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Starting from number six there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo page of Bliss and Misty.

Bliss and Misty galloping.

Bliss and Misty on their warm up.

Bliss.

Misty.

The grass Gallops at Chantilly. The men are there two fill in the divots after the Horses have passed.

As the drainage work on the Farm was going so well and I seemed to be standing around doing nothing, I decided to make a quick dash to France to see how Bliss and Misty were doing. I managed to book a seat on the 2.04pm Eurostar to Paris, leaving the Farm at 10.am, arriving at the Trainers Stables in Chantilly at about 7.0pm Tuesday evening.

On arriving at the stables I went straight to see Bliss and Misty. Both Fillies had their heads down eating their hay. I would like to think that they remembered me for as when I called their names they came straight over to the stable door. In the rush to catch my trains I had forgotten the Herbie treats, it did make me feel guilty.

I ate with the Trainer and his Family and had the use of the guest cottage for the night. Trouble was that as you go through the Channel Tunnel the clocks go forward an hour. The Trainer and his Family turned in at 10.30pm, in UK time it was 9.30pm. As there was nothing else to do I made my way to the cottage. There was no television either, I had never been to bed so early since I was at School.

Even with going to bed early the night before I still managed to miss the first group of Horses on the morning 6.30am training session. After breakfast it was time to see Bliss and Misty on the 8.30am training session. I so much enjoyed seeing them work it seemed it was over before it had started. The group of Horses that Bliss and Misty were with did their warming up and then went to the grass gallops. I thought that they would have done a warm up canter on the grass before any galloping, so I wasn’t that concerned about getting a photograph on the gallops, until it was that I realised that the first run was going to be the only opportunity to get a photograph, so it was taken a bit in haste, that made me take the photograph to quickly so that Bliss and Misty were to far away and unrecognisable in the photograph. As it was the only photograph a friend enlarged it for me. It has turned out really well.

After seeing the other training sessions it was time for a quick lunch with the Trainer at a restaurant that he was meant to have lunch with a group of people with Monty Roberts the so called Horse Whisper, who I was introduced to, but not before I had scrounged a few carrots from the Trainers kitchen to give to Bliss and Misty before I left. After lunch I got the train back to Paris for the 4.15pm Eurostar back to London. The connections once back in the UK went well and I arrived back home in time to feed the Badgers last night.

Bliss and Misty are doing really well, but we wont know if they will make it until they start to race. They should have been racing by now, but there is a problems with the Export Certificate that the transport people should have applied for when they travelled to France last November. We cant name them until all the paper work is in order. To do that the Horse passports needed to be returned to the UK from France. They were sent from France early last week and should have arrived in the UK by Monday gone at the latest. They have not arrived, so new passports will need to be applied for if they haven’t been received by the coming Monday. That will need a Veterinary describing on paper all of Bliss and Mist body markings, and a renewable passport fee that is more than one we would have to pay for.

The dash to France was a hard two days, but it was well worth it to see Bliss and Misty. Trouble was the drainage work was not finished when I got back to the Farm and I had to help top get it finished.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.

The first one was taken from our balcony in Innsbruck last week. My hubby took me away to celebrate my 50th birthday. The views were stunning. You can just see the ski jump in the distance. Liz (North Yorkshire)

Photo of a Swan on her nest at Markeaton Park in Derby. Vicky.

MY SWEET LITTLE CAT TIGGS WHO WE LOST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SHE WAS REALLY TINY AND VERY AFRAID OF EVERYTHING APART FROM US. LYNNE.

Waterfall at Wookie Hole. Bec.

The Lizard was on a pile of ash from my bonefire not alight luckily. It looks too green for a common Lizard and is unlikely to be a sand Lizard, any ideas? CH.

I have only just finished work, so there will only be an update on Bliss and Misty. I spoke to the trainer earlier today. Both are training well. Bliss is still throwing her riders off. She gets very excited when working and spins around, dumping her riders onto the ground. The trainer is not that worried about it and feels that she will get out of it.

Misty may well have a breathing problem called Soft Pallet. It causes course breathing in Horses. and could well be a problem when she is working hard. I will tell you more about the condition tomorrow.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.

The first one was taken from our balcony in Innsbruck last week. My hubby took me away to celebrate my 50th birthday. The views were stunning. You can just see the ski jump in the distance. Liz (North Yorkshire)

Photo of a Swan on her nest at Markeaton Park in Derby. Vicky.

