Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey reflects on why it’s important to remain positive – even when you find yourself training just two horses instead of the normal 70…

Kim Bailey

It is hard to believe what we are all going through at the moment, with all sport cancelled for the foreseeable future – although there is talk of Flat racing starting on 15 May behind closed doors. There has never been a time in my training career when it is so important to remain positive and hopeful for the future of both my business and the sport.

I am currently training two horses instead of 70, which is not an ideal situation for any business model.

{"content":"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"}

You may also be interested in…

Fashion over 50: Target Red Floral Dress

Alert the media! I got dressed and put on makeup! It actually felt good to put on some makeup, semi fix my hair and put on a pretty dress. It’s been awhile and I can’t wait to get back to looking cuter again. When we don’t have anyplace to go except the grocery store and Home Depot, bit makes you just a little slack on what we wear, doesn’t it?

One of my friends, Jill, posted this dress on Instagram a few days ago from Target, so I immediately went online and looked it up. It’s their Knox Rose brand and I thought it was so cute and it’s on sale so I promptly bought it online for pickup at my local store the next day. I didn’t even try it on until I got home and I just think it’s so cute.

The post Fashion over 50: Target Red Floral Dress appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Style Showcase 28

Hi, friends! We celebrated Mom’s 92nd birthday on Monday, May 4th, although it was a low key celebration on their carport, eating outside. We brought Willy’s takeout and are still trying to keep our distance from them as much as we can to stay safe. Mom enjoys Mexican. It’s not Dad’s favorite, but it was mom’s birthday so she got something she wanted. 

They are doing fine and we are very happy that we still have them both. We bought Dad 10 tomato plants and were going to get them planted for him, but once we got them over there, he insisted on doing it himself, so I imagine the next time we go over there, they will be in the ground and growing. He wasn’t up to planting the garden this year and mom isn’t either. They both have gone strong in their 80’s and had more stamina than I do many times, so it’s no wonder they are slowing down in their 90’s. They are a blessing for sure! 

The post Style Showcase 28 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Visiting the Roman Ruins of Tarragona, Spain

Tarragona, formerly the Roman city of Tárraco, is the former capital of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior. It was also the first Roman city in the entire Iberian Peninsula. It was visited by such notable named of antiquity as Julius Caesar, Augustus, Pompey the Great, and Hannibal. Unlike other notable Roman ruins, the city …

Read moreVisiting the Roman Ruins of Tarragona, Spain

The post Visiting the Roman Ruins of Tarragona, Spain appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

Best Things to Do in Maui

Looking for a paradise that includes beaches, lush jungles, waterfalls, culture, and shopping? The Hawaiian Island, Maui is known to have it all and we can attest to that! Whether you love adventure or just want to relax by the beach, Maui makes for the perfect island to visit. While you might never want to …

Read moreBest Things to Do in Maui

The post Best Things to Do in Maui appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

This Week in Travel – Episode 260

This week Chris Christensen, Jen Leo, and I are joined by this week’s guests Earl Bridges and Craig Martin, long time philanthropy veterans, globetrotters, and best friends are co-hosts of the new PBS Travel Series THE GOOD ROAD.  In this new series, they trek around the world to meet people who are making a difference. …

Read moreThis Week in Travel – Episode 260

The post This Week in Travel – Episode 260 appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

Visiting Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia

Banská Štiavnica is a town located in central Slovakia. It was an important center for gold and silver mining from the 15th to 19th centuries. At one point it was the second-largest city in the Kingdom of Hungary. It was inscribed on the world heritage list as The Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the …

Read moreVisiting Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia

The post Visiting Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

The moment dressage fans across the world have been waiting for has come as Valegro II goes up for auction.

The “exciting FEI pony prospect” is a full brother to Charlotte Dujardin’s gold medal-winning partner Valegro, but described as smaller – with only one leg. Bidding for the online auction is now live and will run until 10 May with all proceeds going to the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 appeal.

“Valegro II, according to Carl Hester, has all the attributes to make a top international prospect,” said a spokesman for Dressage Anywhere, which is hosting the online auction.

“The hobby horse is receiving his education with Olympic riders Carl and Charlotte at the moment, but they now feel he is ready to take an ambitious rider to the very top as sadly he has not grown enough for either of them.”

Valegro II has been donated by his “breeder”, Laurel Designs.

“In further appreciation to the NHS, stabling and schooling at the Gloucestershire stables is being provided without charge,” added the spokesman.

Article continued below…



“The winning bidder and new owner will be invited to meet the World champion Valegro to see the two brothers together when they collect Valegro II from Carl and Charlotte’s yard in Gloucestershire, once it’s safe to do so.”

Dressage Anywhere has raised more than £1,000 for the NHS Charities Together appeal from profits from its hobby horse online dressage competition. Those interested in taking part have until 10 May to submit an entry for judging, with classes ranging from novice to grand prix.

We continue to publish Horse & Hound magazine weekly during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as keeping horseandhound.co.uk up to date with all the breaking news, features and more. Click here for info about magazine subscriptions (six issues for £6) and access to our premium H&H Plus content online.

Since I sold my home in 2007, I have spent the vast majority of my nights in hotel and hostel rooms around the world. I spent almost 9 years traveling around the world non-stop, even after I stopped traveling full-time, the better part of each year was spent on the road. Even in 2020, I …

Read moreWhat Does A World Traveler Do When He Can’t Travel?

The post What Does A World Traveler Do When He Can’t Travel? appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

This Week in Travel – Episode 262

This week I am joined by Jen Leo, Spud Hilton, Chris Christensen and this week’s guest Anietra Hamper. Anietra Hamper is an award-winning travel writer and photographer with a penchant for outdoor adventure and fishing for some of the largest fish in the world. Prior to writing for travel publications, Anietra spent 18 years as …

Read moreThis Week in Travel – Episode 262

The post This Week in Travel – Episode 262 appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.