Merry Christmas!

Well it's that time of the year again to be getting into the Christmas spirit, I must say it has been hard this year as it hasn't been too cold and doesn't really feel festive around here, probably because we've got no decorations up! It is also the time of year when darkness falls at it's earliest and lifts at it's latest, first lot has just become a survival mission as it is so dark, this is second lot (below) and the place is still not lit up entirely.

We haven't got much going on this week as it's all about the jumping and for the first time in a while we haven't got a single jumper in the yard, so I thought I'd take a few pictures from around the yard. Here is Attain checking out the camera, he as had a break for a while and after a slightly disappointing season will be back soon for another crack at losing his maiden tag. In the background is a horse I own myself called Faraway Land and it's a good job I do as she has been a nightmare trying to get her to the track! We aim to run her in the new year, she goes really well and that is probably the reason we have persevered with her for so long.

One of last weeks runners was Emma's Gift at Lingfield on Wednesday. She has been a real gem for the team over recent seasons, winning multiple times and taking us to places like Royal Ascot and York but we made the decision after another disappointing run to retire her. Her form had really trailed off after a fruitful winter last year (pictured winning at Wolverhampton), she owes us nothing and I hope she enjoys her retirement.

The time had come to give Bonnie the companion her annual clip!

With all the talk recently of Kauto Star and his controversial new life I thought I would dig out a picture that was sent to me recently of a horse I used to train called King Flyer. He was a really good horse winning 7 times and placed a further 19 times, earning over £60,000 in prize money. He is now doing various shows such as dressage at the age of 16, I don't think there is anything wrong with horses going on after a busy racing career into another discipline and I was really proud to see him looking so well.

Best worker in the yard!