A hard act to follow

A good blog should always start with a good picture. So, as there have been no horse or rugby-related activities taking place this week, I thought a photo of my old horse, Sail, have to do. Isn't she lovely?

Nothing much has been happening this week apart from work, college and a funeral. I should be preparing for a presentation that I'm giving with my study group on Wednesday. We have our first rehearsal on Monday afternoon. I've been working hard all week to put the finishing touches to a process I've been working on that I have to demo on Monday morning. Unfortunately I've been fiddling and have managed to over-complicate things. I think we're 90% there. It's just the other 10% I'm worried about.

This time last year I had no inkling that I would be doing the job I'm doing. Last year I spent most of my time system testing (yuk!). I've spent the last six months actually doing proper system development, programming and everything and it's BRILL! It's not easy and I find it quite challenging basically cos I don't really know what I'm doing and there are no instruction manuals but I love it!

I'll love it even more when we 'go live' with my big project in January. Before then, I've got to bottom out the processes, produce the training materials and, my biggest headache, write the reports! The reporting package we'll be using is one that I'm not familiar with. I just hope I can get to grips with it sooner rather than later cos there's no time for messing about!

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

Autumn is really on its way now. Misty mornings and even a bit of a nip in the air! It's only a matter of weeks before the clocks go back and it'll be leaving home in the dark and getting home in the dark.

But the one good thing about the autumn is that the rugby season is underway (and I'm not talking the Rugby World Cup!). Two wins out of two for the Tigers, although this week's match against arch-rivals Barf wasn't one of the best demonstration of freeflowing rugby I've ever seen but as they say, a win's a win.

It was good to see some of the new boys performing well. The pre-season preparation seems to have paid off. Five matches instead of the usual two. Let's hope the boys aren't exhausted by the end of the season! And just because I remembered to take my camera yesterday, here's a gratuitous shorts shot!

I left my camera at home!

Boo!

Yesterday I took Smem to the first Team Chase of the season, the Belvoir at Garthorpe near Melton Mowbray. No there was no bad language but we did arrive a bit late and the rest of the team had already started walking the course so I went round with her. OK I'm really really unfit and it was quite a warm day so by the end I was a bit puffed to say the least.

The course was lovely. 23 fences, mainly hedges but with some more tricky post and rails, ditches, hanging logs and a lovely water obstacle with resident ducks! All set in the most beautiful rolling Leicestershire countryside.

Unfotunately we were positively well-prepared compared with another team member who shall remain nameless. Teenagers. What can you do with them? She'd managed to leave her bridle at home! Did we have a spare? Did we fairycakes! Fortunately some kind soul lent her a large bridle. After quite a bit of adjustment and a knot in the throat lash, and nicking Ramin's martingale, they were ready to go.

Poor Ramin, not even a neckstrap to hold onto. Never mind, that's what manes are for. I always feel quite bad at team chases . I'm the only one who doesn't get nervous because I'm not a parent. I don't mind ending up with bruises though as I feel I should provide support by letting the other mums grab my arm when they get really worried.

Woo was the pacemaker. Now Woo gets a bit upset if anyone overtakes him. Charlie B was second. Charlie is an ex racehorse and loves to race but his rider had been given strict instructions NOT to overtake Woo but to ride in huge circles if necessary. Zoy came third as, although she loves to race she's got really good brakes but she's not really bold enough (yet) to lead the team. And bringing up the rear was dependable Ramin. Not a very speedy chap and the smallest at only 14.2.

The girls were brilliant! We fully expected that Woo would set a cracking pace and make a real race out of it. Fortunately they all looked after each other really well, making sure that they all stayed fairly close together. Even Charlie was under control! He stayed behind Woo like a little lamb.

In the event, the team "Blink and U've missed Em" were too fast for the optimum time, but still managed to come 7th out of 32 teams.

Brilliant.

Sadly next week's team chase has been cancelled because of the Foot and Mouth. Otherwise I'd say those girls were really on a roll!

It's Back!

