Pia Virginia

Stuttgart 2011

2011-11-30T06:19:00.001+01:00

As the 2011 show season is winding down, Orion and I received the privilege of being able to start at the 2011 German Master's in Stuttgart. This is the most amazing indoor show I have ever ridden in. The best way to summarize the entire experience is.... Wow :-)

Orion and I competed the Grand Prix Class for the Special. On Saturday we were the first started of the class, nice and early at 7:30am. Although this test was not the best score that Orion and I have achieved to date, both Heike and I both agree that it was the best test that we preformed yet. We spent a lot of time preparing and focusing on only the Grand Prix because it is always the most important test of the competition, as it is the result from the Grand Prix which determines wether or not you get to qualify for the Special of the Freestyle.

So Orion and I started with our best foot forward and performed a clean test with as total score of 65. 766%. As always, there are still many details that we need to improve on, such as more expression (especially in the passage- because this is really something Orion can do, so I need to make sure I help him show it off more) and we need to make sure that Orion's frame say open. But I must admit I came out of the test exploding with gratitude for being able to have Orion as a teammate! He was SO focused and listening and tuned into me the entire ride. And because I felt so prepared for this test, it felt like it went by me is slow motion and I was therefore really able to really ride and even enjoy it a bit.

Then on Sunday Orion and I preformed the Special. Important to note is that we rode the new GP Special test which has been prepared for the 2012 Olympics games. The purpose of changing the test was to decrease the total length time it takes to complete t test, because the old Grand Prix Special is a very long test and really demonstrates a horses condition. But I agree with the majority of the criticisms of this new test, I don't like it! By removing all the "passage- extended trot- passage" transitions the beauty of the Special is lost, because it is all these transitions that give you goose bumps when a horse performs them.

For the Special, I must admit that my nerves got to me a bit and I didn't have the same sense of calmness as I did in the Grand Prix. The first mistake I made was that I wanted so bad to show the same standard as in the Special- and I know better than this because as soon as I put to much internal pressure on myself I start to freeze, and my reactions in the saddle no longer flow as naturally as they should. Then as a rode into the ring, I ended up in a race against the 40second timer to get down the centre line on time. Although there was also highlights and many good points to the Special, we made a couple to many mistake which one cannot afford at this level. But all in all, being able to ride in Stuttgart was an incredible learning experience for me. Most importantly, I became even more aware of how strong the connection is between Orion and I because on Saturday, when I was complelty confident in the test and felt 100% prepared and focused- Orion was right at my side, dancing every step. But then on Sunday, when my nerves started tickling and I became a bit unsure, Orion also became unsure and tense. So moral of the story is... I need to ride down that centre line with the courage of a lion- I say a lion because it has to be enough courage for two! Orion and me :-)

Here is the u tube link for our Grand Prix test:

Stuttgart GP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZNGqupdVtQ

Thank you so very much for tuning in!!!

Anited's First "M" Dressur

2011-11-13T11:42:00.001+01:00

My little Anited is all grown up now :-) and did his first "M" Dressur yesterday!

He was really spooky in the area, so his neck got a little short on me... but for me what was most important was that although he was very tense he stayed right with me and on my aids. And I can't forget that he is only 6, so I am just so proud of him!

Anited's First "M" Dressur

http://www.youtube.com/user/PiaFortmuller?feature=mhee#p/u/5/3BnLWjLyiDg

Another three month recap....

2011-10-16T23:04:00.001+02:00

Hello everyone, Three months have passed by again since my last update and I'll give you all three guesses as to what the boys and I have been up to during this time... ;-) yep! you guessed it, showing! At the end of June we were at the Swarovski CDI in Wattens Austria, which was the most beautiful competition I have ever been to.

As you can see in the picture below the competition arena has the most impressive backdrop of the Alps. I must say it was truly magical to ride here

Here are some pictures of Orion being treated like the King that he is and he most certainly acts accordingly :-)

Here is a picture of Heike on her horse "Sunny" and I'm riding Anited

Orion and I performing the Grand Prix

Orion all "jazzed" up in the victory gallop. We ended up placing 13th in the freestyle and considering all the top british riders where there, along with many of the leading German team members, I was very proud of Orion:-)

Now that the summer show season is winding down I find myself reflecting, and the first thing that comes to mind is the amount of kilometres we've covered and I can truly say that each kilometre was filled with a learning experience. The most recent competition Orion and I did was at Anakenhof on the 16-18 of September, there we placed 5th in the Grand Prix Special. This was a very important show for both Orion and I because we were able to perform two clean test (both the Grand Prix and the Special), and I must honestly admit that after the shock and stage fright which Orion and I experienced at the Wiesbaden CDI, it took some time before I was able to find my confidence in the ring again because I was gripped with a serious case of 'fear of failure'. But that's the name of the game, and this pressure will always be there, the deciding difference is how you deal with it. And I've learned that the negative experiences are just as important as the positive ones, because this is when you learn and grow the most. My brother Loisl shared an important quote with me recently, "the one who wins is the one who falls down 7 times and gets up 8". I find this quote very inspirational because emphasizes the importance of integrity and also address the fact that success is a journey not a destination.

It is now October and the boys and I are able to take a deep breath because we have no competitions this month, which has been very refreshing and we are now taking the time to prepared for the winter indoor competition season.

Thanks for checking in and keeping up with me :-)

Updates coming soon....

2011-10-16T08:53:00.000+02:00

Dear Everyone,

I must (once again) apologize for the lack of updates.... but I promise a detailed report of the latest happenings will be coming soon... :-)

Here is also a video of my most recent competition with Orion:

Grand Prix Anakenhof 2011

April, May and June in a Nutshell

2011-06-18T16:53:00.001+02:00

Hello Everyone, its been a while since my last post- so I decided to make this post worth your while with lots of pictures :-)

April 21- 24 saw Orion and Blitz along with Heike, her groom (Hilke) and Heike's two Grand Prix horses in Stadl Paura Austria.

A sneak peek behind the scenes :-) Hanging out in the stables, on the left is Heike with the best dog in the world (Lecoya) and on the right is Hilke and I

Heike giving me some important tips with Blitz

This CDI took place over Easter weekend, so my mother flew out with my two little siblings Ross and Jade and they also brought my grandmother (Ursula) along, which is the elegant lady in the purple in the pictures above and below

Bunny Ears for Easter!

On Easter Sunday the kids enjoyed a very adventurous easter egg hunt out in the back field of the show grounds.

Family picture :-) Starting from the left is my grandmother, Ross, my mom- Dagmar, Jade and I

Orion in the Grand Prix

Blitz in the Prix St. George

Here is a link to Orion and I's Grand Prix

Stadl Paura Grand Prix

http://www.youtube.com/user/PiaFortmuller?feature=mhsn#p/a/u/1/oFnQyZenk7g

Above is a picture of Heike on board Feleciano and Orion and I in the awards ceremony

All and all Stadl Paura was a very successful weekend for the whole crew, Heike had very good placings with both of her Grand Prix horses. And Orion and I achieved our highest scores together yet in both the Grand Prix and in the Grand Prix Freestyle and placed 3rd

The weekend of May 5-8 we headed over to Austria again to the Bartlgut Gestut for the Neuhofen CDI.

Orion and I in the victory gallop.

Blitz and I in the Prix St. George

The Neuhofen CDI was also a very successful show for the whole crew, especially Heike with her two Grand Prix horses- she won both the Grand Prix for Special with Quantico and the Grand Prix Freestyle with Feleciano. Orion also had a very good go, we placed 5th with some very solid scores.

