Trakehner owners just seem to find other Trakehner owners. At least, that’s been my experience. No matter if I’m showing dressage, auditing a clinic, or attending an educational seminar, we collect like flies on . . . well you understand.
My TFF (Trakehner Friend Forever) Lynn Pfau lives just a few miles from me. More importantly, she lives next to a forest preserve. One day she was telling me about riding her horses (both hunter/jumpers) out on the trails and I asked if I could come along some time with Newman, who could use a vacation from all the half passes, flying changes and other dressage work. “Sure!” was her enthusiastic response, and we’ve been planning ever since.
We’re not like the U.S. Postal Service. If it rains, we cancel. If it’s too cold, we cancel. After all, these are “city” horses (ie fancy show ponies) not used to questionable footing and we’re “city” trail riders that only go out when the weather is just right. Memorial Day Weekend 2010 the stars were aligned and off we went. “We” also included my barn owner, Heidi Wright–who has two Trakehners of her own but could only bring young Willaker that day–and Annie Rzeszuto, who is Trakehner-free at the moment but we’re working on it.
It got a little hotter than we anticipated, but everyone made it through the buggy forest, over the scary bridge, and past the people with dogs just fine! Now, the hosing and sponging afterwards was a different story . . .
Trakehners rule!!!