Burbank CDI and U.S. Freestyle Finals
March 29 -31, 2007

Five weeks after her fractured elbow had (partially) healed; Donna was back on Jazzman with only two weeks to prepare for the US League Freestyle Finals. Thanks to Skyler Evan’s solid conditioning work, Jazz was fit and ready to go when he arrived at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. However, in his actual warm-up for the Grand Prix, Donna said, “Jazz felt as if all the air had gone out of him.” He performed a fault free but lifeless test and finished sixth. That evening he didn’t eat and hardly drank at all. Donna asked Mike Tomlinson, the FEI vet, if she could scratch if Jazz still looked ill in the morning and Dr. Tomlinson concurred. By morning, however, the cause of Jazzman’s distress was evident. He had a fever of 105 degrees! “I think he was really getting sick the day before and did the whole Grand Prix on just his heart,” Donna said. When the Freestyle started, Jazz stayed in his stall on IV fluids. Several other horses on the grounds also developed the same mystery illness – which was luckily NOT EHV. Jazz recovered uneventfully over the next week.

With the star of the barn temporarily sidelined, bringing home ribbons was up to Leah Forrest and Winnica. Although in her first dressage test (training level test 3), Leah had the “deer in the headlights” look, she quickly recovered and in her second test (training level test 4) produced a 72% score that was good enough to win the show high point award. Leah and Winnie won a beautiful show cooler sponsored by Markel Insurance. Congratulations, Leah! Great way to start your dressage career!