RFF The Alchemist - performance test finals August 8-9

[TrueColours]

HUGE {{{HUGS}}} to Gwen ...

His regular rider (the girl in the pictures that Gwen posted) got hurt riding another horse, so at literally the last minute, they needed to do a rider change on Alchemist. That stressed Gwen out terribly as this is SO important, and changing riders at the last minute is never a good thing ...

She sent me this message this morning:

He got a new rider yesterday and has run down a front shoe and an open wound on his front left pastern there now too. So another year to wait to do it again and lots of money invested gone! I am totally frustrated!

So - he was off this morning due to the large open wound and thats it. He's done for this year and all of the time and money and dreams to get him to this stage are gone as well

I am horribly disappointed for Gwen and for coloured TB's overall as well. Alchemist was really one of the first to be able to gain credibility in a huge respected venue and now that has been taken away and he has to wait another year to do so. He looked fabulous and he was ready - what an awful shame that he wasnt given a chance to shine and to stand on his own merits ...

{{{HUGS}}} Gwen. I am so sorry ...

[Desert Oasis Sporthorses]

Gwen: Big Hugs to you. I am so sorry.

[HeadlessHorseman]

SORRY to hear about this...

HH

[madelyn]

Sounds like the kind of "luck" I always have.. So sorry to hear about it.

[Nessa]

Awww crapadoodle! That just sucks for you. I hope things go better for you and Alchemist next year.

[BlazingColours]

oh so sorry Gwen... What really bad luck. It seems to be a bit of a bad time for many of us right now. {{HUGS}}

[teb]

So sorry Gwen! All that time and effort you put in and now you have to wait. He looks amazing in those pictures you posted!

Terri

[color]

We have put so much time and money into this and then they change rider and the stallion injured after that first ride with the new rider on Thursday. Friday morning bleeding pastern in front from kicking himself on Thursday in the cross country. Lameness and vet said NO to the start on Saturday and Sunday, so all for nothing. Well not for nothing. WE lost a lot of money due to that rider change I blame! Today the stallion is thankfully not lame anymore. ONE MORE YEAR now to wait. They have already prolonged his license as they saw him there in training and he was amazing. Everybody thought he would do a super testing final. What a crap! I could still cry of disappointment and anger.

[BlazingColours]

When I went to the 100 day testing there was one stallion I remember who injured himself the first of the final 3 days. He came in *off* for the free jumping. He did not compete the last 2 days and was given a score for those days in the middle of the pack. Not sure how they did it but the scores they gave him were the median minus a few points or something.

Anyway he ended up passing and did not have to go back. Was that fair or not??? One could argue each side quite well. But since the team of riders and inspectors had seen and ridden him for the past 98 days would they not have a good idea of what type of stallion he is.

They would not do something like that for your guy?

[color]

Unfortunately the 100 or 70 days test is less rigorous as to what the Arabs and TBs have to do in Germany to be allowed into WB breeding. The 100 and 70 days test is training and in between the training they have ONE day for rideability with two riders and a week later the jumping ability with two outside riders and then at the end the first final day is free jumping in the morning and basic gaits test in the afternoon then the second final day is the cross country only.

The Arabians and TBs have training and ALL other plus 40 kms of endurance within 2 days at the end. So on Saturday they do free jumping, basic gaits, then two test riders, then a jumping competition and after that two hours rest and then a very rigorous 2500 m cross country course that cannot be compared to what fun have the WBs in their testings. The Sunday then they must complete the 40 kms of endurance. There are most of the time only a few stallions to do that rigorous test. This time there were 11 to participate, all others are doing the 30 days special breeds test or the western possibility but that does not allow them into WB books. And the next of this is only in a year, its once per year. So to wait a full year.... RATS RATS RATS!!!

They prolonged his license though without problems due to his super training they could see. But I would have preferred to have him already go for Trakehner and Oldenburg this year.

[reedhill]

So many times success comes the hard way and with so much waiting.
Don't allow this to discourage your goals, it is only a bump in the long road ahead.
He is what he is, and you need to stand with your chin up.
This too shall pass and he will have his time again to shine and fly through!

[kathya11]

Gwen, I'm so sorry to hear that -- it really stinks for you, after all that work.