2017's slightly dull round up!

The first year without Chamfron Stud and almost another year on.  It has been a quiet year, I didn't work this summer, I slept, ate well, walked the dog, rode my pony and had coffee with friends, without being too fluffy I think I needed that time to heal.  In January a friend would tell me I had lost the haunted look and at some point during the year I stopped having to say "you know, I have absolutely no idea where I was going with that conversation..." as my brain started to claw its way back to normality!  There is no doubt I am not where I want to be career wise though at the moment my commute is seven minutes long, I park at the door and can wear Matalan jeggings to work so it isn't without its perks!  I've seen one job that really excited me and another that had all my friends emailing me saying "this has your name all over it" and didn't get an interview for either!!  Life feels a bit pointless at the moment and I need to find my courage to do something about that.

The Chamfron horses continue to do well, Bellini has been the star of the year, a four year old with huge potential in the dressage arena.  By Dand got his Bronze Thistle Final and threw down the gauntlet to his younger sister Firefly who is planning to do the same in 2018 (along with the Wobbleberry challenge).  It has been lovely to see some less frequent visitors to the blog popping up,  including Yolanda playing polo.  Dearest Malambo gave me a few sleepless nights but I got it right the second time, he is proving to be a really super hunter who loves his work.  If I am honest updates are starting to wane, as we know life changes and sometimes horses need to take a back seat for a while (three more Chamfron owner babies this year!) but I also think that without the new foals to hold us together enthusiasm for being "Team Chamfron" is lost.

Sir Spidey Uber Fluff continues to make me smile, as a bonus it doesn't rain every bloody day over here in the East so horse ownership isn't a constant trudge of mud and extreme sogginess!  Whippet sleeps and scrounges and isn't too excited by walks these days but he looks well.  The three of us will dander slowly into 2018 with a gin shelf that is groaning after Christmas and see how it all pans out!!

Wintery!

A fair flurry of snow this morning with the sky looking like there is plenty more to come.

Becoming tradition!

For the second year running there is a Chamfron on the front cover of the Scottish Rider, this year it is Chamfron Colorado, owned and photographed by Jessica Crighton.

Very slim tinselling...

Festive Chamfrons, Firefly, Tigre and Toledo.

There's been a murder...

Poor Gerty Getz who has reliably got me where I needed to go when I couldn't see for tears and who has survived my "f*ck you" response to aggressive tail gating drivers when I didn't give a damn whether I lived or died has been cruelly struck down in her prime.  Parked in a bay on a nice wide one way street she has been hit so hard she looks like Bambi on Ice and is almost certainly a write off.  I actually walked back to the car and thought "shit your parking really is getting worse" before realising she had been flung there and discarded, adorned with a "police aware" sign and left to be stared at.  I know worse things happen at sea but my wee car didn't deserve that!!

Snowy Chamfrons

Some lovely snow photos from one end of the country to the other.  Great to see Colorado, Calandria, Almendra, Nicobar and Oro Rosa all looking so well.

Festive Selfie

Well, managed a festive Selfie with the main man in my life (yes, yes its tragic, I know!) and we hacked out across the frozen hills this morning, no one else to be seen just us and our shadow.  I have been eating mince pies since early November and I have had my annual Gingerbread latte (more sickly than I remember if I'm honest), I bought an advent calendar on the 5th when they were forty nine pence and I've posted three Christmas cards.  Still not exactly nailing Christmas am I?

The next batch backed!

Osito, the three year old full brother to Ombu looks much more like his dam Fatima.  He and Perdita (our teeny tiny twin filly) are now broken in and riding away nicely.  They will go back to their trainer in the spring to do some stick and balling.

Chamfron Ombu - 30 months old

Looking so like his dad!

A Facebook Rant!!

I may have said this before...!!  Another "dodgy dealer" article shared and while I am of course well aware that there are plenty of "dodgy" dealers I once again struggle to find any sympathy for the people involved, stop facilitating them!

