Early birthday and Christmas presents - and Rossbolla in the Adventskalender

I feel like Remy is giving me early Birthday and Christmas presents this year. My rides the last days have been just great, we finally are coming closer to the harmony I am always striving for and that seems so elusive at times. I wasn't sure what to expect as the day before yesterday it was too cold to ride and Judy's comment after longing him was that he was quite 'frisky'.  Uh, uh.  I rode Remy in the company of JP and Chambord, and he was soft, supple, forward AND obedient. Just a happy camper. He didn't even flinch when Chambord left him alone in the arena. The little rascal is growing up.

Today I had a lesson and we were able to build on yesterday's work. Judy is upping the ante, we are now working more on transitions within the gaits, -precursors to collection-, as well as trot leg yields that encompass small zig-zags, and head to the wall yields (basically the first step to haunches in). It was a wonderful feeling having Remy working with me, what can I say: it just flowed. My position is finally finding it's 'Zen'.

Of course, I am very cognizant of the fact that I am benefiting from Judy's work with Remy. I wouldn't know anyone else that could have helped us mesh together like she does. It's one thing for the horse to go well for a professional, it's another story for the horse to keep it together for the amateur, and for the amateur to be able to build on it.

Not many people realize that riding well and teaching well are two different shoes (as we say in German), and there are lots of people out there better in one area than the other. That also is the reason why some clinicians fail. Riding well doesn't automatically translate into teaching well. Some famous international caliber riders might not be able to teach a lick because he/she rides by feel and doesn't know how to transmit it to the amateurs. Lucky us, we found the rare 'ambidextrous' professional! Yay, Jude, you'll be in Hanuta for a long time :-)!

Speaking of gifts: My dear friend Stephanie has been sending me the most amazing 'Adventskalenders' every year from Germany. There is a lovingly selected and wrapped gift for each day from December 1 until Christmas Eve. Well, Friday's gift was a bucket of Rossbolla! OK, not real manure, the small metal bucket contained chocolates shaped like horse manure balls.The name of my home town Stuttgart comes from 'Stutengarten', loosely translated it means "mares' pasture". So the local bakeries sell 'Rossbolla' (manure balls) made out of chocolate. And with "Mares' Pasture" as place of birth it's officially stated on my birth certificate that I'm into horses :-)