Oh my goodness, what fabulous weather. It is going to be a nasty shock when winter eventually arrives but we are making the most of it for now.
The Horse and Hound reporter and photographer came yesterday to see the horses working - They are going to do a preseason special and we were lucky enough to be selected as one of the yards to be featured. Thank goodness all horses behaved beautifully. For the first lot we had Popaway, Doris, Ponty, Budge, Whisper, Scruffy and End of Discussion (Endo) who came as a 'visitor' as he is temporarily being trained at home by his owner Billy Aprahamian but will be coming to us shortly. This lot cantered around the big grass field and although very keen we were all more or less in control. We then popped Whisper, Popaway and Goody in the menage over the tyres and hurdles. Then we took Jake, Harry, Rock, Cloud, Goody and Murphy around the round where Jake and Harry jumped the big fences at the request of the photographer. Sadly for Toby he was injured from a previous fall (at another yard) so Phil had to take his place. We then took them all up the hill for an action shot of them galloping past. We couldn't have been luckier with the weather and although it gave rather a false impression of our normal day, where we are generally hunched up freezing cold or soaking wet, they would have taken some fantastic shots and it all looked rather idyllic and the H&H people seemed pretty pleased with the results. Phew.
There was also a lovely photo of Jake on the front page of the Go Pointing magazine which was a great lift for Peter, who is now on a strict diet after a 'fat summer' and things like that reminds him that it is all worthwhile.
Lucy came in to help us with the stables this morning and I also had to 'muck out' a shepherd hut as there was a quick changeover with one lot out and another lot in. Off to watch the rugby again so must fly..
The Horse and Hound reporter and photographer came yesterday to see the horses working - They are going to do a preseason special and we were lucky enough to be selected as one of the yards to be featured. Thank goodness all horses behaved beautifully. For the first lot we had Popaway, Doris, Ponty, Budge, Whisper, Scruffy and End of Discussion (Endo) who came as a 'visitor' as he is temporarily being trained at home by his owner Billy Aprahamian but will be coming to us shortly. This lot cantered around the big grass field and although very keen we were all more or less in control. We then popped Whisper, Popaway and Goody in the menage over the tyres and hurdles. Then we took Jake, Harry, Rock, Cloud, Goody and Murphy around the round where Jake and Harry jumped the big fences at the request of the photographer. Sadly for Toby he was injured from a previous fall (at another yard) so Phil had to take his place. We then took them all up the hill for an action shot of them galloping past. We couldn't have been luckier with the weather and although it gave rather a false impression of our normal day, where we are generally hunched up freezing cold or soaking wet, they would have taken some fantastic shots and it all looked rather idyllic and the H&H people seemed pretty pleased with the results. Phew.
There was also a lovely photo of Jake on the front page of the Go Pointing magazine which was a great lift for Peter, who is now on a strict diet after a 'fat summer' and things like that reminds him that it is all worthwhile.
Lucy came in to help us with the stables this morning and I also had to 'muck out' a shepherd hut as there was a quick changeover with one lot out and another lot in. Off to watch the rugby again so must fly..
