A life with horses is about inspiration. About horseback riding and reflecting. About the thought:
I want the horse to want to go riding as much as I do.
This is what I have been searching for. Always.
There was a photograph on the wall above my bed in my childhood room showing a girl on a white Icelandic pony in a meadow. No saddle, no bit, no lead, no cordeo, nothing. Galloping. The girl in twopoint, upper body leaning against the full mane. That girl is me, ten or eleven years old, on my then riding instructor’s pony. This moment held everything for me. Voluntariness, fun, two beings, one idea. When I wanted to change directions I put my hands on the curb-grooves and showed her the way. It was a moment that I could not repeat at will. I was no child horse-whisperer.
But an idea took hold inside of me.
Thanks to my job as a journalist for horse magazines I am lucky to be able to look behind many barn doors. To be present at small and big events.
Stomping through the grass at the three day eventing of the World Equestrian Games. Sitting on an olympic medalist’s couch, coffee in hand. Standing in the indoor arena in winter, pen fails to work due to the cold and I cannot feel my toes anymore. Sunburns at horsemanship workshops.
Over time I was thus able to start a book of little treasures inside of my head. Small and large pieces of advice from masters of their craft, tips, observations on how it might work. Sure, I have seen things that are shiny on the outside yet have no substance.
Everyone wants to ride fairly, everyone wants to condition and train, every instructor speaks of subtle aids. It is en vogue to use these words, but what this actually means for the individual is an entirely different story
I consider it super important to stay open-minded. For various ways of riding and dealing with the horse, for very diversified paths and instructors. I don’t want to eliminate anything. There is no such thing as the one path. There is a wrong path, namely any time anything works against the horse, no matter in which way. And there are many, many right paths. I take one thought from one trainer, and love the whole philosophy of others.
Well, and this here – this is the idea of sharing some of it.
What about myself, up close and personal? I live on a farmstead with lots and lots of animals, currently own a warmblood mare, give basic lessons for the fun of it, keep continuing my education and practice dressage and go out on the trails.