It's been a while since I have updated you on Ellie, from a month ago being very depressed about her recovery I am now much more positive. I was wondering a while ago whether she would have any sort of a future whereas now she is well enough to be a broodmare and with continued improvement may have a ridden career.

I am now riding her out down the road just to help her muscle tone and get her a bit fitter. She is walking out really well but still a bit uncomfortable on the turn but her improvement is continuing so time will tell. We will reassess her with Gordon the vet in January and see how or if we progress.

This picture doesn't show how she scruffy she is, unclipped and been barely rugged this winter.

It was good to get out this weekend to a competition at a venue that perhaps we wouldn't have travelled to had we not moved. The BS show at The Grange was also only Fliss's second show indoors, we haven't done a huge amount indoors as the arenas are quite small locally and I never find jumping in these that attractive, equally when we have done so little this year it was time to get out.

We jumped the 1.10 open and actually I was pleased it felt small even indoors.A nice double clear for 6th place and now excited to get doing more and really push on.

Week of dressage training and competitions ahead.

Well after a hectic couple of weeks we are now relocated and enjoying the temporary luxury of having the horses outside the door.

Not only do we have horses outside but a school to use I don't know what to do with the excitement particularly at this time of year with so little light and work very busy. Move all went well with most of our stuff now in storage. We have had an offer accepted on a village property outside Launceston and waiting for the sale to progress hoping to move towards the end of January sadly the budget doesn't stretch to stable and land.

The girls seem to be enjoying the change and Fliss certainly appreciates more company but despite only being 50 miles further up the County the weather is noticeably colder. Even Ellie who I had roughed off considerably is now being allowed a thin rug out.

Hoping next week to have a busy week before we break a bit over Christmas, Fliss is very fresh and well so will benefit from some consistent work. Hoping to jump a class at the BS at the Grange on Saturday, and do some BD dressage Wednesday and Saturday at what are now local venues.

Apologies for the silence but there are some big changes that I will bring you up to date with fully next week. We are on the move not too far, but from one end of Cornwall to another hopefully enabling us cutting the commute time with the horses. It has been a bit stressful as we had a very quick completion date. I will update fully next week.

Lockdown is definitely but we have to remember why we are doing it. Just hacking Fliss as no access to a school currently but at least keeping her fit and ready to get going once allowed.

Ellie had shoes fitted on Friday but at the moment she is not as far on as I hoped, since this infection she is still quite sore particularly on the turn. She is able to go out now and is out out night. She reckons the RSPCA should be called as to date she hasn't had a rug on, now she has shoes I can walk her out in hand as well just to help build muscle, she was getting v sore on the roads without shoes. The operation site has healed nicely but just a worry she is so sore still.We are nearly 7 weeks post op and the next milestone is 12 weeks if she is not sound then it is possible she may not become sound.

I meanwhile am trying to keep fit doing some running and managed a run 5 days this week only usually 1-2 miles but seeing when I broke my hip I was told I may not walk easily again to be able to run is a big achievement. Been listening to a pod cast re preparing for the London marathon and one thing I can tell you I would never want to do that!

Well with lockdown back and activities severely curtailed I'm like many other finding it hard. I am lucky and have a secure job but as you can imagine policing the lockdown and giving advice to businesses is pretty full on at the moment and I am pretty knackered.

We did manage to get on Wednesday with Fliss and have a jumping session with Mel our first since our trip away and likely to be our last until lockdown is lifted. It is frustrating as with the ground waterlogged I am restricted to hacking only. A clip of our lesson last week

The lack of clarity over what we can and can't do lockdown wise with the horses is frustrating but I am taking a cautious approach, both in that I respect the virus and want to contribute to its control and as someone that enforces the law I can't fall foul of it.

Ellie recovery is continuing, she is now allowed out which is a big relief and we hope to have shoes on at the end of the week. She is sound in a straight line but still a bit sore on the turn. We are hoping another 6 weeks during which time she can have some walk work to build muscle she becomes fully sound and then we can bring her back to full work and see if the operation has been a success. So probably realistically we won't know til spring if we have been successful or not.