On May 14 Anited and I headed to a local show close to our home base and placed in our class. I am so proud of how Anited is coming along because I always say that Anited is my little fire cracker, but he is slowly starting to learn how to put his fire to work. I have attached a link below to see Anited's test.

Anited- L level test

http://www.youtube.com/user/PiaFortmuller?feature=mhsn

Then after the whole month of competitions every weekend- I finally had a weekend off- and I decided it would be a good adrenaline rush to join my cousin Louis on a downhill biking trip.

Above is a picture of Louis and I ready to hit the slopes!

Although I thought that this would be a really fun idea, I need to add that I have never been downhill biking before... but because I grew up in Canada- in the rocky mountains- I thought that I would have no trouble riding a bike down these German slopes... but nope! This was no the case- first of all I would like to highlight the fact that they actually have big mountains here in Germany and second I would like to mention that downhill biking is tough!! To make a long story short I flipped over my handle bars on the first run and tore the ligaments in my shoulder.... See resulting picture below...

As you can see in the picture above I had to wear a brace for a bit, but I made some minor adjustments to this brace so that I could keep on riding..... :-) The person standing next to me in my good friend, Kelsey, who flew in from Vancouver for a visit. Thanks for visiting Kels, it was so great to see you!!

And finally my last adventure to report is the Wiesbaden CDI, which took place this past weekend (June 10-12). This is the reason why I adjusted my shoulder brace so that I could keep on riding because I needed to prepare for this show. Heike helped me a lot in my preparations for this competition because I didn't have full strength in my right arm, and I received some very strict warnings from the doctors that if I over did it, my shoulder joint would blow completely apart and I would have to have surgery.

The good news is that my shoulder is healing very nicely and although my shoulder did a good job holding up through the competition, my nerves didn't. Orion and I both got some serious stage fright in front of the huge crowd and the big castle at the Wiesbaden CDI. But that's the name of the game, there are always ups and downs, and this competition was a very important learning experience for both Orion and I. The only way that Orion and I will become comfortable in such an intimidating environment is by getting out there and doing it. Which is exactly what we are going to do because next week we head off to Austria again for another CDI, I keep ya'll posted on how it goes :-)

Adventures in Austria- Trips 1 and 2

2011-05-17T21:44:00.000+02:00

Hello Everyone,
I have lots to share from this past month and I promise a more detailed update is coming soon.... but until then here is a video from Orion's and I's GP at the Stadl Paura CDI:
Stadl Paura GP

http://www.youtube.com/user/PiaFortmuller?feature=mhsn#p/f/0/oFnQyZenk7g

Live Every Sunrise To The Fullest

2011-04-03T11:56:00.006+02:00

Here is a picture of Orion and I taking a walk around the track into the sunrise- most certainly the best way to start a day :-)

I've had a couple requests for some insights to what my regular day looks like, so here is a general summary of a regular week. From monday to saturday I arrive at the barn at 7:15 am, this is of course if I don't have a horse show, during competition weekends the day can start as early as 4am.

But during a regular training day I arrive at the barn at 7:15 and get my first horse ready to work and get a training session in before the team eats breakfast.

Then at 9:00am its off to breakfast! This is always a highlight because the whole team at the barn sits together and enjoys fresh baked buns from the baker with tea or coffee. Eating breakfast together is such a great way to start the day at the barn because it gives everyone a chance to touch base and make a plan with for the day. Breakfast conversations range from serious topics such as farrier and vet matters or competition planning, all the way to reading each others horoscopes from the newspaper and joking around about some ridiculous recent happening. After breakfast, its back out to the barn to work the horses.

During my regular day I work my four horses, and if I have time I'll also ride one of Heike's horses. Then I make sure to take each of my horses out a second time in the day, often they go on the horse walker or I do some other form of condition work or therapy with them. Besides the riding and training there are so many other areas that you can help the horses be the best athletes that they can be.

And not only are the horses expected to be the best athletes they can be the riders are also held up to the same standard. For my general fitness I go to the gym 2-3 evenings a week, during my sessions at the gym I focus mostly on cardio. What I like best is they offer these cycling classes, and it really pushes you to you limit when you work out with a group and have a trainer encouraging you along. Last thursday I rode the bike for 2 hours! And let me tell you, was I ever a puddle of sweat by the end, but I can't expect my horse to give it their all if I am not willing to do the same, right :-)

Then for my balance and core strength Eckart Meyners (the seat Guru who invented the "Balimo") comes to the barn on a regular basis. The seat sessions with Eckart Meyners are always very insightful because he first watches you ride, and then you have to get off your horse and must perform a vast range of movement exercise on a mat in the arena which help with body awareness combined with balance and the coordination of your aids. Once you have completed the specific exercise to Meyners expectations than you get back on the horse to feel the difference. Which always amazes me every time, because we often forget how little changes in our balance make a tremendous influence on our horses.

My favourite part of the training system here at Heike's is that as I ride my horses rather than standing on the ground and teaching, Heike rides her own horses and keeps a watchful eye on me. This allows me to build my own training routine and then Heike adds in corrections and advice as she sees fit. The reason why this works really well for me because I am a very visual learner. When some thing is not working either because, I, or my horse, or us both, are not understanding a concept, Heike is able to demonstrate what she is explaining on her own horse. My favourite is when Heike is riding Bonaparte (Heike's Olympic mount) because Heike trained Bonaparte right from A all the way to Grand Prix and it so inspiring to see the years of skill and talent Bonaparte carries with him. I had to laugh the first time Heike was helping me with Orion's piaffe and she strutted ahead with Bonaparte and laid down a perfect line of piaffe steps and she just simply turned to me and says- now ride it just like that! Right.... no problem :-) But what better way to learn than from the best right!

My mother, Dagmar, often reminds me that Rome was not built in a day to encourage me to take a deep breathe and enjoy the journey. And I most certainly am really enjoying the balance in my daily training. I have really benefited from the coaching as well as management advice from Heike. I've also had the chance to attend some of Heike's training sessions with Jonny Hilberath (The German Team Trainer) which has also been very enlightening. Further, Heike's Kemmer’s Bereiter, Mayke Liebregts, has also been a very knowledgeable support for me, Mayke is exceptionally good at explaining the technical details and this has been a tremendous help for me. And finally, Leonie comes to Heike's once a week, to train Heike, Mayke and I on our various competition horses. So basically I am surrounded my an abundance of knowledge and I am doing my best to soak it all up!

