Category Archives: sport

Enjoying A Day At The Races

Posted on by
Reply

Horse-Racing

It is nice every once in a while to treat yourself, without the little ones, and spend some quality time with your friends.  So how about a day at the races?  This is the one time you can have the whole day to yourself, getting fully dressed up and sipping champagne, whilst soaking in the atmosphere and having a little flutter. Or how about having a family day out at the races?  These days the races are perfect entertainment for the whole family, and there are still plenty of meetings left in 2021. If you are interested in why you might enjoy a day at the races, then step this way.

Enjoying a Flutter

Horse racing is one of those sports that combine the excitement of the event, the frill of dressing up, and the chance of winning some money. Horse race betting doesn’t have to mean high stakes, or even be based on some superior knowledge, it can just be fun. If you want to take it seriously, you can study the form of the runners, and their last few performances before placing a bet, either online, or on the day. You may be acting on a tip from a friend or from the Racing Post, who use expert analysis to predict possible winners. You may just be like me, and choose a horse based on the name you like most (I’ve had a few Grand National winners from doing just this.)

Things to look out for when placing your bet are aspects like if the horse has had any previous wins, the horse’s age and weight, it’s top speed ratings, and its latest betting odds.  Handy tips to picking your horse are found easily on various websites, and information is also available at the racecourse itself.

If you are tempted to have a flutter, you just need to set your budget and boundaries, and it will make your day all the more interesting and exciting, and you could end up taking home a few extra pounds.

Upcoming Events

Of course, the biggest racing events of the year like the Grand National, Royal Ascot and The Derby have all taken place this year, but most courses still have regular meetings in 2021. Next week (30th September) sees the Great Autumn Meeting taking place at Warwick Racecourse, whilst if you want to plan a little further ahead, Uttoxeter Racecourse has a jump racing afternoon on Friday 29th October, which, if you want to take the family, is actually during half term.

If you enjoy your racing under floodlights, Kempton Park has an evening of floodlight racing next month, whilst there are also meets at Newmarket, Haydock Park and Epsom Downs, all before the end of September.

Ladies day

9e43d954a1ba8a11579c4d485adc42c8

Fashion at the races is all important.  You want to create that right look but need some inspiration.  Dress codes at race tracks usually advise that you dress as you would if you were going to a wedding.  You can get ideas on the formal dress you are looking for, to express your desired look.  Many ladies enjoy wearing hats, which range from the simple design to the flamboyant, which you can pick up at local department stores, or have specially made by a milliner.  Shoes come in a range of shapes and colours, and can be easily found online to compliment your outfit.  Handbags and the right jewellery are the accessories which can finish off your race outfit perfectly.

A family day

14b91fc98e8-Family-Day5.1400

Family days at the races include extra activities to keep your cherubs entertained throughout the day, from an appearance of their favourite children’s characters, bouncy castles, to interactive racing zones.  Whether you live close to a racecourse or are travelling, racecourse websites advise you as where to drive in and park onsite, or local bus and rail information, with many places offering shuttle buses taking you directly to the course, from the nearest stations and town centres.

If you are travelling you also might consider making a night of it, and staying in local accommodation.  Whatever your requirements you might want to splash out on a lavish hotel, to an affordable boutique bed and breakfast, or stay in local flats and rooms.  However you wish to spend it, a day out at the races is a way of having fun with your friends or entertaining your family.

 

Horse Riding And Its Celebrity Fans

Posted on by

With the lockdown continuing to ease in most parts of the UK, there has been a rise in the number of people who are getting back in the saddle and enjoying horse riding all over again. The Queen was just one of the people who had missed riding during lockdown, and indeed the first published picture of her after lockdown was, inevitably, one of her riding a pony in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

It is apt then, that horse Riding is often described as the Sport of Kings, but these days it could also be as truthfully described as the sport of the glamorous celebrity. The list of well known names who have their own horses and custom built stables within the ground of their homes is both long and surprising.

Here are just some of the celebrities who take the opportunity to ride in their downtime.

Madonna

Top of any list of celebrity riding fans has to be the queen of pop herself, Madonna. We all know that Madonna had a very ‘English phase’ during her marriage to film director Guy Ritchie, where, as well as drinking tea, talking with a cut glass accent and wearing a nifty line in tea dresses, Madonna developed a passion for horses that continues to this day (she currently owns two.)

I can’t help thinking that the fashion maverick just loved the look of jodphurs and a riding hat (and we all know she’s been partial to a whip at times), but the fact that she actually trained, and with none other than William Fox Pitt clearly indicates that the one time Material Girl has clearly been bitten by the riding bug.

