 days and counting. True Prospect is busy most of the time, but with five horses short listed for the WEG, life is getting a little more stressful. Everybody is aware of the importance of not missing the slightest change in one of the “big boys” attitude, well being, eating habits and the list goes on.  

I would not consider myself a paranoid person, however with time rapidly decreasing to the start of the championships, I find myself checking and re-checking my horses legs, feet, backs, saddle fit, feed bowl, ears forward etc. etc.!!!
 
Last week, Phillip and I took Woodburn, Chip (The Foreman) and Milo (Truluck) to a jumper show in Culpeper, Va. After a rather slow journey on Wednesday to Virginia, we arrived at the show grounds mid-morning. 

Boyd, Amy, Karen and Kim were already there riding under the watchful eye of Katie Prudent. I threw Phillip up on his first horse, and before we knew it, I was setting fences higher than we would ever see in eventing!

All the horses jumped great except for Chip. He had a couple rails, and Phillip was a bit frustrated, but that is why we came—to work all of this out before the Games. I know Chip can do better, and tomorrow is another day.

Katie is a great help, and it is so much fun to see the difference with everyone, not just Phillip’s horses, with only one show jump round!
 
Phillip and I set off the next morning—6 a.m. comes up pretty fast when you were out the night before with some great friends. I’ll have to say this hurry-up-and wait routine, not really knowing when you are going in the ring, is not for me! I need times! I can go to a one-day with 10 horses and be less exhausted than standing next to the show ring for three hours.

Phillip went in even bigger classes than the day before. Let me tell you I thought the fences on Wednesday were big. Thursday’s were huge. Even Phillip thought so, which, coming from him, someone who jumps around solid cross-country fences at some of the biggest courses in the world, was pretty darn funny if you ask me.

I was in awe at the difference in the horses from one day to the next and Phillip for that matter.  Have I told you how amazing katie is?

Anyway, we made it home with only one hiccup—for some reason we decided we needed a little more air moving through the truck on our drive, so we had a stone jump up and crack the windshield. I guess a pretty good trip if that’s all that happened and nothing to the horses.
 
I am now getting ready for Richland, so expect more blogging from there. If you can believe it, I have never been to Richland, so i am pretty excited. Everyone says it is a great event.

Until next time,
Emma

Emma Ford has been Phillip Dutton’s groom since 2005. She’s traveled to the three major international championships with him, and she’s hoping that the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in September will be her fourth. She also blogged about her experiences at the 2008 Olympic Games for the Chronicle.