just wanted to say what a wonderful time i had on the trip. Learned so much and made so many awesome Friends.
slogging through the mud and riding in the rain, im really wishing i was back in germany! although its great to see my ponies again. i think they missed me.
the two weeks riding were just awesome. really enjoyed getting to ride all the school horses. really learned alto both in theory and riding. which now that I'm home home Ive been putting into practice.
the riding school for me was really the highlight. would like to thank all the great teachers and people we worked with there. truly awesome bunch.
Big ups to Jenny to she did a fantastic job!!
thanks organisation unlimited to.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Friday, 4 September 2009
We are all back safe and sound now, and the trip was fantastic!!
The riding school part of the tour was especially good, and the whole trip was a real eye opener to the riding world in Germany!
Thank you again to Jenny for making the trip so enjoyable, and to everyone at the riding school for making us feel so welcome!!!
The riding school part of the tour was especially good, and the whole trip was a real eye opener to the riding world in Germany!
Thank you again to Jenny for making the trip so enjoyable, and to everyone at the riding school for making us feel so welcome!!!
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
It's all over!
We have all made it home safe and sound after our amazing adventure.
I left Perth not knowing anyone and have come home with some of the greatest friendships, experiences and stories to share. Words cannot describe how different things are over there; it was a huge eye opener that’s for sure! The quality and quantity of horses and riders is phenomenal. I think that the best thing we could have possibly done was gone to watch the European YR and JNR Championships. The most interesting thing was to watch the riders warm up; it was even better when to coaches spoke English!! And then run over to watch the test. It was nice to see that only the top 30 was at that standard that everyone had imagined but there had to be a bottom 30...
Visiting the different stables was also very interesting to be able to compare how they are operated. It was nice to be able to have the opportunity to go to the Hanoverian and Westfalian Studs and then to compare it to a privately run stable like Monica Theodorescu’s which we were so lucky to be able to visit, thanks to Brianna Burgess for setting this up with Jenny.
The Nordrhein-Westfalian Foal Action was another incredible thing to witness. The amount of foals up for action was amazing, I think we all had to hold our hands down very tightly, it was a buyers market.
The day off from the horse thing was also nice to be able to visit some cities (Verden, Amsterdam, Koln and Düsseldorf) where we had a guided tour, very interesting history behind them.
The most exciting part and what we all went for was of course the 2 weeks at the riding school. Mr Vrerden matched us with our horses on the first day and most of us stuck with them. It was awesome to be able to have a Dressage and Jumping (sometimes lunging) lesson every day not to mention the 2 theory lessons. The theory was particularly interesting and useful as we could discuss it and then put it into practise when we next rode. It was very good, and scary, when Mr Vreden kindly videoed a part of our flatwork and jumping sessions which we then watched and discussed. We definitely earned our keep by working before breakfast and doing our part during the day-it’s all a part of riding! It was a great bonus at the end to be able to complete our certificates successfully!
I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Hanno, Alexa and his other staff for making us all feel so welcome and trying to help in any way possible. The knowledge and experiences they have passed onto us is priceless.
Also, thanks to Jenny and Organisation Unlimited for all of their hard work organising this successful trip.
The other tour members, thankyou for being my surrogate family for the time we were away, many memories and friendships were made and will never be lost.
I left Perth not knowing anyone and have come home with some of the greatest friendships, experiences and stories to share. Words cannot describe how different things are over there; it was a huge eye opener that’s for sure! The quality and quantity of horses and riders is phenomenal. I think that the best thing we could have possibly done was gone to watch the European YR and JNR Championships. The most interesting thing was to watch the riders warm up; it was even better when to coaches spoke English!! And then run over to watch the test. It was nice to see that only the top 30 was at that standard that everyone had imagined but there had to be a bottom 30...
Visiting the different stables was also very interesting to be able to compare how they are operated. It was nice to be able to have the opportunity to go to the Hanoverian and Westfalian Studs and then to compare it to a privately run stable like Monica Theodorescu’s which we were so lucky to be able to visit, thanks to Brianna Burgess for setting this up with Jenny.
The Nordrhein-Westfalian Foal Action was another incredible thing to witness. The amount of foals up for action was amazing, I think we all had to hold our hands down very tightly, it was a buyers market.
The day off from the horse thing was also nice to be able to visit some cities (Verden, Amsterdam, Koln and Düsseldorf) where we had a guided tour, very interesting history behind them.
