Now that the shows done for now, it is time to settle down and relax for the summer! Things have been going amazing! Ponies are going very well and I have been learning so much every day! The other day Frau Endres was out of town, so the girls and I decided that we would take all of the horses on the farm including mine, and jump them! It was so much fun to take the ponies over jumps. Poor Guffy was so confused, so we had to work on his striding. His signature move is to take little strides up until the jump, and to make the very last stride HUGE!!! So we had to fix that. Apparently he thought it was fun! He was adamant about doing it his way, but he was finally convinced to jump like a normal horse. It was really cool to do because Guffy is a pony that naturally moves a little slower behind, and the jumping made him really quick behind and attentive. His program is now jumping at least once a week! It will be fun!
It has been so hot here. It feels like Florida. A great excuse to go to the ice cream shops for some awesome German ice cream. I don't know what they put in it, but it's really good!!
These past couple lessons we have really been focusing on relaxation, flexion, and quick hindlegs in all collected movements. Frau Endres has been teaching me that the key is in using quicker, sharper aids and not to push for the collection for long periods of time to get the collection. This stresses the horse too much and shuts down the hindlegs because you prevent the movement from moving through the horse's back. Very interesting I thought.
Tomorrow we ride early in the morning to try to escape the heat of the day! Mornings in Germany are so beautiful.
PS. Germany plays again the the World Cup Soccer on Saturday. It is so crazy here with the soccer. I love it!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Back from Hagen
Wow! What a weekend! I thought that I would have time to blog throughout....but the show turned out to have early mornings, long days, late nights, and SO MUCH FUN!!! This was definitely the most fun show I have ever been to. I still can't believe that I got to go.
So I will break this down day by day. The first day was the jog Thursday and that was certainly interesting! I rode both of the ponies before the jog so they could warm up (and be a little tired because they can sometimes be wild). They were both super and I was confident that we would have a normal, uneventful jog. WRONG! Dewey was a very good boy-behaving nicely and passing the jog. However, Guffy was very naughty! We were in the holding area which was right next to the jogging area in the big indoor, and I thought that it would be a good idea to practice once before I went in to jog. Well, as we were doing our practice jog, he kicked up, reared, and took me out with his hind legs! I was dragged through the dirt for a couple of seconds until the reins broke and he was loose!!! Luckily we were in an indoor and there was no where for him to go. Needless to say I was very dirty! But the horses were healthy and ready to compete which was all that mattered. It was funny though because after I was done taking care of the horses back in the CDI tents, I met my parents and all of my friends up at the party tent for the welcome party....and I walked in limping. It was so funny and we all had a good laugh!
The next day was the first day of competition. We rode the team test, so this was a nations cup competition. I got to ride both ponies in this class, but only Dewey's test was scored because Guffy was an entry that they called a "vorreiter." Those who had two ponies had the option of entering one in the actual class and the other as just a ride without score but with the judges and everything. After that, you had to chose your best horse from that day and take that one horse on to the next two days for individual competition. Guffy was very good in the warm up that day, but got very scared in the ring and felt like he climbed into the snail shell to hide. It was too bad because he felt so good in the warmup, but I had another chance with the horse that counted for a score. Dewey was very good. We put down a test with no mistakes, great collection, and good precision. However, we did run into the politics again because it was a big european selection trials, so they were not going to give the new american girl the score. It was so much fun though, and I had a lot of fun riding a really good test.
The next day, Saturday was the individual test which qualified you for the finale which was the kur. This test was not quite as good as the one before, but we still managed to make it into the kur. I was so excited, because that was all that I wanted to do....get into the kur. We were all so excited and we went to the big gala on saturday night for all of the riders and had so much fun. Dancing, talking, and having fun with all of the other riders, show jumpers and dressage was so much fun! We were out very late!
