"He is very energy efficient" - and it's tough being Remy and Chambord

 Remy (still) surprises me in our lessons. He has turned into the 'Energizer Bunny' - you switch him on and he goes. This is how it should be - no constant prodding, pleading, asking ... me working harder than he does. For a long time, this was the case. Now we turned the corner, but he still wants to be asked (nicely) to go strut his stuff. As Vanessa put it yesterday "he is just very energy efficient". "No use expending all that energy when it's not called for", says Remy. 

Remy's ancestors were bred to be sturdy, hard-working, easy to maintain horses*. Remy does fit the profile to a T (with the added energy-conservation streak he shares with Chambord, see below).

Next step: Sit on the sofa, have a beer, and watch TV 😅

 *Horses were an essential component in the transport of cavalry troops, supplies, and artillery weapons throughout the war. Morgan horses are known to have been used in both the Union and Confederate armies. Due to the quality of the Morgan horses and their physical attributes, they were in high demand.

Morgan Horses in the Civil War | Morgan Horse Guide

morganhorseguide.com/2016/03/10/morgan-horses-in-the-civil-war/

We have our own "in-barn" horse-whisperer - and decision making help

With the warmer weather the boys love to snooze in the sun. Especially Chambord can be found daily taking his nap. He scares the unsuspecting people walking or driving by - he has the "dead horse" look down pat. 

Remy watches over "Mr. Sleepyhead" Chambord

JP loves to join the boys (I bet if the ground would be nicer he'd snooze right next to Chambord). As it is, he has very deep conversations with Chambord. One day it will be over a glass of Bourbon, I'm sure!

Profound conversations going on here!

Our lessons with Vanessa have been going really well. Every time we get to Ferris' Remy is ready to rock right from the beginning, and he puts an excellent effort in (which wasn't at all the case in the past). I feel we do have a shot at correct upper level work. Vanessa is encouraging, and tough when needed; and both Remy and I always finish with a sense of accomplishment. If you wonder how I know what Remy feels - I only have to look at his expression to know that he is proud of himself. We have been working on sharpening up our flying changes. Canter/walk/counter canter/walk/canter in quick succession has been very helpful. The lateral work (shoulder in and half-passes) is getting sharper, as are the more collected gaits. 

With being on such a good trajectory I struggled with the decision of signing up for a clinic with a well-known judge. Our past experience left me quite frustrated, even though we did learn some things. Right in time I came across this post from Paulo Coelho:

And then of course, there are a few people I would NEVER walk away from - one of them Stephanie, source of unwavering friendship and purveyor of the most incredible care packages that always show up when I need some TLC the most. 

😍

We not only "got through" the Michigan winter - we actually thrived

With the daylight savings time fast approaching (this Sunday), I think it's safe say winter is over - at least the worst of it. Still a long way to Memorial Day, and the official begin of summer, but hey, the sun is shining and the weather -mostly- cooperates. The horses seem to be convinced it's Spring already, based on the amount of hair everyone is freely shedding. 

I had been concerned how Remy and I would do this winter, last season in Wellington being an almost distant memory. In the end, it was a blessing in disguise being at home. We got to hunker down with our best buddies (JP for me, Chambord for Remy), and enjoy being home. Let's not forget there is still a pandemic going on! We were also very lucky to have 'found' Vanessa (www.hollanddressage.com), and that she took us on this winter, despite her super busy schedule. Remy's school bus sure was put to good use, and aside from a few times when it was too iffy to drive on ice and snow, or too cold, it worked out well. In fact, it was a very lucky break for us as both Remy and I have been thriving in our lessons.

I received a few good natured jabs from friends, as there is a long standing rivalry between the German and Dutch dressage riders, and they joked that I went to the dark side. Fear not: Good training is good training (goes for the opposite, too, of course) - and  we are getting excellent training.

Not just that, we both are way more chill. Just one example, yesterday was one of the extreme windy days, that seem to trigger the horses' flight instinct. Put them in an indoor arena, with the winds howling outside, walls and roofs creaking, and you can get some rather 'interesting' rides. Remy didn't bat an eye, stepped off the trailer relaxed, was focused and eager to work during the entire lesson, and we had fun! 

 

Gespitzte Pferdeohren 😊