Elf On A Shelf
...
It get's tedious when you wake up in the morning to nothing but rain battering the skylights for what feels like the eleventy millionth day in a row. At least it isn't snow! And when it is snowing it isn't laying as the ground is too wet. Thankfully my waterproof jackets are holding out well at the moment and I am getting through 3 a day just at work. My trousers on the other hand ... Go figure! They are waterproof, most of my legs stay perfectly dry but the one bit that gets damp/soggy!?!? The OUTSIDE of my knees! You know the excess flumf at the side that never comes into contact with anything!! You expect some bits of leakage on the parts that are constantly connected to the saddle - the inner knee, thigh, crotch and bum. But oh no! It's the outside of my knees that get soggy! Not that I am complaining about having dry pants in the slightest it's just a bit of a random place to let water in tis all!
So these days we start at 7am and muck out. I wasn't at the first yard to muck out yesterday as I was over at the other yard clipping which left the children to do my boxes (I call them the children as they are 16/17yo - ie WAY younger than me!) Let's just say we have a massive differing of opinions on how a bed should be mucked out and remade ... Anywho! Onto first lot and the horse I was supposed to be on was missing a shoe so I was swopped onto another. Mighty is a horse I don't ride very often and I am glad I don't! What an utterly spoiled little brat he is! I know I know! People would say my horses are spoiled too but at least mine stand still to be tacked up instead of trying to wander out of the box and they don't out their heads sky high when you are trying to put the bridle on! Finally got the critter tacked up and lead him to the mounting block where he proceeded to dance sideways round it. "Right sunshine! Stop being an arse and at least be vaguely close enough for me to jump!" A second circuit of the block later I am on. And he snatched the reins out of my hands then curled up into a ball and bounced on the spot. "Just get forward you little critter" I growled at him. Our work was dead easy - walk down the track, trot across the field, lob once up the gallop. Yeah sadly that's not quite how it went! Snatch. Curl up. Snatch. Curl up. I didn't even have a hold of my reins, I was holding onto the buckle end! Into the field - snatch, curl up into a ball and canter on the spot sideways. "Just get forward!!!" I growled at him again and he finally went forwards in trot. We trotted all the way across the field and straight onto the gallops where he once again, for absolutely no bloomin reason what so ever snatched, curled up in a ball and bounced sideways in canter again! "GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! MOVE!!!" I growled at him again and have him a dunt in the ribs with my boots. And off he went, so over bent he wasn't going forwards so I threw the reins and him and kicked him on. It made no difference. Horses like that annoy me. They think they are being clever and funny but actually they are just annoying. I much prefer horses that go forwards and take you somewhere. I like them taking a hold. I do not much like this fella.
My second lot was wee Riva doing something slightly different. She is much more pleasant to ride and whilst she can bounce it's a "Are we going yet?! Are we going yet!?" Kind of bounce and as soon as you say "Off you go" She lowers her head, grabs hold of the bit and takes you forwards. This morning was the horses first trip round the fields in AGES as they have been quite frozen so needless to say no one had much control after the first 20 yards. Myself included! We set off along the stream bank, splashed through some puddles then rocketed off up the big hill. To be fair 99% of the horses cannon up the hill then pull up to a sedate canter going across the top before carefully making their way back down the other side. Today not so much. They mostly steadied along the top but then ploughed off down the other side! "Steady Riva, we need to get trough the gap" I say to her as we get to the narrow pathway between 2 fields. 'Ok! No Probs but I am going to bounce whilst we wait' "No bother madam, you enjoy yourself" I reply and then we are off again! NNNEEEEEEERRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! Straight up the hill, down the hill, up the hill, down the hill and then up the final big hill before pulling up actually quite nicely all things considered! 'This is GREAT fun! I haven't done this in ages!' Wee Riva says. We were then going once up the gallop and she bounced her way to the front past everyone else walking before popping into a canter just before she was meant to. We set off in front and she towed me up that hill! Proper head down, holding onto the bit, galloping through into her bridle. As we headed back in she couldn't resist bouncing all the way up the hill to the barn. At least she is feeling well for herself!!
