The darling boy is coming home
Dears,
that's once more an entry all about the horsey ... can't help it.
Today was another "Birkhof day" - once more with Andy and additionally Marisa, a rather nice girl from our stables. She's proud owner of "Lucky", a very cute Norwegian horse whose trained by Andy too and she was curious about the Birkhof (I think most people at the Talhof are - not only because Robin's there, but because of Renate's youngsters who're both exceptionally good and cute horses and who come from there).
We had wonderful weather and so the tour was a pleasure. Around 10:00 h we arrived then - and felt immediately: It wasn't a normal day on the Birkhof. Normally in the morning it's rather quiet there. This morning everything seemed a bit hectic - small wonder: At Saturday they're doing their first stallion presentation this year. Sunday the second is following, then there is the next one at the next Saturday. Stallion presentations are always big events with around 1500 guests. The Birkhof presents itself at its best - and that means, that in the days before the hall and the stables become thoroughly cleaned (today one of the apprentices was even washing the outer walls of the boxes in the guest mare stable where Robin lives in the moment. And another one was cleaning the banks in the hall while one of his colleagues was painting one of the smaller stables freshly).
Robin didn't mind the excitment much. As he heard us, he whinied cheerfully, was immediately at his door and took the apples I'd got him. He looks great and he's obviously in a good mood.
As were were just in front of his box talking with Thomas, my cell phone was ringing - Margit, our stable owner, showed the perfect sense of timing. She called for telling me that she and her husband would come to the stallions presentation at Saturday. "And what do you think? Wouldn't it be best if we take Robin home with us afterwards? It would spare us another drive to the Birkhof at Monday. Would you call the Birkhof and ask if that's okay?" - "Just a moment, Margit - I'm just at the Birkhof and will ask Thomas who stands next to me ..."
Thomas found the idea good too though it means Robin will do a nightly travel - the stallions presentation ends around 23:00 h, so Robin won't be home before midnight. But I don't think he'll mind.
Around 10:30 h Nicola, the girl who's riding Robin, came and looked rather sad as I told her that he goes home on Saturday. She said she certainly wouldn't mind keeping him and she asked Andy and me to keep in contact. She'd like to know how he's at home. And as I told her that she'll certainly see him again because I intend to come with him for another stay in summer (Andy has to do her "Abitur", the last big degree at high school, in summer), she was beaming. "He's such a sweetie! I really, really like working with him - and you know, it's such a pleasure to have at least one experienced, calm horse in the stables!" And then she told us, that he "saved her life" at Monday. There was a guy who bought a young horse at the Birkhof which is still there for its education. At Monday the guy came and wanted to hack out with his youngster. "He isn't a real good rider and his horse is young and inexperienced, so Thomas ordered me to accompany him", Nicola told. "Of course, I thought immediately of Robin for this - and boy, was I happy to sit on Robin later! The guy behaved like a mad man. We were just strolling along a path in the wood as he told me 'I'm going to do a canter'. Before I could say something he was already galopping away. Robin looked and asked if we'd follow. I patted his neck and told him we'd wait - and so we did. Around five minutes the guy came back - still galopping like mad and passing us. He'd obviously lost control over his horse. I let Robin go - and it was so great: He galopped after the youngster, totally calm and controlled. After six or seven jumps he'd got him, passed him and showed him 'Stay behind'. I stopped Robin, the younster stopped with us - everything was fine. It's really amazing how calm and collected Robin is even in such a situation."
Then she was riding him in the hall - once more with a lot of hectic around her (her female boss was working one of her stallions, two of her colleagues were presenting young horses to customers, two apprentices were cleaning the benches, another one was working at the lights). Robin didn't mind. Instead he showed us what he'd learned in the last weeks - and it's really great! He was all the time looking like a real dressage horse: Head down, neck up - and well, he's sometimes moving his head from left to right, but it isn't as bad as it was in former times anymore. It's only a "reminder" of how he was. Except of that he looks great. He shows his beautiful gaits and - what's even better - he looks happy all the time. There isn't this "I don't want to do this!"-face anymore, there isn't this "No, no, no!" and stopping thing anymore. Robin moves and though Nicola has the reins firmly in her hands, he doesn't stop and he doesn't fight her.
