Finally Caught Up

Its been a busy month and again I find that time has marched on, I just thought that I would have a look at the website and saw that my last post was on the 11th of Feb, wow it feels like yesterday. I have had a hideous flu bug that has knocked me on my backside, I am still too weak to ride and looking out of the window, I am very jealous of the sunshine. This would normally be enough to get me off my backside but just getting dressed at the moment is an effort. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back in the saddle.

So the last couple of months have been busy and we have had a few runners. Heroes of Ghosts ran disappointingly at Taunton and pulled up, he is having a break and we will try to find out what is bothering him over the next couple of months.

Starfoot ran a stormer in a race that was possibly too high grade, it was the only day the owner could get to watch him and the ground was the best we could find for him. He finished 4th and although he ran in snatches I think he has got his confidence back, which made all the difference on Friday when he ran at Fakenham. He ran a blinder and finished second to a very well handicapped horse. Such a shame he couldn't win but at least he is loving life again.

Mr F had his first spin over fences and apart from a novicey mistake (I shut my eyes) he ran a brilliant race but was just pipped on the line, I keep telling him he won really, I can't bring myself to watch it again - I don't think it would change the result...Another second... I prepared him for his run by taking Ella and bucket hacking the day before - I reckon he loves his lead horse status!

BT (Katarrhini) ran for the first time for us and was in the middle of running a very big race first time over fences, when Niall pulled her up 3 from home saying she had gone lame. No one could find anything amiss and nothing has come to light since having her home, so I can only presume she took a bad step and he was erring on the side of caution. She is entered again for this weekend at Hereford.

John Biscuit had a spin in a lady riders hurdle at Huntingdon and finished a very good 3rd, he needs further but I thought the ground being on the soft side may have countered that, the line came too soon but he came back sound so there is always another day.

Now we have Prairie Ranger back in work, he looks amazing and we are hopeful of him returning to full race fitness this summer. It was exciting to see Nichols Canyon win at Cheltenham knowing that PR beat him on the flat, at least we can dream of what may be in the future...

After a couple of years of nothing but hassle with staff (I know Im not alone in my misery!) I finally have some staff to be proud of, they are a great team and I had forgotten that people can work together and help one and other, have fun at work and all constantly look for more things to do. Not find ways to avoid work. Francesca is working in the yard for us and has probably forgotten more than I will know, having worked for 8 years with Monty Roberts, this morning she has been out hacking on Mr F this and I think they both enjoyed it.

I had decided that there was no way I was going to teach anyone ever again but then along came Frankie, she has made up for the last couple of years, dealing with spoilt kids and their attitudes, I had forgotten how keen and determined some can be, she tries her heart out and having never sat on a racehorse, she is now going up the gallops on some of the youngsters and riding the tricky ones in the school. She even coped with a lunge lesson from me on the WIbble - no reins and no stirrups and she still kept smiling! Thank you Frankie for giving me hope for the younger generation again

Lastly we have Nicola working 4 hours a morning in the yard and it is a pleasure to have her around, always smiling and asking what she can do to help, makes my job so much easier. Everyone gets on and wants to see each other do well, which is how life should be!

I realise now that over the earlier years, I have actually been very lucky with staff and had forgotten that even the ones that came to me with warnings (you know who you are!) I can now count as friends, ! am super proud of what they have achieved both personally and in the careers they have gone on to since working for me.

So now Ashleigh has decided to get her driving organised I thought that she could start with some lessons on the tractor...