Countdown

 Six weeks to go and Tizona is looking very fit!

Out out

After much thought I decided to move Spidey and today he couldn't believe his luck with ten hectares to roam and small sheep to rule over.  We were both at risk of developing "Bungalow legs" in our dotage so I shall be joining him for a stroll around the perimeter daily, it is deceptively hilly!  

St Georges Day festivities

Tizona met a dragon!  (And a dancing boar).  St Georges day festivities, Frampton on Severn 

This week in Chamfrons!

Chamfron Tigre de Ojo has been enjoying the sunset, pink pony meets pink sky.  Chamfron Almendra had her eventing debut just nine months after finishing her polo pony career.  She was a very respectable ninth at Waverton with Flo Daly doing a fabulous job as jockey.   Chamfron Nicobar jumped round his first BE100. 

Then on Sunday it was the turn of the endurance ponies, after a 4.30am start and a road closure that added an hour to the journey Jessica and Chamfron Colorado made it to Culbin for the 30km class.  Cruising round at his best speed yet, averaging 12.97 kmph SC2, HR out 36 HR return of 36/36 and he even added some extra moves to his final trot up so clearly needed another loop!  He also picked up "Best Condition" for his class and some lovely compliments from the vet.  Meanwhile Rebecca and Chamfron By Dand had a long day heading down to Seacliff, a few wrong turns meant they did around 35km and they presented to the vet quickly as it was so cold but a HR of 36 out and 47 in meant a SC2 Gold.

Bear... There!

This Bear has appeared, sat on a particularly scenic bench with a view of Earlston before him.  He looks somewhat pensive and dare I say a little lonely and abandoned.  His day might liven up tomorrow though bearing in mind he's on a blind bend a few hundred yards from a livery yard!! 

Chamfron Almendra - XC Schooling

 

Chamfron Paloma - 10 years old

Chamfron Paloma - TREC

 Alison and Paloma were at Hodgemoor’s fun Trec yesterday, and won the three phase Open class.

Unmasked!

The last remaining Covid rules have gone in Scotland and as of today it's no masks on public transport or in indoor spaces.  To celebrate we headed of to Edinburgh on the train, a quick visit to Stack and Still for energy and then we visited the Surgeons' Hall Museums which are owned by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and consist of the Wohl Pathology Museum, the History of Surgery Museum and The Dental Collection.  After a drink, some more snacks and a little bit of a wander we headed back to the train, checked our steps, noted we were rather in sync and went home for a nice cup of tea (so wild!)  

Chamfrons this week

Some lovely photos of Bellini schooling, Tizona burning up the gallops and Santiago back under saddle.  Chamfron By Dand, Firefly and Colorado have completed the Scottish Endurance Fit2Start program, covering 147km over eight weeks (obviously Rebecca's backside has been involved in 294 km!) 

Railway walks are flat walks!

On Friday we walked a wee length of the Penicuik to Dalkeith walkway, looping back at the memorial to Kane McGinley the retained firefighter from Penicuik who died aged just 25yo.  The memorial sent me down a rabbit hole thinking about public versus private grief.  I hate to see supermarket flowers, dead and still in their plastic and I can rant all day about balloons "sent to heaven" but actually just littering the countryside but I read every inscription on park benches and feel a quiet sense of honour when I stumble on a memorial tucked away in a corner of farmland.  I'm not one for a lot of performance grieving on Facebook but I did dine out for weeks on tales of some brilliantly inappropriate social media behaviour by others.  I believe you tell your story because it might be someone else's self help guide and I want to know other people's stories.  We need to talk about death more, it is after all the only certainty in life.  

Free Concert

Melrose Seven's was back this weekend after a two year absence, we listened to the concert from half way up the hill with two lightly suspicious goats for company.