19th
July 2006
After a weeks delay due to a laboratory mistake with blood tests,
we finally arrived into Amsterdam airport with two tired, but still healthy horses.
Tango my 6 year old was here mainly to benefit from the training with Hubertus,
but also to compete in the young horse world championships at Verden. Andrea Beattie
decided not to make the big trip with her two "Dressage with the Stars"
champions, so l was given the opportunity along with Maree Tomkinson to complete
at this prestigious event.
Port Said, my Grand prix horse was also here to
compete at Verden, as our final opportunity for WEG selection.
Since we
missed Sydney CDI due to injury, we were now an outside chance, but again the
opportunity to train with two horses with Hubertus was too good to miss.
We
arrived to 36 degree heat and high humidity, which made the 6-hour trip from the
airport even harder, Simone Bell, my brilliant groom and friend accompanied them
all the way so l knew they were in good hands. 21st
July 2006.
The first two days were spent settling the horses in and getting
over the trip. Lots of walks and taking temperatures to be sure they are both
healthy and free of the dreaded travel sickness. It is still incredibly hot, now
38 degrees. Coats are pouring out and l am glad l have clipped Port. We went with
our friends Peter and Caroline Wagner to watch the German National Championships.
Politics are alive and well in German dressage and many were shocked with the
judging which seemed to be predetermined, as to who they wanted in the team. Nadine
Capellmen the beautiful "Elvis" were definitely "in", and
no matter how well Hubertus went he was out. We were surprised that even though
Elvis walked through two of his piaffes and showed no transitions, he still got
over seventy percent. | 
Mary
Hanna & Tango V |
23rd
July 2006.
Returned to Championships for the freestyle, but arrived too
late. Bonus we caught up with Hayley Beresford, my old student, now training with
Isabell Werth and also Maree Tomkinson, who are enjoying training at the P.S.I
stable, with Ulf Muller. 24th
July 2006.
Started training with Hubertus. The horses are now recovered
from the trip and both looking bright and well. The first lesson, Hubertus watched
our normal routine and assessed the horses. He decided to ride both horses the
next day. 25th
July 2006
What an experience! Hubertus is a magician. In one ride he has
Port's trot twice as big and has improved the half passes one hundred percent.
He goes straight to the problem area and just fixes it. The horse looks very soft
and in the end has a huge expressive trot.
Tango goes back to working on
the basic paces, which are so important for the young horse class. Doing the movements
is very easy for him, but there is special technique for riding young horse classes,
which is very different to the more collected way l am used to riding. Hubertus
is quick to point this out and we will work only on this for the next few days. 26th
July 2006.
Today l rode both horses myself and the feeling after Hubertus
has sat on them is fantastic. Port's trot is getting bigger and bigger and half
passes much better, but the work he has done has also improved the canter. He
wants the changes more forward and is very happy with pirouettes and piaffes.
The trot work also helps the passage.
Tango also feels much better. He
wants me to work him more deep, round and lower in the neck to keep the back up
and supple. Horses which have the tendency to get high like Tango, are the ones
to work extra round and deep in training and also when performing the movements
he says. Of course in the test you allow him to come up into the competition frame.
Hubertus does not want the competition frame all the time with him, as he will
become stiff in the back and loose carrying the hind leg. 30th
July 2006.
Today is a rest day so Port is walked out, but Tango who is
still full of energy goes to the showjump area, where we do lots of trot poles
and a few little jumps to loosen him, he quickly settles. It is a nice day off
for Port, both go out in sand yards and Port lazes the day away from the hideous
"horse flies", in the covered round yard.
Hubertus's place although
not glamorous is very functional with nice small paddocks and yards a good outdoor
arena with judges boxes and lovely outdoor jumping arena.
Like many good
dressage riders Hubertus used to jump before solely devoting himself to dressage.
His farm "Flevenhof " is much more than just a riding stable. They run
a dairy and grow all their own hay and grain. The horses look good on their home
grown feed, with very good quality hay and three grain feeds per day. No chaff
is feed as is normal in Europe. In our section of the stable is a Swedish and
American rider, who both feed similar to me with a muesli type feed similar to
the HYGAIN SHOWTORQUE that l feed.
Tango is stabled next to Hubertus's
top Grand Prix mare and she is fed the same, just hay and grain.
The Columbian
rider Ceasar Parra is also here and brings in two new horses. He has a very nice
Grand Prix horse preparing for WEG. Hubertus has a simple solution when he runs
out of stables. He puts his two four year olds both in one big stable to make
more room. This is typical of his generosity and no fuss attitude to the horses.
A new temporary stable is added in the old barn and everyone has a place.
Next
week we are off to Verden our last chance for WEG selections so stayed tuned.
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