Learning and progress

by Hayley

We saw a glimpse of Allen's softer side today, the side that is usually seen only by wife (and super secretary), Anna. En-route to work this morning, Allen found a beautiful little owl, dazed in the middle of the road. Living blissfully in the middle of nowhere, with next to no traffic, Al thought it unlikely that it had been hit by a car, but it was clear that Mr Barn Owl was in need of assistance. Wrapped in a blanket and popped into a bed in the footwell of the jeep, Allen brought the injured party to the yard, where it was picked up by friend and bird expert, Ray, who took him to the vets. Hopefully the owl makes a full recovery and will be returned home soon.

Back to the horses…

Following on from the blog titled ‘Fear Factor’, the Stimulation filly is no longer on the market and is making great strides in her training, as are the other two-year-olds who have taken their training routines well. They’re all well behaved on and accepting of the water treadmill and use both the round canter and all-weather hill gallop, learning every day. It’s not time for them to quicken yet, for now it is all about teaching them manners, steering and breaks and to use their bodies and muscles correctly. When the time does come for them to start faster work, the hill gallop is where it’s at. The round canter is fantastic for steady work, teaching balance whilst on the turn, ensuring they all learn how to handle themselves around a corner. Hopefully, you won’t see our youngsters running three furlongs wide when they first encounter a bend at the races – but then, there’s nothing like horses to make a fool of you!