The next day was Sunday. Day of the finale. It was the freestyle so I was loose and confident. This was where I wanted to be, and I got there. A lot of people came to watch me that day. Supporters from the USA, really close friends, and people I had never met before came to watch my kur. It was so much fun! Dewey and I rose to the occasion and laid down a really nice kur. Dewey performed his grand prix half passes with ease and accuracy, and the highlight was definitely the canter work which was awesome! Unfortunately, the scores were still a a bit unfair, and our score was not where it was expected to be. Even Frau Endres said she had me much higher, and a lot of people that I met here that came to watch said that they had me in the low 70s! And they know their stuff!!!! It was so cool though! Seeing all of those great riders and knowing that I came here and competed with them and came to play ball. I now realize that for your first time in Europe, it's not all about the scores. This is what it is all about:
1. Having Fun
2. Riding well
3. Feeling confident
4. Making friends
5. Living the dream
This weekend was absolutely amazing. I learned so much from dressage and jumper riders. I made friends with people of both disciplines, and even reunited with some old european jumper friends that I had met in Florida last year! The scores and the "first time politics" are not important right now. Right now I am just so excited that I got to be there. That I got to live it and breath it all the ay through. Instead of breaking down, we stepped up and laid down our very best. I gained the respect of a lot of people, made new friends, and I am ready to continue my education as an up and coming dressage rider. Being here was the most amazing experience, and I don't think that I would have changed anything. I learned so much and most importantly had so much fun. Sometimes I think we get really caught up in the "oh my god I am showing in a big show and I am going to die." Being in a big show like this for the first time can be very stressful and intimidating at times, and it wasn't easy the first two days to warm up in a sea of german riders with quiet legs and soft hands. But after making new friends, going to the parties, and having fun with great people, I began to ride better. By just having fun and hanging out with your friends and relaxing, my legs did get quieter and my hands did get softer, and I laid down 3 clean tests. Of course focus and determination are very important, but sometimes you just gotta let go and have fun! Being with my friends and having fun with my ponies made me a better rider. You just gotta have fun, be confident, and RELAX! What a great weekend! Right now this show goes #1 on my list of most amazing weekends EVER!
So I will break this down day by day. The first day was the jog Thursday and that was certainly interesting! I rode both of the ponies before the jog so they could warm up (and be a little tired because they can sometimes be wild). They were both super and I was confident that we would have a normal, uneventful jog. WRONG! Dewey was a very good boy-behaving nicely and passing the jog. However, Guffy was very naughty! We were in the holding area which was right next to the jogging area in the big indoor, and I thought that it would be a good idea to practice once before I went in to jog. Well, as we were doing our practice jog, he kicked up, reared, and took me out with his hind legs! I was dragged through the dirt for a couple of seconds until the reins broke and he was loose!!! Luckily we were in an indoor and there was no where for him to go. Needless to say I was very dirty! But the horses were healthy and ready to compete which was all that mattered. It was funny though because after I was done taking care of the horses back in the CDI tents, I met my parents and all of my friends up at the party tent for the welcome party....and I walked in limping. It was so funny and we all had a good laugh!
The next day was the first day of competition. We rode the team test, so this was a nations cup competition. I got to ride both ponies in this class, but only Dewey's test was scored because Guffy was an entry that they called a "vorreiter." Those who had two ponies had the option of entering one in the actual class and the other as just a ride without score but with the judges and everything. After that, you had to chose your best horse from that day and take that one horse on to the next two days for individual competition. Guffy was very good in the warm up that day, but got very scared in the ring and felt like he climbed into the snail shell to hide. It was too bad because he felt so good in the warmup, but I had another chance with the horse that counted for a score. Dewey was very good. We put down a test with no mistakes, great collection, and good precision. However, we did run into the politics again because it was a big european selection trials, so they were not going to give the new american girl the score. It was so much fun though, and I had a lot of fun riding a really good test.
The next day, Saturday was the individual test which qualified you for the finale which was the kur. This test was not quite as good as the one before, but we still managed to make it into the kur. I was so excited, because that was all that I wanted to do....get into the kur. We were all so excited and we went to the big gala on saturday night for all of the riders and had so much fun. Dancing, talking, and having fun with all of the other riders, show jumpers and dressage was so much fun! We were out very late!
