The snow has gone now and it has just rained and rained. The river looks as though it is about to burst it's banks, which won't really effect us as we are on the high ground but it will flood the meadow.
On Sunday both Ed and Will came to school the horses -Ed was on Frog and then Dream and Will was on Harry and then Dove. Ben also came on Jake. Ed just popped Frog over the hurdles as we don't think she is ready to go over the bigger fences yet. We were really pleased with her as she thought about what she was doing and jumped them really nicely, she didn't rush them like before and didn't think about running out. However, after she had jumped she was rather full of herself and unseated poor Ed, who thankfully was unhurt, but thought she was feeling rather well and needs a race sooner rather then later. Then Will went over the big regulation fences with Harry and Ben on Jake. Harry went well and is improving all the time, Jake was a bit of a monkey and ran out twice but eventually Ben got him over. He jumps really well when he jumps but takes the mickey a bit. Dream also joined them and was brilliant - she might be as slow as a boat but jumps like a stag! Then it was Dove's turn - she loved it and stood off every fence as if she was jumping Bechers in the Grand National.
On Monday we went to the point to point races at Chaddesley Corbett - the ground had only just thawed out and was still a bit patchy so the racing wasn't top class as the better horses hadn't turned up but it was a lovely day and enjoyable racing.
On Tuesday Charlie Poste, a professional jockey, who lives on the estate, came to ride out with us - he rode Frog, me on Dream, Doug on Dove, Lucy on Harry and Ben on Jake. Lucy and Ben went up the all weather gallop and we went to the grass gallops. All went well, in particular Frog, who we are now thinking about running in a bumper sooner rather than later as she is getting rather difficult to ride at home and as Ed says, needs a run. Charlie was very pleased with her.
In the evening we took Jay and Joseph out for a meal as it was Jay's birthday the following day. We went to the Thai restaurant in Banbury and it was delicious.
Today it's Jay's birthday!! 20 years old. This morning I took her to the station as she is heading up to Edinburgh with a group of friends to celebrate Hogmanay. She is without doubt the most disorganised person I have ever come across, everything is always left to the last moment.....You won't believe this but I have just had a call from Edinburgh station to say that they have found her purse and passport in WH Smiths. I've just tried to ring her but I expect she has lost her phone as well because there is no reply. When does this parenting contract thing expire?