First weeks in Germany:

The first weeks here in Germany can be entirely summed up simply by stating that IT’S BEEN SO HOT EVERY SINGLE DAY and I am so looking forward to some cooler weather which is meant to be arriving next week. It’s not only hot here, but also really humid, which means that even when you’re grooming the horses and before you have even managed to ride you’re already sweaty and tired – not very conducive for good riding sessions! But enough of my complaining about it being too warm (hey, at least it makes a change from me moaning about it being too cold during the winter!), most importantly let me catch you up with how the horses are doing. 

The view of the stables from the sand track

Erkki has become an angel, he either remembers that this was the place where he was in hard work previously when mum bought him or then he just simply enjoys being on a busy yard. The grooms start their work at 7am and its non-stop until about 5.30pm and Erkki is totally chilled! He’s also been much easier to ride now that I’ve got some help from Ville who was riding and selling him when mum bought him. I’m so grateful to have the chance to ride my horses when he is riding and be able to ask for 5 minutes of help and then carry on. Everything feels just so much simpler now with him and I couldn't be more pleased! Another angelic figure in the group is Vallu who (apart from being a twat to turn out and bring in) has also been super well behaved. He’s been a perfect gentleman to ride in the indoor arena, outdoor arena AND the canter track! He’s also got points from the grooms for being well behaved in the wash box and for not pawing when I’m not there. It’s been absolutely wonderful to have time to ride my best bud again and to do so without being in a rush or having to think about university work!!

After travelling beautifully, once we’d arrived and settled in, Basse decided that he needed to scream after each and every single horse on the yard for 3 days straight and I swear I thought my head was going to explode! He is never left alone, but clearly the travelling turned him into a bit of a nervous wreck for the first few days, but now he’s settled down and is back to his normal self. I’ve even managed to canter him round the sand track which goes around the edge of the yard, and it’s inspired me to decide to take him to the local canter track once we move to our new home.

Melisse slightly struggled with the journey here as it was the longest amount of travelling she’d ever done – 48 hours of travelling (with only one 3 hour break at the horse hotel near Mälmö) is not easy for any horse, but it’s especially difficult for those horses who have never done any long distance travels before! But once she’d had a few days to recover she started to perk up again. She’s also been so brave and learnt how to go on the horse walker, she only needed me to walk with her round the walker once. I’m really looking forward to the weather settling a bit more and cooling down so that I could have a couple of lessons with her (before mum recovers and wants Melisse to herself!!)

The outdoor arena

And most importantly, the Grandad of the group! Despite all of us being petrified that he wouldn’t cope with the journey to Germany, Rama decided to prove us all wrong and travel really well. It was only a couple of days after the travelling that he decided to give us all a heart attack by not drinking… And we tried everything: apple juice, electrolyte water, warm water, cold water, mash water, water with his feed in it etc. But then once the vet had been called the following day to come and re-hydrate him, he started to drink again! He’s had his blood tested and there is nothing wrong with him so the vet said to carry on as normal but to call immediately if he does it again. Arghh – so glad mum is here to look after him so that I don’t have to spend every waking moment panicking about it.