Puppet campaign urges public to be #CanalCareful this winter

Kingfisher in winter

Scottish Canals is urging the public to be #CanalCareful this winter with a campaign featuring a puppet show inspired by the wildlife that inhabits Scotland’s inland waterways. The four puppets – a swan, kingfisher, hedgehog and red squirrel – highlight how to enjoy Scotland’s canals safely during the colder weather. The first episode featuring a…

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Demand for properties with equestrian ties is on the rise in Scotland

The demand for premium Scottish properties is on the rise, especially houses with paddocks, stables or equestrian facilities. The residential lettings market in rural areas of Scotland, including Fife, Angus and Aberdeenshire, is being driven by demand for premium property. Geoff Laird-Portch, who manages residential lettings for Galbraith in Fife, Aberdeenshire and Angus, said: ‘There…

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Keeping California affordable

Wines from California can be expensive by the time they reach the UK, but there are still plenty of bargains to be found, as Peter Ranscombe discovers THERE’S no arguing with the quality of the wine being produced in California – some of the pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay I tried during a recent visit was…

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Harbro launches a new young rider competition

Equine and nutrition specialist Harbro has launched its first ever Young Rider Competition, encouraging young Scottish riders brimming with talent to focus on the inspirations and aspirations that drive them. The competition is open to young riders aged 16-25 of any discipline who have a clear set of competitive goals for their year ahead. A…

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Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance teams up with Blair Castle International Horse Trials

The organisers of Blair Castle’s annual international Horse Trials & Country Fair are delighted to welcome Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) as the official charity for this year’s event.         Scotland’s only charity-funded air ambulance relies entirely on public donations to continue saving and improving lives. Since the service launched in 2013,…

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Good result

Thursday May 19th…A quiet day on the yard with the 10 horses still in work all having a long hack on the flats, still breezy but a little milder.  I took Northern Flame to see renowned wind surgeon Geoff Lane and we made a plan for later in the summer; this horse has been disappointing this year, it’s…

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Nearly…

Sunday May 8th..So, rain arrives, ground softens and competitive point-to-pointing returns with lots of runners in front of a good crowd at Aspatria deep in the Cumbrian countryside.  We ran two in the Mens’s Open but we were up against it taking on an improving young horse from Cheshire ridden by the man who has ridden more…

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How about that…

Friday April 29th – they say that this game could tame lions; we work hard and have plenty of ups and downs but just ocassionally it produces something really special and for Kit to win the Champion Hunter Chase on Commercial Express at the Perth Festival on his first ride under rules in a thrilling finish…

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Here we go…

Thursday April 28th… the big day at last, all season I have been hoping that we might be able to engineer a racecourse clash between brother Jamie and Lucy and Kit; I am absolutely delighted that barring last minute dramas (possible!) it will happen today in the 4.20 at Perth, the Champion Stayers Hunter Chase, when Kit rides Commercial…

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No show…

Another splendid day and 16 horses did 3 steady 7f canters on the riverbank gallop, it is nearly perfect now and hopefully we will do some fast work on it later in the week.  A few others went hacking, we’re at the stage in the season when a lot of the horses really need turned…

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