My Christmas cactus is flowering - a bit early, it's true! This is just a snap to show its pretty colour.

I was supposed to be on a course today; when I got there it had been cancelled. So that was a 50 mile round trip for nothing. I wasn't too pleased as apparently the decision had been made to cancel it LAST FRIDAY!

RDA was good today although we were short of helpers for the middle ride and had to have two groups. One little boy has been gradually building up his confidence and we got him on a pony for the first time last week. This week he tried his first trot and his delighted giggles made us helpers all grin as they echoed round the indoor school.

Now it's cold and many of the ponies have been clipped they need their rugs on after the rides. Some of the rugs seem to have very complicated straps and some ponies are very "ticklish" so far an amateur like me it can be tricky. But I managed quite well and Daz was very patient as I fiddled about his nether regions.