If you think you can buy a saint like horse suitable for a complete novice for less than £1500 - you are part of the problem.  Budget more for the horse and more for the ongoing help you ARE going to need as a complete novice.

If you sell your injured / temperamental / old horses as broodmares / companions for less than meat money - you are a big part of the problem.  PUT THEM DOWN, at home, put your hand in your pocket and do the right thing.

You are not rescuing - when you hand over money for a sad, thin horse with crap feet don't think you are Mother Teresa, you've allowed that dealer to put food on their table while shoving two fingers up at the breeders / sellers doing it right.

Use google, no seriously, actually use it.  Don't think you are special, don't think you know enough to get one up on someone with a horrendous reputation.  If you then buy a horse and post the whole sorry saga over Facebook then you are nothing but a drama llama and I really wonder about your motivation.

Unfollow these people on Facebook, stop liking their posts.  If you are following a dealer / breeder who constantly has sagas, dead horses, horses for sale cheap because of endless personal problems, falling out with other breeders, perhaps a court case or two and you are commenting "R U OK HUN?" you too are part of the problem!!!

And breathe...

Chamfron Westminster on loan

Lovely to see Wills looking happy and well in his loan home with Carys.

Growing up...

Three year olds Milano and Nicobar happily hacking out.

Bowhill Trip

Fantastic ride at Bowhill today, we cantered up Duchess Drive and had a wee breather at the Stone Seat, the heart shape apparently relates to Sir James Douglas who bore the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land on a crusade in the 14th century and engraved on it is 'B Q 1864 - 1935' to commemorate the 7th Duke of Buccleuch.

Lumiere Durham 2017

I had a super night out yesterday, going down to Lumiere in Durham to see the light installations that are held every two years.  Lumiere 2015 was one of the last nights out Mark and I had together and I decided I would leave it to fate, I wouldn't ask for the day off but if I was given it I would go.  I picked up Caroline on the way past (and as always, was wonderfully fed by Bruce) and we laughed from the moment we got in the car.  I don't see Caroline that often but when I do I have conversations I don't have with anyone else,  gave me lots to think about! 

Spoilt!

Rebecca's Chamfrons having breakfast in bed.  Sammy (Chamfron Firefly) had a trip to Inchcoonans yesterday, jumped some great rounds and was placed in the small open.  Photos with kind thanks to Chris Dundee.

What would you tell your younger self about grief?

Inspired by a blog by "What's your grief?" the idea of what would you tell your younger self about grief (theirs has natty cartoons, I don't have an artistic bone in my body but I probably have them beat on black humour)

1) People will say to you it will make you a better person, it will.  You are still justified in wanting to stab anyone who utters those words.  Bonus points if the only thing they have lost is their cat.

2) Grief is brutally physical, no one tells you that.  Your teeth are going to cost you a lot of money but he'd be so impressed at your dentist bravery.  As an aside, having your mouth swabbed out with iodine is a really unpleasant experience.

3) It will be the most fantastic people watching exercise of your life.  People will live up to your expectations, both good and bad.  You will wish he could see who was incredible and who you were right about.

4) Your situation was unusual, only a couple of people will have any concept of how much you lost along with Mark.

5) It isn't flattering, the offers you will get being single in your forties will tick at least two of the following boxes, very overweight, old enough to be your grandfather, tragically thick, married.

6) You will be OK.

Awwww!

Kris Clay captures the moment!  Chamfron By Dand and Rebecca Crump having just passed the vet last weekend.

Chamfron Santiago- 28 months old

Now standing at 15.2 and suddenly looking like a proper horse, he has also perfected the look of innocence "Annoying Tuco? Me? Never!"

Chamfron By Dand - Endurance

Up to Tentsmuir this morning to crew for Karen and Rebecca with Chamfron By Dand.  They cruised round the 51km with smiles the whole way and both gained their Bronze Thistle Final Award.