Braunschweig CDI

2011-03-20T06:48:00.007+01:00

The weekend of March 10-13 saw Orion and I along with Heike and her Grand Prix horse, Feleciano, at the Braunschweiger Löwen Classics. We arrived in Braunschweig on friday afternoon and got the horses settled in and tack stall set up in just enough time for the CDI vet check. After both horses passed the jog, we tucked the boys into bed and called it a night pretty early as the Grand Prix class started at 7:30 am on saturday morning.
I must admit I was a little nervous leading up to this show, because this was my first international start here in Germany. But what really helped calm the butterflies in my stomach and get my thoughts straighten out is about an hour before my test Heike, Mayke (Heike's Bereiter) and I grabbed some breakfast, and as we were munching away on the traditional German breakfast of fresh baked rolls, I verbally explained my whole test to Heike, but what was really important for me is that as I was explaining the test sequence I didn't focus on the movements but rather I explained in detail exactly how I was going to ride every short side and every corner in order to prepare for every movement. I have found that breaking the huge intimidating Grand Prix test into a sequence of preparations really helps my nerves because by focusing on the details, the whole test becomes manageable.
Overall I was very pleased with the Grand Prix test, we scored 65.106%, which is a decent score, but still room for improvement. I made a mistake in my two tempi changes, and I can still ride for more expression, but what was important for me was to ride a solid test because only the top 12 riders were able to move on ahead into the freestyle on Sunday.
I was so excited that Orion and I qualified for the Freestyle because we were able to rock out to our new music! The music had just been completed exactly a week and a half before the show, so I had only had a chance to run through the whole thing once before we performed on Sunday. But it all went well and I must admit I truly had a blast riding to such fun music! I was also a little nervous of how the music would be accepted by the judges, because we decided to use modern artists (Usher, Rhianna and Katy Perry), and we kept the majority of the vocals in the music, which is also not very typical in a dressage freestyle. But it all worked out and the music and freestyle was well received and we achieved a score of 69.625% and came in 8th place. I know I still got some fine tuning to do, and I still need to be able to synchronize my ride to all the transitions in the music, but I was very happy with a solid safe first go at it. In closing, I would also like to mention that Orion was a super star the whole show, he was 100% reliable and focused. Everyday I thank my lucky stars for Orion, I truly could ask for a better team mate.
Heike also had a good go in the freestyle and rode Feleciano to a score of 72.55% and came in 6th place. I have posted the video of Orion's and I freestyle below.

Thank you for tuning in :-)

Freestyle- Braunschweig CDI

Buchholz Late Entry Show

2011-02-07T20:03:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday Anited and I rode down the centre line at the Buchholz late entry competition. It was the first show of the year for Anited, so he had some serious stage fright. But I was really pleased with Anited because although I could feel his heart beating through the flaps of my saddle, he stayed with me and there were several moments in the test where Anited was unsure, but he allowed me to correct and guide him on. After I gave my last salute the judge said to me that I a very fine dressage horse with a great expression- he just needs to get some more show experience. I was very proud of my "little" Anited, he has matured so much over this last year and now we're ready to tackle some more centre lines :-) Below is a link to the video of Anited's test.

Anited Buchholz Late Entry Video

2011- Ready, Set, Go!

2011-01-20T22:04:00.003+01:00

This last Sunday was the kick off of my 2011 show season, Orion and I rode through the Grand Prix at the Late Entry show in Sittensen which is near Hamburg, Germany. It was really good to ride down that centre line again and deal with the tickle of my shows nerves and to get a feel for where Orion and I were at as a team and also to check out how our strengths and weaknesses have improved over the winter training period. We placed 3rd in the class, behind Holger Finken and Hartwig Burfeind. I was very pleased with Orion, he continues to be the high caliber athlete that he is and I am just so very thankful that I can be his team mate.

I have uploaded the video of our Grand Prix on my You Tube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkmrRTrwsp0

The other three musketeers are also doing fabulous. Blitz is back into full work and I am having so much fun training with him again. And the two young guns have both stepped up to the plate and have become very mature horses. Zeph is 7 this year and is a little bit of a late developer because with his long legs and huge movement it took him a bite to find the balance and internal strength to properly hold a true connection. But patience has paid off with him because he is shinning brighter every day and I've almost gotten those changes confirmed. Anited who is 6 this year is most certainly the horse that has underwent to biggest transformation in this last year. He grown so much in height and in width and has put on some serious muscle! He is also getting a solid grasp of his changes and I must say I am really curios to see how this show season will go with the gang. The next show planned is the first weekend of February and I will be sure to keep ya'll posted!

All the best wishes for 2011

2011-01-07T21:26:00.004+01:00

I hope that 2011 is off to a great start for everyone. I had a fantastic trip back to Canada, it was so nice to see my family, my friends and Kenny again. Like aways the holidays flew by in a whirl wind of colours and I enjoyed every second of my trip.

Above is a picture of Kenny and I sledding with Jade and Rosmond

Above and Below is a picture of our CAT skiing adventures (there was so much snow- it was absolutely incredible!!) We only had a little bit of bad luck, as my mother (Dagmar Fortmuller) injured her knee while skiing and will have to have surgery. So everyone who knows my mother please send some get well soon wishes her way.

Below is a picture of Kenny and I at his parents house in beautiful Castlegar

While I was back in Calgary I also got to pay a visit to my old pal Alascan who is the horse with the crazy fuzzy coat in the picture below. Alascan was my Junior and first Young Rider horse. He gave me so much in my young years, and it made me so happy to see that he is doing so well.

But now I'm back in Germany! I arrived on Jan.3 and I jumped right into full swing with training. As you can see in the picture below Germany is a winter wonderland! But the temperatures have gotten much milder the last couple of days and all the white is turning into a sloppy wet slush, mmmm! All four boys are doing awesome, the team at the barn took fabulous care of the boys while I was away and I was able to pick up right where I left off. With the 2011 show season just around the corner the temperature in the arena is heating up :-)

Watch out 2011 here we come!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-21T05:54:00.001+01:00

Its that time of year again to be Merry and enjoy the company of family and good friends. My older brother Max, flew in for a visit last week to come say Hello to our family over here and of course, as the responsible older brother he is- he wanted to come check up on what I was doing with my life here in Germany :-) Max and I are flying back to Calgary together on the 23rd of December. And I will get to spend 10 days back at home! and I must admit that am getting really excited to put my feet back on that good ol' Canadian soil, its been exactly a year since I was in Canada last and as I look back and reflect I would like to mention just how very thankful I am for all four of my boys, Orion, Blitz, Zeph and Anited, they have given me so much and are all working hard to be the best athletes they can be. I am also incredibly thankful to be here at Heike's barn "Amselfhof Walle", the team here is just wonderful to work with and I have learned so much in the time that I have been here.

As my last blog entry for this year (2010) I would like to share the update I recently wrote for the "Dressage Canada Collections Magazine":

I have been in Germany for a year and a half now and as I look back at all the colorful experiences that this year has brought, some important lessons I have learned come to mind. In regarding to technical and training details of Dressage, I could probably write books beyond books of everything I’ve learned, but what I would really like to share are the lessons of being athlete that I have gained much respect for. First and most important is: Never give up! One of my favorite quotes is “when the going gets tough- the tough get going”. Which is something I think every athlete in any discipline can relate to. Essentially because, in order to improve as an athlete, one must put themselves into then spotlight and it is only through constructive criticism and acknowledgment of ones weaknesses that you can work towards continuous improvement. The magical aspect of Dressage is that its a sport with combines two athletes; horse and rider. In our daily training we are constantly challenging our horse, from first level all the way to Grand Prix, to improve their balance, coordination and expression. What we as riders also need to remember to to hold the same bar of expectations to our selves.

A personal example is to continuously work on ones own balance and self awareness as a rider, so that we down block of hinder the horse as they are performing. I have mentioned in my previous updates that Eckart Meyners (the seat Guru who invented the "Balimo") comes to the barn on a regular basis to help all us riders here improve the core essence of their seat. I personally often stand in my own way because I tend to become braced in my upper body and there for block my arms, but through working with Meyners I have had to accept my weaknesses and am finally learning how to allow the frequency of my aids to flow through my arms. This is just s simple example, but what I would like to highlight is that essentially, we cannot expect our horses to be disciplined athletes, if we do not demonstrate the same discipline ourselves, this is where it is important to “never give up!”, because often the goals we set for ourselves seem like Mount Everest, and when we become blinded by our weaknesses, our own personal “Mount Everest” often seems absolutely impossible. But by taking one step at a time the top of the mountain can be reached.

