18th September 2020

Quiet canters for the horses yesterday. This morning we started early and got eight horses away for the morning. Le Grand Fromage, Luck of The Legion, Polydora, Thais Toir, Quick Draw, Outlaw Jesse James, Red Nika, Dorking Boy all worked before we left, the other horses either went in the pessoa or had quiet canters.

Dorking Rogue, Roger Rarebit, Nocte Volatus, New Moon, Glory and Honour, Scipion, Algesiras and unnamed four-year-old all went to Lambourn. Stan fell off but we will keep that quiet. Apparently, a low flying aircraft flew over. I think Stan imagined it as no one else saw or heard it. They worked up the back of the hill and jumped some hurdles in good style. Len Attrill was there to see New Moon. 

All horses seem in good order. Whilst riding out in Lambourn two things dawned on me. Firstly, how fit horses are these days, when I worked in Lambourn horses used to regularly blow up when working up the back of the hill. The back of the hill is considered a very good gallop which takes some getting. I was lighter then than I am now and nothing used to carry me up the back of the hill like our horses do now, even the ones with lesser ability than others seem to get up there with more ease than of old. That can only be put down to the level of fitness horses now require to be competitive on the racecourse. Secondly, how lucky I am that I still have the nerve to ride work and school horses. I couldn’t imagine being a trainer swanking around in a jeep wearing jeans, deck shoes, baseball cap holding my phone to my ear. I would find the whole experience incredibly unrewarding and boring. 

Since the inception of my thoughts page we have raised over six thousand pounds for Katharine House Hospice. Whenever, I have made a donation I have always received an email thanking me for doing so. Today the lady in charge rang to put a voice to the name and find out why such regular donations were being made. The care my parents got in the hospice was world class, they struggle for funding and I’m immensely proud to be able to do something in the hope that they can continue offering such an amazing care for dying peoples. They now understand a little more of what I do and how the money is being raised. As a result of understanding a little more they will endeavor to promote my thoughts page via their social media platforms and possibly local newspapers. Hopefully, helping to raise even more much needed funding.  A very big thank you must go to all those who have subscribed to the page and to those who have made additional donations. Your donations are making a big difference to someone somewhere.