MY SWEET LITTLE CAT TIGGS WHO WE LOST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SHE WAS REALLY TINY AND VERY AFRAID OF EVERYTHING APART FROM US. LYNNE.

Waterfall at Wookie Hole. Bec.

The Lizard was on a pile of ash from my bonefire not alight luckily. It looks too green for a common Lizard and is unlikely to be a sand Lizard, any ideas? CH.

I have only just finished work, so there will only be an update on Bliss and Misty. I spoke to the trainer earlier today. Both are training well. Bliss is still throwing her riders off. She gets very excited when working and spins around, dumping her riders onto the ground. The trainer is not that worried about it and feels that she will get out of it.

Misty may well have a breathing problem called Soft Pallet. It causes course breathing in Horses. and could well be a problem when she is working hard. I will tell you more about the condition tomorrow.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. Getting short of photographs again.

How would you like a ride on this, THE BIG ONE, Blackpool. Elsie.

My little terror….sorry Terrier!
From Judy.

Charlie the plastic Heron ,getting looked over by a real Heron in lancashire Angela

I dont know were this was one of my children sent it to me Angela

Windsor Castle taken last July. PM.

For the past two night our broadband connection must have gone down for a minute or two. When I got up yesterday morning the webcams were off. When I came down about 4.am this morning they were off again. When they do go off I can see what time it has happened. Both times it was about 1.am. I will check them at about 1.30am overnight to see if they have gone down, Ill turn them back if they have.

I spoke to the Veterinary today about Emmi seeping colostrum from her teats. If she doesn’t have the Foal soon we may have a bit of a problem. What ever happens the Foal will need the colostrum otherwise there is very little chance of it living for more than a short while. Emmi is not loosing a vast amount of the colostrum, but an amount that if she stands in one place for any length of time it is noticeable on the ground. We will have to wait and see and hope that she Foals very soon.

There has been a herd of Red Deer in the valley on and off for the past few weeks. I counted seven last night, but I should think that there would have been more in the woods. Going by the Forum this morning, with a couple of people seeing them this morning, drinking out of the stream they must have stayed all night. They could be the Herd that were involved in the Rut that we had here in the Autumns. Until a few years back, most years some gave birth in a clearing in the wood on the left hand side of the valley. We only ever saw one Calf in all of that time. At the time I wasn’t very pleased to see them, they would eat a lot of my grass that we needed for the Cattle that we kept. Now we only make hay from the grass. As much as I would like to have the hay, its good to know that the Deer are having it. With a bit of luck the Deer may give birth here, and who knows we may see a Calf.

I got a photograph from Bliss and Misty’s Trainer today. It was of Misty on the gallops. It is not because she is my Horse, but she looks really good. I am not going to put the photograph on the Photo page until I get a photograph of Bliss, the Trainer said he will try he would try to send one tonight. All going well I will be able to put two on tomorrow.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here is a photo from Denbury!! Ewey, up in the field, all alone – perhaps she should be renamed Greta Garbo! “I want to be alone” Julia.

St Davids cathedral in Pembrokeshire such a lovely place. Lynne.

This was our pond at 9.00 a m today. Rose W’canton.

A waterfall inside one of the domes at the Eden Project. Sue.

Concorde taking off at Leeds Bradford Airport. There used to be hundreds there to see it and it used to go over the top of our house. Elsie.

Just a quick update on Bliss and Misty after speaking to their Trainer this afternoon, as I have a lot on tonight. Both are still doing very well. Cantering side by side with other Horses. A couple of weeks back Bliss was having a few tantrums. Throwing her head about whilst being ridden. She is growing up and it is just her feeling her feet to see what she can get away with. She tried it on here when she was being broken. She stopped it after a few days and got back to her self. I don’t mind seeing this in a Horse, it shows spirit. The Trainer went and purchased himself a posh camera this week. He has promised to send me a few photographs of Bliss and Misty next week.

Mr Farmer, Elaine asked for this so could you either send it on to her or put in the forum. Regards, Elsie.

MISS ME

MISS ME BUT LET ME GO
WHEN I COME TO THE END OF THE ROAD
AND THE SUN HAS SET FOR ME
I WANT NO RITES IN A GLOOM FILLED ROOM
WHY CRY FOR A SOUL SET FREE?
MISS ME A LITTLE BUT NOT FOR LONG AND
NOT WITH YOUR HEAD BOWED LOW
REMEMBER THE LOVE THAT ONCE WE SHARED
MISS ME BUT LET ME GO.

