{"id":1406,"date":"2018-08-13T22:09:27","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T02:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=1406"},"modified":"2018-10-28T13:49:04","modified_gmt":"2018-10-28T17:49:04","slug":"horses-at-frith-manor-including-beanie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=1406","title":{"rendered":"HORSES AT FRITH MANOR (including BEANIE)"},"content":{"rendered":"

HORSES AT FRITH MANOR ON A \u00a0SUMMER \u00a0DAY \u00a0IN 2018<\/p>\n

(If you love horses, you will love these pics and \u00a0stories)<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
FOUR STORIES \u2026 INCOMPLETE \u00a0STORIES<\/div>\n
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alan \u00a0Skeoch<\/div>\n
August 2018<\/div>\n
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Our granddaughter Nolan \u00a0Skeoch \u00a0is a \u00a0horsewoman. \u00a0Proven \u00a0by the great swaths of time she \u00a0spends at Frith Manor grooming, riding, \u00a0jumping, bedding, wheeling \u00a0carts of \u00a0horse \u00a0manure, talking to horses (and occasionally \u00a0people).<\/div>\n
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Frith Manor is \u00a0hardly a \u00a0palatial estate. \u00a0But it houses \u00a045 horses in big stalls and provides\u00a0<\/span>wilderness trails \u00a0that even veteran Londoners \u00a0do not know \u00a0exist. \u00a0Most of \u00a0all, however,\u00a0<\/span>each horse has \u00a0a \u00a0story. \u00a0I have tried \u00a0to capture a couple of horse stories so you can\u00a0<\/span>feel \u00a0you know Frith Manor\u2026a place you will never see for it is hidden away in a \u00a0forgotten\u00a0<\/span>quasi-medieval farm that developers have \u00a0missed and is now protected as pasturage\u00a0<\/span>for horses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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STORY # 1: \u00a0MARIA TITNEY<\/div>\n
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Story #1: \u00a0MARIA<\/div>\n
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This \u00a0is \u00a0Maria Titney and her horse Beanie. \u00a0I do \u00a0not know Maria\u2019s \u00a0full story but<\/div>\n
what I \u00a0do know is quite moving. \u00a0Beanie is \u00a0(was) her daughters \u00a0horse but<\/div>\n
her daughter got sick and \u00a0could not look after Beanie. \u00a0So, for the past several years,<\/div>\n
Maria has \u00a0done the care. \u00a0Not easy. \u00a0Maria gets \u00a0up before dawn to ride by public<\/div>\n
bus to Frith Manor to feed, brush, wash and walk Beanie. \u00a0He expects \u00a0her<\/div>\n
every day. \u00a0Looks from his stall down the line of stable stalls to the path Maria walks.. \u00a0After<\/div>\n
caring for Beanie in the morning, Maria \u00a0goes home by bus and then returns \u00a0at<\/div>\n
nightfall to clean Beanie\u2019s \u00a0stall and prepare him for bed.<\/div>\n
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This sounds like a very onerous and unpleasant schedule for a \u00a0person of limited means.<\/div>\n
Not Maria. \u00a0She is a \u00a0joy to meet. \u00a0Always greets \u00a0us \u00a0with open arms \u00a0and \u00a0questions<\/div>\n
about our lives. \u00a0Someday I \u00a0hope, someone takes the time to get Maria\u2019s \u00a0full story.<\/div>\n
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Should Maria ever fail to be there \u00a0for Beanie then he would be \u00a0doomed. \u00a0He is<\/div>\n
a very \u00a0large horse \u00a0as \u00a0you can see. \u00a0Gentle as \u00a0a \u00a0lamb. \u00a0Unfortunately he \u00a0accidentally<\/div>\n
stepped \u00a0on \u00a0Maria\u2019s foot. Badly Damaged. \u00a0So \u00a0now she limps when taking Beanie<\/div>\n
for a \u00a0walk.<\/div>\n
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Story #2: AMARANTHE<\/div>\n
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Amaranthe \u00a0drew my attention when \u00a0I notice \u00a0his owner trying to give him a path<\/div>\n
with a garden hose. \u00a0 He \u00a0became skittish. \u00a0 About to rear up. \u00a0While his stablemates<\/div>\n
looked on with either \u00a0total disinterest or amusement.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat a beautiful horse?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201c\u201dThoroughbred\u2026just arrived from \u00a0Spain\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSeems a bit high strung.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cTime and attention will change that\u2026if \u00a0he survives?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cIf he survives?<\/div>\n
\u201cHe has OCD\u2026bone splinters in one of \u00a0his legs.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSplinters?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBad problem. \u00a0The \u00a0new \u00a0owner was thinking of sending him back<\/div>\n
