Mr Ubercool is back home
Darlings, first I have to thank you all for the comfort and the nice comments you gave me to my last entries! It feels wonderful to have friends like you and to know that I'm "understood" by you.
Today I really feel better - mostly because I spent the entire day with horses. So if you can stand more horse stories ...
Today was the "big day" on the Birkhof: The first stallions presentation this year. It was amazing! The hall was packed as I'd never see it before, a lot of people didn't get a place to sit anymore and went home because they weren't even places to stand anymore. Yet the atmosphere were great - and the presentations made me glad that I don't have a mare to cover in the moment. I really wouldn't know which of these great, great stallions I'd want a filly from.
But even more as the beautiful horses I enjoyed the riding I got to see. You know, I was for a long time a journalist in the riding scene and therefore I've become rather fed up with what's called "great riding" in Germany. I watched too much ugly, brutale scenes on big events and I learned the hard way that most people in this scene don't bother a feckin' damn about the horses (take for example: A member of the German dressage team got a penality for "unriderly behaviour" at the Olympic Games. He'd used his spurs so much his horse was bleeding. Nevertheless he's still a member of the German dressage team - and one wonders: If the man behaves like that in public, what the hell does he do to his horses when he's at home with no audience?) and their well being. Success is what counts - and who cares about the pain of the horses? I heard more than once someone saying: "A good horse keeps up with it and a bad one isn't worth bothering about."
Being cruel to horses, not bothering about their feelings is what is called "professionalism" in the German scene - and that's the reason I don't want to have to do anything with the scene anymore, that's the reason why I trust the most German riders only so far as I could throw them single-handed and why I stand away from riding events. I'm, as one of my former editors told me once, "too sentimental" for becoming a part of this scene. I've still not got (as the same editor told me) that you can't be successfull if you're a soft egg like me.
I really haven't got it - and the reason for it is that I learned my trade at the Birkhof where every horse is worth bothering about, where yelling in the stables is strongly forbidden, where I as the one who was in charge of the mares' stables once got order to cuddle the fillies at least once a way (because they shall learn to trust humans and to come to them on their own), where the one who's in charge of feeding the youngsters on the meadows has order to talk to them and to touch them every day (for the same reason: They shan't forget what they learned as fillies in the years they're living in herds outdoor), where stallions learn things they don't "need" (like the great and famous Heraldik who learned to "shake a paw" when asked to (he put then one of his fore hoofs in your hand)), but enjoy. And I learned at the Birkhof things like "The horse is never wrong" - meaning: If a horse does something "wrong", it's your fault as a rider. You haven't done your job right, you haven't made yourself understandable to your horse. And while the former editior (who's a breeder himself and spends a big deal of money for becoming successfull) told me once that writing about a filly as "the little girl" would show that I'm "unprofessional", at the Birkhof the boss calls his mares with "Come, girlies!" and names his stallions "my boys". And even worse: I sometimes got orders like "Go feed the babies!"
It seems, the Birkhof is "unprofessional" - only it obviously works better as the "professionalism" of guys like my former editor. With all this "unprofessionalism", with fine, sensitive riding and cuddling horses the Birkhof became one of the most successfull German studs. Today I felt even kind of "dizzy" by the horses they presented: The German championesse of the five years old in 2003 (she was presented with her just four day old baby son from Denario), the German champion and winner of the worldmastership for young eventing horses and "Trakehner of the year 2006" Birkhof's Grafenstolz; the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2006 Denario, the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2007 Don Diamond; the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2005 Alassio's Boy; the German vize champion of the five year old dressage horses of 2006 ... and so on and so on. One horse better as the next, all wonderfully presented and although the big hall was so full of people who were cheering and yelling and whistling - the 12 Birkhof stallions (and none of them is older than eight years!) showed all trust in their rider and a regalness which was really amazing. They showed off with big trot and the audience was yelling and whistling (and the boss even provoked it, saying things like "What? You can't give this boy more? Don't you think this trot deserves more?") - and then they moved out of the boiling, very loud hall with its light and the loud music - walking with the rains down and the necks long and relaxed.
I was once more totally delighted and full of appreciation of these wonderful horse people. They're showing how it should be and I'm really grateful that I got the chance to learn my trade there and to experience first hand, that love for horses isn't stupid sentimentality, but the key to the real big successes.
As the stallions presentation was done, my people and I went down to Robin's stable for getting him home. I must admit: As I came there, I was for a moment thinking "Oh hell - taking him home now wasn't too good an idea!" The entire yard was full with people, in front of the stallions' stable stood three big trailers so that ours was pretty far up the way. Even Robin's stable was full - the people obviously didn't want to go home yet, they were still too much excited and therefore looking around and talking loudly.
