Spring is here!
Two Team Mountford happenings this month that show lockdown really has gone on for far too long now. One, I’ve taken to occasional sleeps in the lorry that we bought, ridiculously, in February 2020 and so has hardly left the yard since. It’s obviously a subliminal thing – the evenings are lighter, the sun sunnier, so surely it is time to be overnighting in the lorry? The novelty will probably wear off soon (hopefully not before we have to start overnighting proper), but for now Hubble and I are bedding down in the lorry, and loving it!
The second is also lorry-related – but not quite so voluntary. You know it’s been a long lockdown when an (unnamed…) member of Team M’ford refuels the lorry and it’s been sooooo long since we last filled up, put Unleaded where only Diesel should go…. 3 hours, £300, and a lot of AA mickey-taking later, the lorry finally spluttered home and yet another win for ‘effing lockdown’ was chalked up…
Talking of teams, can I shout/celebrate/glory in ours for a minute or two?
January/February 2021 won’t have been revelled in by many I’m guessing, but all the more so for those like us who’ve been battling lockdown, weather, mud, temperature, dark etc etc alongside a yard full of constantly-demanding and expensively-hungry horses. What makes it doable is The Team. Lauren, Tia, Sam and Sofia fuelled by a lot of coffee and chocolate, we’ve done it, we’ve giggled, slid and wailed our collective ways through to Spring 2021, and I for one couldn’t be more grateful for your company and your expertise. THANK YOU!!
We all look forward to Sofia joining the team full-time this next month on the Apprentice Scheme. I learnt so much from my two years down in Marlborough with Andrew Nicholson, and am looking forward to having the opportunity to pass on as much of the Kiwi wisdom as I can possibly remember. I do believe there is no better way of ‘learning horses’ than ‘doing horses’, and look forward to being a part of Sofia’s equine journey. Talking of Andrew – anyone hear his Eventing Podcast on the Zebra Show the other day? Really interesting. (Even though listening to it through headphones as I rode gave me scary flashbacks of being under the daily and very, very close AN eye all over again!)
More Team stuff this month in the form of cracking Osteo sessions with Jim for Donk, George & Tilly; followed by the human equivalent for Lauren. I think we need to up the heating in the Tack Room though next time – or maybe just set Jim’s treatment table up under the infrared lights! James Blake and team from Breckland Farriers have also been spotted under the heatlamps once or twice this last month – very much deserved, especially as Covid rules have meant that warming mugs of fresh tea have been out of the question for them. It’ll be good indeed when all that changes…
Other news from here?
The delicious Aoife arrived safely in USA and is now busy wowing her new American owners. We’ve learnt a lot about horse export, and have made some exciting new contacts.
A lovely Irish unbacked 4yo, Whispa, arrived as Aoife left – and immediately impressed with her attitude, thinking nothing of unloading in the 4am dark from a lorry several leagues too big to get in our gates, and following a torch down the Main Road and on into her new home. She is now long-reining beautifully and starting to learn to balance all that baby power. I do love Irish horses
Iggy has headed off to his new owner’s home, but we’re looking forward to seeing them both again later this week when we all meet up at The Jays for SJ schooling.
Chilli’s back from her winter grazing and is being prepared for Motherhood Mark II; she’ll be heading to Clements Equine in a couple of weeks.
The two colts are, unbeknownst to them, enjoying their last few days of entirety – nuts off soon I’m afraid boyos ☹
A lovely pony due in for Sales Livery soon – I’m looking forward to getting to know him. And a much bigger version coming in for backing - both called Ted so that makes life simple, exactly as we like it!
So, it’s all happening! Bring on Easter and trips and travel and jumping and whatever else happens to be in store!
Thanks for reading,
Polly x