The next day was Sunday. Day of the finale. It was the freestyle so I was loose and confident. This was where I wanted to be, and I got there. A lot of people came to watch me that day. Supporters from the USA, really close friends, and people I had never met before came to watch my kur. It was so much fun! Dewey and I rose to the occasion and laid down a really nice kur. Dewey performed his grand prix half passes with ease and accuracy, and the highlight was definitely the canter work which was awesome! Unfortunately, the scores were still a a bit unfair, and our score was not where it was expected to be. Even Frau Endres said she had me much higher, and a lot of people that I met here that came to watch said that they had me in the low 70s! And they know their stuff!!!! It was so cool though! Seeing all of those great riders and knowing that I came here and competed with them and came to play ball. I now realize that for your first time in Europe, it's not all about the scores. This is what it is all about:
1. Having Fun
2. Riding well
3. Feeling confident
4. Making friends
5. Living the dream
This weekend was absolutely amazing. I learned so much from dressage and jumper riders. I made friends with people of both disciplines, and even reunited with some old european jumper friends that I had met in Florida last year! The scores and the "first time politics" are not important right now. Right now I am just so excited that I got to be there. That I got to live it and breath it all the ay through. Instead of breaking down, we stepped up and laid down our very best. I gained the respect of a lot of people, made new friends, and I am ready to continue my education as an up and coming dressage rider. Being here was the most amazing experience, and I don't think that I would have changed anything. I learned so much and most importantly had so much fun. Sometimes I think we get really caught up in the "oh my god I am showing in a big show and I am going to die." Being in a big show like this for the first time can be very stressful and intimidating at times, and it wasn't easy the first two days to warm up in a sea of german riders with quiet legs and soft hands. But after making new friends, going to the parties, and having fun with great people, I began to ride better. By just having fun and hanging out with your friends and relaxing, my legs did get quieter and my hands did get softer, and I laid down 3 clean tests. Of course focus and determination are very important, but sometimes you just gotta let go and have fun! Being with my friends and having fun with my ponies made me a better rider. You just gotta have fun, be confident, and RELAX! What a great weekend! Right now this show goes #1 on my list of most amazing weekends EVER!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Here at Hagen
Today we arrived at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen for the show. Farm Kasselmann is an absolutely gorgeous showgrounds with so much going on and beautiful places to show! It was really exciting to arrive here today. All of the riders, both show jumpers and dressage are in nice long, spacious tents. It is so cool because when you walk down the aisles of the tents, you see banners and flags for so many different countries and you hear a mix of so many different languages buuzzing through the air. It was so much fun to see so many young people all here for what is basically a Jr Olympics. I can't wait to meet some of them over the weekend!!
Tomorrow will be very busy. I think I start riding at around 1 or 2 pm, and we must braid for the vet check before we start riding. I am the last person to jog, as the jog runs in team order and the USA is last since I am the only one. After the jog we have a little party and then the competition begins Friday!
Hopefully I will be able to take some pictures of everything tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be very busy. I think I start riding at around 1 or 2 pm, and we must braid for the vet check before we start riding. I am the last person to jog, as the jog runs in team order and the USA is last since I am the only one. After the jog we have a little party and then the competition begins Friday!
Hopefully I will be able to take some pictures of everything tomorrow.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Duisburg, Computer stuff, and Preparation for Hagen
I heard from some readers that my original pictures never uploaded. They will be included at the end of the entry.
It's alive!! Computer has just come back to life, but my phone sadly has not. Duisburg was interesting this past Saturday. I had two good, steady rides with no mistakes on both of my ponies which was very good, but we did run into a little bit of politics! Because the show, the riders, and the judges were all local, the girl from the USA seemed very strange to them and maybe a little uncomfortable for them....this was to be expected. So girls with a lot of big mistakes got 5s and 6s on their big errors, I got 3s on my little errors. It was a little annoying, but that's the way of the game! It was a very good experience and a great warm up for Hagen. At least I know what my mistakes are, so I can prepare even more for Hagen. I am feeling confident, but honestly it did knock me down a little bit. I really want those straight 7s, and I really want to do well at Hagen. I have to focus this week before Hagen. I think that it's possible. I just have to work hard, focus, and stay relaxed at the same time. That's the hard part of preparing. You want to work so hard and really feel like your work is going to pay off, but sometimes you make yourself so crazy about it that maybe it's not worth it to think that way. Maybe the way to succeed is to not think of it as "work" but as an inch of "progress." This is what I am going to think about tomorrow, because today I made myself too intense and even though my work did get better...I wasn't satisfied in my head, and that's not good. I am really going to focus on being lose up until Hagen and putting myself into a zone of mental focus and relaxation. This is what will make things better. This is what will get me those straight 7s. I really thought that these feelings were important to share with all of you because we all know how hard it is to balance those feelings that you have while preparing for a show. The question is: "How do we take that winning/determined attitude and coat it with a little relaxation, focus, and fun?" How do we keep that winning drive, but take the edge off of the stress or the frustration? I think that every athlete must face this question many times in their life, as it is a very important question.
