Settling Down

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!