Another update from Spruce

[Shannon_c21]

WE just came down to the library so I thought I would drop in a quick hello! I still absolutly love it out here and the job is so much more fun now than I ever thought it would be. I will have to get some pictures on here! The other day I was so lucky as Albert Kley the riding master saw my video camera in the tack room and told me I should have some fun with it and get someone to tape me riding. The next day Albert told me to go tack up a certain horse named EZ-JUmper. This is one of his horses that be competes in the meter 35 classes!!!!! This horse is amazing and I only dreamed of riding him. He gave my camera to Lisa the barn manager and told me to go warm up to get some good video. I went and warmed up did some good canter shots and told Lisa that was good and she went to the office. Albert than came back into the riding hall with Lisa and told me to trot up to a little cross rail and stop. I did that and then he told me to go over it at a trot. I could not believe it!!! I was getting a jumping lesson from Albert. I then cantered it a few times and he told me to walk EZ around the arena on a long rein. I was sure we were done as the rest on the jumpers were 2'9. OH no he made a course for me! It was so fun and the best part was that I felt like I was flying. he let me do it a couple times andf told me I was learnign so quick and that I had come such a far way since I had been there. I was actually shaking. Then just the other day we were free jumping the horses as I brought out Fragaria, our 3 year old who Kevin has been training. Kevin and Albert were in the ring and I let him go and was watching when Kevin approached Albert and then Albert came to me and told me I was going to start to ride him so I could learn more about training young horses. No grooms ride the young horses so I could not believe my ears! I rode him for the first time this past Monday and it is quite the learning experance. I follow an older horse and the rest of the 3 year olds are behind me. We walk and trot(alot!) in circles and figure eights and also practice getting them to extend. And yesterday I had the best ride of my life! Kevin left for Germany to go home for a visit so he told me all of my duties and that included lunging the new horse Elton who just came from Germany. I was lunging and Albert came up to me and told me to get a saddle. We went back and tacked him up and he told me I was to good of a rider to stand on the ground so he gave me a leg up and off we went. Elton is still VERY green but oh man what a ride. HIs trot is so smooth ist is easyier to sit than post and his canter is flawless. This is a horse who has only been ridden by the best so farn and now I get to work with him!! So for the next 2 weeks I am in charge of all the training of Kevins horses plus riding my schooling horse Eraconick. So I have 6 horses to ride plus 3 of them I ride twice a day so its alot of time in the saddle. The other day one of my roomates Julia left for back home. She was on the german exchange program so we are missing her lots but other than that we are haveing lots of fun playing around. WE have monthly paintball trips and have parties at our house! Talk to you guys later

Shannon

 

[Lisa]

Hey Shannon!

I'm glad you are loving it there! It's a great place. You work in West Meadows right? Do you get to do anything with Ticino? I love that horse! He's a bit of nut, poor boy but last year when I was there I just fell in love with him.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It's so good to hear from you. It sounds to me as if you will go far with all that natural exuberance and desire to learn. Keep on track, work hard and buy a pair of Jods with a padded bum!! (Translation:- Seat, do NOT stuff a Hobo in your trousers you never know what will happen!!)

 

[keeperofthehorses]

Wow! How thrilling!! It sounds like you are doing really well there. What a dream come true!