Bliss

After an atrocious day of racing yesterday, followed by the kind of trainer report that makes my blood boil, my neighbour parking in an awkward place opposite my drive's gate - again! - was not a good idea this afternoon. I don't know about anyone else, but while I'm finding I can control my once notoriously hot temper much better with age, the grudge that sets you off stays in the system for longer. I guess things build up if you don't explode on a regular basis, then take more time to disappear...

Anyway, having eventually got to the stables, 'Bugatti' was a darling. He wasn't really in the mood initially, and when he woke up suddenly, there was some real fire in his belly. Once he'd has his own little explosion, giving Louis yet more rodeo experience, he quickly settled into some fine work, with Miyaki-sensei - as always - providing Louis with lots of useful tips on how to polish his performance. For me, of course, the calming influence of the horses was a godsend, even in a freezing dell with a giant-sized pooper-scooper in one hand and apple-flavoured cookies in the other. It's a bit sad when you have to say your best friend has four legs and weighs half-a-ton, but there we go. To spend time with 'Bugatti' is about the only thing that keeps me vaguely sane.