The Quilted Yurt!

It's a while since I posted about anything quilt related so here goes.....

The 'Quilted Yurt' by Linzi Upton, Crathes, Aberdeen had its first showing at Loch Lomond Quilt Show this month here are some photos of panels that Linzi received back from the 'stunt quilters'....

And here are some photos of the very nearly finished Quilted Yurt!!

Isn't it just wonderful, I know Linzi is very proud and excited about the finished project!
Maybe the 'Quilted Yurt' will soon be coming to a venue near you!

You can read all about the progress of the Quilted Yurt on Linzi Upton's blog,
The Quilt Quine

Willow's Birthday!!

Today was Willow's first birthday, this was the day she was born....her mother Moth is sensitive to the sun so has to wear a protective rug and sunscreen!

Here's Willow today kicking up her heels!!!

Different colour same Willow....She's a happy yearling now!!!

More Ride Outs!

Saturday again and it's Mosspaul Ride Out!

A bit of history and tradition!!

Mosstrooper
The Mosstroopers were bandits who plagued the border area between England and Scotland. They were so named from camping on the mosses.
Found on http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/brow

It is said that the Hotel at Mosspaul was built around 1750 and was on the main route of the daily mail coaches from Carlisle to Edinburgh. The coaches stopped at Mosspaul to change horses.

The original Hotel burned down in a fire and was derelict until 1900 when the Duke of Buccleuch gave permission for a new Hotel to be built.   On 21st May 1901, Cornet Sutherland, his Right and Left Hand Men, Acting father Jed Murray and 8 followers, took part in the first ride out to Mosspaul , becoming the first Mosstroopers.

To this day the Hawick Cornet still rides to Mosspaul as part of the Common Riding rituals it's said by many to be the longest 'ride out', 26/28 miles or more but may now have competion with Phillhope Brig ride out for that honour.  If the weather is fine it can be wonderful, but if the weather is foul then these are the bleakest of hills to ride!! It must of been a really hard life to be one of the original 'Mosstroopers' living on the moss!

Women are now allowed to ride but only the men and boys receive the 'Mosstroopers' badge and join the Mosstroopers club! Some of the guys from West Linton made this fun video of the first gallop in Pilmuir field...this is from the 2008 Mosspaul Ride Out, I was riding Bess that year and my DS was riding Moth!
Thanks guys, it's a great video!! Next weeks 'Tuesday Ride Out' follows the same route but with fewer horses, here they are taking a break at the top of Skelfhill.

Alpaca in Scotland - Priesthaugh Ride Out!

The Tuesday ride this week was to Priesthaugh, around 9 or 10 miles, a nice ride for a weekday, again I was working but again the weather was good although slightly colder than the weekend which was not a bad thing!

They muster in the same place for every ride!

Look what they met along the way???

 Alpaca...in Scotland????

They are so cute!!!

Phillhope Brig Ride Out!

Saturday was Phillhope Brig Ride Out, it was an extremely hot day, this ride actually goes over our own land up on the hill!  This is a long ride, 26 miles and your horse needs to be fit, I shared the ride with my DS who rode the first half on Dibbley!

Here they are leaving!

A wonderful sight leaving town!

Look at Dibbley Go!

 This was our next sighting of the horses in the distance...These are the hills where I ride most days!!

Everywhere you go there are cheer leaders even on our lonely hill top!

Just waiting!!

Here they come!

There's Dibbley!

Then off they go!

Arriving at Phillhope Brig....

 
This is a lovely spot for a picnic with a stream for the children and the horses had a lovely wash down.....Dibbley had lost a shoe so needed the Farrier who just happened to be passing...lol...we were first in the queue as Dibbley was already booked in for next week anyway!!

Some horses rode the first half of the ride, some rode the second, some like Dibbley rode all the way, with either the same rider or two different riders. Because of the heat it was a very relaxed ride, no one was in a serious hurry although there were still some wonderful canters and gallops! I took over and rode the second half along side my DH with Bess!  Dibbley did really well in the extreme heat of the day, it was a lovely evening ride back into Hawick...here we are just setting off...

 

And here we are arriving back into Hawick with even bigger crowds..what a lovely day!!
We were all in need of a 'fish and chip supper'!

Junior Ride Out!!!