I've just heard on the radio that, contrary to popular belief, the Foot and Mouth outbreak is NOT over. Restrictions were due to be lifted soon but there's been another reported outbreak about 10 miles from the original ones in Surrey.

So everything stops again. I keep thinking how hard it would be to lose all your stock. And how especially hard it would be for Smem to lose her lovely cows, Lily and Nellie. She's had them since they were a couple of days old and she raised all by herself. Not bad for a 10 year old! (and here's the lovely Lily just days before giving birth to her firstborn, Lila).

On Sunday we sat surrounded by 35 heifers, all curious and interested in us, but also very contented in the sunshine. It's probably difficult for people to understand who don't keep livestock but there's something very tranquil about cattle.

The nicest time is when the bull is lying down surrounded by calves. You can almost imagine them thinking "We're hanging out with our Daddy"! I tried to persuade Annie that she should put a web-cam up in the field so people could dip into their everyday lives.

Well, it'd be more interesting than a lot of the webcams out there!

Bouncing Like Tigger

Today we took Zorya loose schooling again. This time in the outdoor school, so there were a few distractions, namely the horses in the next field who thought she looked a bit nice!

After a few goes round riderless, we tacked Zorya up and Emma got Smem to go at a nice steady trot, with lots of outside rein to help Zoy bend her body better. I know, it sounds a bit wierd that you have to keep your outside rein tight for a good inside bend but it works. It also makes Smem ride as though she'd holding a tray but I expect it'll feel more natural eventually!

Then she had a go at the bounce. Now normally it's impossible to get Zorya to jump from a trot so they've been practicing so she's more able to pick her own stride. It certainly seems to be working. Next week we're concentrating on canter. Going right back to basics seems to be working well. Fingers Crossed!

I want to try it with Ruby! It might improve my balance!

Viva Los Pumas!

Time: 8pm
Date: 7 September 2007
Venue: Stade de France, St Denis, Paris, France
Event: Opening match of the Rugby World Cup 2007
Protagonists: Les Bleus (France) v Los Pumas (Argentina)
Attendance: 80,000 including 1 brass band & 1 cockrel

I never doubted that Argentina had the potential to spoil the party. I'm just particularly glad that Marcelo Loffreda, the Argentina coach, is going to be on our side soon! His game plan worked perfectly against a French side full of first night nerves. It's very easy to point the finger at the weaknesses in team selection after the event, its a different matter to analyse each individual's strengths and weaknesses and to take full advantage of that knowledge and that's exactly what the Pumas did.

Having seen them perform last night, I wonder if we might be able to add to our single Argentine player, Marcos Ayerza, with a couple more over the next few seasons. He's one of the best props in the Premiership and he didn't even make the bench for last night's game!

And all this from a side who don't have a place in the main international competitions, relying on summer tours and one-off games. I just hope they've got the stamina to get through to the next round, although from a selfish point of view it would be better for the Tigers if they got knocked out at the pool stage so we could have our new coach!

Ruby's So Excited!

I decided to have a quick ride after work on Monday evening while Annie was lunging Zorya. Apparently Smem was supposed to ride but didn't get up until late etc etc and didn't manage to ride so Annie was on exercise duties!

I decided to stick to the set-aside. There's a really really huge field with a good headland all the way round so we did a walk and trot round to warm up then we managed to canter down one whole side. Probably about a quarter of a mile. Then had a little jump over a fallen branch. I say a fallen branch, it was little more than a twig but Ruby was very keen and got all excited and flew over it a couple of times.

That was enough for me. I really must have some lessons. Ruby's great cos she adores jumping but I always worry that she's going to trip over or something stoopid because she has her own very distinct style.

But she can jump! The day she arrived, we turned her out in the paddock. After a few minutes' consideration she walked away from the fence, turned and trotted two strides then jumped into the next field. Fortunately she didn't know what to do next so just stood still until I caught her. The fence comes up to my chest and I'm 5ft 8! Smem swears she jumped over this hedge too - once with her on board and once with her friend, Hattie, riding. I kept thinking 'no that's not possible' but I keep the photo on my phone so I can threaten to show it to Hattie's mum! They're still at an age where they have no fear. Doobie does love jumping and I'm sure she knows that's what she's going to be doing. She's like a different horse!

