News

August 1st 2003

Well actually I don't even know the date, but as it's the horse's birthday that will do. This close to a major competition, there are a lot of things to worry about. Of course the biggest thing on everyone's mind is keeping the horse from injuring himself. No one wants me to put him in the paddock, just in case; so I have been hand walking him in the pasture from 6am until the horse flies come out. Its more accurate to say that Pzazz walks me, as we just stroll about wherever he wants to go, from clover plant to clover plant. It is beautiful in the early morning here. I worry about making him tired in the heat, so we have had some easy stretching days. I have been privileged to ride some other horses to practice riding tests, trying to be more organized in the lap around the ring when the judges get their first impressions.

I have been getting more confident that I can gather the horses together, doing more half halts in every corner. Half halt, then a little release so that I don't shorten the neck as I try to collect. But as I get more confident and less vigilant I have reverted to old habits. The half halts became more backward, my weight down into the seat bones, grinding into the back and my hands pulling back. So Susanne has had me going back to the basics again: hand position, be tall, allow the half halt to be a gathering of the horse, but upward and forward gathering. Collect myself upward before collecting the horse.

Last weekend we decided that our twins should come to Germany after all, as 4 weeks is too long to be apart and I could not see that it was worth the strain. Russell brought them over with him and now my kind friend Lindy has been getting them up in the morning, and even taking them to the pool in the hottest part of the day. Today we went with 6 kids to an amusement park near Münster, which was great fun. Its fantastic to see how kids just don't let language be a barrier between them. My kids can now see a reason to practice the German we have all been trying to learn. An outing to the market in Warendorf was a winner. German people are so friendly and helpful. The kids are given treats wherever they go, especially when they try to use their German.

We have been lucky to see a lot of young colts with Susanne. The market here is very structured. Two-year-old colts come in at this time of year for the Korung, the selection of colts for approval by the breed societies. This starts in September, with the selection commissions seeing up to 1000 colts (hannoverians for example) and selecting maybe 10% for further testing. The process finishes with a fanfare end in the last week in October with the Stallion Auctions. You may already know that the top price at last year's market was €515,000. There is discussion of course about points of conformation, movement, use of the body in the transitions etc. I had not previously paid much attention to tail carriage, but now I do believe that this may give clues to the way the horse uses his back. A soft, relaxed tail carriage is preferred to a stiff, high tail carriage, even when a young colt is revved up, running free in the indoor school. These horses are kept indoors all of the time in most establishments so they do get excited when they are allowed to run around. In the next 2 months they will learn to lunge with side reins, free jump and show in hand and free. Most of the people who train them specialize in training colts. All this education prepares them beautifully for breaking in which mostly happens in the winter, the off season for shows. There are now only a couple of days till we go to Verden, and I can tell you that the overwhelming feeling is exhaustion. At least that leads to a good nights sleep.

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