Being here, there and a little of everywhere!!

So I'm home. It's been good to be home. I have to admit that it has been an adjustment. It's been great to have no schedule but kind of freaky at the same time!! Besides being bored at times and not knowing what to do with myself; it has been an adjustment not working. I think that this is the longest I have gone without working in my entire adult life and I can honestly say that I miss Florida. I miss the people, I miss the warmth, I miss feeling useful and working hard, I miss the sun, I miss riding and I miss my job. I think it's safe to say that I miss my life in Florida but... I have lots to look forward to!! More on that later.
Before I flew home I managed to squeek in a little vacation down to Key West! I had an amazing time!! Probably the time of my life to date :) I rented a car, hooked my ipod to the stereo and blasted my way down. I think this little trip was my first going solo. It was a good warm up for Europe!! I ended up staying in a hostel which was probably the best part of my trip. It was so great to meet so many cool people from all over the world!! I made lots of friends and some I hope to visit!! I was prepared and completely with having some solitude traveling. I had my music, loaded up on lots of good books to choose from and laptop in hand in case I got really bored but honestly I barely had a moment alone, which was great because I am such a people person and love making new friends!! It was really great!! It was warm, actually no, it was HOT!! Getting some beach time was really high on my priority list and I definitley accomplished improvement on my tan :) I enjoyed going out and socializing, dancing and enjoying the fun night life!! I also made sure to window shop and just chat with the local store owners! It truly was an excellent adventure!!
The trip home was a pain as traveling and moving can be! Max survived the flight ok but I really don't think I could put him through that again. It took a lot out of him and several days for hm to recover and get back to normal. Poor thing! He's so happy to be back in the NW and loves it in Port Townsend!! It's great!! His favorite duty is to help mom's dog chase off the coyotes!! He takes it very seriously!!
Now I'm back and it's sort of weird to be in transition. I honestly felt like I was suffering from a little culture shock my first day here :) I'm not sure why, it's not like I was gone that long but I think it was the gray cloud cover and lack of palm trees that threw me for a loop a bit. It has been wonderful to see everyone although I have not managed to see EVERYONE yet but I'm getting there! I've purchased my plane ticket to Europe for July 7th flying into London. I am super excited!! At this point I am planning on spending approx 3 wks in England then 3 wks in Denmark, 2 nights in Berlin then 2 wks in Italy! It's gonna be good!! After Italy I'm not exactly sure what's gonna pan out but thinking Spain then maybe the South of France and then Holland. We'll see. It's pretty ambitious with the amount of money I have budgeted to spend so we'll see what happens.
So on a complete moment of sponteneity I am flying down to California for two weeks to see some family and get back on those beaches!!
I'm off, dinner with the fam!!

Playing Catch Up!

It has been a while since my last entry but I am not so surprised at all. Season is winding down but we have been in full swing and the same as last year it is crazy. It is almost incomprehensible how intense "season" is but we are getting through it and the end is in sight.

I had the wonderful opportunity to have some friends from Vashon visit and it was so great! Kyra made it down around my birthday and we made a mini trip to Miami for a few days which was way too much fun!! Then I got to spend some time with Tom and Rebecca. We went to a very nice restaurant and caught up over a delicious meal. Deb and Al swung down to see my on their road trip and it was so wonderful for Deb to see Vioen and to spend some time with them! Then Sue and Lisa sprung a surprise visit on me, which was short but fun!!

Today is a very strange day for me. I sold Vioen today. It is bittersweet. Today marks the first day since I can remember that I don't own a horse. This is a new feeling and a little scary.

Her new home is in New Hampshire and Barbara (her new mom) seems super cool. Vioen will be getting a home for life! Barbara owns her own "resort like" 20 acre farm with her own indoor arena so I am thrilled for Vioen.

What next you ask?

Good question... Home, rehab my tired bones and recoop. Need some RR!! Then thinking off to Europe for the summer!! I hope to spend some time for vacation and exploration. I have friends in Holland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Scotland, England and France. Very exciting and I hope to check out Spain and maybe Ireland again. It's all loosely planned at the moment but I am also looking into finding maybe a job working over there for a dressage trainer. Could be cool and I have made a lot of connections being in Florida. We'll see! Very exciting time.

I was also contemplating going back to school. I think it would be wise to have a college education and more options for a career. I was thinking about going into education. I have always wanted to go back to school and there's no time like the present!

