Thanks for your kind note Josephine. I appreciated it very much.

Thanks for your support in the old fashioned discussion. I am like you, I think riding is the best way to interact with a horse. Due to my MS acting up I am at a walk again, but a walk with good forward impulsion, no lazing around for me or the horse I ride!!

Your back!
I can't get the (imagined) picture of Podhajsky sidesaddle on Norman out of my head. What a rider!

Dear Josephine,
I wish I could afford to buy and keep your wonderful Arab gelding. I adore Arabs, I ride Arabs (lucky me!), but I neither have the energy or money such a wonderful horse deserves. I wish you very good luck in finding the perfect home for him.

Yes, I school the horses each and every time I ride.
I am so glad to hear from someone that had the same foundation that I do. Lightness is lightness, and I am exploring developing lightness with the horse in an extended frame. Since I have started riding other peoples horses, I am getting an good education in the resistances that bad riding can cause in a horse. I try to ride forward, in relaxation, with long effecient strides, and calmness, calmness, calmness of horse and rider.
Thank you for understanding where I come from.

Dear Josephine,
I ride Forward Seat, the American school of Caprilli's forward seat developed by Vladimir Littauer. I do not use collection, although horses have spontaneously collected themselves under me. I basically leave all matters of collection up to the horse. I ride in extended frame with light hands, and can get wonderful results, although at times, of course, the horses do not always cooperate. I do find that as long as I take care of anything bothering the horse cooperation comes a lot easier. Where do you hurt, horse? Now, how can I fix it?
Dressage is not the only path to lightness.
Enjoy your ride!

Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. Of course I will be your friend. However I do not ride dressage, so I will have a different viewpoint than you. I will enjoy your feedback on my blogs in the future.

Thanks. I am just waiting for the mirror guy to give me a final quote. I'm pretty sure we did it.
Thanks again for the fantastic job you did judging that show. Everyone had a blast and commented on how much they appreciated your input.

Hey Josephine. Yes, the Island is treating me well - I have met some new people, but had quite a few connections here to begin with as I lived here about 7 years ago, and also my husband has family here too. But it is good, and Cj is doing really really well. Just trying to find a good dressage saddle that fits him. I bought one last fall when Cj really wasn't fit, and it fit well. Anyways he has now really muscled up and the saddle sadly no longer fits, so back to the drawing board ...

Anyways, how are you? How is the mainland? How is your horse doing? Any competitions coming up? Alright, talk to you later.

HI Josephine, Yes, that is an Arab that I'm riding that I just sold as an FEI prospect. Feisty, but quite talented! He belonged to my youngest daughter however she became more enamored with the bling of Arab WP, ugh! Oh well, she has a good foundation and did ride to 2nd Level on her other little Arab mare. I also have 2 other daughters who both ride dressage though the eldest does not currently have a horse as she is going to Medical school in the fall. She competed thru I1 and then had a young Donnerhall gelding who she sold 2 years ago.(he's now @PSG). The middle daughter has a 3/4 Old mare that she is planning to take with her to vet school in the fall (not sure how she's financing that!) and she'll show her Training and some First Level this year. I love the Arab and Arab/crosses as they are quite smart but I've found that you have to ride them a bit differently than the warmbloods. I have a 2 coming 3 year old Arab/Friesian gelding and he's very smart with lovely movement and I'll probably sell him after I start him this summer. My rescue greyhound is my barn "pal" though she does get distracted and go after the barn cats. I suppose she's just doing what comes natural to a sight hound! I'm also doing agility with her, or at least trying to. It will be a long time before we're ready, if ever, for a competition. I'll try to post some pics of her and the rest of the menagerie soon!
So do you still judge? I've thought about getting a least my "L" but just haven't found the time. Look forward to hearing from you. Almost forgot that I had joined this site.

You are both so pretty in that shot!!

Maybe next month's video will be internet approved. but until Leo and I both improve a little, there will be no publications. haha.
See you Sunday

I have joined

Great photos, Josephine! (And good to see you, too, Virginia!)

Thanks. This is my little monkey "Tuff". (picture was taken when he was only about 4 months old).

Alright, well fair enough, let me know if you decide to go in any shows though. And yes, my police horse is apparently very broke, you can shoot a gun off of his back if you want. But he wasn't quite quiet enough to work crowd control in the 2010 Olympics, which is why they got him, so they gave him to me.

That's great that your horse is doing so well! It starts to be fun at 3rd Level! We will be at the White Spot meeting- it was a good idea to start having them there. Bud likes to have dinner during the meeting instead of having it so late afterwards! Ulli was the show manager at our recent donkey show!

Hey - nice arab in the picture. Is he full arab? Very nice, he looks big. Anyways, no I never did pick up another horse yet. I am tempted to take a trip to quebec to check out this farm: http://www.fermebeaulieufarm.com/id70.htm

I did pick up another Tb though, a free horse from Van city police. I don't know if he'll be sound enough for competitions though, he hurt his hind end when I got him, but we'll see. Anyways, let me know if you have any shows coming up and I'll come out and watch!

Well now this could be a lot more interesting than Facebook!!