In this video, the rider discusses Barney Rubble’s recent outing at the Maryland Horse Trials just before a hurricane. Barney competed in the open prelim division, achieving a dressage score of 24, clear show jumping, and clear cross‑country, finishing second overall. The rider recounts Barney’s recent back injury six weeks earlier, the subsequent two‑week walking regimen, and how the setback turned into a training advantage. He outlines an intensive training schedule since March, including a brief rest period while the rider was in Italy, and notes Barney’s strong trot, canter, and uphill frame that impress judges. The rider critiques the Maryland cross‑country course as too twisty for Barney, preferring larger, open gallop courses. Future plans include another open prelim in Kentucky in 3‑4 weeks, a Tryon 2‑star long competition in a larger arena, and targeting a Tryon 3‑star three‑day event next November. Training goals focus on making Barney rounder and softer to enhance jumping quality, while maintaining his powerful, energetic nature.
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This is a video for the Barney Rubble Syndicate. Guys, we got Barney out to the Maryland horse trials today just before the hurricane hit. Luckily, Barney was fantastic. We're in the open prelim division and he went like a ripper. It was the very first horse on in the dressage and we scored a 24 which is a great score. I can't wait till we get him in the bigger ring which is pretty soon actually I think we've got one more open prelim in Kentucky in about three or four weeks time which is in a small ring again. And then after that we're in the big ring. We're off to Tryon 2 star Long which will be in the larger arena. And then next year he'll be ready to roar in the three star level. So Barney's been training really, really well. He obviously bumped his back six weeks ago and had to have two weeks walking and in a weak on a way. It was a blessing in disguise. I've sort of been really, really working Barney very, very hard all year. Since basically March, he's been just hardly a day off and having a couple weeks easy, especially while I was in Italy, sort of freshened him up and I came home from the world championships very, very pleased with sort of the way feels fantastic. He's obviously trotting up really well and he's happy and healthy. Maryland horse trials unfortunately we didn't get much of the cross country but it wasn't the most suitable course for Barney for anyone that's been there. It's a sort of smaller, twisty, turny, back and forth cross country course. And Barney handled it really, really well. But I'm guessing that he will thrive on the sort of big open gallop courses where I can sort of let him go. And he's a bit excited in the jumping in the show jumping and the cross country and the courses like today that are twisty and you sort of got to stop and start a little bit frustrating for Barney that just wants to run. Like I said before, I think Barney, I'll take him down to the, the horseback of Kentucky in three time or four weeks time and he'll do this level again. And that'll be a great preparation for our end of year goal which is the, the tryon three day event down in North Carolina. I think that's in November, maybe the second week of November. Barney's. He's got unbelievable paces in, in the dressage. I gotta say. I love riding him. He can be a bit hot and energetic, but he's just Got a beautiful trot, beautiful canter. And I think the big thing with the training is to just always encourage him to stretch down and be sort of round in his frame. And the judges love him because he's such an uphill horse. Like he carries his head and neck and his shoulders really, really high and the judges love that. But I, going forward in the next six to 12 months, I'd love to actually work him a lot rounder and softer and, and I think that will only increase his, his quality jumping. He was good. He was fresh though. As you can see here, he tails swishing around but when he gets to the jumps he really pounces off the floor. I was thinking today like he hasn't been out for a while so he was especially in the warm up of the cross country, he was defin up on his toes. But he's got so much power and scope in his jump. There's never a jump that actually feels very big on him. I feel like it's, it's been a sort of a successful year with Barney. I know everything's sort of been a little bit delayed from what we were sort of originally hoping for, but it's always a blessing in disguise. I feel like I've really taken it, taking my time with him and got to know him. And I think next year we, once we hit that intermediate and advanced level, he'll hit the ground running. We finished in second place today, 24 in the dressage, clear show jumping and a clear cross country. I didn't go flat out cross country. The ground was a little bit hard and like I said, it wasn't the most ideal course for him, but it was a great outing for him.
