End of 2018 Season

 We are all very much enjoying our down time in November but things are busier than expected, as always.  All the main boys are enjoying their holidays, the plan is to bring the two important ones in in December and then the main gang can come in after Christmas. At the moment I think I am going to have a go at Badminton with Oratorio and Little Fire, both are good horses and should take their chance.  My one 3* horse in 2019 is Yes I Can, and then there are a few young starts that will be aiming for the 2* & 1*.  At the moment the team for next year looks like being a sensible number. So horses in work at the moment are the two hunters, and three 4yo's.  

Sadly Grafennacht is now going to be sold, which is a real shame as she is a good horse and I was hoping that she could campaign a very serious 7yo season next year.  She is actually coming back into more work with us tomorrow in preparation for sale.

Very excitingly Tamarillo’s clone Tomatillo is back for a few weeks work, the plan is for him to then go to Melissa Townshend, as she is not only the jockey of the future but she is more his size. He has grown a bit but he is still only 16h so I think I would be a bit of an unfair rider for him.

November is a good time for getting the yard back in order, lots of power hosing and painting is going on, and everyone is getting their holidays in.  

Jackie, Adam, Hannah and Andy are still here and we will be adding two or three more people to the team hopefully over the next month.  

I have yet to have a days hunting, but it is on the cards for Alice and I.   However I am really enjoying working my 4yo’s who I have collected, they are both mine and they are two jolly nice horses.  I got Marble four years ago to keep Crunchie company, and then when Crunchie entered real life and started work I got another one to keep Marble company.  

It looks like we have got two more 3yo’s coming next year so the production line can’t help but continue.  With the 4yo’s I could not be called guilty of overdoing it, but I do like them to get off the place and have a couple of cross country schools and to see what the real world is like.  My plan is to work them up until Christmas and then in January when all the others come in, they will be turned out until the weather gets better.  The idea is that they will, like Crunchie, do a couple of events at the end of the season, so there is no hurry.   I have got a 4yo of my mothers, which is being produced for one of the grandchildren.  She is a lovely mare out of River Dragon, who both my sister and I rode at 3* level, and she is by a show jumper.  

Hope you all have a good winter!