More I couldn't expect. Actually: I didn't expect so much. I wouldn't have thought they'd get him this far in such a short time! And even Andy who was always rather sceptical is now convinced that it was good to give him to the Birkhof.
After Nicola riding him we had a long talk with her - and she gave us a lot of good tipps for working with him. One of it really amazed and amused me: "Whenever he starts to become though and doesn't want to work anymore - just get him to jump! He loves jumping so much that he always becomes eager when he sees an obstacle. And after jumping once or twice, he's absolutely there and you can do everything with him."
She told us that he was so "there" on Tuesday that she became tempted. "I thought: 'I'm for once sitting on a real dressage horse - so I'll try a bit ...'." The first thing she tried were flying changes. "It was so great! I tried the four tempo changes ..." (four jumps on the left, flying change, four jumps on the right hand, flying change and so on). Robin did them easily. "Then I tried two tempo chanages ..." (two jumps on the left, flying change, two jumps on the right, flying change and so on). "It was so easy! I felt suddenly like a genius in the saddle!" (that's the "Robin effect": When Robin wants to work he makes you feel great). I told her she could have tried the flying changes a'tempo too - he does them great (that is when he changes his gallop direction with every jump). "Oh, well - I'm not a great dressage rider. I was afraid I'd mess this up. But I tried piaffe - and was totally overwhelmed. You know, I've only done Piaffe three or four times with Rubicell ..." (Rubicell - a half brother of Robin - was the stallion her boss Nicole showed on big events) "... and wasn't sure if I can ride it. But it's so easy with him! And I was so in it and so totally concentrated I didn't even notice that everyone around was watching me - until I'd almost bumped in Nicole who'd stopped her stallion for looking at us."
She obviously liked what she saw - as I met her a few minutes later on the yard, she stopped her horse, bent down to me and said: "You know, you've got a real great horse! I've rarely seen piaffes as great as his."
I know - Robin is great and his piaffes and passages are perfect when he's in the mood. And in the moment he obviously is often in the mood for work - I think he was rarely so motivated as he is in the moment.
So we'll proceed with the "Birkhof programme": One day serious work - dressage or jumping (Andy says she's actually a bit afraid of jumping and she hasn't got much experience with it. But she trusts Robin and she trusts Thomas who says Robin could have become a great jumper too. Therefore she's already booked some jumping lessons with Philipp). The other day he'll get "fun" - hacking out with me, ground work, running free or work at the lunge. And I think in autumn Andy can do her first examination (she wants to get a trainer license. Therefore she has to do three examinations) with him - at least the jumping part she certainly can do with him. For the dressage part we'll see - we'll train him for it, but for Andy's safety she'll train Debbie too. At the day of the examination we'll see then. When Robin is in a good mood, she starts with him. If he's not in the mood for it, she starts with Debbie.
By talking about his moods: Nicola amused me. She obviously watched him rather closely and she discovered that he's kind of a "diva" and moody. He's always friendly and kind with humans, but his moods show in the way he handles other horses. When he's in a good mood, he accepts other horses and is nice to them (though he always makes clear: "I'm the boss!"). When he's in his "arrogant mood" (how Nicola names it), he is okay with mares, but venomous with other geldings and stallions.
