Keep Moving - Week 13

Another Sunday hack out, Spider had his first canter in company in years and was actually quite jolly.  Weather depressingly awful at the start of the week (again) but we dragged ourselves out to Figgate Park for a (near as damn it) 5k jog on Tuesday.  Figgate park is a park run venue and local knowledge tells me it is one of the easiest, I might consider it at some point.  I felt I was making good time and ground to a halt immediately Craig's phone muttered "target achieved" - however my phone disagreed and as I was 32 metres short I didn't get a 5km time.  

Thursday I went for a second lesson with Lorraine at Equine translation, clarified a few things that I realised I hadn't quite "got" once I was on a real horse and then I moved on to the second of the equine simulators.  This one works in canter but you generate the movement yourself, it rewards you by giving you a bigger movement when you are correct.  Trip to the arena on Friday to try and put it in practice on Spider, the Cancan line is coming along nicely too!  Saturday night Spider hacked, following the bike, his favourite thing!

Chamfron Updates

Mojito has been back out jumping for a 4th.  Rebecca and Chamfron by Dand completed their first 30km of 2024 with SC2 GOLD and heart rate out 35 and same back in, not bad for his first ride as a veteran!  Rebecca also picked up a trophy from last year.  They then had another outing over to Fort William, staying with Jessica and Chamfron Colorado.  Rebecca stormed round the 31km at 13.1kmph giving them a speed category one.  Jessica and Colorado nannied Domino round his first taster ride, everyone round and sound.  Chamfron grandchild Ceilidh (Balmoral Sport ex Chamfron Chipita) had her first trip out in the wagon for a horse agility lesson and was perfectly behaved.  Seen some lovely videos of Chamfron Compostela and Almendra jumping too.

Keep Moving - Week 12

Very muggy on Sunday, just a quick spin round the block on Spider then a 5km jog on Monday, twenty strides in I knew I wasn't going to beat any records and a time of 37.49 was probably better than it felt!  Both boys went to the arena on Tuesday and Cactus came back with his new saddle, obviously this then coincided with a return to miserable weather.  Another 5km on Friday, bitter wind (note the wooly hat!) and rain with painful lumps in it but another wee bit shaved of my time for 36.00.  Spider battled the wind at pole clinic on Saturday then we dodged the storms with a walk at Seacliff.

Keep Moving - Week 11

Still ropey on Sunday but we headed off to Dalhousie Castle for our wedding anniversary, I managed a stroll around the woods and we had fun at the falconry centre but otherwise had a quiet time.  Dalhousie is said to be the most haunted castle in Edinburgh and we couldn't help but notice the "smudge" in the photo of the dungeon when all the other photos were clear...  In the past the dungeon was bottle shaped and prisoners were lowered in on a rope, with 11ft thick walls no one escaped, these days they feed you in the dungeon and it's easier to leave.

Cactus had an arena trip in the rain on Thursday, he was very well behaved, Spider was learning new tricks for snacks and photobombing photos!  Managed a 5km jog on Friday, felt like I was running more than walking and shaved a few more minutes off, 36.24.  Going out in the evening had it's pros (glorious sunset) and cons (still trying to cough the bugs back up).  Trip to Edinburgh on Saturday, five miles done around the town interspersed with another trip to Six by Nico.