Friday 27 December 2013

With torrential rain last night and high winds now we have decided to leave the horses at home. The ground will be desperate and it wouldn't be fair to run young horses on it. The most important thing when you are introducing youngsters to racing is to make sure that it is an enjoyable time and an experience they would like to repeat. If you bottom them at this stage in the season it can take a lot of getting back and may put them off for life.
Christmas day was, however, beautiful crisp bright and frosty - It was just the most perfect day for being outside and even mucking out horses, listening to the robins singing was a pleasure.
Esme came in to help with morning stables, and to share some champagne and smoked salmon with us.We then did a little socialising, after which I took the dogs for a long walk around the farm, while 'him indoors' cooked lunch. The river was still very swollen and I even saw a kingfisher. Just on dark we settled down to enjoy our Christmas lunch/dinner, turkey and ham with all the trimmings - which I have to say was almost as good as mine (!?) Doug did really well on the pressie front and got me a heated waistcoat which is so snug that I never want to take it off.
Just to really make my Christmas, after doing evening stables, I then got a fantastic viewing of the barn owl who did a number of  flybys which made my day perfect.
Yesterday after doing horses we went to Towcester races. There were hundreds of people out and a really festive friendly atmosphere with some very good racing. The big screen also showed Kempton races and it was a very exciting King George V with Paul Nicholls winning for the eighth time with Silvinaco Conti just snatching it from Cue Card in a thrilling finish and then in the Christmas hurdle My Tent or Yours just pipping The New One with Tony McCoy's strength in the saddle proving the deciding factor.
Silvinaco Conti
Today one lot went up the gallops and the rest all had a pop in the menage as it was too wild to go up again - All worked very well.
Tomorrow we are off to the Mitchell's wedding which knowing their amazing hospitality will be very good indeed and then the following day we are still hoping to run Jess (We Never Give Up) and Ponty Pandy at Cottenham.
I was in two minds as whether or not to go and spectate at Chaddesley but the rain lashing on the office window has made my mind up for me. A nice day in by the fire seems like the much better option!