Mary Kate Olsen

These days she is better known for her fashion designing skills along with her sister Ashley for her label ‘The Row’, but Mary Kate is actually an accomplished horsewoman who has competed, most famously at the Hampton Classic Show. From a fashionista point of view, can you imagine how stylish The Row riding apparel would be. I think Mary Kate could be onto a real winner with that.

Bella Hadid

It sort of seems apt that the coltish, beautiful Bella Hadid is another lady with a passion for being in the saddle. The lovely supermodel is said to aspire to ride in an Olympic Games, well, there’s certainly still time to get the practice in before Tokyo 2020.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga became a fan of horse after she was presented with one by her record company. She is now the proud owner of a stallion called…wait for it…Trigger. (How Original!) Gaga is one person I would totally love to see on a horse, can you imagine the fun she would have with equestrian gear, and as for the boots….

Jordan/Katie Price

No roundup of celebrity horse riding fans can be complete without some mention of Jordan/Katie Price, or whatever she happens to be calling herself this week. Katie is a lover of dressage (couldn’t you guess that a woman obsessed with pink would also love the idea of dancing horses) and is actually, all joking aside, an accomplished horsewoman who is very passionate about horse sports, also playing polo. She even had her own equestrian clothing line, KP equestrian, which, as you can probably imagine, was very pink, very tongue in cheek and a whole lot of fun. After all, who could resist a ‘50 shades of hay’ t-shirt…

Are you a fan of horses, have you ever tried horse riding?

Finding A Healthier You

Posted on by

Becoming a mom is one of the most physically gruelling things you can do to your body, though sadly without the end result of washboard abs or a pert booty. When you have a young family, it’s so easy to let fitness fall on your list of priorities but this only leads to low self-esteem and even lower energy levels.. You can make the decision to prioritise your fitness regime, and one that works for you by making smart choices, and working out for a small period of time, every day. Here are some ways you can do so quickly, and effectively, even with a busy lifestyle.

Image by Sangudo used under the Creative Commons license.

Power walk to victory

Walking is the best thing you can do for your body to slowly build strength and fitness without putting unnecessary stress on it. If you can’t neglect your everyday chores to make time for a stroll, then build walking into your day’s routine. Park a few blocks away from the supermarket and make up the distance on foot. Walk the kids to school if it’s in the local neighbourhood, vow to take the dog on a brisk walk every morning, and make play dates with other moms for a stroll rather than a sedentary hour in the park. At the weekend, a hike is the perfect way for your family to get healthy together. Make sure everyone is well-equipped with good quality walking socks and boots, and work together to navigate to make it engaging.

Add a Multivitamin Complex

Our body does not always get all that it needs from our diets and lifestyle, so we sometimes need to give it a helping hand. Adding a multi vitamin from Epsilon Life could be the answer if we feel we need to give our immune and digestive system a boost. Epsilon’s Multivitamin and Mineral complex is Vegan certified, and  has, among other ingredients Iron, B-complex, Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng. It will give you all the vitamins you need in one tablet, and not only will you feel better, but you will look better too, with healthier looking hair and skin.

Resolve to eat well

Your fitness is about 30% exercise and 70% diet, so the importance of what foods you choose to put in your body cannot be overstated. If you have a busy lifestyle, aim to eat small meals, often, to sustain energy and concentration. Ditch sugary, processed food, and anything you have been using as a crutch to get you through the day, whether it’s that third cup of coffee, cans of diet soda or chocolate bars. Exercise and a positive attitude will eventually replace these. Snack on fruit, veg, boiled eggs, nuts and cottage cheese, and whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast.

Many people are now turning to a plant based diet in order to improve their health and well being. Veganism is now seen as a way to not only improve all of their general health, but also to help save the planet too. If you are thinking of changing to a plant based diet, or want to see what effect certain meat products may have on your body and what they can be substituted for you could have a nutritional health test.

HealthLabs.com has been offering customers affordable lab testing online since 2015. These can help to identify which meat or animal products are causing body irritation or what nutrients are lacking which may be addressed by adopting a plant based diet,  nutritional panel tests can also identify other common deficiencies in a broader diet. These tests are far cheaper than if you try to organise through a doctor and can really help you to achieve greater well being.

If you are based in the US and would like to organise a test, you can save 15% by booking through this link.

Make some time for you

You can power walk and chow down on granola bars all day long, but if you’re mentally frazzled, it probably won’t help much. Allocate a set time every day (or every few days) which is just for you. This might be an hour in which you go for a massage. You may want to indulge in an evening yoga class, or spend the morning painting. It could be a creative writing class, or a book group. Whatever it is that helps you reconnect with yourself, make time for it. Your sense of personal well-being depends on it.