Ed Kendal and Peter Mann came to school the horses during the week. Ed rode Dove in the menage and she went well after a sticky start. The school always catches a first timer out as it is so tight around the bends and it is difficult to keep a horse balanced - we are rather worried about someone different riding her as she can be extremely quirky and sometimes refuse to race - Will had worked out exactly how to keep her sweet and they made a good team. Ed has got the ride on Dove tomorrow, so we will just have to hope that she takes to him. I don't think he will be too keen on jumping the first two fences with no irons... While he was going around the school blind Jack was 'helping' and got kicked and trodden on. We thought he had broken his hip as he couldn't put weight on one leg but two hours later he was back to his normal (annoying) self. That's another of his 29 lives gone!
Peter got on well with Harry who is also racing tomorrow. It is our home track (the Pytchley) where Doug is clerk of the course. It has been a really busy week-end - we went to an 80th birthday party last night of Alan Beckett (my nuffield sponsor) It wasn't like your normal 80th at all as both Alan and Anne have more energy and drive than most 40 year olds. They were still going strong when we left at mid-night after a lovely evening.
Tonight we are going to a 21st and Doug is still busy on the race track getting it ready for tomorrow. I better get the horses done or we will be late. I am somewhat nervous about tomorrow as the ground is quicker which could catch Harry's jumping out and Dove is in a very competitive race with a somewhat inexperienced jockey on board - oh the pressure!!