I'm in a right pickle.

[Cassandra]

My GP out here actually lives about 2 miles away and is a social friend. He told me to get a very tame little horse to 'plod' not even 'trot' on. His advice influenced my decision when I got 'Dixie' and I'm very careful. I've never even galloped on him. Riding those huge Clydes is very brave and I admire you tremendously for your courage, but you sound a lifetime natural to me anyway.

Sadly physically it all comes to an end. My cricketing pal who leaves Friday for England after six months here was one of the greatest natural talents England ever had as a batsman. When he retired 39 years ago because he dropped a catch in the first county game of the season, I drove him round for 2 hours trying to convince him not to do so.

As he said that day in '84 and I know respect, "I would never have done that even last year, no it's all over and thats that!" He was right all that had really happened was the need for his body to be 25, but he was 36! It just came quicker to him as a natural athlete in a professional sport and truncated career, than to a podgy old bench bound QC' like me!

Anyway hope your feeling better and just to have those beautiful creatures around must be a great joy just to behold? I'm very old but just love sleeping down the 'stables; with mine.

Keep on getting better ...

[Raven]

Thanks Cass, that sounds a wonderful life you've managed to grab, so pleased for you. Dunc is pulling in a pal to see to the horses and another farmers son is coming to run things for a few days.
Dunc will be living in my home and will see me every day he's here, but he can't see Dageus as that will get him all unruffled for Regan and we don't want that. We have been talking on the phone daily and I know he has some ideas he wants to discuss.
Thanks Jacqueline those may be along the lines we have to travel as well.

Cass if you want to know what it's like to ride a Clyde then watch this. You haven't lived untill you've had a good hard gallop along the beach on one.
This is a great video, walk, canter, trot, full out blast and up to their hips in the waves. I could cry just watching it. Turn your sound up and put the video to full screen and just lose yourself in it.

[Raven]

This is our Beach for the Horses. Dunnet Bay.

[Michael Rolls]

loved that clip - they look just about the right size to have been medieval war horses - why do film makers put men in armour on spindly legged near thoroughbreds? Those in the clip would struggle with a modern man in armour, but men were smaller back then (well, the vast majority were)
Mike

[Scrumpy]

We have to learn to adapt to what life throws at us.. 

[Raven]

I know that Scrumpy, but it's so hurtful sometimes, and I'm not finding it easy to deal with. Not this time, but adapt I will.

[Raven]

loved that clip - they look just about the right size to have been medieval war horses - why do film makers put men in armour on spindly legged near thoroughbreds? Those in the clip would struggle with a modern man in armour, but men were smaller back then (well, the vast majority were)
Mike

Know what you mean, have wondered that myself in the past.
I love that video, Watch it often.

[Diasi]

We have to learn to adapt to what life throws at us..

I do feel for Raven & it's made me, & probably other members, think more carefully about what we do.

Although I'm still fully fit & active, I have started to take small steps to ensure, as much as I possibly can, that I don't do anything that could jeopardise it.

A couple of months ago I decided to sort out our intruder alarm's external sounder which had developed a tamper fault that caused it to activate at random times.

It's situated right in the apex of the front wall & needs a three section ladder to reach it, so although I went up & down the ladder like an 18-yr-old, I decided to disable the tamper feature so that I didn't have to go up there again.

It's also wireless & is powered from a socket in the loft, so to eliminate going into the loft if I needed to isolate it due to any other malfunction, I installed an Alexa smart socket which means I can isolate it just by asking Alexa to do it from wherever I am.

Our conservatory roof has just developed a very small leak in heavy rain, a job which normally I'd try to fix, but there is always the risk of slipping, so I'm going to pay a chap I know to fix it.

[Raven]

Stay safe Phil, don't think it can never happen to me, it can and often does.

[Cassandra]

Wow, sheer magic and thank you for the post. What wonderful creatures and they look so stable as mounts too, I have learnrt late on in life there's nothing more satisfying and restful than being on Dixie and wandering in the woods and along the lake shoreside (just like the video in fact) on a bright sharp winters day with my three little dogs safely ensconced in their panniers either side of me. All five of us really enjoy it and most days Annie's there too on Fantasy with the young one tethered to her. We sometimes meet up with Rex, who lives next door and whom I've created a 'freeman' to use the woods in pursuit of his passion, birdwatching and he's building a hide near the lake shore. He has some superb cameras and is always keen to share the magnificent pictures he gets. Like me he's a softy for all wild life and I really enjoy his company. He's also a retired court recorder, so we swap yarns and he enjoys the drama and custom of Wigs and garter ridden stories of inter-bench exchanges at the infamous CCC 'The Bailey'.

[Diasi]

Stay safe Phil, don't think it can never happen to me, it can and often does.

Thanks Raven, what happened to you has made me accept that although I may scoot about like an 18-yr-old, I'll still fall like a 78-yr-old.

[Scrumpy]

I agree with the comments.. There are things I could do without a second thought.. I now have to double think..
 I had my hedges cut down to around 5ft.. I knew last year that it was getting too much for me .. up a ladder.. with an electric hedge trimmer..  
I also avoid going out when the pavements are icy..
 The problems with the NHS are another reason to 'think twice'..

[Raven]

I'll be rethinking a whole lot of things about my life and habits. Especially the Winter ones, even in the summer I won't be leaving the house with a stick.

[Diasi]

Thanks Cass, that sounds a wonderful life you've managed to grab, so pleased for you. Dunc is pulling in a pal to see to the horses and another farmers son is coming to run things for a few days.
Dunc will be living in my home and will see me every day he's here, but he can't see Dageus as that will get him all unruffled for Regan and we don't want that. We have been talking on the phone daily and I know he has some ideas he wants to discuss.
Thanks Jacqueline those may be along the lines we have to travel as well.

Cass if you want to know what it's like to ride a Clyde then watch this. You haven't lived untill you've had a good hard gallop along the beach on one.
This is a great video, walk, canter, trot, full out blast and up to their hips in the waves. I could cry just watching it. Turn your sound up and put the video to full screen and just lose yourself in it.

I've just watched all Jodie's adventures. Lol.  

[Diasi]

The problems with the NHS are another reason to 'think twice'..

A good point, lying on the ground for an hour with a bust leg, waiting for an ambulance, doesn't appeal to me one little bit.

Also I owe a duty of care to our four furry family members as they're totally dependant on me to look after them.