Chamfron Almendra - 5 years old

Chamfron Almendra has had her first full season of polo including playing in several finals, she has been based with Ben Eeley Polo.

Sunny Sunday stroll

Sun, sea, sand, sunflowers, splashes, seabuckthorn and seaglass!

Chamfron Mojito

Lovely to visit Rowena and Mojito at his new yard yesterday, I even got to have a wee sit on him!  I basically bobbled about on top and commented on what a powerful trot he has, I seem to have got rather too used to my trundling pony.  He feels lovely and safe and straight but you also see moments of the really smart horse he is going to be.  As well as being unable to ride I also couldn't work the camera, out of practise with both!!

Covid 19, Lockdown, Life

Today it is the Autumn Equinox and I always feel it is a time for reflection, tomorrow it will be six months since the start of lockdown and we are in a situation where cases are starting to rise again.  The way the statistics are recorded changes on a regular basis and it is near impossible to know what the gravity of the situation actually is, it does rather feel lies, damn lies and statistics to be honest.  There have been more restrictions added today, a 10pm curfew for pubs, no sharing your car with people who don't live with you and no visiting other households, though you can of course meet those same people in the pub, before ten.  The vulnerable have not been asked to shield and the priority is to keep schools open.  It seems convoluted, pointless and relentless now.  Before the additional measures work had already confirmed we would not be back in the office before 2021.  

We've had weekends away, some lovely days out and I've explored around my doorstep more than I ever would of in normal circumstances.  I've spoken to my good friends as often as normal and not heard a peep from others, I've questioned myself a fair bit on other peoples behaviour.

I have, like many, put on weight during lockdown, I fear I am probably too heavy for Spidey but he did manage a squeak and a bounce the other night and he's had a play up the stubbles.  He's been giving the odd riding lesson to little people as well.  He is currently looking particularly handsome having been shorn, it gets earlier every year!!

Leaderfoot

A different view of Leaderfoot and the sun shining on the Tweed tonight.

Out for lunch!

So we went for lunch... at the Clachaig Inn!  Falls of Leny, Balquhidder, Rob Roy's grave, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Signal Rock and then because the A82 was closed due to an accident Appin, Connel, Taynuilt and Dalmally.  About 400 miles!  Photos absolutely don't do justice to Glencoe in the glorious sunshine with its towering mountains and lochs like glass.

Corsbie Castle

One of the best bits of my job is that you find yourself stumbling on things you would never normally see.  Today it was Corsbie Castle, a 16th century tower house which is really quite imposing.  It sits on a raised bit of ground (and is surrounded by a boggy area which is almost moat like) and would have been five stories high with six foot thick walls.

Watching...

Osito watching the action at polo, his yard mate Perdita was playing, as was Estrella, I believe Yolanda and Calandria are also at Cheshire (all by Arrayan Numa).