Saturday 3 November 2007

Back from the US, and great to be home:-)

We had a fantastic time in the US - it was a privilege, as always, to be able to spend time with Charles Hall, farrier extraordinaire from Tennessee (he, Sarah and I had not met up for a couple of years so had loads to catch up on!). Paige was the perfect host, combining amazing hospitality with almost continuous hoof-stuff, including dissections, trimming, riding (yay!) and some fascinating time with Dr Ray Goer who is carrying out research into laminitis and insulin resistance at Virginia Tech.

It was brilliant to get home, however, and find that Andy had decided to extend and improve our track system yet again (!) and to effectively double the size of the gravel yard...he demolished a horrible Leylandii hedge in the process (with the help admittedly of a JCB) and it looks great (if you are a hoof anorak with a passion for pea gravel and shillet!).

The horses were all on fine form, and Felix was super-keen to get out hunting this morning, with Andy and Bailey, for the first time in a couple of weeks...

I gave in and clipped Conto and Monsoon, the only 2 horses to escape the clippers so far (!) and "unzipped" them, as they are both boiling in this glorious unseasonal sunshine...It can roll on, as far as I am concerned - we are owed it after this summer :-)

Nic

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