Straight and "vorwaertz" gets you spontaneous applause - and Is it the "Maternal Grandsire Effect"?

Last lesson before a two week hiatus - and it couldn't have gone better. I finally rode bolder, more "vorwaertz" (forward), kept Remy straight and therefore got clean changes, which netted us spontaneous applause from Judy. Yay!

Judy is on her way to Nationals in Kentucky now (Good Luck, Jude and Team Topline!) and I'll be heading to Germany this week. Suitcase is already packed, and as usual on overload. Do I dare weighing it before going to the airport? Nah. Otherwise I would have to cull all things Moose Munch and Emil's Bourbon. Can't do that.

I just finished reading Rita Mae Brown's latest book 'Crazy Like a Fox'. IMO, it is not as engaging and captivating as some of her previous works in the Fox Hunting saga. There was some unexpected food for thought, though, regarding to what the author calls "The Maternal Grandsire Effect". It refers to certain traits skipping a generation. To quote from the book: "For centuries this generational hop has been noted by Thoroughbred breeders and hound breeders. The study of this is relatively new.... Please research The Maternal Grandsire effect if you are curious. I think of it as train signals being switched on and off but gender produces the flip."

It made me think of my maternal grandfather, Franz-Xaver Kessler. As a young man he rode steeplechase races and worked as a horse dealer (later he became the town mayor and also owned a restaurant). Unfortunately, I did not get to spend a lot of time with him. The interesting part is that no one else in my family is into horses. My mother has no interest in horses whatsoever, I think the first time she saw me riding was when I was in my thirties (!). So perhaps I am indeed the product of the "Maternal Grandsire Effect"??

Steeplechase trophy won by my grandfather, Germany, pre-WWII

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin