Featured In Savvy Times - Yours Truly

Yeah!!!! How awesome is that!!!
I wondered why the new magazine arrived already today - usually I get it by the end of the month. I kind of had a feeling when I opened it but then I thought probably not but then I opened it and there we are :)))).

First Flying Leadchange Online!!! Yeah!!!!!

When I came to the barn this morning all the horses were grazing way down in the pasture. Milva was too funny again, when I called her, her head flew up and she came in full speed galopping all the way and talking. Like she hasn´t seen me for weeks and not less than 12 hours.
She really makes me laugh alot!
After eating her oats I took her to the riding house and as always first thing I took her halter off so she can go and sniff around and roll or whatever she feels like it. Today she invited me to Stick to me. She wouldn´t leave my side and started to slowly trot next to me. Stick to me it was then. Playing with lots of transitions like stop - trot - stop and immediately back up and trot canter transitions.
We only played like 5min online. First lap I asked her for lots of transitions then we played with change of direction in trot.
Here it comes - I asked her for canter to the right, because that´s her harder side so naturally the change of direction is easier when I start of there. Asked her to canter took a step back she changed direction - kept the gait!!! took one more canter stride figured out that felt wrong and was too hard and made a flying lead change - leaving me flabbergasted with open mouth. I let her take some more strides asked her to slow down and come in, gave her lots and lots of cookies and stretches and quit the session right there!
I guess I´m fortuned too to have a horse that naturally picks the right lead all the time and considering her background all the dressagemovements should come naturally to her anyway.
Still I´m pretty proud of ourselves and can´t stop grining ever since ;).
So remember:
Whatever you think  you can do or cannot do you are right!

Wednesday Parelli Playday

For the fourth time in a row we got together to have a Parelli Play Evening.
Cornelia with Lilly, Anette with Sia, Patricia with Tinka me with Milva and Orkan.
We came up with following plan:
Cornelia will film her level 4 auditions in the summer.
Anette will film her level 1 audition in the summer.
Patricia will film her level 2 online and freestyle in the summer.
Me - I will film my level 3 freestyle audition, my level 4 online and liberty and maybe maybe finesse level 4.
Next week we might have a new girl joining us with her pony.
Milva and I played with the different playstations we had build  up and finished off with longreining.

That´s What We Are Aiming For...

Why Neumünster?

The yearly highlight for the Trakehner breed worldwide is the International Stallion Market of the German Trakehner Verband in Neumünster. Breeders, sellers, buyers, riders, trainers and friends of the Trakehner horse come literally from everywhere. The event consists of four straight days of nothing else but Trakehner horses. A new stallion crop is in front of the masses for evaluation and approval. And the best brood mare auction in all of Germany (no denying over that by any other breed registries, by the way!) is held on saturday afternoon. The selection of the annual "National Champion Mare" is an event not to be missed as well. This is the parade of all regional champion mares of one year! Elite foals of the year, and a selection of fine riding horses are also up for grabs over the weekend. If you have never been to "NMS", you won't understand what the hype is all about. It is a great experience and a superb way of getting in touch with Trakehner enthusiasts from around the world.

It is no big secret that Trakehners International is a regular at this event. We report from the scene, provide information a long time before the auctions take place, publish a well-received online catalogue months in advance and genuinley enjoy the high time of the Trakehner year, no matter if as customers, brokers or just spectators. In an attempt to bring you the excitement right back home, we will publish a chronology of the past 16 years of the event in Neumünster, starting with the year 1990 and its approved stallions. We will also feature the individual National Champion mare of each year with a short biography and the story of what became of her. Our stories don't end with the auction though. We will tell you what became of the young stars over the years, and would like to welcome this opportunity to thank Erdmuthe Frese at the main office in Germany for her tireless work, providing us with the outstanding photo material you will be able to view here. Our thanks also go the many photographers who make this feature a special one among the many TI stories on the web!

Pictures 2009 - February

Dreaming Big!

