The Eye Of The Tiger

As the weather has been pretty awful for the last few weeks we have been keeping most of our equine chums in their barn and stables overnight. As they are free roaming creatures I was a bit concerned that they might be bored. I need not have worried. I went out last night quite late on to check that they were ok, as I left the house I could hear the thump thump thump of some heavy dub-step coming from nearby. I rounded the corner and made my way to the barn but my way was barred by a pair of Door-Cats.

                                          "I'm sorry Sir, it's members only tonight"

Over Sharkey's shoulder all I could see was flashing lights and was that DJ DJ slamming the platters on the decks ? Surely not.

                                  Making sure everyone is sorted for E's and Whizz

I have to say that I was a little surprised to see the Sharkmeister on the door as she is only a small cat however this morning I caught her in one of her sparring sessions with the aptly named Rocky.

  What happens is that Sharkey sits on the fencepost, Rocky strolls over and nudges her, she then turns round and goes back on her haunches and punches him in the face. One day we will capture it on video and make a fortune.

                               "Do that one more time and you'll get a thump"

And they're off

Carly is a very friendly and indeed popular horse, at least with people who don't know him. He loves to go out on adventures, providing that they are not too adventurous of course. He has been out most weekends to various rides and hacks and is usually greeted by lots of people and new equine friends most of whom say how lovely he is. This is, to him, a good thing.

                                                   Who is a lovely boy then ?

Today H loaded him into the trailer, or Carly's conveyance as it is known, to go off for a ride around Nordy Bank Iron age Hillfort, which is about five miles from here. With a nice net of haylage to keep him occupied on his journey he was looking forward to another fun day out. When they arrived he dismounted and looked around to see who had come to see him and go and have fun. No one, nada, not a soul. he couldn't believe it. As he later said to Rocky, "There is only one Billy No mates and it isn't me"

Although his breeding was for showing we did think about racing him once. "Pah ha ha ha ". Sorry, that was Kavi showing his thoughts on that idea. As much as I love racing I'm not sure that it would be ideal for our equines. Carly would enjoy going around the parade ring whilst everyone said how lovely he was. When his jockey was up he would do his lovely extended trot down to the start before standing stock still watching all the other horses tearing off saying "Well done, good show, now where are my polo mints?" before cantering grandly back to his stable for a hard earned snack whilst congratulating himself on another job well done .

This would be seen as a great success compared with what would happen if, God forbid, Rooster was entered. First off he would have the crowd lined up in straight lines. He would be wringing his head and getting in a right state. When he went to see the first fence that would be it. He would have it coned off straight away as a trip hazard, he would herd all the horses behind the starting line until he was happy for them to leave , which would only be when all the hazards had been removed

                                  Exhausted by a long and complicated risk assessment

Finally tomorrow is the Betfair chase at Haydock, I don't know who will win but one thing's for sure none of them will be able to hold a candle to King Kauto.

                                                             Nearly as fast as Kavi

Horses and more horses first !

Aaarghh a blank page and a blog to write. how long has it been ? Oh goodness I'm sorry. Actually I'm lucky to be here at all. H and I had a day out today and got back after dark. The four horses of the apocalypse are currently occupying the NLND's field. This field is turning into an infirmary, Rooster is recovering from a poorly leg, Rocky impaled himself on a blackthorn (ooohhh), Kavi is looking sad so there must be something wrong with him too.

                                    "Baffled Veterinary science I have "

So anyway we went to collect them from the field, I put the headcollar on Kavi and led him to the gate while H assured me that she would guard the gate while I extracted the Worcester three mile chase winner. "No, Carly" were nearly the last words  I heard as the small blonde one was pushed aside and Rooster and Carly barged out bumping into me and K who reacted in a calm and measured manner for about two seconds before leaping into the air and throwing the most immense buck, I still have the burns on my hand from gripping the rope too hard. Rooster and Carly , now that they were free, trotted calmly off to the barn to await tea. I suppose that it was no good saying "I told you that this would happen".

I have become addicted to the Game of Thrones books recently, I know, I know, but one gets sooo bored with reading A la recherce du temps perdu in the original French, and lets be honest nothing much happens for about 200 pages of most Kafka novels .Anyway I have been espousing them so much that Darcy Dawg has started reading them too
Here he is explaining the plot to me.

                                     "I like the bits about the Wolves"

Ari has been busy too, this chap appeared in the barn, but sadly the Hound has no Gagnam Style and what the photo does not show is Ari attached to the guy's bottom.

                              "Sexy Sexy dogggeee ....owwwww"


I suppose that a trip to Korea is out of the question then