It's alive!! Computer has just come back to life, but my phone sadly has not. Duisburg was interesting this past Saturday. I had two good, steady rides with no mistakes on both of my ponies which was very good, but we did run into a little bit of politics! Because the show, the riders, and the judges were all local, the girl from the USA seemed very strange to them and maybe a little uncomfortable for them....this was to be expected. So girls with a lot of big mistakes got 5s and 6s on their big errors, I got 3s on my little errors. It was a little annoying, but that's the way of the game! It was a very good experience and a great warm up for Hagen. At least I know what my mistakes are, so I can prepare even more for Hagen. I am feeling confident, but honestly it did knock me down a little bit. I really want those straight 7s, and I really want to do well at Hagen. I have to focus this week before Hagen. I think that it's possible. I just have to work hard, focus, and stay relaxed at the same time. That's the hard part of preparing. You want to work so hard and really feel like your work is going to pay off, but sometimes you make yourself so crazy about it that maybe it's not worth it to think that way. Maybe the way to succeed is to not think of it as "work" but as an inch of "progress." This is what I am going to think about tomorrow, because today I made myself too intense and even though my work did get better...I wasn't satisfied in my head, and that's not good. I am really going to focus on being lose up until Hagen and putting myself into a zone of mental focus and relaxation. This is what will make things better. This is what will get me those straight 7s. I really thought that these feelings were important to share with all of you because we all know how hard it is to balance those feelings that you have while preparing for a show. The question is: "How do we take that winning/determined attitude and coat it with a little relaxation, focus, and fun?" How do we keep that winning drive, but take the edge off of the stress or the frustration? I think that every athlete must face this question many times in their life, as it is a very important question.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day 10: Technologically Stranded
A few days ago my phone broke! And to top it off....my computer broke last night. So I am now writing from the hotel computer which is very different from the american computer.
So, today the horses were very good. The most exciting thing however, was that dad arrived! He got to see the horses in their lessons with Frau Endres so that was cool. My corners were better today...THANK GOD. And when the corners were good, the movements were good. I really have to remember that.
This weekend we show at Duisburg. We drive there Saturday morning at 10 am, ride the team test in the big indoor ring, and then the top 6 will go on to the freestyle under the lights outside at 9pm! So exciting. We better get our corners down so we make the top 6!!! Tomorrow we ride at 10, and then we organize all of our stuff for the Duisburg show. Should be exciting, espcially with Guffy since he is very spooky! It should be very very fun!!!
So, today the horses were very good. The most exciting thing however, was that dad arrived! He got to see the horses in their lessons with Frau Endres so that was cool. My corners were better today...THANK GOD. And when the corners were good, the movements were good. I really have to remember that.
This weekend we show at Duisburg. We drive there Saturday morning at 10 am, ride the team test in the big indoor ring, and then the top 6 will go on to the freestyle under the lights outside at 9pm! So exciting. We better get our corners down so we make the top 6!!! Tomorrow we ride at 10, and then we organize all of our stuff for the Duisburg show. Should be exciting, espcially with Guffy since he is very spooky! It should be very very fun!!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Day 7
It's already been a week! I can't believe it. It feels like I just got here! Yesterday the horses had a day of rest, so we went early in the morning to walk them and make sure that they were okay for us to leave for Lingen to see the big horse show! So off we went with our little navigation system. I don't really trust "her," but mom is always telling me to "trust the little Australian lady." Well, the little Australian lady brought us to the wrong address, leaving me to ask for directions with the little German that I know! It was very interesting, but we finally got there. We missed the Special, but we got to see the Prize Giving for the class, and man there were some nice horses! Nadine Capellmann's Elvis, Christoph Koschel's Domperrignon, and Isabell Werth's Satchmo just to name a few. We also got to see some of the Prix St Georges which was very cool also.
Today was a very nice day here in Germany. It was extremely hot all weekend! The horses were nice and fresh and ready to work! Frau Endres is making me even more precise in my test movements and I am starting to feel very confident in my tests. Tomorrow we start in the morning and hopefully the weather will stay cool so that the horses stay fresh! This week is a very exciting one. Dad is coming on Thursday morning and Saturday we have the Duisburg show! Should be fun!
