Saturday, 11 January 2025

Keep Moving - Week 2

On Sunday we took advantage of Historic Sundays and went to Dirleton Castle, the weather was not optimal and we were the only visitors of the day.  It has a rather fabulous doocot!  Railway line walks at the start of the week, then a change of scene on Wednesday when I left the office early and did a few miles of the Southern Upland Way at Lauder before it got dark.  The sunset kept improving behind me but I wasn't heading back up hill to photograph it.  On Friday I was back in the Borders so walked along both sides of the Tweed between Tweedbank and Melrose, Saturday was around Broadwoodside.  Too icy to ride all week.












New Year Chamfrons

Colorado, Chipita and Tizona, with Colorado and By Dand being featured in the latest Endurance magazine.






Saturday, 4 January 2025

Keep Moving - Week 1

A busier week, been out hunting local hacking routes, out hunting northern lights (missed the best of them as dinner was in the oven!), took Cactus to Dunkeld for a long hack then had a trundle in the arena a few days later to check he wasn't stiff or sore (far from it!)  Friday was a stroll around St Boswells with work mates and Saturday included another trip to Edinburgh.


Thursday, 2 January 2025

Band of Brothers

Every lock, door and window of the trailer were frozen solid but we managed to get on the road this morning and head to Dunkeld, home of Rebecca with Chamfron by Dand and Chamfron Firefly.  Then we were met by Jessica with Chamfron Colorado who had driven over from Fort William.  The three boys went out a hack together while Sammy stayed home and supervised the donkey.  Brutally cold but very bright and the views from the look out were outstanding, you can see as far as Edinburgh.  A big day out for Cactus, the furthest he's been in the trailer, somewhere new, with an extra pal and culverts to navigate, big scary horse eating culverts.  He will sleep well tonight!














Tuesday, 31 December 2024

Round Up - 2024

There have been lovely updates on so many horses but the star of the show this year was Chamfron by Dand, 462 km in 2024, three successful 80km rides, gaining his Gold final and then winner of the two day 60km at the Championships.  From a very ill foal to a veteran still improving and still out enjoying his endurance rides, I am not one to hold a grudge (ha, anyone that knows me, knows I hold a grudge to eternity!) but this season proved the Red Dragon last year was a joke, or at least a very poor decision.  Anyway, next year he gets to step back and nanny Cactus round some pleasures, or one, dependant on how the first goes... 

Why do I do these reviews mid winter, it is difficult not to be somewhat flat, though so far the weather has been kind and the boys (Cactus and Spider) are happy and well.  I have aimed to move a little more this year and have managed an additional 300 miles compared with last year, that said the last three months have been very sluggish and once again I need to do more (much more) to try and offset the weight gain.

I'm always a little bemused how often people underestimate me but this year has been an absolute belter for everyone and all their neighbours having an opinion.  I have to remind myself that being underestimated is generally an advantage and with regards to a certain house sale I knew exactly what I was doing!  There are no more house sales planned for at least the next decade.

At times I felt I lost myself a little in 2024 and I'm not planning on that carrying on in 2025, it's not "New Year, New You" it is back to being "Me".

Monday, 30 December 2024

Chamfron Outings

Chamfron Tizona has been out around the Forest of Dean with the Offas Dyke EGB group and Chamfron Toledo has been to his first arena event, jumping a double clear and qualifying for 80cm ACE championships.



Saturday, 28 December 2024

Keep Moving - Week 52

Back to mild weather this week (fifteen degrees in late December) so I managed to ride more and we had a walk around Edinburgh after dinner on Christmas Day.  I picked an old favourite of a dress for dinner, a taupe cashmere that has seen many Christmases, then I started to laugh as I looked in the mirror, it looked exactly like an over full tattie sack tied in the middle with string, my late forties have not been kind to my waistline.  Did a new to us walk on Friday, up the South Esk from Temple to Goreglen then we got lots of miles in walking around Edinburgh and along the water of leith on Saturday.  We did manage a cocktail stop or two and lunch at Fazendas.  We finished off in the Polar Ice Bar, drinking our vodka in frozen glasses (which then get recycled to top up the ice rink further along George street) and posing with the ice sculptures.