Jennie Brannigan

I’ve been swamped the past couple weeks here in Aiken, and I am excited to say that things have been going quite well.

On a not too positive note, I am really worried about Jan Byyny, and I know that she is one tough, brave person who will get better. It still is such a reality check though that our sport can be so taxing at times. Jan and Rebecca Howard are two great riders, and I have always looked up to Jan so much. She has been there for me and is always willing to give advice and have my back, so I cannot wait to see her out doing what she does best soon. 

As the eventing season continues on, we’ve had a really busy week at Phillip’s place. Between training sessions and events mid week and on the weekend, things are well under way and going quite well for us.

I just got through the Paradise Horse Trials this weekend, and with four to ride it was an exciting, busy and rewarding weekend for me. I was thrilled with the three horses that moved up at this event. They had quite a test on the cross-country day.

So the past week or so I have been slammed busy, but I am excited that all the horses are going really well.

Sporting Days was last weekend, and I had three horses competing there. I was quite sick over the event, so I really appreciated the great help that I had there including Kelley Merrett and Jean Marie who gave me a hand at the event. 

The eventing season is under way, and this week was a busy but good one! With Phillip and Emma still away in Wellington, Fla., for all the team training going on down there, things were cracking up in Aiken at Red Oak.

We got the first cross-country school out of the way at Full Gallop Farm. The young horses I took out were quite good, and the ground was a bit wet with all the rain that we have been getting. I am excited to have some nice young horses down here to ride and compete, and I think that the spring will be a good one.

This winter has been an interesting one, and with a little break and some rest we are now back in full force and in Aiken again!

I have been a bit emotional this week, because I am having a hard time thinking about being in Aiken without Cooper. The final realization of what has happened is now settling in, and it's weird not to see him in the field that he was in last year. But I keep on keeping on!

A few years back, a fellow competitor said to me that if they had as much bad luck as me they would quit.

At the time, I’m not exactly sure what I thought of that comment. I think I might have been a little pissed actually.

Now I think about that comment and laugh, because I’ve had some bad luck, but I’ve had some great luck too. 

Someone once said to me, "One day I can’t wait to leg you up on a horse that will make everyone else nervous."

At the time I didn’t think much about not having a horse like that. Probably because I always had some sort of weird confidence that someday I would.

I remember eventing for quite a while before I ever won a horse trial...even a novice event. I started riding for other people when I was 16. I started eventing when I was 12, and I want to say that I didn't win even an intro until I was 17.

I’ve been told that I picked a really tough sport to make a living in a couple of times…I remember once was at Bramham after I had a run out on cross-country.

The most recent time was when Phillip gave me a hug after Cooper got injured at Fair Hill this fall. The past few months have been an emotional roller coaster for me, but far more important is what I have put Cooper through in an effort to save him.

The past few weeks have been a bit up and down, and I have to apologize for not keeping up on my blog. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to put into words my current situation.

I guess it would be appropriate to talk about what has been going on with Cooper...

Cooper, who has now been through everything under the sun, is going through yet another hurdle on his road to recovery.

Unfortunately, foundering is something that is quite common in situations when a horse can’t put weight evenly on all four limbs. Cooper had a serious acute case of laminitis come up last week.

Well everyone, it’s been a hectic week getting Cooper back on the road to recovery.

I am thrilled to say that about two hours ago I was lucky enough to go pick Cooper up from New Bolton Center.

I would like to thank the vets, students and everyone involved with Cooper’s recovery and stay at New Bolton. Things really couldn’t have been much more problematic for Cooper. There were so many bumps in the road that we have been through to get him to the point that he could come home.