So how long will I be in Florida... Depends on Lars and Melissa. I left it up to them in essence. They know that I am ready to move on but I told them that I would stay as long as they need me. Lars mentioned that he would like me to stay atleast through the CDI in Kentucky (everyone is going in prep for WEG). So I might be home as early as May 1st! Anyone need their horses ridden? Or a house sitter, LOL!

That's all for now.

Muah

Does anyone read this anymore!!??

Me and the lovely ladies at the barn:

Karen, Courtney and Monica

The long walk down the aisle

Night check after a night on the town!

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted anything on my blog! My last heading was "over the six month hump" and now I have made it over the ONE YEAR hump!! Amazing how time flies!! I can't believe that I have already been here a year! I remember when I origionally signed on to this endeavor and feeling like a year was SO long but really it hasn't felt AS long as I had anticipated it would feel.

Let's see... lots has happened since my last entry. I came home for a visit at the end of July, which was glorious! For some reason I had it in my head that my two weeks at home this summer was going to be my last two weeks alive. Maybe it was because of the freedom and not working 60 hrs/wk. I don't know but I lived it up. Spent a lot of time running around between Port Townsend, Seattle and Vashon and tried to see as many people and do as much as my time and energy would allow. It was hard because there were a lot of you at home that I really didn't get to spend as much quality time with as I would have liked but the clock was ticking and it went by so fast! I was surprised at how it took me a week to sort of unwind. I felt a bit edgy and go go go which is more of the pace that I have adjusted to in Florida. It was weird but it really wasn't until the second week that I was really able to relax and go with the flow. All is all it went quick, too quick and with all the activites that I had packed in on my vacation I was actually ready to get back to Florida, which felt good. I was afraid that I wasn't going to want to leave WA and would be all torn up inside and have to go through the pains of missing home but it wasn't so bad.

Lars and Melissa decided to take me as a groom to a CDI in Saugerties, NY and to Dressage at Devon in PA. We were on the road for three weeks and stayed at a lovely barn in Brewster, NY for the down week in between the two shows. It was pretty cool to go and see first hand what goes on behind the scenes for a big training/sales barn at competitions. None the less, I have come the the realization that I am a shit show groom :) Not really, I tried to do my best but I was born to ride! After watching all of that riding all I wanted to do was some of it myself! But I am sure that it rubbed off a little in my attitude :( Again, I was glad to get back to Florida and see my dog, my horse and get IN that saddle! After absorbing all of that stuff at the shows I really was in full force when I got home and felt like I was riding better than ever! As someone said, I didn't miss a beat!

Lars and Melissa and a handful of clients went on a huge horse shopping trip in Europe for a week at the end of October. They went to Blue Hors in Denmark, Klimke's barn in Germany and PSI in Holland and after looking at something like 150 horses have selected a handful of their choice. I can't wait to see what they bring back, at this point most of the horses are in the vetting process so it's still up in the air but it's very exciting! The coolest thing for me was that while they were away they had me ride most of the horses that they wanted to keep going. Lars wanted eight horses to keep working for the week they were gone and the rest off. He wanted me to ride six of the eight! This was a tremendous honor and very flattering that he respected and trusted me enough. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. His last words to me before he left were, "Take care of my horses," in a very serious voice. But thankfully everything went well while they were away and I got a good "Lars is inspired after his Europe trip" butt kicking when he got back! It was great!!!

Right now things at the barn are running pretty smoothly. Lars is clinicing every weekend up to season and we are busy getting the farm prepped and looking it's best! It kind of feels like the calm before the storm right now but at least this year I know a bit more of what to expect. We are supposed to have even more horses this season than last year! That's all for now :)

Over the 6 month hump!

When the weather's tropical sometimes you have to sport many different types of fashion! Obviously it was raining very hard and I was the only one brave (or stupid) enough to volunteer to close the stall shutters!

So I have officially made it over the six month hump. Part of me feels like I have been here much longer and another part of me feels like it hasn't been that long at all. It's sort of a surreal feeling. My life has become completely routine. It took some adjusting and getting used to but now I almost find comfort within the routine. You pretty much know what to expect and what is expected of you. There usually aren't any big surprises and my work is starting to feel like home to me. I enjoy what I do and I love it here! In a lot of ways it has turned out better than I could have hoped. I really did move down here on a whim and it could have turned out much worse. I like working hard and I love being with the horses. I feel very lucky to be under Lars' tutelage and to ride so many high quality horses, I really couldn't ask for anything more!