Spring time - foaling time.
Early this morning I received a package with stallion sperms and took them with me to Denmark to make another foal.
Barbara - Milva´s breeder and "The" Trakehner lady in Denmark came to pick it up at my work and we talked for a little while.
I have so much respect for that woman that it even surprises myself. What a grand lady, so much flair and so much knowledge, yet so humble.
As you can hear she is my big idol!
Barbara invited us to go together with them to the big Trakehner show in Neumuenster/Germany this year.
She talked about Trakehner owners being one big family  and she thought with my big interest I would just love it.
Since I bought Milva I kind of talked about that I would love to show other Trakehner owners a different side of the breed and I always thought it would be grandious if I could show this different side in Neumuenster. Every big Trakehner breeder will be there and lots and lots of people.
So....with the magical Circus project coming up (not soon, speak this year, but soon enough) I might as well reach for the stars and try to get to Neumuenster as well.
Wouldn´t it be fun if I could show the still very traditional Trakehner world what can be done with some Parelli influence!
I already have in my head what I would like to show and the music is lined up too ;).
Off to play some tomorrow and better get her properly started under the saddle ;).
Barbara also erged me to come and visit them and look at Milva´s relatives. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Quick Update

Weekend: undemanding time with grazing
Today: short session playing with the circling game, simple lead change, transitions, change of direction.
For my memory: dewormed on the 22nd of april

Scratches, Cookies & Laughter vs. Blood, Sweat & Tears

I jokingly sent a message to our neighbour tonight asking him if he had bought icecream for me and that´s what he came over with. We sure have the best neighbour ever :).
Yesterday Milva had a day off and I took her grazing for one hour instead which she thoroughly enjoyed of course.
Today I warmed up with liberty, doing close range circles and stick to me with doing a million transitions. I´m still so in aww that she canters with me on her side.
Cornelia and her mum came in to watch me for a little bit and of course I had to show them.
Milva is really putting her whole heart in when she mirrors me, even in the back up she imitates me completly.
After Cornelia had left I played on the 45´line with the circling game, transitions and change of direction. Change of direction in trot is easy from the right to the left lead - no surprise there, from the left to the right I often get us tangled in in the rope and then I can ask her for a canter of course. Well we are gonna work on that for a while...
Later on another girl came in to lunge her horse. I decided to just take a break and sat down on the floor and scratched Milva´s had which she had lowered. Milva half slept and I observed the girl doing lots of thinking and trying to understand how those people work and wondering why they do as they do....
After the girl was done with her micromanaging lunging I decided to show her something. Yesterday I had actually talked to her about Horsemanship, Horsenalities and explained her a little bit about Parelli. She is (was?) one of them who was very much against Horsemanship. I don´t really know why though and honestly don´t care.
So anyway when she was done with her session I asked her if she has a minute because I would like to show her something.
Surely I must have been not thinking clearly why else would I ask a stranger to watch me???!!!!
Thinking about it now I must have been out of my introvert brain there for a second or two.
Anyway, I think she was as surprised than I was and said sure.
So I took of Milva´s halter and asked her for close range circles, change of directions and wide range circles doing lots of transitions, canter as well and stop and back ups of course - out on the circle, being very particular about using as subtle phases as possible - which is not very hard with Milva cause she is so sensitive and tuned in with me anyway and to finish off our sesssion I asked Milva to mirror me in trot and canter, stop, back up and sideways.
I truly enjoyed our little show off.
I told the girl that I would love to get a flying leadchange while Milva mirrors me - like cantering on a circle come in to the middle to a flying lead change and canter off in the opposite direction. I don´t believe it will be that difficult either actuallly. As soon as we have  the leadchange down we will try it.
Not sure what the girl thought or which impression we left behind - I do think she did some thinking though and that´s good enough for me.
"You can lead a horse to water but you can´t make them drink!"