The idea of continuous improvement leads me to the second most important lesson this year has taught me the value of: Never stop learning. The person who has taught me the true value of this is my trainer, Heike Kemmer, because she lives and breathes this philosophy every day. Although she has achieved so much in her life, including her most recent career mile stone, a gold and bronze medal in the last Olympics, she still continues to approach her daily work with the mind set, how can I be a better athlete. No matter what horse, or what level, Heike approaches each situation with the focused goal of how she can improve as a rider to help the horse perform at its maximum. As I was saying early, I could write books about what I have learned over this year and the same goes for training with Heike, she is a true horse women and it is an inspiration to train with her.

Finally the third lesson that I have embraced and I would like to share is to: Enjoy the Journey, because as the saying goes: “Life is a Journey, not a Destination”

When showing here in Germany, it often feels like nothing is ever good enough, and every time something is good, your ever so politely reminded that it could still be better. But I have learned that its all the sweat, sore muscles and struggles that defines success. Whether its an “A” level test that I am riding with my five year old, Anited, or a Grand Prix test with Orion, I always have the same mind set: Try our best and enjoy the ride!

I hope this Christmas season is full of good Cheer and much Love for everyone and all the best wishes for 2011!!!!

A little bit of Sun and a lot of Snow!

2010-12-08T18:44:00.003+01:00

The End of November was a really special week for me because I got to spend it in Mexico with Kenny. Together we attended a friend's wedding, which was absolutely beautiful. Congratulations again to Holly and Tim! Everyone who attended the wedding stayed in a resort near Playa Del Carmen and between wedding celebrations and beach time, we also went zip lining, cave swimming, played water polo, beach volley ball, and hung out at the pool side and enjoyed the company of some great friends. Below is a picture of Kenny and I at the wedding ceremony on the beach.

After Playing in the sun for a week I back in Germany playing in the snow :-) As you can see in the picture below, Lecoya is most certainly just loving the fresh, crisp, extremely WHITE winter we've been having here in Germany.

Last winter was one of the most extreme winter's Germany has seen in over 20 years, and it looks like this winter is not going to be any different. But the good news is I have a huge wardrobe of long johns and toques! So this cold snowy weather is not freezing any production in the arena cause its winter training time and we've got goals to reach before the next show season.

Thanks for checkin in on me and my adventures and I hope ya'll are keeping warm :-)

Colourful November

2010-11-14T18:20:00.009+01:00

This has been one of the most beautiful falls I have ever experienced, every week new shades of red, orange and yellow decorate the land scape. And the fresh crisp air, not only puts a brisk skip to my step, but all the horses are most certainly letting me know that they feel great!

Now that I have a little bit of a break in the busy show schedule I am focusing on fine tuning Orion’s freestyle. Everybody at the barn has decided that Orion and I need some fresh and sunny music, so if anyone has any suggestions please send them my way! I am open to any ideas.

My two “Veges” Zeph and Anited are progressing nicely. The goal for this winter is to get the changes confirmed on both of them. Zeph, is getting a good handle of his balance is has no trouble with the changes, not to mention maybe even a little extra expression in the changes.... but my goal is to make the changes MY idea- instead of at his convenience or entertainment! Anited, has is at the beginning stages of the changes, and as he continues to get stronger I will introduce the changes. I have also started doing some in hand work with Anited and he is demonstrating some great Piaffe talent which is very exciting.

Some more exciting news is that Blitz is back! The vet was out last week for the final check up and he gave me the official “YES” that Blitz is 100% again and I can put him back to work. I am was SO very happy that I pretty much danced all the way back to the barn. During Blitz’s time out, I was able to keep up his fitness by taking him for a 45 min trail ride out in the forest everyday, so his condition is most certainly still there and his mind is sharp. Now I just gotta focus on moving those muscles that seemed to have slipped down to his belly back up to his top line. Watch out world- Blitz and I are back in action :-)

Above is a picture of Cat on Blitz and me on Orion

November brought more visitor's to my door step which I always welcome with HUGE open arms! Cat, and very good friend of mine from Vancouver, was here for two weeks and helped me out with my horses and also rode some of Heike’s horses and enjoyed some of Heike’s high quality instruction. It was a really nice visit and as most visits it went by way to fast!

Above is a picture of Cat and I spoiling Orion with some grass. Thanks for the visit Cat!!

November also was a very special month for Mayke, Heike’s Bereiter, as she married her partner Brigitta. Congratulations Mayke and Brigitta!!!

Above is a picture of Meaghan and I with the happily married couple.

On a final note, my fellow North American Representative in the barn, Meaghan, is moving back to the states at the end of the month. She has been in Germany for almost two years and is moving back to the states to continue with her riding her career. I am going to miss her terribly!!! but I wish her all the very best of luck in her journey and I hope our paths cross again in the near future.

Here is Meaghan and I out on the trail with Bonaparte and Orion -two Olympics horses just chillin' with the cows :-)

All the things to be thankful for in October

2010-10-18T23:08:00.002+02:00

The first week of October saw Orion and I in Hungary at the Kaposvar World Cup CDI which was head from the 8-10 of October. Kaposvar is about an 18 hour drive from our home here in Winsen, Germany. So we arrived in Hungary on wednesday, a day before the show so that the horses had a day to get settle after the journey.

Here is the LKW (horse semi- truck) in Hungary, after the long drive it was sure nice to park! Its funny, although I grew up in Canada and am most certainly familiar with far distances, I have really gotten used to only driving a couple hours maximum to a show, so this really felt like a big (european) trip.

On the friday Orion and I placed 5th in the Int 11, and Heike won the class with her Felieciano. Orion was feeling quite rambunctious after the long journey and even bucked all the way across the diagonal during what was suppose to be an extended canter. I couldn't help but smile because his fiery sprit is what I love about him.

On saturday Orion and I came in 10th place in the Grand Prix, and Heike placed second and fifth with her horses Felieciano and Quantico respectively. I must honestly admit I came out of the Grand Prix a bit frustrated with myself, on the one side I was able to improve specific parts of our test, but with the cost of making mistakes in other areas. But Sunday was another day and a fresh start which promised many good things. Orion and I rode our freestyle together for the first time and placed 5th overall with 67%, I was quite nervous leading up to the freestyle because there is so much more stuff going on. Not only do I have to get all of the movements executed correctly, but I also gotta stayed in rhythm, on pattern and most importantly in` time with the music, pheww! But we did it :-)

Heike and Felieciano beside Orion and I after the presentations. Happy Horse, Happy Jockeys!

I am now back at home with the rest of the gang, Blitz, Zeph and Anited. Who are all doing fabulous and looking a bit fuzzy! After the freezing cold winter from last year, all four of my horses have started growing thick winter coats early and are all most certainly prepared for that wonderful German damp crisp cold, that so plesentaly creeps right to your bones (can you tell how excited I am about another German winter ;-) But the good news is that I'm prepared, long johns, toques and thermos mugs of hot tea here I come, that cold weather will not freeze production over here!

October is also the month of thanksgiving! So Meaghan (who comes from Boston) and I decided we would introduce the magic of Turkey dinner to our German Colleges. And although it was the first time that either Meghan or I cooked the whole entire meal ourselves, we did it! And everyone was successfully stuffed!

This month was also another first for me, as I rode in my first Hunt! My cousin let me borrow his cheeky little pony, and despite the rainy muddy weather that pony and I tore up the terrain in high speed after those hounds.

