Thulani in Dorset

Thulani has arrived to stay with us, the Danby family. We are Karen (mum) Alastair (dad) Sophie (eldest daughter) Rufus (eldest son) Joe (10yrs) and Mimi (4yrs).

We live in Chetnole a little rural village in the county of Dorset in the south of England. At the heart of the village is our Church, village hall and the Chetnole Inn not forgetting the Playing field.

Dad Alastair works in the nearby town of Sherborne (which is about 7 miles away) and the children go to school there too. Eldest daughter Sophie works in the village next to us called Leigh, in a care home for the elderly, although she will be heading off to Leeds university in September to start her medical degree.

St Peters church Chetnole:

The 15th century tower is the location of some interesting gargoyles. One depicts a huge demon with heads where its eyes should be. Another of the gargoyles appears to be straining in a somewhat constipated manor. The nave and the north aisle dates from the 13th century and the chancel from about 1860.

The Village Hall is a small hall which is utilized for many meetings, clubs and keep fit activities. Every Wednesday morning a coffee morning is held and some local produce is on sale along with the availability of post office facilities. A traveling Library van visits Chetnole too!

We do not have a train station as most people would imagine but we have what is called a halt, which means that if we want to catch a passing train we have to flag it down like you would a taxi!! The children love this, as in the summer we occasionally take the train to Weymouth beach for the day, returning after a fish and chip supper on the seafront. We also occasionally take the train to Bath(famous for its Roman Baths) for shopping, rugby watching and visiting our friends. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chetnole_railway_station

We love to go to the Chetnole Inn for lunch or supper as the food is delicious and Mimi likes to visit the giant rabbit that lives in their garden. http://www.thechetnoleinn.co.uk She also likes to go to the playing field to have fun on the swings and slide before heading home to Neals Lane in Chetnole.

Thulani's last day in France

Thulani's last visit before leaving France was to the Haras de Muschamp stud farm.
 

Here follow all the stats. with all the information you need to know about this beautiful 4-year old filly that Thulani had the great fortune to ride on Monday 18th June (the day before he left for his next set of adventures in England).
 

Horse in photo:

Muschamp HARMONIE – sire Titelheld

Born in France year 2008 – 4 years old

Breed: Trakehner (German origin)

Owned by: Le Haras de Muschamp/Muschamp Stud (originally from the UK)

Website: www.muschamp.com

Facebook: Muschamp Trakehners

Muschamp HARMONIE is already very well known in France as she was CHAMPION of the 3 yr old young horses in France’s National Dressage Championships in SAUMUR 2011.

This year she is out competing in young horse dressage competition (and will also be competing in Germany in Hannover in July this year).

Her goal to be National Champion in Saumur, France for a second year running!

Her rider is Australian REBECCA ROOKE

Le Haras de Muschamp is in France promoting the breed of TRAKEHNER horses, specializing in the world of Dressage and Eventing

France, Friday 15 June- Sun 17 June

Friday Night is Music Night !! Concert held in the Foyer Rural
Saturday Night is Neighbours' Night at Concha & Hubert's Home
(Thulani gets to play a Vieille ~ an ancient French folk instrument)
Sunday morning doing some gardening and Thulani has fallen in love with a Lapin ( is a lady rabbit in France called a Lapine ??!

If you look carefully, you can see Thulani sitting on the edge of the stage on the right. The concert went extremely well and Paula was very proud of her pupils. Highlights of the concert have even been put up on YouTube.

Here in the country because people do not live on top of each other (as they do in a town) so they need to travel a bit further to be sociable, and once a year a "Voisinade" is organised where local families, friends and neighbours get together to talk, eat, drink, make music and have a thoroughly good time. This photo shows Hubert & Concha with Thulani. They are our delightful neighbours who hosted Saturday night's Voisinade event. They knew he was heading off to England for the next stage of his world tour, so they organised a Union Jack flag with the French bread ..... He wonders what he is going to do when he gets to England ?!!

Thulani discovered a Folk Instrument tonight called a Veille, but Paula told him that in England it's called a "Hurdy Gurdy" Paula put some Wikipedia information about the history of this instrument into Thulani's log book. It is very strange and you can see Thulani with the instrument, A clarinettist came to the Voisinade too and that is not such an unusual instrument. Sadly he didn't give a rendition of Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore !"

Oh, and in case you were wondering if your eyes were playing tricks with you .... if you think you see a rabbit with Thulani in some of these photos, I have to let you know that Thulani and Madamoiselle Lapin seem to have fallen in love ..... He met her at the concert and they have, so far, not been separated ..... It may mean that the Mlle Lapin might have to travel to England with him, because at this stage it seems to be getting serious .... Paula told him not to rush into anything, but I wanted to show them sitting among the pansies .....

Sunday morning 17th June was bright and sunny. Paula took some photos with Thulani and Gabriel & Florian and their father Eric, who came for a nice morning session of music. You must admire the rose bush which grows around a pergolas in our Garden! It is such a big garden, we have to have a sit-on tractor mower !! Thulani was a bit too small to drive it :(

In the last photo you see Thulani with Dylan and a white cat. Dylan is an Australian boy whose mother is working with the Trakehner Horses at Cussay for 3 months. That will be Thulani's last official visit this week before he is packed off to England ..... I'm waiting with baited breath to find out whether this Bear/Rabbit relationship is going to to blossom and become reality ?? .... More soon .....