FOR THIS A JOURNEY WE ALL MUST TAKE
AND EACH MUST GO ALONE.
IT

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

I hope these snowdrops in my garden in Wales today mean that Spring is on its way. GJ

THIS IS A PHOTO OF STRUMBLE HEAD LIGHTHOUSE VISIBLE TO PASSENGERS ON THE FERRY FROM ROSSLARE TO FISHGUARD. Marie.

This is photo of our village Church in Co Durham. It holds many memories for me both happy and sad. It is a Norman Church over 900 years old. Elsie.

Photographs of Arnie and Breeze. Arnie looks a right scruff. The photograph was taken today in his Winter coat. In the Summer Arnie’s coat shines like the Queens Guards Boots. We could have him clipped out, but he doesn’t do enough work to justify clipping. Clipping is to shave his coat nearly to his skin. All Race Horses are clipped otherwise they would sweat. In the Winter there coats would take a long while to dry. The photograph of Breeze was taken in the Summer when we had to fence her in a separate area to stop her from chasing Lady and Willow around the field. In the background you can see Bliss and Misty. By the gate is Woody.

Val suggested that we should try to separate Willow and Bliss behind a wall. We did try in the next stable to Lady. Willow tried to jump the wall. It was only by luck that she didn’t get to far, or she could well have got stuck halfway across. What we are putting on Lady’s udder is stopping Willow from suckling. It does wear off after a while, so we need to put more on. We do forget at times.

I spoke to the Trainer this evening about Bliss and Misty. Both are training very well. Bliss is back to her old self and is showing potential. The Trainer feels that she could do well in her racing career. Misty had a bit of a cough last week. She didn’t have a temperature and got over it within a week. I was trying to go to France to see them this week. Unfortunately I am so busy on the Farm I wont be able to make it.

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It is going to be a short Diary tonight as…

It is going to be a short Diary tonight as I am watching the Tattersall’s Broodmare Sale. I have a friend at the sale. If there is any thing that I fancy he will bid for me. If I don’t buy any thing today or tomorrow, I will probably go to the sale in Newmarket on Wednesday or Thursday. At about 5.50pm today, one Horse realised

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When I got back from France on Thursday I had…

When I got back from France on Thursday I had received a phone call from one of six UK Horse Trainers that I had contacted when I was first making enquiries about training Bliss and Misty for racing. You will probably remember better than me how long ago that was. But whatever, it was over two months ago. The phone call was the return call from then. I have only received one other reply from those six that I initially contacted. All the Trainers that I did contact were well known. I should think that the others will return my phone calls when their stables are not full. After my eye opening experience of the French racing set up, I would think that there could be more following my footsteps. Obviously Race Horse Owners in the UK are being taken for a ride. Excuse the pun. The wages in France are much higher than in the UK, Tax is also extremely high and they still manage to be a lot less in their training fees than UK Trainers. I will be making regular phone calls to the French Trainer about Bliss and Misty, and I will let you know how they are getting on. The Trainer has also said that he would send me photographs of Bliss and Misty. You will see a difference in them after a month or so. I will be visiting them late January.

When I spoke to the Trainer about Bliss and Misty when in Chantilly, he could see like me that Bliss would probably be racing before Misty, possibly about June next year. A few of the French Lads indicated with their hands, the size of Bliss’s hind quarters. That is the engine, she also has a large chest, another good sign. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Misty will be late racing or that either of them will be any good. I have seen both of them grow and Misty is an athletically built Horse.

Also when I returned from France I had an invoice waiting for me to cover the cost of the Sheep that I put into auction two weeks back. I must admit that being Portland’s was against them, but after commission, Tolls and Bio-Sercurity what ever they mean, I finished up owing the Auctioneers

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When I got back from France on Thursday I had…

When I got back from France on Thursday I had received a phone call from one of six UK Horse Trainers that I had contacted when I was first making enquiries about training Bliss and Misty for racing. You will probably remember better than me how long ago that was. But whatever, it was over two months ago. The phone call was the return call from then. I have only received one other reply from those six that I initially contacted. All the Trainers that I did contact were well known. I should think that the others will return my phone calls when their stables are not full. After my eye opening experience of the French racing set up, I would think that there could be more following my footsteps. Obviously Race Horse Owners in the UK are being taken for a ride. Excuse the pun. The wages in France are much higher than in the UK, Tax is also extremely high and they still manage to be a lot less in their training fees than UK Trainers. I will be making regular phone calls to the French Trainer about Bliss and Misty, and I will let you know how they are getting on. The Trainer has also said that he would send me photographs of Bliss and Misty. You will see a difference in them after a month or so. I will be visiting them late January.