I also had some of my Canadian family over for a visit this last week, which is always a highlight for me. Above is a picture of me with my grandmother and my Aunt Liz. Thanks for the visit guys :-)

And finally, my last bit of exciting news is that I am proud to announce that I passed my "LKW" test today! Which is the German version of our Canadian Class one licence, which means I can officially drive the big horse transport trucks here.

I hope everyone back at home is staying warm, thanks for keeping up with me. Greetings from Lecoya and I.....

And stay tuned for our next adventures :-)

Orion Grand Prix Special Video

2010-09-22T15:30:00.001+02:00

I fixed the link so that it is "public" (ops!) .... Now it works :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhYnN_O8CF8

Anakenenhof 2010

2010-09-20T16:56:00.002+02:00

This past weekend Orion, Zeph and I loaded up in the LKW (horse semi truck) with Doreen (Heike's groom) and three of Heike's horses and headed up south to the Anakenenhof Show. Although its really starting to look like fall here, we really lucked out with the weather. It threaten to rain most of the weekend, but the wind kept the clouds moving fast enough that we only got a couple drops here and there. Although the wind kept the rain away, it did make a very stimulating show atmosphere. On friday Orion and I rode the Grand Prix test, and as we came out of the cozy indoor warm up ring to the bright colourful wind filled out door show ring Orion lost his confidence, causing me to feel equally unsure. As a result we came down the centre line to our salute very tense and threw in some one tempi's before the halt and then for our first extended trot we broke into Canter. (Not a very good first impression to say the least). As the test continued on Orion and I found each other again, and we did our best to get back some more points. We ended up with a 63%, placing us in the middle of the pack of 32 competitors. But the score was enough to qualify us for the GP special on Sunday.

On Sunday I promised Orion that I would not let him down and keep my nerves under control. We also had the luck that Heike's and my ride times were two hours apart so Heike was able to help me warm up which most certainly added another edge to our game.

As a result Orion and I achieved our highest score together yet, earning a 67% add we ended up placing 3rd! Heike placed 2nd with her horse Feleciono and Alexandra Bimschas came in first place.

Here is Orion and I in the presentations, Orion's favorite part is most certainly the victory gallop ;-)

I also took Zeph along for the road trip, so he could gain some more experience. Zeph was so proud to be number 2 along side Orion, he behaved like a show pro and I had some very productive schooling session with him over the weekend. Another exciting highlight to the weekend was watching Heike's Freestyle on saturday night with other GP horse Quantico, this horse has the personality of a seriously hyper child, but with the help of Jonny Hilberath he is truly starting to mature and build the focus needed for the GP ring. As a last minute decision Heike decided to ride to her Tina Turner music which starts off with the engine of a Harley Davidson revving, and Quantico decided to step to to the plate and show off his talent. She came in second place and the whole barn is just so proud of him.

I hope everyone enjoying a cozy fall and I promise to post a link a Orion and I's GP Special

Ups and Downs

2010-09-05T22:06:00.000+02:00

August 20-22 saw Orion Blitz and I, along with Heike and her team in Bettenrode for a Grand Prix show there. Orion and I performed my first Grand Prix Special and wow, what a long and hard test! I was a little nervous and my warm up was a little disorganized, 10 mins before my start time, Heike (as she was warming up her own horse for the class) reminded me that maybe it might me a good idea to start practicing some test movements, ops! As I was off in my own world and completely caught up in focusing on getting Orion relaxed and moving over his back I hadn't even started running through some of the movements.....but definitely good advice, Thank you Heike!

Orion and I ended up finishing in fourth place with a 64.9% and Orion most certainly got spoiled with lots of carrots :-)

Blitz also had a good show, we had our best Prix St. George test yet and I am so proud of the progress Blitz has been making, but I need lots of get well soon wishes sent to Blitz because he is restricted to walk at the moment due to a minor injury. But all goes well the vet says Blitz will be back in action in 4 weeks.

Dresden Video

2010-08-16T06:28:00.001+02:00

Here is the link of Orion and I riding through the Grand Prix on August 1, 2010

Orion and Pia Fortmuller Dresden 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXSW1amiz6U

Visits, Shows and Sun!

2010-08-15T20:47:00.018+02:00

The end of July and Beginning of August has

been packed with many adventures. My mother Dagmar Fortmuller and my two littlest siblings (Jade and Ross) flew over for two weeks for an action packed visit.

Here is a group picture of my mother, my Uncle and Aunt, my grandfather and all the kids (I still count myself as a kid :-) !

While my mom was here Orion, Blitz and I made the trip down to Dresden with Heike and two of her GP horses for the Dresden Grand Prix held on July 30 to August 1.

Orion and I did the the Int. 11, the short GP and the GP. scores were an average of 65%, I made some little mistakes here and there, but this was only my second show running through the whole GP and I am now slowly starting to relax, breath and let my knees down now in the ring and am getting used to the extreme pressure and high expectations of the GP test. I am so very thankful for Orion, he has really become my buddy and I am just having so much fun learning and improving with him. I promise to add a link of Orion and I dancing through our Grand Prix test.

Here are some pictures of Blitz and I performing the PSG and the Int.1 in Dresden. Over this last month Blitz has made some significant leaps forward in his training and as a result Blitz is now developing the balance and strength required to be competitive in the ring, I am so proud of him :-)

I also had had the oppurtunity to watch the 2010 Young Horse World Championships last weekend in Verden- this was a true highlight to see such talented young horses in action.

This weekend I took advantage of my Sunday off and drove down to Münster and watched the 2010 German National Championships. Which was extremely inspiring because not only did one of Germany's top Dressage riders and their horses perform one beautiful freestyle after another, but today was also the determining performance for the selection of the German team for the 2010 WEG, which will be held this September in Kentucky.

Next weekend is off to another GP in Göttingen which I am very excited about, updates and details soon to come!

I hope that the summer is treating everyone well,

Miss you all!

Aachen

2010-07-22T21:04:00.001+02:00

The best way to sum up Aachen is: WOW!

What a fabulous show and so inspiring to experience live. The Dutch clearly stood out in a caliber of there own. Edwards Gal and Totilas are truly is the most extreme version of a Dressage test the world has ever seen. Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival present such a smooth and extremely expressive and 100% correct tests. Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris, Imke Schellekens-Bartels and Sunrise and Isabell Werth and Satchmo were all also close behind, each of them bringing there own special talent and flair to the ring. Canada was also proudly represented by Achely Holzer, Belinda Trussel and Bonny Bonnello all of whom presented some very solid and beautiful tests.

Overall Watching Aachen was a great learning experience on so many different levels. What was really interesting is that now that I have personally ridden through a Grand Prix test, I found myself observing each ride with a completely different level of concentration. As I was watching all of the top riders work there way through the test- every movement I found myself zoning in on how the rider balances all of their aids and comparing it to the final result of how each horse executed each movement. I can't think of a more perfect learning opportunity than watching the best of the BEST perform to there best. Really cool!

Below is a picture of my travel mates and I, Laura and Charlene. We successfully experienced everything Aachen had to offer, which included, the driving and cross country course which was crazy, each course had creative obstacles and challenging questions for all competitors. The Dressage, was my favourite, of course ;-) and the jumping was also a true rush to watch. And clearly, I couldn't resist doing just a bit of shopping at the ever so convenient tent village located right in the middle of all the events.

I also had a chance to catch up with the one and only.... Leah Southward! Leah was here in Germany for 5 weeks grooming for Tina Konyot, Tina was also very successful in Aachen finishing 8th overall in the freestyle.