This week was our first full week of normalcy since their return from their two week road trip. I was excited for their return. I busted my butt to do the best job possible while they were away and it paid off! When Lars rode my first horse he told me that I had done a really good job with the horse and that the it felt much better. He said that he was very happy with the job I had done with all my horses! It really doesn't get any better than that!! Coming from that man, who doesn't give away compliments for anything, really meant a lot to me. It refueled me and felt so good to be rewarded for my hard work and effort! I have been here long enough now that I am learning their style and how they like to have their horses ridden. While they were away I was able to sort of put my spin on it and really felt like I was riding my personal best! I really ran with all the information I have been given.

I am so thankful for the background I have in dressage. It wouldn't be possible for me to be doing as well as I am without my roots and knowing what I knew before I came here. I can't honestly say that I have really learned any "new" concepts. Maybe here there is a different means to the end but there are many roads to Rome. The biggest difference is that I am riding better quality horses with more training. Ultimately, the horses have been my teachers. Feeling their improvement through Lars' riding and having Lars help me with them has given me so many good feels and "ah ha" moments. I know that I have gotten stronger in my seat and clearer in my asking of the horse. Which ultimately means that I have gotten quicker and more clear. I feel like I have gotten better and more courageous at taking the horse to their wall. You can feel it on every horse, where their limit is. Where they're happy to be and where they don't want to go. I have heard from many trainers about taking the horse to their wall and pushing against it a little and then backing off and then pushing against a little again and then taking the pressure off again and so on. Kind of like molding clay. I think that I have gotten better at this because I have gotten stronger and because I am more clear in my feel and in my mind of what I want. I still feel like there's a long way to go because the more I improve the more that I see is possible. :)

Another thing that I am grateful for is all that I gained out of my experience in pony club as a child! It is something that I think I had taken for granted but I was thinking the other day about all that I have learned from this excellent organization! I think some of the key things that I got from pony club was how to bandage properly, an introduction to lunging safely and learning about diseases and lameness. Not to mention the discipline it takes to exercise and execute proper stable management, good horsemanship and team work! Developing these skills at a young age has really molded and shaped the horse person that I am today and it dawned on me just how much I really got out of being a pony clubber!

FINALLY!!! Some pics of Vioen

Vioen and I posing for the camera!

Vioen and I working in the arena this winter.

She's wondering if anyone's got a treat?

Deb,

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to own such a fabulous mare!!! I can't wait for our future together!

Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming USDF Connections issue where they will be displaying USDF Certified Instructor Profile Updates.

Two Weeks Can Be a Long Time!

The Indoor didn't fare to well in the last storm, rain was blowing sideways!

Hello All!

Well everything's going great here. We have slowly settled back into the "out of season" routine. At the moment Lars, Melissa, Caroline (her dad and Lars are partners in the sales horses of Global Dressage) and Tayna (barn manager/head groom) are all on the road. The left Tuesday the 19th at about 11:00 pm headed for a show in Kentucky and from there they were headed to Raleigh in North Carolina for a CDI. They took eight horses with them which left me and one other person with six horses each to take care of. It is amazing how much work it is to ride and handwalk six horses! Right now I usually get done by 6:00 pm but there have been several days where I don't get finished with work until 6:30 or 7:00. We aren't able to take days off while they are away which will mean that I will have worked at least 21 days straight with no days off! Honestly, I'm not complaining but maybe I want you all to feel a little sorry for me :) No, Just kidding... In a way it has been nice having the barn and arena to myself (almost). I can set my own routine and I am getting to ride some really nice horses! I thoroughly enjoy being able to sit on horses that have been trained by Lars! They are all of very nice quality and it has been a lot of fun to play around with them in the arena. I feel like I am getting stronger and stronger and quicker and quicker with the timing of my aids. I also feel like I am getting a better feel of collection and the balance and impulsion that collection requires. Ultimately, the horses are my teachers. They should be home by the 1st or 2nd and I'm looking forward to them getting back. It's a little to quiet and I need to get yelled at by Lars some more! When I'm riding the horses I can hear him in my mind but it's just not the same.

The weather is really starting to change here in Florida! There have been incredible thunder and lightning storms everyday for over a week now! It has taken some getting used to let me tell you! The weather in unpredictable and I have to keep reminding myself that getting hit my lightning kills people! It's almost impossible to get anything done when the storms hit other than get things out of the rain! You usually can hear the boom boom of thunder in the distance and see a black wall coming your way but the tricky part is that you never know exaclty when it's going to hit you or how long. Last week we had a storm hit us that the local news was calling a tropical storm that lasted for three hours! When the storm is on us it literally sounds like a sonic boom. It's totally crazy! Max hates it! He's almost to the point that everytime it rains or the wind picks up he starts shaking in anticipation of the thunder. He really gets freaked out by it and I have had to buy him some herbal calming drops and treats because I don't think it's good for him to be tranq-ed everyday :( But I think he's getting a bit used to it as well. He's learning to trust that when it's gone it's gone and he can carry on enjoying his day.