to Spain and get her money back. \u00a0But now she has changed her \u00a0mind.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBecause \u00a0he will likely be put down if \u00a0sent to Spain\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHorses with bone \u00a0splinters are usually \u00a0\u2018put down’\u2026imagine a horse with a broken leg. \u00a0What can \u00a0be done?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNot a damn thing.”<\/div>\n
\u201cBrings back \u00a0a memory\u2026way \u00a0back \u00a0in 1947 my Dad \u00a0bought part of \u00a0a horse after a Claims Race<\/div>\n
at Dufferin \u00a0Racetrack in Toronto. \u00a0Probably owned \u00a020 bucks worth of the horse \u00a0for Dad \u00a0never<\/div>\n
seemed to have more than 20 bucks at a time.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat does that have to do with Amaranthe?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cDad\u2019s \u00a0horse broke its leg the next day. \u00a0Eric and \u00a0I \u00a0were just small boys. Squeezed \u00a0through<\/div>\n
a hole \u00a0in the board fence just in time to see Dad\u2019s horse shot. \u00a0It reared \u00a0and fell. \u00a0Not<\/div>\n
a nice memory.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAmaranthe\u2019s \u00a0fate is \u00a0going to be a \u00a0lot better. \u00a0Owner has \u00a0decided \u00a0to try and fix<\/div>\n
the leg. \u00a0Expensive for \u00a0sure. \u00a0But she cannot bare \u00a0to think of Amaranthe<\/div>\n
being put down.”<\/div>\n
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Story #3 \u00a0HORSE RESCUER<\/div>\n
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I was \u00a0only able to have a \u00a0short conversation with this young lady. Her \u00a0affection<\/div>\n
for horses goes beyond petting, feeding and riding. \u00a0 She is a horse rescuer.<\/div>\n
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\u201cHorse \u00a0Rescuer?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cRacehorses\u2026only the winners \u00a0have value. \u00a0Losers are often doomed\u2026sold \u00a0to highest bidder some of whom<\/div>\n
are in the meat industry.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cShe has rescued three of them.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI thought race horses were \u00a0always well treated.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWinning horses are \u00a0but losing \u00a0horses are not. \u00a0In \u00a0any given horse \u00a0race<\/div>\n
there \u00a0is only one winner.. \u00a0What do you think happens \u00a0to the losers?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNever gave that much thought.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSome are rescued by horses lovers but a great many \u00a0are doomed.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cDoomed?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHorseracing \u00a0is a \u00a0money game. \u00a0If a racehorse cannot make money<\/div>\n
for its owner then it is put in a claims race where anhoe can buy it cheap.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSurely not as awful as that.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThere was \u00a0a time when retired race horses were highly valued. \u00a0Back in the horse<\/div>\n
and \u00a0buggy days. \u00a0 Now \u00a0the lucky horses are sold to only a \u00a0few \u00a0like \u00a0that. In<\/div>\n
Canada , many ex racehorses are \u00a0bought cheaply by \u00a0Mennonites and Amish<\/div>\n
people \u2026 religious people who consider our \u00a0motorized \u00a0society sinful.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSo most racehorses are a dime a dozen so to speak. \u00a0Cheap in other words\u2026. face a grim future?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cRight.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHard \u00a0not to admire a horse rescuer\u2026but a very tough life she \u00a0must face.\u201d<\/div>\n
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STORY #4 \u00a0 Nolan and Gabriela Skeoch become horse breeders<\/div>\n
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I don\u2019t know where \u00a0this story began. \u00a0Mothers notice \u00a0things about their children.<\/div>\n
Gabriela noticed \u00a0tha Nolan\u2019s bedroom was \u00a0becoming very \u2018horsey\u201d for Nolan<\/div>\n
was filling the walls with horse \u00a0pictures. Gabriela heard there was a hoses<\/div>\n
stable not farm from \u00a0they home \u00a0in Muswell Hill, \u00a0North London. \u00a0So Nolan<\/div>\n
got riding \u00a0lessons on \u2018Squash\u2019, a rather small horse \u00a0who needed attention.<\/div>\n
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In time, Squash proved to be ungrateful and gave Nolan a little nip. Not bad<\/div>\n