And finally here is a picture of the Amazing Hicksted and Canadian Eric Lamaze kicking some serious ass! The Grand Prix Jump off was so much fun to watch because the packed stadium hold their breath for every jump. The atmosphere is a true rush, and the craziest thing is that Eric broke his foot during the final round on a tight corner but continued to the finish and won!

Overall the whole experience: Inspiring.

My First Grand Prix

2010-06-21T07:40:00.001+02:00

Orion and I danced through my first Grand Prix ever yesterday!

We rode at the 2010 Rertunier Bargstedt and finished with a 64.255% and landed just out of the placing. It was a competitive class and I gave away some easy points due to my inexperience. But now I have a foundation to work with and I have a very clear feeling of exactly what is expected of both horse, and rider, at the Grand Prix Level. Orion has been spoiled with lots and lots of carrots, pats and big hugs because he is such a fabulous mentor for me at this high level.

Orion's and I's first Show

2010-06-13T18:17:00.001+02:00

So Orion and I did our first show together yesterday and it was a very successful start :-)

We came in 3rd place out of a total of 20 riders with a 65.42 % right behind Karin Rehbein.

Orion was so reliable and I had so much fun riding him in the ring, I just I had a couple little mistakes and I didn't go for extra expression because my goal is to first perform a clean test.

Next weekend I am entered in our first GP- will keep you all posted on how it goes.

Life in the fast lane...

2010-06-09T21:59:00.000+02:00

This is the tile of this post because I am currently without a licence for a month for driving too fast! Funny eh, who would of thought I move to a country where there are roads without speed limits and that's when my heavy right foot gets me trouble! But on June 25th my time will be served and then I can drive again, and I can also continue my class one licence so that I can drive a transport truck (for the big horse trucks here). But the wonderful news is that my brother Loisl and my wonderful boyfriend Kenny are here visiting for a month, so I am not completely stranded. That has most certainly been the highlight for this past month is having Kenny here.

Here is a picture of Loisl, Kenny and I cheering on the German soccer team at the last game before the world championships!

This last month has been fun of many exciting visits. At the end of May I drove down to Wiesbaden to cheer on the Canadians and had the chance to catch up with Leslie Reid, which was really nice. I also had a great visit with Jamie Welling and Anna Kuper. Below is a picture of all of us sitting on the lawn watching all the Grand Prix riders warm up. Starting from the left is, Leslie Reid, Wendy Christoff, me, Jamie Welling, Anna Kuper, my brother Loisl Fortmuller, and my cousin Alex Fortmuller.

Wiesbaden is such a beautiful show, the castle is majestic and the Canadian riders did such a great job is was truly inspirational.

Back at home training and showing with the fabulous four is also going well. Just yesterday Leonie did a teaching session for "dressageclinic.com" and I ride Orion and Blitz for two of her lessons. I'll keep you up to date when the video's are posted on the web page.

Also in other exciting news this weekend is Orion's and I's debut, we will be showing in the Summer Classics Isernhagen in the Int. II- I will make sure to put up a speedy blog to let everyone know how it went. All extra luck wishes are greatly appreciated cause I'm a little but nervous.

And as a final note: check out the fun trick Anited is learning how to throw a stick for Lecoya :-) If you look really closely in the picture you can see the stick in Anited's mouth.

Springing into Spring!

2010-05-02T21:23:00.000+02:00

So the warmer weather is finally here and show season is getting into full swing. Since my first show here, I had the chance to get a couple more shows under my belt, and the initial jitters are finally starting to wear off and I'm gradually getting into the swing of things. This last weekend, Zeph place 3rd in his class and did his first victory gallop ever, I was very proud of him. The other three boys are also progressing at a impressive rate in their respective levels. Anited has went through another growth spurt and is now putting on the muscle to match. Blitz and I have found a new level of confidence in one another, which has really helped out our competition relationship. And I now feel like I have had the chance to get to know Orion well enough that we have entered our first show together at the end of the month.

The team here at Amselfhof Walle is so wonderful, everyone's first priority is a positive and productive work environment for both horse and rider. One of my favourite things is everyone morning we all eat breakfast together, including Heike Kemmer, and its such a great way to discuss all important things such the plan for the day, the training stages of the horses, future shows...etc And, of course, it is always a great time for swapping stories and funny events of the previous days.

I am also really enjoying the balance in my daily training, between Leonie's lessons, Heike has really helped explain some very important concepts to me in different words but always with the same final product as Leonie in mind. Heike is such a creative and passionate horse women, it is truly inspiring to ride in the same arena as her. I've also had the chance to attend some of Heike's training sessions with Jonny Hilberath (The German Team Trainer) which has also been very enlightening. Further, Heike's Bereiter, Mayke Liebregts, has also been a very knowledgeable support for me, Mayke is exceptionally good at explaining the technical details and this has been a tremendous help for me especially in the show setting.

Below is a picture of the best side kick in the world, Lecoya :-) She is at my side for every trail ride and while I'm working the horses in the arena Lecoya makes her self comfortable at the side and waits for me to finish up, and the cutest part is that she keep a eye on me the whole time and as soon as I stretch the horse out on the long rein Lecoya jumps up because she know I'm just about done and its time to follow me to the next adventure!

First Show

2010-03-25T21:07:00.003+01:00

So Blitz and I did our first show last weekend and overall I was very happy with it. It was good to get back in the show ring because I must admit I felt a bit rusty. This was the first time I rode down the centre line since last July, and although I had a very productive winter spent solely focused on training. It was good to get back into the show ring to sharpen my senses and focus.

On the saturday ended up in 5th place out of 25 riders, and on the Sunday Blitz and I were just out of the placings because we had a little mistake in the pirouettes. Blitz started pooping right at the beginning on the pirouette, so there was a little bit of a stall in the pirouette movement. And as the reality is with showing in Germany, there is not room for mistakes, one slip up and your out! Which is essentially the reason why I moved here, to train with the best and to climitize to the high degree of competition.

Here is the video link of Blitz and I completing out "S3" which is almost identical to the FEI Prix St. George test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_hpc0YR7AY

Albrecht Heidemann was also here over the weekend for a visit. It was really nice to catch up with him and it always very interesting when Albrecht comes for a visit because after working together for over 10 years and he has watch me develop as a rider from my early Junior years to where I am now. Albrecht was very impressed with how each of my horses have developed and gained muscle and strength over the last couple of months.

I would also like mention that I got my first glove tan lines today from riding out side, it is finally looking like spring in this country and warm!!

With Easter approaching next weekend I want to wish everyone a very Happy Easter filled with lots of chocolate and sunshine :-)

New Home

2010-03-05T23:10:00.001+01:00

The fabulous four and I have been in our new home in Walle at Heike Kemmer's barn "Amselhof Walle" for almost a week now and we are just absolutely loving it! The facility is wonderfully versatile and huge! Along with the large stalls deep bedding and "Canadian" quality ;-) hay. There is a gorgeous 20x60 indoor lined with mirrors, a indoor and out door lunging ring and my absolute favourite: a 30x70 out door ring surrounded by a race track!! I think all four horses must think they've landed in heaven! There are also beautiful paddocks that the boys will get to play in once the weather gets better. Below is a picture of the outdoor ring and the surrounding race track:

This is currently Zeph and Anited's favorite view:

And the great thing is that the footing is so super that we can tear around this track at top speed and I don't even have a single doubt in my mind that my horse might slip out or lose their footing. I'll try and get an action shot next of one of the boys and I "playing" out here. Below is a picture of the indoor ring, which is also great to work in, the mirrors make you feel like your in a ballet studio.

