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Despite our concern about Deano's, the old fella travelled really well. He arrived at Lambourn as cool as a cucumber, and stood in the lorry for at least half an hour whilst we were waiting to be called for the Parade. He just looked out of the window patiently even when kids on ponies whizzed by. We have decided that he has a signature walk when he is on show, he sticks his nose out in a very determined and individual fashion. Nothing fazed him at all, even when some Shire horses came up close. He strutted his stuff, took everything in, got back in the lorry as good as gold and came back here as cool as he had arrived at Lambourn.
This is good news, we haven't paraded him for two years because he travelled so badly last time, it now means that we can take him elsewhere without too many qualms.
It is always interesting for us to realise how greatly he is still held in people's affection. Countless folk came up to us to admire him, and reminisce about his victories on the racecourse and his occasional bouts of stubborness.
Eddy is now alot better, he has been on quite alot of medication which seems to be clearing up the abcess on his back and he is no longer so uncomfortable. He is much happier out in the field with his pals now but we can't get a rug on him as yet, so we are keeping a close eye on him to make sure that this current deluge of rain doesn't make him too cold.
It is half term, (the children come back next week). We took advantage of the unused classroom to welcome Andrew Poynton, our consultant farrier here, to hold his Imprint Sport Shoe Advanced Farriery Techniques Training Course. We brought in Proprius, Seigneur de Paus, Just Jim and Double Rainbow for Andrew and his trainees to work on. Proprius, was the only horse that slightly blotted his copy book by behaving a little badly, but other than that I gather the day was a success.
The new cloakroom is of great benefit to us for all kinds of reasons, it is great to be able to hold these kinds of days here and to be able to provide the proper facilities.
Robbie gave up a couple of days of his holiday to try and sort out the ruts on the track that the tractors made when they were clearing out the slurry lagoon. Mikey got some grass seed and with luck the place may look a little smarter in time for our Open Day.