In this video update for the Fetiche des Rouges syndicate, the rider recounts taking the horse Radish to his first FEI‑status international event, the Carolina International Horse Trials (FEI CCI2). After competing at 3 in Europe, Radish was entered in a slightly easier 2 class to allow the rider‑horse partnership to develop. The dressage test on Thursday yielded a strong, calm performance with scores of 29.7 (71% and 69.5% from the two judges), placing Radish fifth out of 25‑30 horses. Show jumping on Friday was hampered by rain, and the rider notes challenges with Radish’s head‑neck position and excitement level. On Saturday’s cross‑country, despite a modest fitness level, Radish finished second, impressing with speed and agility. Throughout the update the rider emphasizes Radish’s quiet temperament, natural talent, and the need for methodical training to align the horse’s habits with the rider’s expectations. Future plans include targeting another 2 event in a month (options: Aiken/Stableview, Plantation, or Fair Hill) before gradually moving back up the levels, while continuing fitness work and partnership building.
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This is a video for the Fetich des Rue syndicate. Guys, we took Radish to our first international FEI status event down in the Carolina International Horse Trials in Southern Pines, North Carolina this weekend. We put him in the two star short. When he was in Europe last year, he competed at the three star level. So this is still one level lower than what he's been competing. And I decided to put him in a obviously slightly easier grade just because we're in the process of sort of building a partnership and getting to know each other. So. And he's not really at peak fitness yet either, so. And I'm sort of glad we did actually. It was. We're still, still figuring each other out. This is the dressage test on Thursday and Radish did a very, very smart dressage test. He, he's sur quiet and laid back and relaxed for the dressage, which I love. It's a real nightmare with some of these high end horses when they're, when they're breathing fire and on edge and nervous for the dressage and you can really get in there and ride Radish in the test. We got there the day before and I schooled him, let's see, I gave him a light ride and a long hack the evening in which we arrived and then I also rode him in the morning about 15, 20 minutes and just got him loose and relaxed. The other advantage of going in a slightly easier grade is the dressage test in which you have to perform as the movements are a little bit more straightforward. So it was quite easy for Radish. The judges loved him. They scored him a 29.7. So one judge gave him 71% and the other judge gave him 60%, 69.5% which, you know, there was 25, 30 horses in the class and he was right up there. He was in fifth place after the dressage. The great thing with his sort of quiet nature is I feel like when we get him to the really big, big stage, the atmosphere is actually going to make him better. It's going to lift him up a gear and puff him up a bit. And I really think he's going to be smart in the dressage. He's, you know, he's got good paces, he's got a good walk, good trot, good canter. He's a good looking horse and he doesn't make too many mistakes. He's very rideable in the ring and I think he's only, he's only going to get better. So this weekend was sort of all about getting to know each other. And our first competition in Georgia three or four weeks ago, that was at the one level lower than this, so the jumps are a little bit bigger and he had to go a little bit faster. But he, he coped very, very well. The show jumping was on Friday and sadly, just before we went in the ring that the heavens opened and it poured with rain. But being a French horse, I don't think radish mind the weather. And then the cross country was Saturday and the ground was good and again I, I didn't go flat out. I was a couple of seconds over the time. But we, we actually ended up finishing in second place which out of a big field I was, I was very, very pleased with. Just because I really think it's going to take a couple of months for us to really know each other. And at the moment he's not really my yet, if you know what I mean. Coming to the jumps sometimes, obviously I ride probably different to his last riders in England and we're still trying to figure out each other's habits and patterns. And the great thing is this guy has so much quality and so much natural talent. I really think once we get him trained up to be my horse and to listen to what I'm after, he's, you know, the sky's the limit with him. It was a, as I said before it started raining, he was a little excited in the warm up of the show jumping. Much more excited than the day before the dressage obviously. He said he's a jumping machine. He's got a little bit of a short neck and what I've been working on in training is trying to sort of keep his head and neck out when I'm jumping, especially if he gets a little excited or nervous of not holding his mouth too much just because it shortens up his neck and he jumps out a bit hollow. And to be honest, I haven't got it perfect yet. Obviously when he's settled like you see there, he's quite easy to keep a nice shape. But as the course goes on he gets a little bit more excited and he's a little bit spicy and gets a bit strong and wrestle with him a little bit too much. All this will get ironed out in time though, trying to figure out our next competition. It'd be good to find another event. I think in three or four weeks time that we've got a couple of options. Either I'll take him back to Aiken to Stableview, or the weekend before there's or the Weekend after, there's one local one at Plantation, or a week after that in Maryland at Fair Hill. I'm tempted to run him at this level one more time. Even though we finished second and we nearly won it, I feel like we're not in a huge rush to quickly race him up the levels. I still got to get the feeling of him in training and in the competition. Definitely slightly easier with him not at his. Not on the real big, big jumps. I also still working on his fitness, so he's not at complete top fitness, I'd say. He got to America, you know, and we started working with him in February. So really we haven't had much time to get him super strong. The cross country was fantastic. He's going to be a very, very fast horse. He's a great galloper. The good thing, too is he's not strong in the hand. I feel like eventually he's going to go really, really fast and I'm not going to need a big fancy bit. I just rode him in a snaffle in the cross country today. We're still not, to be honest, we're not completely on the same page. Like sometime try and settle him down in front of the jump and he sort of keeps running at the fence and then I have a little bit of an argument with him just as we take off. And I think all those things will get smoothed out with training and just our partnership. He's a very nippy horse, like, through these angles and accuracy fences, he's quick and sharp and his ears are pricked and he's always looking for the next fence. And I really feel like he's going to suit the cross country courses once we get him up to the top level of the sport. That requires speed and adjustability. I feel like he's going to be very, very quick across the country. Anyway, guys, I very, very pleased with Radish. I feel like we're building a partnership. Things are going as well as I could have hoped. I think he's. He'. There's no fast track for that. It's just going to take time, methodical and consistent training. And, you know, he still feels young and a little bit green in his, you know, in the way he goes and the way his body feels. But very, very excited for him. And I'll let you know. I think, like I said, we'll find a competition for him in about a month's time and between then and now, we'll just keep working away training.