Robin was excited too - I think he liked seeing his entire "family" again: Renate, Belli, Andy, Philipp, Margit, Klaus, me. Nevertheless it wasn't a problem to stand him in the middle of the stables for getting him "dressed" for the drive. Philipp and Nicola (the girl who rode him on the Birkhof) put him the big traveling boots on all four legs while I put him in his "pyjamas" (the blanket he wears for traveling). Then Nicola - who was very sad about him leaving - asked me if she could take him for "a last time" (it won't be the last time she walks with him. I promised her to come back in summer. And actually ... I think sooner or later I'll move Robin for good to the Birkhof). Of course she could and so she took him to our trailer. It was really amazing: Although he marched a bit stiffly (the boots!), he didn't bother about the people around. He was totally calm and marched through the mass of people as if he'd cross Travalgar Square in the rush hour once a day. And before I could really worry about he was already in the trailer. Someone behind me said: "Wow - what a cool horse!" and I could only nodd - he's Mr Ubercool! I really don't think another horse would have go through this yard so calm and collected.
One hour later I passed the trailer on our way home, arrived the stables five minutes before it, opened Robin's door, switched the lights on and got him a few apples and carrots in his crib. Unloading him was as easy as loading him in - he marched out of the trailer, looked around, whinied once ("Hey, mates - I'm home!"), marched at my shoulder to his box, greeted Wendy with his ears back (and she of course greeted him with squeaking and jumping in the opposite corner, where she tried to bite poor Dandy in his nose and looked totally insulted: "Bah - the black pest is back! And I'd so hoped he would have been gone for good!") and started to feed his carrots and apples while I got the boots away and cuddled him. Robin's back - cool and calm as always.
Tomorrow Andy will ride him - and I'll cuddle him! I'm glad he's home and looking forward to work with him again (only I don't look forward to the comments we'll get. I know already that some of our resident idiots will tell me that he's lost weight - indeed, he's lost a bit of tummy, but it suits him well. Instead he's got some muscles and looks like a sport horse again. And they will of course only wait to see him refusing again ... but I don't think they'll get much of a chance because Andy and I don't intend to show him in the hall when all the idiots are around. We'll work with him before they come). But at least I won't have to bear the stable's bitch for a while - I've heard she's going for some time in a hospital. I'll certainly enjoy her being away.
Today I really feel better - mostly because I spent the entire day with horses. So if you can stand more horse stories ...
Today was the "big day" on the Birkhof: The first stallions presentation this year. It was amazing! The hall was packed as I'd never see it before, a lot of people didn't get a place to sit anymore and went home because they weren't even places to stand anymore. Yet the atmosphere were great - and the presentations made me glad that I don't have a mare to cover in the moment. I really wouldn't know which of these great, great stallions I'd want a filly from.
But even more as the beautiful horses I enjoyed the riding I got to see. You know, I was for a long time a journalist in the riding scene and therefore I've become rather fed up with what's called "great riding" in Germany. I watched too much ugly, brutale scenes on big events and I learned the hard way that most people in this scene don't bother a feckin' damn about the horses (take for example: A member of the German dressage team got a penality for "unriderly behaviour" at the Olympic Games. He'd used his spurs so much his horse was bleeding. Nevertheless he's still a member of the German dressage team - and one wonders: If the man behaves like that in public, what the hell does he do to his horses when he's at home with no audience?) and their well being. Success is what counts - and who cares about the pain of the horses? I heard more than once someone saying: "A good horse keeps up with it and a bad one isn't worth bothering about."
Being cruel to horses, not bothering about their feelings is what is called "professionalism" in the German scene - and that's the reason I don't want to have to do anything with the scene anymore, that's the reason why I trust the most German riders only so far as I could throw them single-handed and why I stand away from riding events. I'm, as one of my former editors told me once, "too sentimental" for becoming a part of this scene. I've still not got (as the same editor told me) that you can't be successfull if you're a soft egg like me.
I really haven't got it - and the reason for it is that I learned my trade at the Birkhof where every horse is worth bothering about, where yelling in the stables is strongly forbidden, where I as the one who was in charge of the mares' stables once got order to cuddle the fillies at least once a way (because they shall learn to trust humans and to come to them on their own), where the one who's in charge of feeding the youngsters on the meadows has order to talk to them and to touch them every day (for the same reason: They shan't forget what they learned as fillies in the years they're living in herds outdoor), where stallions learn things they don't "need" (like the great and famous Heraldik who learned to "shake a paw" when asked to (he put then one of his fore hoofs in your hand)), but enjoy. And I learned at the Birkhof things like "The horse is never wrong" - meaning: If a horse does something "wrong", it's your fault as a rider. You haven't done your job right, you haven't made yourself understandable to your horse. And while the former editior (who's a breeder himself and spends a big deal of money for becoming successfull) told me once that writing about a filly as "the little girl" would show that I'm "unprofessional", at the Birkhof the boss calls his mares with "Come, girlies!" and names his stallions "my boys". And even worse: I sometimes got orders like "Go feed the babies!"