Leadchange Puzzle

The only piece we are missing before I can film our level 4 online/liberty audition is flying leadchanges. That´s what we are working on now...
As a Sagittarious I don´t find anything complicated, impossible or to hard to do. I´m still very positive about solving the puzzle in a short time ;).
On Tuesday I worked on a Million transitions and change of direction to get a simple lead change. In my head it was very simple but somehow I blew up Milva anyway which resultet in her bucking for 3 laps running like a maniac. I didn´t do anything about it though and just waited for her to get it out of her system whatever bugged her and after she came in I sat down on the ground and did some thinking. Coming up with a new plan I asked for slow trots and slow canter and lots of transitions - always looking for relaxations as soon as I saw her getting worried I slowed down and when she got her devious look I speeded her up.
Oh man, did I ever needed to think and react fast - almost too much for a lbi like me ;). The result was stunning and awesome though - flow, is the right word that describes it!

Yesterday I played with Cornelia and her mum Anette again. It took Milva and me some time to concentrade. Milva was in a complete awww to see those other horses and just stood there and watched and you could see her thinking.
I played with longreining - walk and trot transitions and different obstacles. Sideways over the blue barrels from z5 and going through the carwash. I modified it a bit since the last time and cut the plastic in stribes. It´s still a more difficult obstacle though cause it´s pretty low and  the horses actually have to duck down to go underneath it. Sure a good exercise though.

Hopp Hopp Pferdchen Lauf Galopp

Longreining as a warm up using my featherlines. Lots of transitions a bit of sideways from z5 and weavepatterns in trot. Now if I only would be in a better shape so I could run longer ;).
Circling game with cantering on both leads. It´s looking really good to the left now, she is cantering soft, relaxed and she is pretty balanced. She even offered canter a few times by herself. To the right it´s still more galopping than cantering. She clearly doesn´t have the balance there yet but in the end we did get a few nice canter strides.
While we played with the circling game another rider came in and used the other half of the ridinghouse. Milva clearly didn´t like that gelding and when she saw him coming towards her she would speed up, pinning her ears back and trying to pick a fight with him, having this determined dragonface on her. I think it scared his rider a bit and of course such a behaviour is not tolerated. The next few times she tried to harras him I asked for a change of direction which almost ended it in a leadchange - unfortunately I got us tangled up in the 45´line so it didn´t happen. I´m just glad she always stop when I get her all tangled up even if she is all spunky she stops and waits patiently for me to untangle her.
Oh and because she was in a "I don´t want to, I´m not listening" mood today she also laid down behind my back a few times, waiting in a sitting position for her treat...lol....
Well, all in all it was a bit of a chaotic session today but neverless fun.

Sunday Evening

Late playsession together with Cornelia & Sia again.
For a warmup I played with longreining in walk and trot.
Then we played with canter, both leads looking for balance, collection and relaxation. It´s too early to try a lead change though. Another few weeks and I think we will be ready. Everything else for our level 4 online audition is done though.
I probably could try a lead change now as well but I want it to feel right and have every incredients perfect.
20min freestyle on Orkan without sadle - it took me 15min to get on though ;).

MV Wilhelm Gustloff

MV Wilhelm Gustloff sank after being torpedoed by the Soviet submarine S-13 on 30 January 1945 - 9400 people dead. Titanic - 1514 people dead.

Titanic is on the tv right now and lots of people are in a Titanic fever this weekend.
So, how many people know about the faith of the Gustloff???
9400 people died, most of them people from Prussia, fleeing from the Red Army.
Something to think about.....

Saturday Evening Play

Unexpected playtime together with Cornelia and her red mare Sia.
Cornelia had build up a nice playground for us.
First time that Milva walked under the plastic tarp which was no big deal for her. First she looked a bit at it. I didn´t pressure her though and just stood there with her and waited until she decided to walk underneath it which probably took 2 minutes ;). Smart pony!
Sideways over the barrels and then we jumped them from both sides once - she actually did jump them and not just dressage over it. Played a bit with the blue water mat on the ground and finished with one lay down. No troting, cantering or circle game today.