The most exciting part and what we all went for was of course the 2 weeks at the riding school. Mr Vrerden matched us with our horses on the first day and most of us stuck with them. It was awesome to be able to have a Dressage and Jumping (sometimes lunging) lesson every day not to mention the 2 theory lessons. The theory was particularly interesting and useful as we could discuss it and then put it into practise when we next rode. It was very good, and scary, when Mr Vreden kindly videoed a part of our flatwork and jumping sessions which we then watched and discussed. We definitely earned our keep by working before breakfast and doing our part during the day-it’s all a part of riding! It was a great bonus at the end to be able to complete our certificates successfully!
I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Hanno, Alexa and his other staff for making us all feel so welcome and trying to help in any way possible. The knowledge and experiences they have passed onto us is priceless.
Also, thanks to Jenny and Organisation Unlimited for all of their hard work organising this successful trip.
The other tour members, thankyou for being my surrogate family for the time we were away, many memories and friendships were made and will never be lost.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Exams!
Well, fantastic news, after all of the hard work everyone passed. Chloe & Stephanie at level 3 and the rest of the group level 4. Emily had the highest pass in training theory and Chloe the highest for jumping across all of the candidates (including the silver medal rider). Well done, thank you to Mr Vreden & his staff-and of course to the generous horses.
Now its a mad dash around to pack , say goodbye, give the horses a final pat then off to the airport & home.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Even more riding
Exam day is fast approaching, there has been significant improvement in everyone. here a re a few more pics.
Group photo
Here's a pic of both groups who are currently training at Langenfeld.
We also had a visit today from Astrid. Last year I was asked by Ralf Isselhorst to organise a working holiday position in Australia for a rider who came highly recommended by her boss. Astrid stayed for a while with Rachel Sanna before going off to see some of Australia.
About a week beofer we left Australia I remembered that she had trained at Langenfeld so we were able to get a few tips from her about the facilities here and the town. It turned out that Mr Vreden was the one who had recommended her. I was not able to actually meet Astrid last year so it was very nice to finally speak face to face. Astrid is now at university stufying to be a teacher, good luck with your exams and thesis astrid- we hope to see you in Australia again.
Demonstrations
Today - apart from dressage & jumping lessons there was a demonstration of double lunging & long reining by Mr Vreden with his wife's horse. Some of the riders were able to have a try - the challenge was to be able to change direction smoothlywithout losing contact & control of the horse.
Afterwards, a demonstration of the importance of rhythm & speed in jumping was presented by Mr Vreden & his daughters Anna & Carolina.
There was some practice walking the distances.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
A few more pics
There are quite a few Haflingers here and I must say i have been impressed by their cheery demeanour & athelicism - you generally hear that they can be quite bolshi & unethusiastic. There were quite a few being ridden at the western show too last weekend.
Here's alexa, one of the coaches with one of the yellow ponies.
Here are some of the other group training for their exams trying out various exercise equipment.
And... more riding
Back into the position exercises on the lunge and the various other equipment. A few riders had a go a sitting backwards- quite bizarre to watch-especially at trot. Nicole has mastered the balance board. Even a few of the mothers had a go. here's rhiannon's mum Rachel having a "horsey" ride.
More riding
After a day off everyone was keen to get back on and do some more training.Chloe had another horse to ride & work out, after a few challenges to begin with they were soon making an harmonious picture.
Another sculpture from Dusseldorf
The amazing black sculpture was to commemorate the awarding of town status to the city and to reflect on the impact of war and the various periods in the 700 year history of the town. It shows faceless soldiers and horses, the two symbols of Dusseldorf-the rose and the lion and the pope who decreed that the church could be recognised (I think that's right). This is just one section of the sculpture.
Anyway, by the time we return home we hopefully can read up some more on German history.
Dusseldorf & other activites
I've been off the air for a few days but I'm pleased to see some of our group members have been supplying photos etc.
Sunday saw us in Dusseldorf for a tour of the old town and a cruise on the Rhein.As most of us come from coastal cities it is quite amazing to see such a busy river with coal barges & other materials constantly moving up & down the river-let alone the huge cruise ships & day trippers like us.
We saw quite a few of the main sights but one continuing theme was the various sculptures and monuments. here are a few pics. The Elector Jan wellem on his horse dominates the politcal centre of the town. As ther is a concert coiming up shortky he has a few accessories that may not really have been usful to a rider. Wellem was related to the sun king & modelled himself on him; he loved music and the arts & was a great patron or artists 7 musicians.
Even Charlie the unicorn made an appearance (you had to be there really-or to have seen Charlie's adventures on you-tube to understand the significance).There are a few more running jokes and funny events, I'm still waiting for the girls to start listing them as they promised???
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