Here are some pictures!
http://www.clubequestrian.com/images/550px/589.aspx
Today was a very nice day here in Germany. It was extremely hot all weekend! The horses were nice and fresh and ready to work! Frau Endres is making me even more precise in my test movements and I am starting to feel very confident in my tests. Tomorrow we start in the morning and hopefully the weather will stay cool so that the horses stay fresh! This week is a very exciting one. Dad is coming on Thursday morning and Saturday we have the Duisburg show! Should be fun!
Here are some pictures!
http://www.clubequestrian.com/images/550px/589.aspx
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Day 5
The first week has come to a close. The horses were very good yesterday and today, and now they have tomorrow to rest. Yesterday I got to see Bianca Nowag ride her pony Der Feine Lord. She was the European Champion and has been turning out consistent upper 70's scores. She is a very nice rider. Very quiet but effective. She rode some parts of the test for Frau Endres, and it was really good for me to see what winning test movements look like. I compete against he in Duisburg and at Hagen. It will be fun to rider against all of them! They are all so good here!
Today, I got to ride the Team Test with both of the ponies. Guffy's test was not so bad. With some more precision and balance it will be much better. Dewey's was very good too. He is a bit easier to ride than Guffy is, as he is a bit lighter. Frau Endres really helped me to make really precise and correct movements throughout the whole test. Especially with the voltes and half passes. Our rhythm was better today, especially in the trot work. I am really trying to improve and take all of the advice in. I hope that I am doing a good job!
Tomorrow we will got to the International show at Lingen, about an hour away. We will get to see some great riders show tomorrow....Laura Bescholsteimer, Christoph Koschel, Isabell Werth, etc. It should be awesome!
Today, I got to ride the Team Test with both of the ponies. Guffy's test was not so bad. With some more precision and balance it will be much better. Dewey's was very good too. He is a bit easier to ride than Guffy is, as he is a bit lighter. Frau Endres really helped me to make really precise and correct movements throughout the whole test. Especially with the voltes and half passes. Our rhythm was better today, especially in the trot work. I am really trying to improve and take all of the advice in. I hope that I am doing a good job!
Tomorrow we will got to the International show at Lingen, about an hour away. We will get to see some great riders show tomorrow....Laura Bescholsteimer, Christoph Koschel, Isabell Werth, etc. It should be awesome!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Day 3: German Sand
The Germans do have some delicious food here, but the sand tastes the same. I guess Guffy recovered from yesterday's fatigue, as he decided to throw me off in the outdoor. I knew he was fresh when I began grooming him, but I definitely was not expecting THAT! He is a funny horse. When he is feeling good, his eyes get very shiny and wide, he will try to snap at you a little bit, and he will do a HUGE cat stretch on the cross ties when you brush his withers. He's always been the wild one of the bunch, but he is very talented and smart.
When I got back on as soon as we caught him, he knew that what he did was unacceptable, but he still tried to be naughty. However, he was really hot and light on my aids after the whole incident, so our whole lesson ended up really well. After I finished with him, Frau Endres suggested that I put him in the sand paddock so that he could get some bucks out and relax his body. He certainly did that!
Next was Dewey, and he was very good. Frau Endres had me practice some trot work from the team test, and gave me some pointers on how to perfect it. We also worked on the straightness and fluidity of the canter walk transitions on the center line. And of course, we also worked on waiting for the rhythm and enjoying it when you get it instead of pushing for more.
After an eventful morning, the rest of the day was very quiet. We finished the work at the stable, went for dinner, and finally washed the sand out of my helmet from today. Everyone said that Guffy's buck was so big, that his hind feet were over my head. I annoying thing is that I wasn't coming off with that buck, but it was when he landed and did a complete 180 turn. Then, I came off. Oh well!
Tomorrow my lessons begin at 3 pm. Frau Endres has some people coming to see some ponies and they are making a sales video for the high flying Skippy in the morning, so things will be busy. Plus, Bianca Nowag, the European Pony Champion is coming at 2 pm for a lesson with Frau Endres to prepare for the International Youth Festival. I am really excited to watch her ride!
Tomorrow should be very fun!
When I got back on as soon as we caught him, he knew that what he did was unacceptable, but he still tried to be naughty. However, he was really hot and light on my aids after the whole incident, so our whole lesson ended up really well. After I finished with him, Frau Endres suggested that I put him in the sand paddock so that he could get some bucks out and relax his body. He certainly did that!