Friday

Yesterday I played with stick to me again - lots of transitions and canter. In the beginning Milva got the brilliant idea that it is not necesseray to canter when I do so I flicked her with the carrotstick very lightly behind me and her answer was a buck and kick in my direction which resultet in a little chase from my side.
Next try she cantered slowly next to me with her ears forwards - little bugger ;).
We also played with big circles and close range circles.
Anita came in the ridinghouse later on to show me that you can very well ride Orkan without anything on him. I was just suprised that she didn´t fell off him for laughing.
I need better balance though before trying it.
Spending the afternoon now trying to find some videos about leadchange on the ground from Parelli.

Stick To Me In Canter - Yeah!!

Yesterday I played online with Mivla, lots of transitions, some laying down and two laps of canter left lead and half a lap right lead.
Today I played at liberty in the morning - figure 8s, sideways away over the black pole, pedestal, circles with transitions and canter.
Then I rode Orkan freestyle. Yes, he can jog :)) and it´s super smooth to sit. We got to practise lots of canter transitions cause everytime I got out of balance he went back in trot. It took me a while to sit on my balance point and staying in balance but when I did oh boy what a feeling! It felt like we were floating. I could feel his back coming up and he cantered very slowly and was super smooth to sit. Totally love him!
I think I´m doing pretty well for not doing any riding for the last four years.
In the afternoon I went back to the stable to muck out and do my stable chores. Because I had some time over - I waited for Shawn to pick me up, I took Milva to the ridinghouse and did some more liberty.
Stick to me in walk, trot and canter!! It was our first stick to me in canter and it was going super well! We finished our session with close range circles and laying down.
Very protuctive day I have to say myself :).

Blissful Morning

Last day of my 5 days work and then I´m 10 days off - yeah!
30min online with the munsch this morning. The weather was terrible, rainy and stormy but Milva made up for it. It was a pure joy to play with her! Soft, collected trot - canter - trot transitions. Very nice uphill movement and she was totally tuned in with me - reacting on the slightest suggestion! Bliss pure!!

Being Natural in the Normal World

Being Natural in the Normal World

Dreaming Big & Happy Easter & Western Competition

Happy Easter to everyone out there!
Me - I´m in the middle of my 5 days working. It´s alright though. It feels meaningful to be here this Easter weekend. It seems to be that there is a special kind of spirit hanging around for the last few days. While I talked to my patients today I suddenly realized how "xxxx" it must feel for them knowing it´s their last Easter Holiday together with their loved ones - or at least in that kind of form, body. Their sould will still be with them after they are gone.

Talking about something else.
I dragged the boys - speak Shawn and Johan, to Bråvesta early in the morning to watch the Western competition there.
Main reason I wanted to go there is to see how those kind of people warm up their horses. To see if they walk the talk or if is only talking. Everyone is telling me that western people are different compare to english riders. There is supposed to be more camaraderie between them and not so much jelousy.
So on a quest I went...
I´m not sure how much you can tell from one competition. What I did notice was a lot of smiling people, a friendly hello from everywhere, people that showed real interest in what you do and who you are.
I asked the boys what their impression was and both felt the same - a warm welcome.
Everyone seemed to be fair and nice to their horses except for one "black sheep" but I guess those show up everywhere. More about her later.
When we got there the beginners class for trail just started. Five riders and four got a ribbon - the black sheep didn´t get one.
The trail looked pretty simple and I think I could have kicked some asses with Orkan and with Milva too - if we assume I would ride her ;). The challenging thing was to go over a little bridge - same bridge you can see in the pictures I took from the training.
The black sheep´s horse, a grey arab, looking very much alike Milva only thinner and in a more polished form wouldn´t even go near the bridge. I totally fell in love with the horse.
I simply do not understand why people would bother to go to a competition when they are not well prepared.
I already have a list in my head for proper and prior preperation before going there ;) - and it´s a long list. No surprises here I can tell ya.
Shawn´s theory is that they go there for hanging out with like minded people. It´s probably true. I just wouldn´t dream about going to a competition if I wouldn´t have a realistic change to win ;).

