Sound travels

Do the horses prefer Eminem or the Black-Eyed Peas? I'm not sure but they must be quite baffled by the strange cacophony of sound that floats across Loch Leven late into the night on the second weekend of July every year; it is, of course, T in the Park time again - a Festival that has seen extraordinary growth over the last 15 years.  85,000 now attend and whilst traffic chaos ensued a few years ago it now seems very well organised as Mr & Mrs A can testify to following their duties as loyal taxi drivers.

Meanwhile the five fatties remain that way, despite 10km twice a day on the "walking machine" (as Francois used to call it) and a restricted diet they have actually put on weight;  I take comfort from the fact that strengthening horses will put on 2-3kg after a stiff piece of work, fat turning into muscle we hope, this pre-season regime will certainly enable us to crack on with them faster once we start riding them again later in the month.  Four of the five horses being broken are all hacking round the farm now (say no more about the fifth at this stage!) we will stick some different riders on them this week and hope things go smoothly....
The picture below shows Contendo (centre) shortly after he arrived at his retirement home with the Laird family in Angus, he is pictured with Bells Hill Lad a winner from here in the early 1990's, also in the picture is Sandpiper, a former HOYS show pony she was kindly lent to us by cousin Wattie and his wife Nina and then passed on to the Lairds a good few years ago, its splendid to see them all together looking well.