Thursday, 27 November 2014 00:00

At the End of Another Season

So the end of another season for Team Pickles and holiday time for the girls after a pretty full on summer. I managed to finish 4th in the Foundation Points league for the second year running on my lovely young horses who have all finished the season having learnt so much and are now back in work after enjoying their holibobs!

Kelly Smith my little Trojan horse has enjoyed a nice few weeks away and MaryB who has been with me for two seasons now is on holiday as we speak. Seeing her pictures of the Warwickshire Hunt Ball on Saturday night I think it is fair to say she is enjoying herself!

I quite enjoy it when the girls take their holidays as it gives me chance to get back into yard life and make any changes to the routine and just spend some time on the ground with my lovely ponies. Speaking of which we have a very exciting new recruit on the yard who goes by the name of Dassett Cooley Dun. He is pretty unique being 15.2 but jumps like a stag and has been successful at Intermediate and 2* and now belongs to Kate Willis – fun times are ahead and I can't wait.

All the horses are back in work after their holidays and are feeling pretty fresh! I have had the neckstrap at the ready and so far so good although Chloe Herbert has been lending a hand in getting them legged up whilst Mary is away before our winter training campaign begins.

We had our end of season team outing to Alton Towers a few weeks ago where I wasn’t convinced I was going to get any of my team on to any of the rides, so was preparing myself for a few solo voyages. You may be asking yourself then why go? The answer to which is that given the option of what the end of year outing was going to be the chosen destination by the team was Alton Towers. They all swallowed their nerves and even Little Al made it on to Oblivion and managed to come away smiling. Another great day and no, one does not get too old for thrill seeking at Alton Towers!

Friday night was Eventers ball night and off we trotted to Newbury in our glad rags only to arrive at the Racecourse to find everything locked up and quiet and dark! In true Pickles style I had managed to take us to the wrong destination and it was the Rubgy club we were after. Thanks to google maps we were there in a flash and were soon partying the night away.

One cocktail too many for Mr Pickles meant his dear wife (me) was clearing up after him well into the early hours and driving it is for him for the foreseeable future. However, we were raffle ticket winners and I also managed to get super groom Kelly Smith into a dress so really a highly successful evening.

This Friday is our annual owner and supporters do which should be fun, have had so many people support Team Pickles this year and it is just a nice way to say thank you and of course have a bit of a party at the same time!

We are having a little time away in January this year and we are jetting off to Australia to see my sister, brother and one of my good friends is getting married. Spray tans at the ready and me and Mr P will be there to soak up some rays and have some time at the beach.

Master Wlf my beautiful foaly has now been weaned and has gone off for his winter grazing. We are really going to miss him as he is such a little character and loves cuddles so I hope his new friends look after him and teach him how to be a grown up!

So that rounds up the Team Pickles news, have a great end of year everyone and will be in touch in the New Year when we are up and running and have some horses related stories to tell.