Next after trail competition was some western beginners class. I still have to learn a lot about all their different classes. Anyway both classes were open classes, speak all kind of breeds were allowed to start.
It was almost like the Parelli freestyle level 2 audition. Actually you had to show more in the audition than in this particular class. See, I could have had a realistic change in that class as well - with Orkan ;).
You can see, I´m daydreaming already....
Wald Disney said, "If you can dream it, you can live it!"

Trail Training & Farier

                                                    Bråvesta Quarterhorses

After watching numerous Fluidity dvds I felt the need to see a pro riding in a western sadle to get it right.
I get Parelli´s point about doing lots of passengers lessons and sitting on your balance point and so on, it just didn´t answer my questions though.
Yesterday I gave Mia Bråve a call and asked her if it would be ok if we could come and watch their trail training, after she gave me the green light I asked Cornelia and Anette to come and off we went.
Actually thinking about it, it was Anita who came up with the idea to begin with cause she suggested to take Orkan to a trail riding training. Funny enough she gave me some usefull tips about how to sit in a western sadle as well. Funny therefor because she is english through and through but she still gave me more information than Parelli did I have to admit.
One comment of her really cracked me up, when I told her about my balance problems in the NP her answer was, well that´s why western riders ride so slow....lol....
Anyway, I got all my questions answered by the pros and I got to watch them how it´s done.
Unfortunately I also got I bug in my brain now to make a trail/western horse out of Milva. I love the jog and I totally fell in love with the canter they did. Man, that looks comfy and so in harmony!!
In the morning I played with Milva outside on the sandplace and then I pested her with a short liberty session in the ridinghouse. or I should say I pested her with the canter ;).
Smart girl as she is she started to canter as soon as I asked her on the circle, took two laps and then came in. Bugger, has me all figured out and wrapped around her little hooves. Of course after offering such a nice gesture I quit our session and took her grazing.
Farier time went over my expectation well!! She really must like Philip our new farier. Just in the very beginning she tried to leave but that was when Philip tried to lift up her leg by squeezing the leg instead of the chestnud. You only have to slightly touch her chestnut and she lifts her hoof, after explaining to him she stood like a statue and didn´t try once to leave or paddle with her hoof. She just stood there like a pro, with her head down, sometimes looking back what Philip was doing and just being all relaxed. She totally buffled me with her positive attitude. Maybe she is getting all grown up now, who knows ;).

Milva & Tinka

                                           why stand up if you can eat laying down ;)

It snowed again today! Milva and I took a little walk and then I took her grazing for a short little while. I rode Orkan yesterday with the bareback pad and it felt way more comfortable than with the NP. Tonight I will watch some more dvd´s about fluidity and how to sit in a westernsadle correctly ;).
                                           

Liberty Circles In Trot

Playing with liberty circles. I filmed her in the beginning of our session. Usually she gets lower with head after a while and blows out lots of air.

Riding Orkan & Liberty Milva

pretty Orkan, picture stolen from Anita without permission ;)

Fun liberty session with Milva yesterday. Change of direction in trot at liberty and some nice canter circles leftlead. Rightlead was bit of a challenge and I was satisfied with a few canter strides. Her head goes up and she gets easily tensed.
Anita came later and helped me to ride Orkan. How privileged am I to ride such a fun horse! With Anita´s help cantering was much easier. Now I only have to learn to stay in balance and keep my legs long. Sitting trot can be a challange too cause Orkan has those big strides.
On top of my posture challenges I still have to get used to the NP. The transition from a dressage sadle to a western sadle may take longer than I expected ;). I have to admit that my bum hurts after riding cause the Natural Perfomer is not the most softest sadle I ever sat in. In fact it´s the most hardest sadle I ever rode in...lol. Also it´s so wide I feel my hips are stretched to a maximum. I still love the sadle though but I think for today I will ride bareback or use my bareback pad ;).