All horses back safe and sound - thank goodness. Dream was in the first race and went beautifully, mainly in the lead and jumping like a stag until Will reported that she made a noise and quite clearly couldn't breath very easily, so he eased her down, jumped a couple more fences and then pulled her up two fences from home. He said that she gave him a brilliant feel and jumped like an old handicapper, and she either needs a cross nose band and a tongue tie or a wind-op. We will try the tongue tie on the gallops this week and then see what the next plan of action should be. Jake was next and he was brilliant, Ben gave him a great ride, unfortunately Jake went to the lead a little bit too soon and got tired but still finished a very creditable 4th. He also jumped beautifully.....which brings us on to Harry - dear Harry. We have worked so hard on trying to improve Harry's jumping and thought we were getting somewhere - his last schooling session with Ed was as good as he as ever been - He jumped the first eleven fences fantastically and was well settled and looking as though he was running better than any other horse, he just got to the fence we were standing by, lost concentration and twisted over the fence, stumbled, very nearly got back to his feet when he got knocked by a horse behind which knocked him to the ground, poor Will then got kicked by a few of the following horses and just lay in a heap - thankfully he soon got up although was somewhat bruised and battered. Rather disappointing as he was running a great race. Will thinks he should run again soon as he was going so well -there were an awful lot of fallers today, even good jumpers were falling so maybe it was just one of those things... we will give him one last chance over fences, and failing that put him over hurdles.
A quick recap on the week - Wednesday was a fantastic day - hunting in the morning, tea in the Ritz (which was scrumptious) and then the theatre in the evening. The War Horse HAS to be seen. Powerful and moving, It was probably the best theatre experience I have ever had.
On Thursday Ed came to school, because it was wet they went around the sand school, All very pleasing. In the evening we took my parents out for a meal for my mothers belated birthday treat. They were on great form.
Friday night out to supper at Bay and Hermione's - they run Crockwell Farm and don't often get a chance to entertain because they are always so busy - great night...the hunt was meeting there the next day and as we were going to be too busy to go we offered Maddy (Hermione's sister) Skye for the day. She took us up on the offer and Skye did a day with the Grafton and apparently was very well behaved and they both thoroughly enjoyed it. It's just wonderful that a horse we were told we should have put down less than three years ago is now living such a full and happy life.