"We need to warm up his brain" - and getting into the swing in Welly-World

We have our first week training in Florida under our belt. It's been very good so far, Roz had us start easy and we are progressively adding to the program with the goal right now "We don't need to do tricks, we need to warm up his brain". The dressage portion of Remy's brain had been on holiday -or better said -on ice- since December, hence the need for the warmup. Remy is settling in nicely. Even though his need for a friend prompted him to open Bodi's (the Andalusian next to him) door and letting him out into the paddock. At night check they were discovered hanging out in one stall. Teenagers!

White Fences is just ideal for us, it is so beautiful but also laid back and friendly. Here are some impressions:

Fountain in 'our' courtyard

Gators right next to the paddocks?

The properties of the Ueber-Rich here are just incredible. Real Estate listings for $20+ million are common. On my way to the show grounds I drove by the Aero Club. This is a community that has runways and each home has hangars for the private planes = fly to your front door.
 https://www.businessinsider.com/wellington-fl-where-the-rich-go-to-play-2017-1

It was interesting to audit the Isabell Werth Masterclass. I had not seen her teach as she focuses in Germany on her stall full of Olympic horses. The things she worked on were familiar: leg yields to improve half-passes, use of counter flexion, straightness, and encouraging the riders to let the horses go. One rider would really hang on the curb bit, so she asked him to do Piaffe and Passage one handed, and the change in the horse was stunning.

Last night Paulette, Jose, and I went to see the freestyle, and we saw it somewhat in style: Drinking wine and munching on cheese, crackers, and German chocolate (thanks, Stephanie!) - while standing at the rail because the place was packed and all the seats were taken. It also was a reminder that good genes are not enough, the son of a legendary dressage rider was a far cry from his father.

The three of us had a different winner pegged.. and in true French-Argentinian-German unity we picked the same one. How's that for intercultural understanding?