Some horses are perfect

Smem is always asking me about the horse I had when I was her age. Sail's reputation had obviously been imprinted on Smem at an early age and she's forever asking me about the things we did together, our accomplishments, how high she could jump, whether Annie really went team chasing on her etc etc.

..........She did. Yes, Smem, that's a photo of your wussy mother! Oh, and for Rising Rainbow, Team Chasing is when a group of four riders go around a cross country course (rustic solid fences - mainly hedges and post and rails) against the clock. It's fast and furious and fairly dangerous. Some courses have a 'dressing fence' where the object is for all four riders to jump together, but most of the way round they go one after the other so you need a good lead horse that won't stop but also won't go too fast so that everyone else gets left behind. No cows or sheep are involved. Annie's team actually got the 'dressing' prize in this competition.

When we were looking for a horse for Annie I always tried to remember how it was that we found Sail and that feeling of just knowing that she was the right horse for me.

No of course she wasn't perfect. She had the uncanny knack of finding the tiniest bit of soiled straw in her box, however carefully you mucked out. She had to be chained up because she chewed through ropes on a regular basis and could strike with the speed of a snake when she was in a bad mood (which was whenever you touched her). She would jump out of anywhere you put her if she felt like it and would leg it back up the road to her field.

But as soon as you were on her back she could really turn it on. She could go from quiet old nag to showjumper to ladies hunter to team chaser at the drop of a hat. And if we'd had horseball then, she'd probably have been happy doing that too.

No pimped raspberry ruffles today. I decided to go for a hack on Ruby. Considering she's done hardly any work this year, she was suprisingly fit. It shouldn't be very long before she's back to her usual self. We mainly walked (Ruby has a fantastic big walk - it's her plough-pulling genes coming through) and did a bit of trotting. I was most pleased that she opened and closed gates without any problems (after that horrific gate-related incident) and we cantered a couple of circles without striking off on the wrong leg or bucking or anything. She was hardly sweating when we got back.

We've decided to take Ruby the next time Zorya goes for her loose schooling. Not that she needs any encouragement. Apparently Emma's done it with her before and she absolutely loves it! Ruby has got an enormous jump and has no fear (or no sense, one or the other).

Oops I nearly forgot

I've been off work this week - not for any reason in particular, just cos I wanted a bit of a break before we 'go live' with a project at the end of September. Only now it's been put back to the end of October.

Anyway, I had a few things I planned to do including cutting the hedge in my back garden (partly done), taking stuff to the tip (partly done) and I've just remembered I intended to pimp a Raspberry Ruffle (as in Pimp that Snack).

I did a giant Jaffa Cake for the boy Thos' birthday earlier in the year and I fancied having another go. It all makes perfect sense to me anyway. I just need to get some raspberry milk shake syrup and some plain chocolate. I think I've got the dessicated coconut!

Additional photo of said pimped snack. Unfortunately I couldn't find the one with the candles on it. I think it's still on my phone!

Ruby's Wintec and Gullet

I really really didn't make up 'Ruby's Wintec (brand of saddle) and Gullet (metal tree that can be changed to fit different-sized horses)' and here's the photos to prove it. I managed to get a new medium gullet but it's still too wide for Zorya. So I took it back to my local saddler's, Apollo Saddlery and I've now got a medium narrow on order. They're always very helpful and have various sizes of horse to that you can try stuff on if you're not sure of the size!

Smem and Annie took Zoyzie loose schooling at Emma's yesterday morning. Apparently she was very good. She's been stopping for no apparent reason (we think it's all in her head). Anyway, she did still stop a bit but got a lot more confident in her jumping. She favours one rein much more than the other. This was amply demonstrated when she decided to turn round and go the wrong way round the jumping lane without any encouragement or prompting from the 'handlers'.

And here are some gratuitous photos of Tiger going for a paddle. He's not terribly keen on water and managed to fall in whilst trying to follow Smem up onto the bank. Unfortunately his (not so) little tummy got in the way so he couldn't get his back legs out!