News Archive: January 2008

Monday 7th January 2008: Today sees our first full week of training for 2008 (weather permitting!).  It's a time of steady, hard work and plenty of nourishment for horses and staff.  The mornings remain dark but the evenings are becoming a little more inviting.

Friday 11th January: SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND by the Spotter.

Saturday 12th January:                      Breaking in

Step 11: AND SO it's back to breaking in our little filly.  Cut healed, she's had a couple of refresher days; lunged, lunged with tack and driven in long reins.  Nothing  forgotten.

The next step is to "bounce" her!  With one handler holding her head, the other simply bounces up and down besides her so she gets used to the noise and  movement.  After this he bounces against the saddle.

If this all goes well the rider can be legged up so that he lies across the saddle and the horse can feel the weight.  All is going well so the filly is turned around the box with the jockey

across the saddle.  A good place to stop!

Top: Bobby Charles shows he's no slouch over hurdles.

Monday 14th January:    Breaking in                                                                  

Step 11: AND SO it's back to breaking in our little filly.  Cut healed, she's had a couple of refresher days; lunged, lunged with tack and driven in long reins.  Nothing forgotten.

The next step is to "bounce" her!  With one handler holding her head, the other simply bounces up and down besides her so she gets used to the noise and  movement.  After this he bounces against the saddle.

If this all goes well the rider can be legged up so that he lies across the saddle and the horse can feel the weight.  All is going well so the filly is turned around the box with the jockey

across the saddle.  A good place to stop!

Tuesday 15th January:            

Breaking in Step 12: Next day step 11 is repeated and then the rider VERY quietly strides his right leg over the saddle and VERY, VERY  gently sits up.  The filly is turned round the box and the rider slips his feet into the irons.  This may cause a reaction as the weight shifts. No hitches so it's out into the yard for a walk.  A definite 1-0 to  the humans! 

Elsewhere Especially, the three-year-old half sister to our Noverre filly, records a second smooth victory over a mile at Southwell.

Wednesday 16th January:

Step 13: We're flying along now.  Trotting both anti-clockwise  and clockwise on the rein without much incident.  This means we can leave her to her own devices following a  lead horse.  In this case her very own uncle HERR TRIGGER.

Meanwhile, earlier in the morning at the Links BOBBY  CHARLES partnered by Steve Smith-Eccles "pings" the baby hurdles on the schooling grounds.

Thursday 17th January: Step 14:The little filly leaves the yard for the first time with her pilot still on board...and returns safe and  sound.            

First entries of 2008 can be announced:  

SILENT APPLAUSE has an entry for the Lincoln handicap at Doncaster on the 22nd March.

LADY ANGELICA and Noverre x Esperada both have entries for the Watership Down Stud Sales race at Ascot on the 26th September.

Friday 18th January: SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND by the Spotter.

Monday 21st January: WET, WET, WET! Somehow we wrestled all the horses out and back again.  BIG NOISE escorts his gaggle of young girls - Compton Place x Billie Blue, Noverre x Esperada, LADY ANGELICA and Johannesburg x School of Deelites through the unpleasant conditions.  Some boys get all the luck!   

Friday 25th January: SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND by the Spotter.   

Saturday 26th January:  Breaking in - Step 15:  

A good week of trotting for our little filly.  Watch her as she circles the Hamilton Hill in the company of HERR TRIGGER

Dolly Coughdrop returns to Red House before her visit to First Trump.

Monday 28th January:  It's all about the BIG NOISE family today!  DOLLY COUGHDROP has come back from a winter holiday to be prepared for covering.  Her intended mate is First Trump - a cross that produced the Flying Childers winner Mrs P.

And then The Grey Berry made his debut over hurdles at Southwell on Sunday.  He won like a 1-4 shot should!

Breaking in - Step 15:  

A good week of trotting for our little filly.  Watch her as she circles the Hamilton Hill in the company of HERR TRIGGER.

Tuesday 29th January: 

Step 16:This is it then, the first canter.  Tucked behind her trusty lead horse, our little filly hacks up the polytrack canter on the Hamilton Hill.  She is being taught to relax and enjoy this next 

important step in her training.

At the first forfeit stage of the Lincoln Handicap SILENT APPLAUSE stands his ground.