We got the horses out again and they all had a good work out. As we haven't had any fresh snow for the last few days that is probably the last time we can use that field until it thaws or we have more snow.
I had a 'girlie' Christmas lunch and finished off my Christmas shopping. We were supposed to be going to 'the big house' for our Christmas party this evening - David Allen, who owns the Estate always has a party which poor Doug has been starving himself for, as the beef is always absolutely delicious and Doug was determined to make sure that he had maximum capacity - sadly it was cancelled as Ben Case, who trains on the estate has had a massive fire in one of his barns. The barn was filled with straw but was right next to his horses and the house and everyone has been helping him move things out, him, his family and all the stable staff have been evacuated. Ridiculously the fire brigade would not allow him to take the horses to the nearby stables on the estate (Chris's and ours) as it was a 'health risk' and no-one is allowed within 400 meters of the fire - so they have just been turned out into the fields. These are very expensive thoroughbred horses in peak fitness who never usually go outside and they are now out in minus temperatures because of 'Elf n'Safety' Unbelievable. I just don't think that we would have been quite so law-abiding in the same situation.
Anyway, as we couldn't do anymore and Doug was starving we went to the Red Lion at Culworth for a very nice meal, possibly not quite as good as the beef we would have had but never mind...