At last I have worked out how to download videos onto my blog! This is the piece of work we did on Wednesday in preparation for Jess's run at Black Forest lodge and Jake, Paddy and Popaway's run at Thorpe next week-end. Jake is in the lead with Pete on board, followed by Jess with me, Paddy with Faye and Popaway with Toby.  We are terribly lucky to have access to such fantastic grass gallops and always make sure that we tread in afterwards - this time it was particularly wet and took ages to tread in but it was worth it as it really helps to bring horses on and it makes a lovely change from the all weather.
Although we were terribly disappointed that Black Forest Lodge was abandoned it was rather nice to have a day off today and catch up with some other jobs. It was beautiful weather and I spent most of the day gardening, I then went in to watch the big hunter chase at Kelso in which Penmore Mill was favourite with Cottage Oak second favourite, the commentator was saying that Penmore Mill had only ever been beaten by one other horse in a very quick time and that horse was our very own Doctor Kingsley! It is still hard to believe that Jake broke the course record at Guilsborough by ten seconds and yet we had never thought of him as a fast horse, in fact quite the opposite.'Positively pedestrian' was how we had judged him. Penmore Mill ran a cracking race but decanted his jockey at the last fence when lying second and Cottage Oak won. He is being aimed for the Cheltenham foxhunters so will be up against Jake. Doug is already getting nervous.....