On our way home Andy and I were joking around about getting Robin back - after what we've heard at the Birkhof, we considered putting a note at his door: "To whom it may concern: Robin isn't only 'rideable', but a great horse and a life insurance for hacking out." And we would like to have this note signed by George Theodorescu (he certainly thinks so and always assured me that he knows why he likes Robin so much), Thomas Casper (Karin was laughing as I told her that Thomas would have liked to get Robin 10 years earlier - he'd like to make him a jumper), Juergen Casper (he never says much, but today he came into the hall as Nicola was riding, watched her a moment, then turned to me and said: "You know, you've got a real great horse, don't you?"), Nicole Casper and senior Alfred Casper. And then the idiots in our stables who're always nagging about him would perhaps get that they better keep their big mouths closed because people who know more about horses don't share their opinion about "unrideable, dangerous Robin".
As much as I'm looking forward to getting my boy back: I will miss visiting the Birkhof because I've fallen in love. I found my dream horse there - and if I'd win a million just now, the first thing I'd do would be calling the Birkhof and buying this boy:
He's four year old, a stallion and his name is "Denario". He's a brother of Renate's Dandelion - and such a beauty! And he isn't only beautiful, but very kind and charming too. I'd so love to have him! Only I don't think I could ever afford him. Denario was the Young Stallions Champion of Southern Germany last year and people say he's one of the best stallions the Birkhof has got (and that means something with their horses).
Yet today I saw his first filly - two days old, a rather colourfull chestnut boy. Oh, he's cute too! I think, in two or three years when I've got a bit more money, I'll buy a Denario filly - and I hope I'll find a white one. I've always loved white horses and one like Denario - I could for hours swoon over him!
I think I'll visit the Birkhof more often in the future - and in summer Robin and I'll go there for another two or three weeks and then we'll enjoy hacking out there. Besides Andy we'll get a bit of jumping education by Juergen before she starts for her trainer examination.
At least there's something else to look forward to at our own stable: It looks as if we'd get for a few weeks rid off our favourite bitch. Andy overheard her talking with Renate about finding someone to train her horse while she is away. She obviously goes to a hospital for treatment of her psychical disturbances. I'm sure I'll enjoy the time without her - and perhaps the stay in the hospital can help her and she comes back a bit less gaga and bitchy? I'd like that.
that's once more an entry all about the horsey ... can't help it.
Today was another "Birkhof day" - once more with Andy and additionally Marisa, a rather nice girl from our stables. She's proud owner of "Lucky", a very cute Norwegian horse whose trained by Andy too and she was curious about the Birkhof (I think most people at the Talhof are - not only because Robin's there, but because of Renate's youngsters who're both exceptionally good and cute horses and who come from there).
We had wonderful weather and so the tour was a pleasure. Around 10:00 h we arrived then - and felt immediately: It wasn't a normal day on the Birkhof. Normally in the morning it's rather quiet there. This morning everything seemed a bit hectic - small wonder: At Saturday they're doing their first stallion presentation this year. Sunday the second is following, then there is the next one at the next Saturday. Stallion presentations are always big events with around 1500 guests. The Birkhof presents itself at its best - and that means, that in the days before the hall and the stables become thoroughly cleaned (today one of the apprentices was even washing the outer walls of the boxes in the guest mare stable where Robin lives in the moment. And another one was cleaning the banks in the hall while one of his colleagues was painting one of the smaller stables freshly).
Robin didn't mind the excitment much. As he heard us, he whinied cheerfully, was immediately at his door and took the apples I'd got him. He looks great and he's obviously in a good mood.
As were were just in front of his box talking with Thomas, my cell phone was ringing - Margit, our stable owner, showed the perfect sense of timing. She called for telling me that she and her husband would come to the stallions presentation at Saturday. "And what do you think? Wouldn't it be best if we take Robin home with us afterwards? It would spare us another drive to the Birkhof at Monday. Would you call the Birkhof and ask if that's okay?" - "Just a moment, Margit - I'm just at the Birkhof and will ask Thomas who stands next to me ..."
Thomas found the idea good too though it means Robin will do a nightly travel - the stallions presentation ends around 23:00 h, so Robin won't be home before midnight. But I don't think he'll mind.