It has also been very inspiring watching Heike Kemmer in her daily work, she is so creative in all angles of her program. Every detail including the feed management, work routine, training program, farrier and a the list goes on, Heike makes sure that each aspect is helping the horse as well as rider be the best athlete they can be.
The last two days Herr Meyners (the seat Guru who invented the "Balimo") did 1 hour seat sessions with each of the riders at the barn. I was so impressed with how much Herr Meyners was able to help me with my balance gave me some very important insight to how to become a much more efficient rider.
I also had my first training session with Leonie at the new barn, and it worked great. Leonie knows all of the four boys so well we were able to get right back into our natural training rhythm. In between my lessons, Heike also rode a couple of her horses with Leonie and it was so interesting to be able to watch how Leonie and Heike work together. Overall I am very very happy with my move and all four boys are extremely content in their new home.
Some further very exciting news, Heike has given me permission to have a dog in the new apartment and in the barn, which means Lecoya is also making the big move to Germany!! I am really looking forward to having my shadow at my side again :-)

My first official show will be on March 21 in Wolfsburg with Blitz. I will do my best to get some action shots and maybe a video to post.

Hopefully everyone's spring is off to a good and warm start!!

The fabulous four and I are relocating

2010-02-21T21:13:00.009+01:00

As of March first Orion, Blitz, Zeph, Anited and I will be moving to Heike Kemmer's barn: "Amselhof Walle" For further details see: www.heike-kemmer.de
This was an opportunity that presented itself which I could just not pass up. I am so thankful and excited that Heike Kemmer has open her barn doors to us. And the best part of it all is that I will continue to train with Leonie as she comes to Kemmer's barn at least once or twice a week to coach Heike and her team.
New pictures of our new home and training facility will be coming soon....
In other exciting news I had a very inspiring day today up in Neumunster at the World Cup Qualifier, and I had the privilege of seeing two top world ranking horses in action with my own eyes. And all I can say is WOW!! Totilas is truly a wonder. And I must admit I was pleasantly surprised to see the internal relaxation the stallion demonstration.
Parzival was equally inspiring, the team partnership between Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival gave me the shivers. Through out the whole Freestlye Parzival demonstrated such a confident expression- all which could not have been achieved with out the support, balance and guidance of Adelinde Cornelissen. Isabell Werth came in a close third, and every time I witness Isabell Werth execute a half pass I am continually amazed by the level of thoroughness and suppleness she is able to achieve with each of her horses.
Basically I can sum up my whole entire day as: A true inspiration.

Also I have more great news: it is finally getting warmer here! Hurray

The Ice is slowly starting to melt and we've even had a couple of days with blue sky and sunshine. I feel like a little mole that just climbed out his winter burrow and is ready for the new adventures that spring will bring! No more driving around my ultimate snow vehicle- The Mercedes "Wolf" which my uncle so kindly let me cruse around in.

Verden Video

2010-01-20T18:08:00.000+01:00

As promised here the the video link for Orion's Freestyle on Sunday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nxBB66YbB0

Verden Results

2010-01-18T22:31:00.000+01:00

This weekend Orion and Leonie showed off their fancy moves in Verden. On Saturday morning they achieved a score of 65.285%. The score would have been much higher because Orion had some beautiful highlights, but due to the intimidating indoor ring Orion was slightly distracted by the crowd on one of the diagonals and made a mistakes in the one tempi's and the extended canter.

On the second day, Orion came out for the Freestyle with a new level of confidence and boldly demonstrated to the judges his incredible potential. They achieved a score of 72.850% and came in 3rd place!! We were all so please with him, he not only kept his concentration but he really relaxed within the test and performed each movement with incredible precision.

I will post the link for the U Tube address as soon as the video is up and running ...

Now its time for Orion and I to get to know each other in the competition environment :-) Spring is on its way and we're all getting warmed up for competition season, so I'll be sure to keep you all posted on the adventures!

Year of 2010 Here We Come!

2010-01-10T21:12:00.012+01:00

I trust that everyone had a wonderful Christmas, followed by a great party into the new year. I most certainly did. Basically my trip back to Canada was a whirl wind of excitement. It was so nice to spend Christmas with my family and catch up with some very special people in my life. CAT skiing was just amazing, we had fabulous weather and the snow conditions were unreal. The nine days that I spent in Canada flew by so fast I was strapped into an airplane seat again before I knew it. And I have to admit, although it was sad to say by to everyone once again... I was also pretty excited to get back to my four boys :-)

I've been back in Germany for over a week now and it was so refreshing to pick up in my training right where I had left off. Before I go into details about how my four boys are doing, I need to make one mention of the crazy weather we have been experiencing here. Its snowing here at an incredible rate and its cold!! Every morning when I'm getting ready for work, I feel like I am preparing for war. A war against the cold that is. I have developed very creative ways to get the most layers possible on my body so that I stay warm but can move and breath enough to work and ride, its a science ;-) And yes I know... I'm from Canada... I should be used to this crazy weather... but buildings in Canada are built for cold weather- not here! We have to hand water the horses with buckets because the automatic waters are all frozen and the arena is like a freezer because the stone walls hold the cold in and chill it just a little extra so that your nose hairs are bound to stick together. But don't worry, I'm not complaining, despite the frigid temperatures the team spirt at the barn is at 110% and the horses are all very content.

Ok, now to the interesting updates... The horses! Zeph and Anited have both matured a great deal in this last half year. Not only have they put on great muscle, they both are demonstrating a new level of concentration and focus in their daily work. I am pretty excited to see how they will shine in the up coming show season.

Leonie has helped me immensely with Blitz. Below is a picture of Leonie riding him and helping me work through some tricky areas. In order for Blitz (and I) to make the transition into the Grand Prix ring we both need to solidify our understanding, application as well as execution of a true three dimensional contact, without this Blitz will never be able to shine to his full potential. I have used bold in the last sentence because this is exactly where the focus is at in my training pyramid. With Leonies guidance I am working towards a true and thorough understanding of this concept.

And of course, last but most certianly not least, Orion! Leonie and I have both decided that Orion looks and acts like he is getting younger rather than older. He is muscling up and expressing engergy like a six year old. I have had many questions and congratulations sent my way regarding Orion, and overall, I honestly could not think of a more perfect and exciting career opportunity. The fact that Leslie trained Orion is the glue that sealed the deal for me. Over the five years that I worked with Leslie, I learned so much, and although I have moved to Germany Leslie has remained a guiding support for me. Through e-mails and telephone calls, Leslie has continued to share her wisdom and incredible 'horse sense' with me, and it is for this reason that Leslie is, and will always, remain a pivotal role model in my riding career. During my time at Top Fox I was also able to watch Orion develop into the fabulous horse that he has become. Last year I flew to Hong Kong to cheer Leslie and Orion on, and now I have the oppurtunity to be directly involved in the horses furture, I could not be more thankful as well as excited! And I want to thank both Patty and George Hatch once again for making this opportunity possible.
My show plans for this year are: Grand Prix. At the moment Leonie is helping me bridge the transition to being able to ride Orion successfully. He is a horse with international caliber and captivating movement and potential... so basically I want to do him justice. In order to do so Leonie has continued to be directly involved in his training program and I am so very thankful for all of her guidance and help. Leonie will be showing Orion next weekend in the Grand Prix class in Verden, we decided that it would be wise for Leonie to show him once more so that Orion continues to build up his confidence in the big indoor atmosphere.

