Tag: horse

Gazza Scores A Beautiful Goal For Gansu Tianma in His First Game!

China: 26-Years Ago – Paul Gascoigne – Played Four Football Games & Scored 2-Goals In-Front of 30,000 Fans in Gansu – Then Suddenly Left! (13.8.2026)

The above article is full of hope and love for Paul Gascoigne and the “Gansu Divine-Sky Horses” – the struggling Chinese football team Gazza was contracted to play for. Gazza’s playing career spanned 19-years between 1985-2004. Many English football stars – as they are so much more skilled than the average footballer – tend to play abroad for a time in their latter career before taking jobs as coaches, trainers, and media commentators, etc. Gazza avoided most of this and experienced very public battles with addiction and psychological issues. This is all a matter of public record. As Gazza suffered endless injuries as his body aged rapidly (compounded by the effects of alcohol) – his options for foreign playing were highly limited. In many ways, Gazza was lucky for the opportunity China gave him – and to this day he has never uttered a word of gratitude. This is the way things are – and there is reason to sugar-coat it. Watching the films of Gazza at his peak – there is no doubt he was one of the best players in the world. Even at the other end of his playing-career – the Chinese people were grateful he had chosen to play in their country. I think the BBC paid Gazza for an exclusive documentary about his time in China. It could be that he stayed long enough for the BBC cheque to clear before leaving – and never intended to stay in China – or help their football game develop.

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Royal Army Veternary Corps

Surrey: Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) – Horse Ambulance (Mark II – Converted Bullock-Cart)! (29.5.2026)

When horses were hurt (and not automatically shot) they were transported in the type of conveyance pictured above – but I think this might have been rare (new horses were acquired quicker than wounded horses could heal). At the end of WWI, many thousands of conscripted horses were gathered on the beaches of France – after serving the UK loyally (even participating in cavalry charges against machine-guns) – and instead of being shipped back to England and discharged to their owners, the UK government (probably Churchill) ordered them “shot”. The bullet was cheaper than the shipping and compensation owned. Of course, although some horses were used in WWII (1939-1945) – technology had improved dramatically and horses were not required as they were two-decades previously. From a compassionate perspective it would be good to think that all British horses had access to above level of care – but reality is not built upon fairy-tales. Only the lucky few (probably the horses of high-up Officers) were subject to this kind of care. This British Army Ambulance appears to have the battle honour of “Normandy”!

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Happy Chinese New Year of the Double (Red) Fire Horse!

UK: ICBI Chinese New Year Message – Lunar Spring Festival – 4724! (17.2.2026)

As compassion and loving kindness grows and is magnified through the more people it is shared with – these statements act as “ripples” of positive energy emanating that traverse through the portals of the past, present, and future – excluding none and embracing all! Of course, the Buddha defined the human mind as being that capacity which can perceive the present, recall the past, and plan for the future. This is a remarkable observation. What the Ch’an School offers, infused as it is with the thinking associated with Confucianism – and the far older “Book of Change” – is that the mind should a) be “stilled” (realising a relative emptiness), b) a product of purifying all vestiges of greed, hatred, and delusion, and c) and in so-doing experiencing the expansion of this “emptiness” realisation into an “all-embracing” reality.

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Trainer Joe Ticle - "Depressed Horse No Laughing Matter!"

Newton Abbot: Joe Tickle Confirms “Name is Real” in Alleged Horse Doping Scandel! (25.11.2025)

“Limiting cross-contamination of medication people can take is a slightly grey area because it’s regarding antidepressants and mental health,” the trainer said. “You can’t stop people taking medication and also people don’t have to declare to you that they are taking medication. You can ask, which we now do, but they don’t have to explain that if they don’t want to, which I fully appreciate.”  

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Confederate Artillary

CSA: The Bravery of John Pelham’s “Creole” Cannoniers at the [1862] Battle of Fredericksburg! (17.2.2025)

Despite using good terrain to the maximum advantage, Pelham’s single cannon was still far in advance of the Confederate frontline. Firing at the Union flank meant each cannon-ball smashed through multiple ranks of soldiers – hitting side-on. It was a dangerous gamble – but one which paid-off because Pelham was a competent Officer and his “Creole” crew superb when under fire. A Union Pennsylvanian Infantry Regiment started to take ridiculous numbers of casualties as Pelham’s cannon balls smashed there way through life and limb. However, Pelham only managed to fire three rounds before Union return fire stated coming in. At one-point, as Union rounds were landing, the Louisiana “Creole” crew began to sing the French “La Marseillaise” in defiance. Within minutes, hundreds of Union cannons, both near and far, were returning fire into the general direction, even though the lay of the land often prevented a clear line of sight. The reality was that the Union forces only had to land just one well-placed shot to destroy the single Confederate cannon and neutralise most of its crew. Pelham had chosen his position so well that despite the weight of return fire – the Union artillery found it very difficult to score a direct hit.

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Main Street - Forest Hill (Oxford) - OX33 1EB

Oxford: John Milton’s “Mounting Stone” – Forest Hill! (29.8.2024)

As to “why” Oxford Council resorted to this tactic is a matter of conjecture considering how overgrown the bank and stone is – and how difficult it is to actually locate the stone (there is virtually no signage). Perhaps a flat stone was becoming easily obscured by dirt, leaves and over debris – and an upright position rendered it better protected. John Milton (1608-1674) was a literary genius and esteemed poet who lived across the road from this stone and was a supporter of Parliament (and Oliver Cromwell) during the English Republic (1649-1660). His thinking was both progressive and Revolutionary! He (and his wife) were wealthy landowners in the area of the stone – owning property either side of St Nicholas Church in Forest Hill.

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