Vioen is doing super. I am still struggling getting to ride her as much as I would like or as is needed to really get her stronger but I am just going to have to accept that it's going to be like that in a working student situation. Nonetheless she getting better muscling and more and more rideable. I am really happy with where she's at right now. I am starting to focus more on her balance through doing lots of transitions and increasing the difficulty in the lateral movements. She seems to always be proud of herself after every ride but doesn't hesitate to tell me that she thinks it's a bit hard sometimes :)

I have to go now because I am very tired, doing night check every other night sucks! Tonight's my night. I took some videos on my camera of the weather but my computer doesn't recognize the files :( Will see if I can get those uploaded at some point. Hoe everyone at home is well. I am planning to come home for a quick visit in July/Aug. Feel free to ask me any questions on here if there's anything you would like to know about my experiences so far :)

Bitter Sweet...

The infamous road we hand walk the horses down

Polo pony pastures boarder both sides of the road

This is Jack or Jacleen or what I named our little friend rather :)

Max and I went for a joy ride with a friend in Wellington. So cool to see so many amazing barns!!! Elmo was the tour guide :)

Well as season has comed to an end you can definitely feel the days are much quiter and the work load is much less as was promised. On the flip side it's a bit lonely. My house mates have moved back home. Kim has gone back to Georgia and Chris (my surrogate mother who made sure I ate properly) has gone back to her family's farm in Canada. It's nice that the days are easier and that things are less hectic but I feel that the family I had created here is now gone and has left me a little melancholy. I find that it has been a series of constant adjustments. Adjusting to people leaving (four people total since I have been here) and having to train their replacements or simply just adjusting to not having as many people as you once had. It seems that in the past two weeks as things have slowed down we are all bit by bit settling into our new routine. But it doesn't feel the same for me without the friends that I could trust and rely on. Enough of my sob story :)

I have been riding quite a bit and it has been fun and I am learing a lot. Lars and Melissa are always pushing me to push myself and the horse. There is no slacking in that arena! So it has been good for me to dig deeper and deeper to improve myself and the horses that I'm riding. I find it's a bit tricky because it's not like I am in the arena all day long doing nothing but riding. There is a lot more to my day and there are some days where I am just plain worn out and don't have the energy and mental focus that riding sometimes requires but even so I have to step up which is why I'm here. I am definitely seeing and learing the discipline and hard work it takes to ride upper level dressage and make upper level dressage horses. So that makes me happy and the long days/no life worth it.

Florida oh Florida. Florida is a neat place. It is almost magical in a way. There is a sort of tranquility about it. Must be because it is so tropical. There are bugs, birds and lizards here that I have never seen before! The other day when I was hand walking a horse I saw this beautiful yellow butterfly and then in the next instant the horse and I were being accousted my two huge deer flies! There is also a duck couple that have babies (was four now only two) that hang out on the property. They are very pretty and have stricking colors and marking of orange and yellow around their faces. The alligators have seemingly relocated for the time being which is good. I suspect that maybe they have gone elsewhere where there isn't so much activity since most of the barns have cleared out for the season.

The weather is starting to change. It is getting hotter and more humid and the bugs are starting to come out! Vioen HATES and I mean HATES the flies. She flips her head in her stall everytime one lands on her mozzle and looks like she's having some sort of an attack. I feel bad for her :( But thanks to my dad and Shelley they are sending me one of those fly masks that have the flap that goes down over the front of the face. Don't worry, as I was enjoying the warmth and sunshine this winter, I will be equally miserable this summer. I hear that there are zillions of bugs and mosquitoes and that in the heart of summer it pours rain every afternoon and the land just fills with water. And of course, there's hurricane season. Not looking forward to that!

Vioen is doing well. She is starting to develop more muscle over her neck and haunches. I still haven't been able to get into as much of a routine as I would like with her but Lars told me two days ago that I need to start getting serious with her. LOL! Ok, well I guess that's the bosses orders! But she's happy and coming along and just needs a little more consistency to develop her strength and fitness and then she'll be ready for more serious work.

That's all for now! Hope that you all are well!!!