but enough to make Gabriela worried. \u00a0She had \u00a0a choice. \u00a0Quit the life<\/div>\n
at Frith Manor or buy \u00a0a horse of their own.<\/div>\n
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That\u2019s how 9 \u00a0year old \u00a0Georgie \u00a0became the first horse in the London \u00a0Skeoch family stable.<\/div>\n
He was \u00a0Quiet and \u00a0appreciative. \u00a0And \u00a0easy to ride but a \u00a0tad smaller than<\/div>\n
other horses at 14.2 hands. \u00a0 So gentle, however, that he \u00a0could be ridden<\/div>\n
bareback without worry.<\/div>\n
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Ownership of Georgie \u00a0was the beginning of their equine addiction. \u00a0Why stop<\/div>\n
with only one \u00a0horse.? \u00a0Especially when word \u00a0arrived \u00a0that a Spanish 5 year old Andalusian<\/div>\n
Palamino was for sale. \u00a0So \u00a0what if the horse \u00a0was \u00a0in \u00a0Spain and had \u00a0to be trucked<\/div>\n
through France to England. \u00a0And so \u2018Mello” arrived. \u00a0 Initially Mello was \u00a0a \u00a0little<\/div>\n
too spirited for Nolan so was sent to training \u00a0school. \u00a0After graduation Mello became<\/div>\n
Nolan\u2019s first full size horse.<\/div>\n
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Nolan and \u00a0Mello \u00a0are \u00a0learning how to jump over fake fences. \u00a0 Dangerous \u00a0for both of them.<\/div>\n
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So Gabriela bought two horses. \u00a0Why stop there><\/div>\n
Two horses unleashed bigger plans. \u00a0And \u00a0Gabriela \u00a0bought \u201cAtea\u201d , a chestnut \u00a0purebred<\/div>\n
Spanish \u00a04 year old mare \u2026 who just happened \u00a0to be pregnant. \u00a0Now \u00a0the horse business<\/div>\n
was \u00a0getting very \u00a0serious. \u00a0Needed a stable where \u00a0foaling was carefully tended. \u00a0So \u00a0Gabriela \u00a0and \u00a0Nolan found another<\/div>\n
stable a two hour journey away \u00a0in a charming back \u00a0road part of \u00a0Surrey.<\/div>\n
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Roads to the stables in Surrey got very narrow\u2026one car roadways\u2026then suddenly we \u00a0were there.<\/div>\n
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Altea with her third \u00a0Skeoch foal named \u00a0Aurora. \u00a0Born in June 2018.<\/div>\n
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Atea is a natural mother so \u00a0Gabriela and Nolan now own, August 2018,<\/div>\n
three other foals. \u00a0The latest foal, only 2 months \u00a0old has been named \u00a0Aurora<\/div>\n
She tucks herself \u00a0close to her mom, \u00a0Atea, in the above photograph. \u00a0And snuggles up to Gabriela<\/div>\n
in the pic below.<\/div>\n
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Her two sisters, Navarra, a 1 year old Chestnut filly and Karma are \u00a0with their mother<\/div>\n
Atea \u00a0and \u00a0young \u00a0sister Aurora at the Surrey stable. But the older fillys live separately from Atea.<\/div>\n
They have their own rooms \u00a0like some human children do.<\/div>\n
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And so Gabriela and \u00a0Nolan now have six \u00a0horses\u2026two mares and three fillys. And one \u00a0gelding.<\/div>\n
Gelding?<\/div>\n
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” If George \u00a0is a gelding then how \u00a0did Atea get pregnant?\u201d<\/div>\n
“Silly question\u2026A. I. \u2026A.I. is foolproof.”<\/div>\n
\u201cA.I.? \u00a0Do you mean Artificial Intelligence?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNope, Artificial \u00a0Insemination.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cDoes That mean \u00a0that most men are expendable in future years\u2026not much need for males anymore. Just room for super males.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cMeaning?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cMeaning technology is replacing jobs \u00a0with machines\u2026no need for us in the future.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSilly\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSociety with those \u00a0new \u00a0intelligent machines\u2026those #$%^& robots\u2026 rendering most of<\/div>\n
us \u00a0obsolete. \u00a0 We may as \u00a0well all be \u00a0gelded. We will certainly be unemployed. \u00a0Most of \u00a0us replaced by<\/div>\n
A.I. things.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSometimes I wonder about you.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201c \u00a0Only perfect males will be \u00a0allowed to procreate. \u00a0That<\/div>\n
is now common among domestic animals.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cFear not, Alan, you are perfect.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat a relief? \u00a0Wait a \u00a0minute, \u00a0did \u00a0you wink?”<\/div>\n