Next was Dewey, and he was very good. Frau Endres had me practice some trot work from the team test, and gave me some pointers on how to perfect it. We also worked on the straightness and fluidity of the canter walk transitions on the center line. And of course, we also worked on waiting for the rhythm and enjoying it when you get it instead of pushing for more.
After an eventful morning, the rest of the day was very quiet. We finished the work at the stable, went for dinner, and finally washed the sand out of my helmet from today. Everyone said that Guffy's buck was so big, that his hind feet were over my head. I annoying thing is that I wasn't coming off with that buck, but it was when he landed and did a complete 180 turn. Then, I came off. Oh well!
Tomorrow my lessons begin at 3 pm. Frau Endres has some people coming to see some ponies and they are making a sales video for the high flying Skippy in the morning, so things will be busy. Plus, Bianca Nowag, the European Pony Champion is coming at 2 pm for a lesson with Frau Endres to prepare for the International Youth Festival. I am really excited to watch her ride!
Tomorrow should be very fun!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Days 1 and 2
Day 1.
The first day of riding! After a nice breakfast at the hotel, we made our way over to the stables at about 11 am. I took the horses out for a handwalk...which proved to be not only a handwalk, but also a battle of strength between me and the wild beasts at the end of the line. They were crazy after over 24 hours of traveling...I can understand. After letting the horses cool off from their crazy handwalks, Guffy and I went to the Riding Hall for a short ride with Frau Endres. It was just a short ride, but he was a bit crazy! There was much rearing, bucking, and spinning going on...including a huge bronco leap right in front of Frau Endres! I guess he took stretching his legs to a new level. Dewey was good as well. A bit wild at times, but in a good way. When the riding was complete, I began the work back at the stable with the help of my mother and Rebecca, a working student who helps me out a bit back at the stables while I am riding. Grain is very different here. We are switching over very gradually so there are no problems with the horses' digestion. The hay is very good though. It's so cool because it comes right from the fields next door!
We finished our work at around 5:30, and then we went to search for a supermarket and some dinner in the town. We ended up going to a place called Das Real, which is so cool! It is like a bigger, better, german Target. We had fun in there. After that, we drove back to the hotel, and then took the 5 minute walk into the town. The town is so cute here! It's very small with cobblestone streets and a little town center with outdoor shops and restaurants. It is asparagus season here, so everything you order comes with an automatic side of asparagus, or auf deutsch: spargel.
Finally, after a full day we made it back to the hotel and passed out. However, not before we watched CSI in German and laughed about the uncoordination between the subtitles and the way the actor's mouths were moving from the english! It was a full and fun day!
Day 2:
Day 2 was very good here. It began with breakfast at the hotel as usual. Breakfast here in Germany is a very different experience than at home. At least for me! Usually, I am used to grabbing a quick bowl of hot cereal and a fruit drink and then out the door after 5 minutes. Here, however, it is quite different. It is very quiet, very laid back, and you are supposed to take your time before you start the day. I like it! We arrived at the barn at around 10 to sort things out and get ready for the day. Frau Endres was out with her dogs at the vet in the morning, so I had a lot of time on my hands after all my work was done. After hanging out for a bit with the horses, I went to go help Rebecca jump a pony for a sales video. We set up a small course of 4 jumps in the outdoor, and then went to go fetch the little stallion from the fields. Skippy really didn't want to work, so he kept running away from us around the field! Finally, we caught him, tacked him up, and went out to the ring so Rebecca could jump him. Skippy is quite small, but wow! That guy can jump! The oxers that we set up were HUGE! No problem for Skippy!
Finally, after a fun morning of spotting jumps, it was time for lessons with Frau Endres. Guffy was first to ride, and he was very tired. I think he blew himself out yesterday with all of his craziness, and perhaps the traveling has been harder on him than for Dewey. Dewey was very good today. Frau Endres really helped me find the rhythm of the trot by telling me to wait for his rhythm to come...and to stop trying to create it. That helped me to quiet my upper body and my lower legs, plus he really engaged behind and was swinging a lot. To help achieve this swing even more, we went on a 20 meter circle where we did transitions within the trot rhythm while maintaining a shoulder in position on the circle. This helped a lot, especially when Frau Endres told me to create the half steps by creating tension in your abdominal muscles....not with the hands. Another interesting thing that I learned had to do with the lower legs. Frau Endres said to me to let the lower leg "breath" after you add pressure for an aid, correction, etc. She said to let the leg "just be there." I learned a lot on my second day!
