In this video for the Stirling Equestrian Group, the speaker reviews the performance of his horse, Asti’s Charming (referred to as "Charm"), at the Carolina International two‑star short event in March 2023. The report covers three phases: dressage, where Charm scored 31 points but showed weaknesses in rein‑back, counter‑canter, and occasional mouthiness; show jumping, where he completed a clear round on a 1.15‑1.20 m course; and cross‑country, where he finished clear with 2.4 time penalties despite a technically demanding course featuring double corners, a hanging rail into a water jump, and a tough coffin fence. The speaker evaluates Charm’s overall ability—strong movement, bravery, and good jumping—but notes the need to improve flatwork consistency and fitness. He outlines short‑term plans to compete in one or two more events before targeting the two‑star long at Bromont in June, and discusses the horse’s potential market value should they decide to sell. The narrative balances factual performance details with personal observations and future strategy.
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This is a video for the Stirling Equestrian Group. Well, Katie, Alex, we took Charm down to the, the Carolina International this weekend. This was another step up. Poor old Charm's been fast tracked up the levels. It was the first time he competed at the two star short level and we threw him in the deep end a bit. To be honest, there was I think over 40 horses in the class and he's been so good I didn't see any reason why we shouldn't have a crack at it. Now he was a bit inexperienced in all phases but he was still bloody good. So this is the dressage test that was on Thursday. It wasn't our best test. I got to be honest with you. He's been working really well. There was a few movements that are a bit new to him like the, the Holt Reinback counter canter and, and to be honest, the, the connection that we had between sometimes he gets a little bit spooky and a little bit mouthy and you'll see in this next leg yield. He starts getting a little bit inconsistent with the rain and a little bit, I don't want to say a bit naughty. So it's a bit of a throughness thing. So anyway we got to really ensure even though he's been going so well in the dressage, he still still needs to have that sort of even connection to get the, the super duper duper scores now by saying that we still scored really, really well. It was two judges marking us and we got a score of 31 which is still very, very impressive. But he, you know, if we can get him perfect in these tests, he's low 20s and we, you know, we were with it against some stiff competition against a lot of horses that had been competing at this level for, for years. So he's really, really good. But by saying that we, we sort of need to keep working away at his flat work and he's a beautiful mover. He's got great walk, great trot, great Canterbury. And where we lost a couple of points is when he loses concentration and sort of nods his head or it gets a little bit funny with his mouth. It's the old kiss of death with the old dressage judge. You'll see in a minute. The show jumping, he was fantastic. I'm sure it's still very, very much easier than whatever charms had to jump in his past. But I'd say the course would have been a meter 15, maybe up to meter 20. Now at the two star level, Lucky for us there was no Liverpool. Peter Wild was up Coaching me earlier in the week in Pennsylvania and we jump schooled the Liverpool a couple of times. So I was a little bit disappointed. There was no Liverpool in the course. The cross country was as hard and as technical and as challenging as, as charms ever seen. And he was absolutely brilliant. You know, just looking at the scores of the whole competition. Out of the the sort of 35, 40 horses that were in it, only about 20 of them actually went around the cross country clear and charm was one of them. We picked up, we picked up a couple of time penalties, picked up 2.4 time penalties which I wasn't too worried about. I sort of figured after this dressage test that was, it was good, but we're a little bit off the lead as I sort of said to myself that he probably wasn't going to win this class. So I didn't sprint him or push him too hard around the, around the cross country. You can see here our rein back here needs a bit of work. It's the first time he's had to do rein back in the, in the test and we've been practicing at home. But he was a little bit distracted for some reason. He's, he's a funny bugger. He can be absolutely perfect or he can be a bit grumpy on the flat sometimes and sadly at this competition he was a bit cranky. So going back to the cross country you'll see a little bit of it here. It was quite tough. There was a double of corners, a hanging rail into the water jump, a really, really tough coffin fence. And he was, he was a good boy. He jumped it all well. And I think from memory we were about 10, 10 seconds too slow on the clock, which he's actually a fast horse but I didn't see any real reason to sprint him or push him too fast and the cross country. So anyway, we're moving up the levels now. So he's competing at what, the FEI level two star now and they call it a two star short. So the cross country course was about five minutes 30 or something to do the cross country and I think my spring goal on him would be to, to potentially take him up to Montreal, up to Bromont and do what they called the two star long. And I think by then, and that's, let's see, that's in June and that's a pretty premier event and I think by then he'll be very, very competitive and whatever direction we go, which I think that, that that event will potentially could make him quite valuable if we choose to sell him or it also be a great stepping stone event to build him up if we decide to keep progressing with him. So we can just sort of wait and see how he's going. But I think we'll probably take him to one or two more events like this and then aiming for Bromont and then sort of regroup after Bromont and see where Charms Careers heading. Good thing is if we do decide to sell him, his record is fantastic. So he, he's at a level now where he's been very, very successful and everyone loves to purchase a horse at this level. Saying that I, I do have an inkling that he is a high level horse. We're in a strong position but he's going great. We're back in Pennsylvania, back cantering up the hills and just gently keep working away at all phases. His dressage, he's very good at the show jumping. Not too much work there and then just keep gently improving his cross country and, and just ever so gently increasing his, his fitness. But it's been a great winter so far with charm and like I said before, he, he continues to impress me and he couldn't have gone much better so far in.