Around 10:30 h Nicola, the girl who's riding Robin, came and looked rather sad as I told her that he goes home on Saturday. She said she certainly wouldn't mind keeping him and she asked Andy and me to keep in contact. She'd like to know how he's at home. And as I told her that she'll certainly see him again because I intend to come with him for another stay in summer (Andy has to do her "Abitur", the last big degree at high school, in summer), she was beaming. "He's such a sweetie! I really, really like working with him - and you know, it's such a pleasure to have at least one experienced, calm horse in the stables!" And then she told us, that he "saved her life" at Monday. There was a guy who bought a young horse at the Birkhof which is still there for its education. At Monday the guy came and wanted to hack out with his youngster. "He isn't a real good rider and his horse is young and inexperienced, so Thomas ordered me to accompany him", Nicola told. "Of course, I thought immediately of Robin for this - and boy, was I happy to sit on Robin later! The guy behaved like a mad man. We were just strolling along a path in the wood as he told me 'I'm going to do a canter'. Before I could say something he was already galopping away. Robin looked and asked if we'd follow. I patted his neck and told him we'd wait - and so we did. Around five minutes the guy came back - still galopping like mad and passing us. He'd obviously lost control over his horse. I let Robin go - and it was so great: He galopped after the youngster, totally calm and controlled. After six or seven jumps he'd got him, passed him and showed him 'Stay behind'. I stopped Robin, the younster stopped with us - everything was fine. It's really amazing how calm and collected Robin is even in such a situation."
Then she was riding him in the hall - once more with a lot of hectic around her (her female boss was working one of her stallions, two of her colleagues were presenting young horses to customers, two apprentices were cleaning the benches, another one was working at the lights). Robin didn't mind. Instead he showed us what he'd learned in the last weeks - and it's really great! He was all the time looking like a real dressage horse: Head down, neck up - and well, he's sometimes moving his head from left to right, but it isn't as bad as it was in former times anymore. It's only a "reminder" of how he was. Except of that he looks great. He shows his beautiful gaits and - what's even better - he looks happy all the time. There isn't this "I don't want to do this!"-face anymore, there isn't this "No, no, no!" and stopping thing anymore. Robin moves and though Nicola has the reins firmly in her hands, he doesn't stop and he doesn't fight her.
More I couldn't expect. Actually: I didn't expect so much. I wouldn't have thought they'd get him this far in such a short time! And even Andy who was always rather sceptical is now convinced that it was good to give him to the Birkhof.
After Nicola riding him we had a long talk with her - and she gave us a lot of good tipps for working with him. One of it really amazed and amused me: "Whenever he starts to become though and doesn't want to work anymore - just get him to jump! He loves jumping so much that he always becomes eager when he sees an obstacle. And after jumping once or twice, he's absolutely there and you can do everything with him."
She told us that he was so "there" on Tuesday that she became tempted. "I thought: 'I'm for once sitting on a real dressage horse - so I'll try a bit ...'." The first thing she tried were flying changes. "It was so great! I tried the four tempo changes ..." (four jumps on the left, flying change, four jumps on the right hand, flying change and so on). Robin did them easily. "Then I tried two tempo chanages ..." (two jumps on the left, flying change, two jumps on the right, flying change and so on). "It was so easy! I felt suddenly like a genius in the saddle!" (that's the "Robin effect": When Robin wants to work he makes you feel great). I told her she could have tried the flying changes a'tempo too - he does them great (that is when he changes his gallop direction with every jump). "Oh, well - I'm not a great dressage rider. I was afraid I'd mess this up. But I tried piaffe - and was totally overwhelmed. You know, I've only done Piaffe three or four times with Rubicell ..." (Rubicell - a half brother of Robin - was the stallion her boss Nicole showed on big events) "... and wasn't sure if I can ride it. But it's so easy with him! And I was so in it and so totally concentrated I didn't even notice that everyone around was watching me - until I'd almost bumped in Nicole who'd stopped her stallion for looking at us."
