Had three really manic but enjoyable days. Sunday night drove up to my favourite hotel in Walsall Fairlawns Hotel and Spa. It is an independently run hotel that although relies on the wedding/function trade to keep going, still makes travellers on their own feel very welcome. The food is excellent and locally sourced, it has a very well stocked selection of single malt whisky and a pool and spa so it always feels like a bit of a treat.
Unfortunately the drive was quite long, about 2.5 hours mainly because it was very very windy and I kept hugging the inside lane for a bit of protection. I also have a cold so all I did when I checked in was go to my room and sleep.
Spent Monday doing further training with Dave Johnson at the Saddle Company, I love spending time with the guys there, the tea is always flowing and there is always a really nice atmosphere. The day was spent learning how to flock a saddle, nothing like being thrown in the deep end, luckily I will never have to do that from scratch, any work of that magnitude will go back to the workshop. It was good though to see what is involved so I can talk about it more knowledgeably. Also learnt how to refresh the flocking in a serge saddle which would remove any lumps and bumps and take the saddle back to a 'clean sheet' ready to be bedded in to a new horse. Took two saddles with me that were in a bit of a state, one of which came from a well known showing producer which was absolutely filthy, bit ironic really as they are also know for their range of horse cleaning products. To be fair it was correctly advertised and the price reflected it but it did cause some smiles in the workshop.
Monday night drove to Hinckley and met up with a friend, we were both booked in to a two day conference Tuesday and Wednesday. Work would not pay the £120 dinner bed and breakfast charge at the Hinckley Island Hotel where the conference was held so we ended up staying in a twin room (with single beds) in the Bosworth Hall Hotel in Market Bosworth. From the outside it is very impressive, inside was a bit Fawlty Towers, complete with coach trips, pensioners, entertainment/bingo and bizzarely a large number of staffordshire bull terriers.
Last night was four star luxury in the corporate Hinckley Island, double room to myself with two king size beds, I have no idea what they thought a single women was going to do with two king size beds, it really wasn't that sort of conference :)
Very quiet on the horse front this week apart from all things saddles looking forward to the weekend so we can get back to some work.
C managed to fall of Charlie Too on Sunday, apparently one minute they were cantering and the next minute they weren't. It was quite a slow motion fall and she got back on but her body protector was really muddy and she ripped the velvet on her hat so it looked quiet dramatic. Feel a bit guilty because I had taken the knee rolls off of the treeless SBS saddle and now can't find them, plus I made her clean and polish the saddle the day before so it was nice and slippery ........ Ooops.
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