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Kevin Skeoch and \u00a0Gabriela Skeoch admiring Navarra and \u00a0Karma. \u00a0Kevin Skeoch<\/div>\n
has documented the whole horse \u00a0adventure and in the process \u00a0become a \u00a0good<\/div>\n
rider and a gentle unfearfull presence among the animals. \u00a0Wish I could say \u00a0the<\/div>\n
same thing about myself.<\/div>\n
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Why \u00a0would they want six horses? \u00a0 Simple. \u00a0Purebred Spanish Andalusian thoroughbreds<\/div>\n
are valuable. \u00a0They can \u00a0be sold \u00a0and \u00a0thereby diminish the costs \u00a0of stabling six horses\u2026vets bills,..<\/div>\n
farrier bills\u2026feed bills\u2026transportation bills\u2026etc. \u00a0etc. \u00a0 Owning horses is not a cheap affair.<\/div>\n
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One horseman I recently consulted \u00a0suggested \u201cNever get close to your horses. Keep<\/div>\n
them distant. \u00a0If you love them then parting is very difficult.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0Seems to me that<\/div>\n
Gabriela and \u00a0Nolan love \u00a0their horses. \u00a0Selling will be difficult.<\/div>\n
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STORY #5 \u00a0 WHAT ABOUT MORGAN?<\/div>\n
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HAS MORGAN BEEN FORGOTTEN?<\/div>\n
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\u00a0 Looks like Gabriela \u00a0and Nolan are \u00a0having fun but what about Morgan.?<\/div>\n
Do \u00a0not get your knickers twisted. \u00a0Morgan loves dogs \u00a0and cats. \u00a0So Gabriela has<\/div>\n
purchased \u00a0two dogs \u00a0and three \u00a0cats \u00a0they all live in their house in \u00a0Muswell \u00a0Hill.. \u00a0Morgan\u2019s<\/div>\n
interest in animal care has \u00a0been encouraged far beyond \u00a0what most parents<\/div>\n
would understand. \u00a0She plans a career devoted animal care\u2026perhaps even becoming a veterinarian.<\/div>\n
Gabriela aided that possibility. \u00a0In March, \u00a0Morgan volunteered as a farm worker in Northern Scotland doing lambing in early spring.<\/div>\n
Then in July she volunteered at an exotic zoo tending a pile of \u00a0meer cats and skunks in early July near Birmingham. \u00a0And \u00a0as I<\/div>\n
write this \u00a0letter Morgan is \u00a0in the \u00a0outback of Australia \u00a0helping to pull calves out<\/div>\n
of cows that have gone full term. \u00a0Morgan\u2019s story is just a rich as \u00a0Nolan\u2019s.<\/div>\n
In the picture above Morgan is getting a \u00a0kiss \u00a0from Mello \u00a0at the Frith Stable.<\/div>\n
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PICTURES \u00a0OF \u00a0STABLEMATES<\/div>\n
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QUESTION: \u00a0WHY ARE MOST HORSE \u00a0OWNERS IN THESE STABLES \u00a0FEMALE?<\/div>\n
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Hard to believe this wilderness road is near London, England\u2026right?\u2019<\/div>\n
Hard \u00a0to believe the Skeoch \u00a0family \u00a0own 6 horses in and near London\u2026right?<\/div>\n
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Hard to believe the world is \u00a0round\u2026.right?<\/div>\n
Hard \u00a0to believe everything we do is done in the thin band \u00a0of Oxygen laden air that envelops the earth\u2026right?<\/div>\n
Hard to believe in miracles but our presence\u2026alone\u2026in the vastness of the universe seems miraculous\u2026right?<\/div>\n
Hard to believe that we are alone\u2026right?<\/div>\n
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So sharing our livable space with six horses may be some act of \u00a0faith\u2026right?<\/div>\n
Sharing our living space, tiny though it is becoming.<\/div>\n
Hard to believe \u00a0that others share our life \u00a0journey\u2026including horses.<\/div>\n
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Hardest thing to understand is why Frith Manor horse owners are overwhelmingly women\u2026?<\/div>\n
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alan \u00a0skeoch<\/div>\n
august 2018<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HORSES AT FRITH MANOR ON A \u00a0SUMMER \u00a0DAY \u00a0IN 2018 (If you love horses, you will love these pics and \u00a0stories) FOUR STORIES \u2026 INCOMPLETE \u00a0STORIES alan \u00a0Skeoch August 2018 Our granddaughter Nolan \u00a0Skeoch \u00a0is a \u00a0horsewoman. \u00a0Proven \u00a0by the great swaths of time she \u00a0spends at Frith Manor grooming, riding, \u00a0jumping, bedding, wheeling \u00a0carts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1406"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1406\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1623,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1406\/revisions\/1623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}