Over to the other yard and first lot is Big Midnight. He has a couple of entries this week so has been doing less work to freshen him up and he is absolutely LOVING it! Today we were just going for a trot up the road. Now Midnight isn't great in front, in fact he is a bloody lazy so and so! Which makes him the perfect racehorse! When upsides or in behind he is up into his bridle doing his work properly but he doesn't see the point in expending any excess energy so when he wins his races he doesn't win by much - because what's the point? Going further clear would just be a waste of energy and would just be showing off! We ended up in front trotting up the road and pony club kicks don't even come close to what i was doing! "Shift it you lazy bugger!" 'Nah, I'm cool just barely jogging along, take a chill pill mum!' He replies. The head lad got annoyed at our dawdle and trotted past up. And now Midnight trots out properly like the big, powerful horse he is. As we get to the end of the road we pull up a little short as the rest are going on to the gallops and we are heading home. Midnight normally has a big, loaping walk on him. Not today! We were heading home ourselves which of course could not possibly be done sensibly! Oh no! We bounced, pranced, danced, snatched, jogged, Spanish high stepped etc all the way home! Until we got to the gates of the yard where he promptly dropped his head and walked in like a brain dead donkey ... "Seriously Midnight! You have been an absolute PILLOCK all the way home and you don't even have the good grace to keep it going all the way into the yard!?!" 'Nope, my mates would then see me being energetic and I can't possibly spoil my reputation'. Twat. But he is feeling very well for himself!
My last lot was Big Bad Boris and Bryony was in to make a video for his owners as no one can go anywhere just now and they certainly can't go and watch him at the races! We were just doing an easy 2 up as he had done a bit of work the day before. Lobbed away first time not a bother but Bryony no where to be seen. 2x up she was right at the top. She had stopped in at the farm shop on route to get a hot chocolate ? There were 3 horses doing 3x up and none of them are very good in traffic so I waited for them with Boris to make sure they had a good lead home. Bojo doesn't mind waiting so we went down the 20 yards to speak to Bryony and the camera which didn't really work due to the wind. As the others came up over the hill we headed back to the top to wait for them. 'Haha hold on tight mum!' Boris said as we plunged off down the gallops! "Boris!!! I would like some form of control please!" 'Nope! Heheheheheheheheeee! You made me wait so now you suffer the consequences!' Was his reply. You can only laugh at him when he is in this mood as even though you feel as though you have no control what so ever - which it was yesterday - you know that you do actually have all the control in the world if you want it. He does listen and he does respond as he is very light in the mouth and he is very polite when he needs to be. Once we reached the bottom of the gallop we proceeded to boing all the way home! He is another who is great form with himself but there's no races for him!!! It's so frustrating!!
Here is the video that was made. Now bear in mind I am not usually EVER that side of the camera let alone speaking on it! So when I listen to it I realise just how English I still sound and in my head I sound NOTHING like I do on camera ??? I am always shocked at my own accent ???
Also over this week we have been putting up posts on the Lucinda Russell Racing Facebook page of a day in a racing yard explaining what we do and why. It's not finished yet but we add bits every few days or so. If you want a peak then head there!
So these days we start at 7am and muck out. I wasn't at the first yard to muck out yesterday as I was over at the other yard clipping which left the children to do my boxes (I call them the children as they are 16/17yo - ie WAY younger than me!) Let's just say we have a massive differing of opinions on how a bed should be mucked out and remade ... Anywho! Onto first lot and the horse I was supposed to be on was missing a shoe so I was swopped onto another. Mighty is a horse I don't ride very often and I am glad I don't! What an utterly spoiled little brat he is! I know I know! People would say my horses are spoiled too but at least mine stand still to be tacked up instead of trying to wander out of the box and they don't out their heads sky high when you are trying to put the bridle on! Finally got the critter tacked up and lead him to the mounting block where he proceeded to dance sideways round it. "Right sunshine! Stop being an arse and at least be vaguely close enough for me to jump!" A second circuit of the block later I am on. And he snatched the reins out of my hands then curled up into a ball and bounced on the spot. "Just get forward you little critter" I growled at him. Our work was dead easy - walk down the track, trot across the field, lob once up the gallop. Yeah sadly that's not quite how it went! Snatch. Curl up. Snatch. Curl up. I didn't even have a hold of my reins, I was holding onto the buckle end! Into the field - snatch, curl up into a ball and canter on the spot sideways. "Just get forward!!!" I growled at him again and he finally went forwards in trot. We trotted all the way across the field and straight onto the gallops where he once again, for absolutely no bloomin reason what so ever snatched, curled up in a ball and bounced sideways in canter again! "GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! MOVE!!!" I growled at him again and have him a dunt in the ribs with my boots. And off he went, so over bent he wasn't going forwards so I threw the reins and him and kicked him on. It made no difference. Horses like that annoy me. They think they are being clever and funny but actually they are just annoying. I much prefer horses that go forwards and take you somewhere. I like them taking a hold. I do not much like this fella.
