well exercised

me, that is, if not molly so much.

muck out etc; poo pick field; then joint effort removing the remains of some haylage, wewon't do that one again and now see why YM & YO don't like that!  

finally took molly out for longlining inthe field.  not for too long, probably no moare than about 15 minutes, ensuring i had control and direction. Charlie spent the time running about, or standing at the gate as if we'd suddenly reappear!  not sure he quite twigs that the mare walking round the field on longlines is his friend who hasn't gone far...

then after tea we went back into Durham with the new camera on different settings, think we've got much better pics.

so shattered again as well!  but a nice change from our normal weekend nights!

wind and rain

it was a howling gale this morning and forecast to last the day, but didn't... trouble was, time we got there this afternoon, my friend couldnt' ride as her youngest was ill (teething!) and then it rained...loads of daylight, but rain...pah.

i decided on the flexions again, as if i'd tried to set off i would have lost the light before i got back, time it stopped raining..

so stood molly on the hardstanding outside the stable.

she was very square... and we eventually got a down .. then a second ... but then she decided she liked that but didn't want to do any of the others.

but i was pleased to get the "down", anyway ...and she was standing still!

this evening, we went into durham, having learnt that there was a light show.. a few installation artists with various light effects here and there.. the best was the front of the cathedral, but neither camera has caught it all very well...partners new one woudl have done but it was only bought this afternoon and we're still getting to know it, so didn't turn out at all.. mine, dull and you dont get the full effect ... but here's one, and another of the cathedral from the other side of the river looking ghostly 

and this was in a shop window, very effective...

another "doh" moment...

so i'd started splitting her feed between tea and breakfast .. went down this morning and put breakfast in .. Doh!  can't work her. Doh!  revert to previous practice of no breakfast! (or breakfast after ... depending on the weather) - haynet whilst she has her massage will do! 
can't believe i did that.

poo picked the field instead...

roofer...

man was supposed to turn up this morning to sort out some missing tiles on our roof, so rather than take advantage of the reasonable weather this morning, i was home by 0730 so as to be sure to be ready as and when he arrived.

he didn't arrive.

pah.

went round to his boss's this pm ... i love seeing that man apologise! :-)

and scrubbed molly's feet out as the rain started, then on the way home remembered i'd left washing on the line! oops! 

and yes, jean, gaynor found her keys, in the dark! very impressed with that!

crutches in the dark...

are scary things, especially when accompanied by disembodied torches and voices...

happily, not mine or my friend's but a friend of hers who was helping her find her keys in the field .... coming back, i had molly tied up outside cleaning her feet and all we could see was light and hear voice and crutches on the lane - scary all round, molly got away (but didn't go far) and charlie was upset in his stable.. but he was in the bad books anyway, having lost gaynor whilst out for a ride and come galloping back to talk to molly. and thank the lord he did, as the alternative was EITHER the other side of the lane through to under the bridge, where he can't get through OR the cattle grid! 

He'd been a bad lad on the way back from his hack, the fault of molly who'd shouted for him, and in the course of trying to turn himself inside out slipped on some soft ground so gaynor lost her stirrup and came off; in course of that, she lost her house keys, so that's what they'd been trying to find.


I went down this morning with a view to doing something, but the drive down to the yard was accompanied by the windscreen wipers going, so turned them out - and guess what?  it stopped again!


must sort out the batteries for my head torch, for purposes of washing and spraying feet in the dark.  There is an outside light, but you end up in your own shadow anyway.


Happily, i already owned some milton, so mild solution made up in old milk bottle and decanted into already available and empty spray thingy.

in hand along the lane

only for 10 minutes, if that, but it was good, both reins, straight lines only (no room for circles) and a little bit of move sideways.  We haven't done this for a while, so didn't want to do too much; then tried for flexions on the hardstanding.  At least she stood still!  but i couldn't get her to stand square very well, but we did get a couple of "downs" at least.

That was after the vet had been to do her annual booster.  

And she has thrush; so must dig out milton and make a solution to spray on, having scrubbed feet, every night....

coold

i know, it's colder in scotland..

too cold this morning, and freezing fog this evening! frozen tap this morning so i've taken the hose off tonight, save that freezing as well....