Opinion

It’s that time of day. Buckle down for another hour or get outside, run, walk, have a catch, weed the garden… Toiled all day. Emails. Phone calls. Sales pitches. Service calls on the farm. Proofing a brochure. Door trim choices.  It’s 63 degrees. Miles is restless. I’m restless.  See you tomorrow. Sean is trying to … Read more

Spring is definitely in the air. Managed 3 miles around the Hill School campus this evening. Stunning views from the top of the hill, flag waving, Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, sun slicing under the clouds and beyond the mountains, every shade of every color cascading. Nothing could feel farther from Ukraine.  Sean is … Read more

Spring is nearly here… Trainers are sending videos of new prospects jumping logs and rolls.  Spring is nearly here…  We’ve sold four shares in four horses in the past two days. Spring is nearly here…  We’ve opened the windows.  Spring is nearly here… We’ve washed the purple Rambo rugs.  Spring is nearly here… Babe Ruth … Read more

Time has slipped away. That’s what happens on Sundays. Barn chores early, no time to write. Beautiful afternoon which led me to the garden, instead of the computer. Now, it’s evening and I’m running out of steam. Watching the news, the Ukraine travesty. You think you have problems… Sean is trying to write every day, … Read more

Quiet Saturday morning. Overcast but warming up. Good day to spend on the farm with a list of chores. Watching the Saudi Cup, the Japanese are dominating thus far and decent jump racing at Kempton and Chepstow. Taking notes, looking for recruits, basically rooting horses to finish fourth, good enough for me, not good enough … Read more

It’s 5:26 Friday evening. I’ve worked all day. I need to write. Miles wants to have a catch. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sean is trying to write every day, for more from the Inside Rail, check out the blog’s main page.  

Russia has invaded Ukraine. Bullies bully. And sometimes they win.  Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is suspended for 14 months, for Covid and alcohol violations. Natural in the saddle, fragile out of it. I hope he can get his life together, it will be a long, slow, brutal process. I’m rooting for him.  Medina Spirit is … Read more

Some days I look up and it’s 6:25 p.m. and I haven’t written a word here. On one hand, that can be good, working, busy, productive. On the other, it could be bad, distracted, procrastinating, can’t be bothered. Today, it’s the former – two Zoom meetings, a bunch of emails, Miles’ talent show, a couple … Read more

Sixty-three degrees. Sunny. Rain expected the rest of the week. Good day for a run.  Table saw running relentlessly outside my second-floor window. Distracting, but at least someone is making progress on something. I’m in the throes of the Monday reentry, trying to focus on one task rather than looking at all the tasks. Evidently, … Read more