The end of the decade

I saw a quote early in the year "Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats" - my singing is dire so I mostly sing in the car, alone, but I also said yes more and it paid off again and again (though brilliantly surreally never actually how I expected it to!)  So I have a new job I absolutely love and a life / work balance that is fantastic.

So has 2019 been a walk in the park...?  Well, the highs have been incredible and the two crashing lows absolute belters.  So here's the elephant in the room, I missed having the one person who really knew me.  When you reach out and say "shit this is bloody tough" and everyone says "you'll be OK, you are always OK" it's pretty bloody lonely.  Am I OK?  Of course, I'm always OK.

I travelled more, five countries visited and a WAY (Widowed and Young) trip to Dubrovnik that was an absolute tonic at the most perfect time.

Highlights horse wise?  Well the Pony Club Polo Championships where Kahlua and Bombero (one by each stallion!) proved they are what they were bred to be, talented AND kind.  The next batch of polo ponies are coming up behind them with Almendra, Estrella, Chaco, Perdita and Osito all playing chukkas and very much looking the business.  Then there is Chamfron Colorado, how lucky am I to get such incredible photos of him, living his best life up in Fort William? 

With the youngest of the Chamfrons now three we are starting to see the last of them come out under saddle.  The older horses have mostly reached a happy level, not generally limited by their own talent but like dear Spidey, by their owners ambitions, enthusiasm and time.  And so the blog will keep evolving, I look back at the early years and there is an awareness that the world has moved on, things I simply wouldn't say or do now, but then we were never particularly politically correct anyway.  If it becomes nothing but my diary thats just fine.

Arrayan has moved onto a new home, he won't stand at stud again, I'm good with that, really good, Criollos aren't for everyone and his stock were too special to see them in the wrong homes.  He will see out his years happily hacking and being hugged.  I think when you are involved with a rare breed you have to be passionate about them, you market them hard, your life revolves around sharing this amazing thing you've found.  I'd say we made a success of it but it wasn't always easy.

2019 has been a fabulous year for me, I had to row bloody hard at times but the lifeboat came ashore in a really good place!