OK so the kids have gone home - it has stopped raining, horses are warm and fed and I have time to play with the new 'toy'. Have been wanting to do this blog thing for a while so here goes...

I live on 10 hectares (25 acres for those of you that still think that way) with my adult daughters and my darling man. Darling Heart (DH) and have been here for 2 years. The girls have moved back home in that time from different parts of the country. We have 9 horses here at home with us, 6 dogs (way too many), 3 cats, and lots of various types of goldfish. Some indoor and some out.

Some pictures to fill out the words. Very exciting - first digital camera and first blog!!!

First up OT aka Chunkey Monkey. Xbred gelding. Approx 8 years old, sexy beast in the words of my daughter. Hard case man with attitude!!!

JJ aka Queen of Hearts. 16.3 xbred mare - by a full Clyde stallion out of a Molesworth mare. 8 years old - in the process of being backed and ridden. Was started as a 3 yo then tried as a brood mare. Conceived twins - chemically aborted and not happy to get preggers again so we have her. Starting nicely. Same daughter rides JJ as rides OT.

Connor 11 year old IH. A Wicklow out of a TB mare. Fantastic school master - photo not the best but hey I'm learning!! Solly in the back ground about to start out on a hack.

You can see from their expressions how pleased they are I have found photography!! Solly is shared between these 2 - DH would rather race than ride but happy to ride on a good day.

Ayla - first mare I have ridden in years!! 10yr old xbred approx 15.1. Has been there and done that in the past - fallen into less than idea hands and come to me as not the safest ride. Have had her about 9 months. She has gone from a frightened stressed wee horse with a spinning rear into a buck or two to check you really want to stay on to the most fantastic wee horse I have ridden in a while. Still have a bit of repair work to do. Think we are supposed to be there for some horses and I am there for Ayla.

Will try to con someone into taking some ridden photos so I can prove I can ride... either that or I will get smart enough to pull some stills off the videos I have of some lessons / comps.

I also have Max a 17HH xbred. Not the most photogenic horse I have - will have to get at least one pic as soon as the rain stops. Some of Lady and Em (the babies) too.

Currently this is our 'quiet' season. In the summer I follow DH in his race car - all is fair, he follows me round all winter to support my attempts at eventing.

The car sits still so much easier to take a photo - not yet clever enough to take any of it in full flight!!!

These are from a race night - driver in the lovely orange suit!!! Can tell I am going to have to practice the shadow thing!!

Right that is a start. Will see what tomorrow brings.