It seems, the Birkhof is "unprofessional" - only it obviously works better as the "professionalism" of guys like my former editor. With all this "unprofessionalism", with fine, sensitive riding and cuddling horses the Birkhof became one of the most successfull German studs. Today I felt even kind of "dizzy" by the horses they presented: The German championesse of the five years old in 2003 (she was presented with her just four day old baby son from Denario), the German champion and winner of the worldmastership for young eventing horses and "Trakehner of the year 2006" Birkhof's Grafenstolz; the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2006 Denario, the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2007 Don Diamond; the Champion stallion of Southern Germany in 2005 Alassio's Boy; the German vize champion of the five year old dressage horses of 2006 ... and so on and so on. One horse better as the next, all wonderfully presented and although the big hall was so full of people who were cheering and yelling and whistling - the 12 Birkhof stallions (and none of them is older than eight years!) showed all trust in their rider and a regalness which was really amazing. They showed off with big trot and the audience was yelling and whistling (and the boss even provoked it, saying things like "What? You can't give this boy more? Don't you think this trot deserves more?") - and then they moved out of the boiling, very loud hall with its light and the loud music - walking with the rains down and the necks long and relaxed.
I was once more totally delighted and full of appreciation of these wonderful horse people. They're showing how it should be and I'm really grateful that I got the chance to learn my trade there and to experience first hand, that love for horses isn't stupid sentimentality, but the key to the real big successes.
As the stallions presentation was done, my people and I went down to Robin's stable for getting him home. I must admit: As I came there, I was for a moment thinking "Oh hell - taking him home now wasn't too good an idea!" The entire yard was full with people, in front of the stallions' stable stood three big trailers so that ours was pretty far up the way. Even Robin's stable was full - the people obviously didn't want to go home yet, they were still too much excited and therefore looking around and talking loudly.
Robin was excited too - I think he liked seeing his entire "family" again: Renate, Belli, Andy, Philipp, Margit, Klaus, me. Nevertheless it wasn't a problem to stand him in the middle of the stables for getting him "dressed" for the drive. Philipp and Nicola (the girl who rode him on the Birkhof) put him the big traveling boots on all four legs while I put him in his "pyjamas" (the blanket he wears for traveling). Then Nicola - who was very sad about him leaving - asked me if she could take him for "a last time" (it won't be the last time she walks with him. I promised her to come back in summer. And actually ... I think sooner or later I'll move Robin for good to the Birkhof). Of course she could and so she took him to our trailer. It was really amazing: Although he marched a bit stiffly (the boots!), he didn't bother about the people around. He was totally calm and marched through the mass of people as if he'd cross Travalgar Square in the rush hour once a day. And before I could really worry about he was already in the trailer. Someone behind me said: "Wow - what a cool horse!" and I could only nodd - he's Mr Ubercool! I really don't think another horse would have go through this yard so calm and collected.
One hour later I passed the trailer on our way home, arrived the stables five minutes before it, opened Robin's door, switched the lights on and got him a few apples and carrots in his crib. Unloading him was as easy as loading him in - he marched out of the trailer, looked around, whinied once ("Hey, mates - I'm home!"), marched at my shoulder to his box, greeted Wendy with his ears back (and she of course greeted him with squeaking and jumping in the opposite corner, where she tried to bite poor Dandy in his nose and looked totally insulted: "Bah - the black pest is back! And I'd so hoped he would have been gone for good!") and started to feed his carrots and apples while I got the boots away and cuddled him. Robin's back - cool and calm as always.
Tomorrow Andy will ride him - and I'll cuddle him! I'm glad he's home and looking forward to work with him again (only I don't look forward to the comments we'll get. I know already that some of our resident idiots will tell me that he's lost weight - indeed, he's lost a bit of tummy, but it suits him well. Instead he's got some muscles and looks like a sport horse again. And they will of course only wait to see him refusing again ... but I don't think they'll get much of a chance because Andy and I don't intend to show him in the hall when all the idiots are around. We'll work with him before they come). But at least I won't have to bear the stable's bitch for a while - I've heard she's going for some time in a hospital. I'll certainly enjoy her being away.