Well, I think tonight (Thursday) Hawick started a 'new tradition', a 'Junior Ride Out with the Cornet'!

There were 70 children of primary school age with their ponies who turned out on this glorious evening to follow the Cornet on a short ride around the park and neighbouring roads.  All children were to have a handler with them and were supposed to be on a lead rein!

 

Here are Kyle with Fizz, Fieron with Rosie and there handlers for the ride, I am chief photographer!

They were only away for about an hour and I think everyone of them had a good time!

Here they all are coming back again...

The weather was perfect and there was a huge turnout of spectators for this first time event..there is always a good spectator turnout no matter what the weather for all of the 'Ride Outs'!

Every child and pony received a rosette and refreshments, and eveyone enjoyed the evening!

I am sure this ride will be repeated next year and before long the towns folk will be saying 'It's Aye Been'!

It's Tuesday again, Lilliesleaf Ride Out!

Lilliesleaf ride out was on Tuesday, again a work day for me, but it was a beautiful day for a gallop over the hills!  I was there to see the horses leave and a small crowd of cheer leaders sent them on their way at the appropriate time!!

Here comes the Cornet!

Of they go in the direction of Lilliesleaf a lovely little Border village!

   

 I think these two are having a

"A difference of opinion"

And by the way...she did stay on....this time!!

Well Sat!!!

It's 'Roberton Ride Out'!

Well guess what, today (Saturday) we trailer the horses into Hawick and then we ride back to our own village, well actually the farm next door to our own!

This is a very popular ride, with 250 horses and riders following the cornet, it's not the longest, the horses are getting fitter, and stronger all the time they really really want to go.....it's about 20/30 minutes of road work first and then it's mostly an up hill ride until we reach Roberton 7/8 miles away!

Here's Dibbley and Bess just taking off on the first gallop..now I know Lesley has the copyright on these photos..but I will buy them when they become available and update these from the CD...promise!!!
Photos updated from CD 11/07/10....!

This video is taken near the Four Road Ends at Drinkstone, it's the 2009 ride, taken by a walking follower from Edinburgh, my horse Dibbley is there but my Son is riding her.  This is the first gallop of the day, you can see the string of horses off into the distance, those horses can see and sense the excitement of the gallop well before they get there, but by the time they get to the camera they are starting to steady up a bit!
It was a windy day so the camera microphone is a bit noisy!

      

 

Roberton ride-out, Hawick Common Riding 2009, Scottish Borders

So then we carry on riding over the hills, we may pass one or two walkers or maybe the odd farmer on a quad bike checking to make sure his gates have been closed, but the next time we see cheering crowds will be at 'Blawearie' a very windy spot where we wait to make sure all the hores have crossed the road safely before we continue on into Roberton.

And so we meet up for another picnic...what a sight to see here in the Roberton Valley!

When we are refreshed we head of down to the river and up the steep hills on the other side and head off back to Hawick!

'Cogs Mill Ride Out'!

It's a Tuesday, so it's 'Ride Out' Day Again!

It's half day closing for the local shops in Hawick on a Tuesday....the tradition started for a Tuesday 'Ride Out' so that the shop keepers and shop workers could also take part in a ride even though they had to work on a Saturday!

Unfortunately, I'm not a shop worker and have to work Tuesdays so can't ride, I was able to watch the Ride Out leave Backdamgate where they muster, there were 76 horses today, not a bad turnout for a work day!

The 'big four' just have to turn up and their horses have been sent forward for them!

Here they are waiting!

 
Of course everyone else has spent a couple of hours grooming and polishing, well unless you have hired a horse then you pay for someone else to do that for you!

Here they are just leaving...Oh, I want to go!

Around the town things are starting to colour up...'blue and yellow' that is...that's the colours of the Hawick Flag, the one the youths of the town won from the English soldiers in 1514 at Hornshole!

The shop keepers are dressing up there windows in the town colours ready for the 'best window' competition!

There's blue and yellow bunting!

Cars with blue and yellow ribbons attached!

And the florists are even selling blue and yellow flowers, these are Freesias, I love Freesias!

Here they are returning to the town in the evening, a lovely night for a ride!

So the ride outs will continue on a Saturday and a Tuesday until Friday 11th June, we will endevour to take part in all the Saturday rides.... there are going to be some fun rides!