She obviously liked what she saw - as I met her a few minutes later on the yard, she stopped her horse, bent down to me and said: "You know, you've got a real great horse! I've rarely seen piaffes as great as his."
I know - Robin is great and his piaffes and passages are perfect when he's in the mood. And in the moment he obviously is often in the mood for work - I think he was rarely so motivated as he is in the moment.
So we'll proceed with the "Birkhof programme": One day serious work - dressage or jumping (Andy says she's actually a bit afraid of jumping and she hasn't got much experience with it. But she trusts Robin and she trusts Thomas who says Robin could have become a great jumper too. Therefore she's already booked some jumping lessons with Philipp). The other day he'll get "fun" - hacking out with me, ground work, running free or work at the lunge. And I think in autumn Andy can do her first examination (she wants to get a trainer license. Therefore she has to do three examinations) with him - at least the jumping part she certainly can do with him. For the dressage part we'll see - we'll train him for it, but for Andy's safety she'll train Debbie too. At the day of the examination we'll see then. When Robin is in a good mood, she starts with him. If he's not in the mood for it, she starts with Debbie.
By talking about his moods: Nicola amused me. She obviously watched him rather closely and she discovered that he's kind of a "diva" and moody. He's always friendly and kind with humans, but his moods show in the way he handles other horses. When he's in a good mood, he accepts other horses and is nice to them (though he always makes clear: "I'm the boss!"). When he's in his "arrogant mood" (how Nicola names it), he is okay with mares, but venomous with other geldings and stallions.
On our way home Andy and I were joking around about getting Robin back - after what we've heard at the Birkhof, we considered putting a note at his door: "To whom it may concern: Robin isn't only 'rideable', but a great horse and a life insurance for hacking out." And we would like to have this note signed by George Theodorescu (he certainly thinks so and always assured me that he knows why he likes Robin so much), Thomas Casper (Karin was laughing as I told her that Thomas would have liked to get Robin 10 years earlier - he'd like to make him a jumper), Juergen Casper (he never says much, but today he came into the hall as Nicola was riding, watched her a moment, then turned to me and said: "You know, you've got a real great horse, don't you?"), Nicole Casper and senior Alfred Casper. And then the idiots in our stables who're always nagging about him would perhaps get that they better keep their big mouths closed because people who know more about horses don't share their opinion about "unrideable, dangerous Robin".
As much as I'm looking forward to getting my boy back: I will miss visiting the Birkhof because I've fallen in love. I found my dream horse there - and if I'd win a million just now, the first thing I'd do would be calling the Birkhof and buying this boy:
He's four year old, a stallion and his name is "Denario". He's a brother of Renate's Dandelion - and such a beauty! And he isn't only beautiful, but very kind and charming too. I'd so love to have him! Only I don't think I could ever afford him. Denario was the Young Stallions Champion of Southern Germany last year and people say he's one of the best stallions the Birkhof has got (and that means something with their horses).
Yet today I saw his first filly - two days old, a rather colourfull chestnut boy. Oh, he's cute too! I think, in two or three years when I've got a bit more money, I'll buy a Denario filly - and I hope I'll find a white one. I've always loved white horses and one like Denario - I could for hours swoon over him!
I think I'll visit the Birkhof more often in the future - and in summer Robin and I'll go there for another two or three weeks and then we'll enjoy hacking out there. Besides Andy we'll get a bit of jumping education by Juergen before she starts for her trainer examination.
At least there's something else to look forward to at our own stable: It looks as if we'd get for a few weeks rid off our favourite bitch. Andy overheard her talking with Renate about finding someone to train her horse while she is away. She obviously goes to a hospital for treatment of her psychical disturbances. I'm sure I'll enjoy the time without her - and perhaps the stay in the hospital can help her and she comes back a bit less gaga and bitchy? I'd like that.