When I spoke to the Trainer about Bliss and Misty when in Chantilly, he could see like me that Bliss would probably be racing before Misty, possibly about June next year. A few of the French Lads indicated with their hands, the size of Bliss’s hind quarters. That is the engine, she also has a large chest, another good sign. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Misty will be late racing or that either of them will be any good. I have seen both of them grow and Misty is an athletically built Horse.

Also when I returned from France I had an invoice waiting for me to cover the cost of the Sheep that I put into auction two weeks back. I must admit that being Portland’s was against them, but after commission, Tolls and Bio-Sercurity what ever they mean, I finished up owing the Auctioneers

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On Tuesday evening I decided that I would visit Bliss…

On Tuesday evening I decided that I would visit Bliss and Misty at Chantilly in France. I left at 9.am on Wednesday morning with a bag of their favorite herbal treats. My expected time of arrival in Chantilly was just before 5.pm (4.pm UK time) but with the French Railways. intermittent strikes, I was unsure of what time that I would arrive. Fortunately the strike did not affect my outward journey, and I was met on time at Chantilly Station by Bliss and Misty’s French Trainer. Even in Strike mode the French Railways are never late.

The Trainer took me directly to his Stables to see Bliss and Misty. As I was told by the Horse Transport Driver, who had drove them to France, the Fillies had arrived safe and well. Misty was a little tense on arriving, I was told by the Trainer, but she was a lot better by the following day. I was talking to the Trainer as we were walking to where Bliss and Misty were stabled. I hope that it was on hearing my voice that caused one of the Fillies to call out, but it was probably a coincidence, but it was no coincidence that when I went into both of their stables, that their noses went straight to my pocket, that I would have normally back home have had their herbal treats in.

I found Bliss and Misty stabled just off of the main stable yard. They had been put there as their two stables were partitioned halfway up by a see through netting, and they were able to be close to each other. Being stabled like this will get them use to being more apart, so that they can eventually be stabled in the main stable yard area. One of the Head Lads was in the stable with Misty, giving her a manicure, pulling her mane, trimming her tail and generally tidying her up. Bliss was to be next. Both during the day had been clipped out. This a procedure where Horses coats are shaved in places where they sweat whilst in training and working. If they are not clipped out, in the Winter their coats take a long while to dry after sweating. When not working the Horses have thick rugs to keep them warm. Most Horses don’t like the sound of electric shavers and are lightly sedated to stop them from chucking a wobbly and hurting themselves or the Stable Lads. Both Bliss and Misty were sedated. It showed me that I had choose the right place for Bliss and Misty. The time that I spent at the Trainers Yard I saw that all of the Horses were being treated with kindness.

In the evening the Trainer invited me to a wine tasting and buying charity dinner, in aid of homeless and orphaned Peruvian Children, it was organised by by the Wife of a French based English Horses Trainer. Chantilly has a large English community, who are involved in Horse Racing, a high percentage of those attending the charity dinner were English, just as well as my French is as good as useless, although the English when talking to other English people spoke French. I had better start learning the language a bit quick. The champagne, wine and dinner made it a memorable night, ever better as on one side sat a lady who is one of France’s largest Race Horse Breeders, on the other, the English Wife of one of the only two French Horse Racing Trainers, who trains the Horses of the Aga Khan. I got back to my Hotel after midnight, a little worse for the champagne and wine I had drunk. On Thursday I spent most of my day at the Racing Stables watching the first work that Bliss and Misty were doing. I will tell you all about it in tomorrows Diary.

Hopefully you will be able to see few photographs that I took in Chantilly. You can access them from the home page, next to the Forum and Diary links.

The first is a photograph of part of an extremely large forest that has training facilities for Race Horses . The Second is one of the training gallops that are as long as the eye can see, with some of the Trainers older Horses training. The last is a photograph of the stable yard that is now Bliss and Misty’s new home. These are only a taster to wet your appetite. There are some of Bliss and Misty that are really good. I will change the photographs on Monday and again later in the week. I am keeping the best till last.