We had dinner in the town again, and now I am tuning up my German with some German TV. I have really surprised myself with my German. I thought that I would not understand a thing and be really nervous, but I am actually doing pretty well...plus I am learning a lot of German from Rebecca! It's really cool! Tomorrow my lessons begin at 11, and if the weather is as nice as it was today, then we will ride outside!
-Isabelle
The first day of riding! After a nice breakfast at the hotel, we made our way over to the stables at about 11 am. I took the horses out for a handwalk...which proved to be not only a handwalk, but also a battle of strength between me and the wild beasts at the end of the line. They were crazy after over 24 hours of traveling...I can understand. After letting the horses cool off from their crazy handwalks, Guffy and I went to the Riding Hall for a short ride with Frau Endres. It was just a short ride, but he was a bit crazy! There was much rearing, bucking, and spinning going on...including a huge bronco leap right in front of Frau Endres! I guess he took stretching his legs to a new level. Dewey was good as well. A bit wild at times, but in a good way. When the riding was complete, I began the work back at the stable with the help of my mother and Rebecca, a working student who helps me out a bit back at the stables while I am riding. Grain is very different here. We are switching over very gradually so there are no problems with the horses' digestion. The hay is very good though. It's so cool because it comes right from the fields next door!
We finished our work at around 5:30, and then we went to search for a supermarket and some dinner in the town. We ended up going to a place called Das Real, which is so cool! It is like a bigger, better, german Target. We had fun in there. After that, we drove back to the hotel, and then took the 5 minute walk into the town. The town is so cute here! It's very small with cobblestone streets and a little town center with outdoor shops and restaurants. It is asparagus season here, so everything you order comes with an automatic side of asparagus, or auf deutsch: spargel.
Finally, after a full day we made it back to the hotel and passed out. However, not before we watched CSI in German and laughed about the uncoordination between the subtitles and the way the actor's mouths were moving from the english! It was a full and fun day!
Day 2:
Day 2 was very good here. It began with breakfast at the hotel as usual. Breakfast here in Germany is a very different experience than at home. At least for me! Usually, I am used to grabbing a quick bowl of hot cereal and a fruit drink and then out the door after 5 minutes. Here, however, it is quite different. It is very quiet, very laid back, and you are supposed to take your time before you start the day. I like it! We arrived at the barn at around 10 to sort things out and get ready for the day. Frau Endres was out with her dogs at the vet in the morning, so I had a lot of time on my hands after all my work was done. After hanging out for a bit with the horses, I went to go help Rebecca jump a pony for a sales video. We set up a small course of 4 jumps in the outdoor, and then went to go fetch the little stallion from the fields. Skippy really didn't want to work, so he kept running away from us around the field! Finally, we caught him, tacked him up, and went out to the ring so Rebecca could jump him. Skippy is quite small, but wow! That guy can jump! The oxers that we set up were HUGE! No problem for Skippy!
Finally, after a fun morning of spotting jumps, it was time for lessons with Frau Endres. Guffy was first to ride, and he was very tired. I think he blew himself out yesterday with all of his craziness, and perhaps the traveling has been harder on him than for Dewey. Dewey was very good today. Frau Endres really helped me find the rhythm of the trot by telling me to wait for his rhythm to come...and to stop trying to create it. That helped me to quiet my upper body and my lower legs, plus he really engaged behind and was swinging a lot. To help achieve this swing even more, we went on a 20 meter circle where we did transitions within the trot rhythm while maintaining a shoulder in position on the circle. This helped a lot, especially when Frau Endres told me to create the half steps by creating tension in your abdominal muscles....not with the hands. Another interesting thing that I learned had to do with the lower legs. Frau Endres said to me to let the lower leg "breath" after you add pressure for an aid, correction, etc. She said to let the leg "just be there." I learned a lot on my second day!
We had dinner in the town again, and now I am tuning up my German with some German TV. I have really surprised myself with my German. I thought that I would not understand a thing and be really nervous, but I am actually doing pretty well...plus I am learning a lot of German from Rebecca! It's really cool! Tomorrow my lessons begin at 11, and if the weather is as nice as it was today, then we will ride outside!
-Isabelle
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