JessAndGrenville123 Facebook has gone down... Guess that is my cue to go to sleep ;) (19.06.2013)
Cherion Brook Great Jumping session with Paddy today! He's getting better :) Love this guy (18.06.2013)
Trot ON Comment One2Watch! "Royal Windsor's Big Week" on ITV at 9pm takes a behind-the-scenes look at the 70th anniversary of Royal Windsor Horse Show. (18.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Just watched the shire horse race, marvelous. The gentle giants. (17.06.2013)
quorum Shire Horse racing...they definitely have the action suited for heavy going ;) (17.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Did some Parelli today, figures of 8 on line and then in the saddle, then follow the rail. She really calmed down doing this. (16.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Two more Equine-Snaffle vids today. I even had a short gallop today and she was really good, and I stayed on!!!! (15.06.2013)
Cherion Brook Have offically passed my first year of university! Equine management degree here i come!!!! :D (15.06.2013)
Dazzle Saturday, my 2nd favourite S word then there is, saddle, snaffle, stallion, stables, schooling, sausages.......... (15.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Shod this evening. Rode up and down the lane and then in the field for a canter. She was great. I love my horse so much XXX (14.06.2013)
Clelandhorsemanship Looking for some DIY or grass livery for 3 horses preferably long term as close to CW8 postcode as possible. Inbox me please. :) (14.06.2013)
Dazzle Why is it I can learn the words to Psy's Gentleman but cannot remember Advanced Medium Test 92? (14.06.2013)
Flicka Hi Debbie, go to your My Seat page and scroll down or to your My Activity page and click My notes above your name and photo :D (14.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Also nicked my finger whilst poo picking on a bramble. Any other injuries going to happen this week??? (14.06.2013)
TreesRGreen Helped put on travel boots on friends horse yesterday and she kicked back and bent backk the first joint of my little finger (14.06.2013)
Debbie Reilly Can anyone tell me how I see my reply’s to peoples notes? Embarrassed to say but not sure if I’ve replied to them all!!?? Help!! ;) Thanks (13.06.2013)
Cherion Brook Jumping Paddy is like riding in the grand national. Sit tight, hold on and hope for the best, and i'm doing chase me charlie on him. HELP :D (13.06.2013)
meggy (13.06.2013)
JessAndGrenville123 (13.06.2013)
Flicka Woo woo-back riding Willow for the first time since February-feels so different after all the in-hand work!! (13.06.2013)

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Summer in February-a Munnings love affair.

Well mounted! Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens go for a gallop on the beach.

At Trot ON HQ we're itching to see the film Summer in February which opens this Friday (July14th.) It's got romance, scandal, tragedy, gorgeous leading men, a stunning Cornish coastal setting and lots of horses in it-what's not to like!

Adapted from the book by Jonathon Smith, Summer in February focuses on the real-life love triangle between England's finest painter of horses since Stubbs, a young, charismatic AJ Munnings (Dominic Cooper), Gilbert Evans (Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens ) and Florence Carter-Wood (Emily Browning).


Before the First World War AJ Munnings moved to Cornwall and became the life and soul of the Lamorna group- a gathering of bohemian artists on the wild Cornish coastline and it's here, along with his best friend Gilbert Evans, he meets and falls in love with a captivating young horsewoman and aspiring painter, Florence Carter-Wood who becomes his first wife.

The painting, 'The Morning Ride' which graces the book's cover depicts Florence riding sidesaddle through a sun dappled glade in the Lamorna Valley near Penzance on Munnings' mare, Merrilegs. Munnings had his 'brown mare', as he calls her in his autobiography, sent down from Norfolk by train along with his dog Taffy and writes about how this clever mare soon got the hang of the walls and banks in the country. Munnings stabled the brown mare and 'Grey Tick' another mare who he acquired from a local farmer, underneath a converted mill which doubled as his studio during his time in Cornwall. In his autobiography he expresses his gratitude to the mares for the patience they show modelling for some of his most famous paintings.

However, in Munnings' three-volume autobiography you won't find any mention of his first wife- some say because he was ashamed of this episode in his life whilst others suggest it was due to the wishes of his second wife, Violet.


If the film gets you in the mood for Munnings then we can't recommend The Sir Alfred Munnings Art Museum at Castle House in beautiful Dedham highly enough. The house which Munnings bought in 1919, homes the largest collection of the artists work. It makes a lovely setting for his paintings, and you can also look round the studio where he worked which is fascinating and looks as if he has just put down his brushes and gone off for a stroll.

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