My second lot was wee Riva doing something slightly different. She is much more pleasant to ride and whilst she can bounce it's a "Are we going yet?! Are we going yet!?" Kind of bounce and as soon as you say "Off you go" She lowers her head, grabs hold of the bit and takes you forwards. This morning was the horses first trip round the fields in AGES as they have been quite frozen so needless to say no one had much control after the first 20 yards. Myself included! We set off along the stream bank, splashed through some puddles then rocketed off up the big hill. To be fair 99% of the horses cannon up the hill then pull up to a sedate canter going across the top before carefully making their way back down the other side. Today not so much. They mostly steadied along the top but then ploughed off down the other side! "Steady Riva, we need to get trough the gap" I say to her as we get to the narrow pathway between 2 fields. 'Ok! No Probs but I am going to bounce whilst we wait' "No bother madam, you enjoy yourself" I reply and then we are off again! NNNEEEEEEERRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! Straight up the hill, down the hill, up the hill, down the hill and then up the final big hill before pulling up actually quite nicely all things considered! 'This is GREAT fun! I haven't done this in ages!' Wee Riva says. We were then going once up the gallop and she bounced her way to the front past everyone else walking before popping into a canter just before she was meant to. We set off in front and she towed me up that hill! Proper head down, holding onto the bit, galloping through into her bridle. As we headed back in she couldn't resist bouncing all the way up the hill to the barn. At least she is feeling well for herself!!
Over to the other yard and first lot is Big Midnight. He has a couple of entries this week so has been doing less work to freshen him up and he is absolutely LOVING it! Today we were just going for a trot up the road. Now Midnight isn't great in front, in fact he is a bloody lazy so and so! Which makes him the perfect racehorse! When upsides or in behind he is up into his bridle doing his work properly but he doesn't see the point in expending any excess energy so when he wins his races he doesn't win by much - because what's the point? Going further clear would just be a waste of energy and would just be showing off! We ended up in front trotting up the road and pony club kicks don't even come close to what i was doing! "Shift it you lazy bugger!" 'Nah, I'm cool just barely jogging along, take a chill pill mum!' He replies. The head lad got annoyed at our dawdle and trotted past up. And now Midnight trots out properly like the big, powerful horse he is. As we get to the end of the road we pull up a little short as the rest are going on to the gallops and we are heading home. Midnight normally has a big, loaping walk on him. Not today! We were heading home ourselves which of course could not possibly be done sensibly! Oh no! We bounced, pranced, danced, snatched, jogged, Spanish high stepped etc all the way home! Until we got to the gates of the yard where he promptly dropped his head and walked in like a brain dead donkey ... "Seriously Midnight! You have been an absolute PILLOCK all the way home and you don't even have the good grace to keep it going all the way into the yard!?!" 'Nope, my mates would then see me being energetic and I can't possibly spoil my reputation'. Twat. But he is feeling very well for himself!
My last lot was Big Bad Boris and Bryony was in to make a video for his owners as no one can go anywhere just now and they certainly can't go and watch him at the races! We were just doing an easy 2 up as he had done a bit of work the day before. Lobbed away first time not a bother but Bryony no where to be seen. 2x up she was right at the top. She had stopped in at the farm shop on route to get a hot chocolate ? There were 3 horses doing 3x up and none of them are very good in traffic so I waited for them with Boris to make sure they had a good lead home. Bojo doesn't mind waiting so we went down the 20 yards to speak to Bryony and the camera which didn't really work due to the wind. As the others came up over the hill we headed back to the top to wait for them. 'Haha hold on tight mum!' Boris said as we plunged off down the gallops! "Boris!!! I would like some form of control please!" 'Nope! Heheheheheheheheeee! You made me wait so now you suffer the consequences!' Was his reply. You can only laugh at him when he is in this mood as even though you feel as though you have no control what so ever - which it was yesterday - you know that you do actually have all the control in the world if you want it. He does listen and he does respond as he is very light in the mouth and he is very polite when he needs to be. Once we reached the bottom of the gallop we proceeded to boing all the way home! He is another who is great form with himself but there's no races for him!!! It's so frustrating!!
Here is the video that was made. Now bear in mind I am not usually EVER that side of the camera let alone speaking on it! So when I listen to it I realise just how English I still sound and in my head I sound NOTHING like I do on camera ??? I am always shocked at my own accent ???
Also over this week we have been putting up posts on the Lucinda Russell Racing Facebook page of a day in a racing yard explaining what we do and why. It's not finished yet but we add bits every few days or so. If you want a peak then head there!
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