The joy...

of training the horses at this time of year usually stems from the perfect late summer days, the slight crispness to the early morning air as the sun comes up and bathes the golden stubble fields in light. The warmth quickly breaks through, the horses coats gleam and the cold wet days of winter seem a distant memory..... aha, not so today or yesterday or virtually any day this damp August. I have seldom been as soaked through as I was after first lot this morning, there was a cold easterly wind driving the rain and everywhere is completely sodden. Still, at least we were able to use the grass gallops, usually too firm at this time of year they are riding perfectly now, our half dozen most forward horses did plenty of work on them this morning though I am beginning to worry that their regime is being determined by how much the trainer can manage rather than how much the horses can manage, they have been doing a lot of hill work and are very strong when given their heads on some flatter grass. 2nd lot were jogging on the all-weather and I caught this damp but cheery(?) bunch with my camera coming down the gallop later on

They are, in front from the right, Miss Colima (Shellie Wilson), Smart Cavalier (Emma Dick), Forcefield (Lucy Alexander) and an un-named Accordion 4yo (Kit Alexander), perhaps we should call him Indian Summer.....