Yes, I have declared for WEG, but.... lets all be realistic- I am still very "green", and I have made the decision that I do not simply want it to be my goal to be a participate at a world championships, but rather, if I go, I want to be competitive. Time and show results we'll be the determining factor whether or not Orion and I would be competitive as a team, but the truth of the matter is that 2012 is much more realistic goal for us. At the moment my main focus is to ride a successful Grand Prix with Orion here in Germany, once we have achieve this we will continue to work ahead towards international goals.

Well, that's all I've got for now, but stay tuned because I will make sure to post and update next week letting you all know how Leonie and Orion due this weekend. Go Canada Go!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009-12-22T08:38:00.000+01:00

I hope this holiday season finds everyone well. It most certainly looks like Christmas here in Germany, we have had so much snow and even -19 ! Brrrr. Despite the cold temperatures I have had a very 'warm' December so far, all four boys are doing fabulous. Working with Orion has been very beneficial on so many levels of my training, especially because I have been able to transfer my skills to Blitz, Zeph and Anited. I have almost been here for almost four months and I cannot believe how much I have learned and the hurdles that I have already over come in this short time. I want to put a huge thank you out there to Leonie for all of her time, dedication and passion.

I am now enroute back to Canada for a short visit to Calgary for Christmas and will go CAT skiing with my family. Hopefully I will get a chance to see some of you, but to all of those who I won't see during my quick visit I am sending lots of love and the best of wishes your way. I also want to send a huge THANK YOU out for all of the wonderful support I have received from everyone. May you all have a cozy Christmas.

A New Teammate!

2009-11-28T18:35:00.006+01:00

The month of November was full of many exciting developments. On the top of the list is the new addition to our team: Orion! Most of you are all very familiar with Orion as he was previously owned by Patty and George Hatch out of Vancouver, BC, and very successfully trained and shown by Leslie Reid. This included being a member 2008 Canadian Olympic Team. Leonie, Leslie, my mother and I all decided that Orion would be a perfect opportunity for me to get my feet wet in the Grand Prix ring as well as be internationally competitive. I have always been captivated by Orion and I feel extremely privileged and exceptionally excited to call him my teammate!

Also within the month of November my mother, Dagmar and my two youngest siblings Jade and Rosmond flew over from Calgary for a wonderful visit. They were here for a total of ten days and each day was packed full of family visits, horses, training, work, and many many family dinners.

I am also now officially moved into my apartment, where I am living with Martin (Leonie's Bereiter) and Martin's girlfriend Lenna. We also have a temporary fourth roommate at the moment who is a good friend and old roommate from Vancouver: Tracey. Tracey is another crazy coincidence who has also made the big move to Germany and is living with me until she finds a place of her own in Hannover. Its been so much fun having her here.

The most practical car to bring to Ikea... because if everything doesn't fit... just put the top down! That's Tracey and Lenna packed into the front seat- I'm sure if a cop would have pulled us over that night he or she would of either had a heart attack or a good laugh!

Final product: after many Ikea trips

My Room!

Kitchen

Living/Dining Room

Overall I would sum up the month of November as a month of opportunity. I have overcome some very important pillars in my dressage training and understanding. Blitz, Zeph and Anited are progressing positively in there respective levels of work. Now, with the addition of Orion, there is so much that I can and have already learned from him that I will be able to transfer to the other three.

German Classics Show and The Global Dressage Forum

2009-10-29T00:13:00.001+01:00

There have been so many events over this past month, its tough to keep track of them all so I've decided that I'm going to share the most exciting ones:

First of all, just a little update on the three musketeers: they are all doing great. All three of them have really put on some more muscle in all the right places, and are developing a solid top line. The one who I have noticed the biggest difference in is Zeph. He is starting to look like a grown up horse- instead of an over grown foal with extremely long legs! With Leonie’s guidance I have been able to get Zeph more balanced on his hind legs and therefore he is really building up his overall core strength. Anited is really maturing at the moment which I really noticed in the way that he deals with his nerves, rather than turning into a explosive ball of energy I am able to use my half halts to channel his energy through his body. Blitz is getting much more solid in the contact, which makes all the difference in our daily work because it allows me to make all the adjustments I need and truly focus on building his strength. A very important lesson I have had to learn (which is not to say that this hasn’t been brought to my attention before), but Leonie has made it very clear to me on how “married” Blitz and I are- which includes being stuck in our bad habits as a couple… A little example is how environmentally sensitive Blitz is and any time he gets a little bit tense. My muscle fibers also tense up because I get determined to make him keep on going. But what I am also doing is only adding more tension to the equation. Instead, now I’ve been consequently making myself relaxed and sit heavy in the saddle while staying lose. This way I am sending Blitz the message: “Stay Cool Buddy”. This has made a big difference in my passage work, because interesting enough is I remain relaxed in my seat, I am able to have much more influence with the effectiveness and the timing of my aids which has really helped Blitz to grow in his movement.

Last weekend was the big German Classics horse show in Hannover. Leonie showed Orion there and had some great rides! On Saturday she came in 6th place with a 65%. Orion was a little reserved in his movements because of the intimidating indoor arena setting. But on Sunday Orion came out with such confidence and ready to show off, which he most certainly did. He achieved a 73% in the Freestyle and came in 3rd place, only 0.5 behind 2nd place. Leonie also competed in the Team Quadrille and won that with her horse Daccord. The whole team from the barn all organized our working hours so that we could zip into Hannover (30 min drive) and cheer Leonie on, which was great fun.

Next, the Global Dressage Forum: I had the privilege of attending that for my first time ever and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The forum was very well rounded, in that all the topics that were discussed ranged from, shoeing, doping, soundness, judging and the training of both young and advanced horses. My favorite session was “the training of young horses” with Steffen Peters. Steffen really highlighted the importance of the basics, and the point that has stuck with me the most is his connection he made to Rachel Murray’s lecture on “the diagnosis of injury in dressage horses” Murray spent some time discussing the horses brain, and compared it to the human brain. In contrast to the human brain, which is impressively complex, a horse’s brain is more like that of a cat, in that the majority of the brain is dedicating to coordination. Steffen pointed out that this is important to keep in mind because everyday the goal of your ride should be to work of building positive coordination patterns with your horse.

Heilke Kemmer and Eckart Meyers gave a great session on seat and position

Steffen Peters doing a demonstraion ride on a young horse for one of his lectures

The Bartels Academy is a beautiful facility

This is an old circus tent which they set up for the dinning area

Jamie and her sister Erin: my two GDF adventure mates, as always, they put a little extra fun and laughs into the trip

Those are some of the highlights of my past month, I could keep on going on for pages discussing all the things I have learned this past month, but that would mean that I really won’t get any sleep, and because sleep is always short in my chaotic life I’m going to say good night, Wishing everyone all the best!!

Its October Already!!

2009-10-04T23:26:00.004+02:00

As the saying goes: "Time flies when your having fun!" And that I must say I most certainly am. Working at the barn is going great and all three musketeers are doing fabulous. Each of my boys are progressing at an incredible rate within their respected training level. In my last post I wrote that my learning curve was sky rocketing. That was a couple of weeks ago and I still feel the same way, every day Leonie gives me another insight to the intricate realm of a (in her words) "three dimensional contact". Leonie uses a lot of visual expressions to get her point across and its fantastic for my understanding because I am a very visual learner and it really helps me to hold a picture in my mind of where I want to horse to be.

Today Blitz and I were part of the demonstration team for a presentation Leonie did. One if Leonie’s students had a large open house at her stable and Leonie was ask to be a guest speaker and explain the fundamentals of Dressage. Martin (Leonie’s Bereiter) rode a young four year old mare first; demonstrating how a young dressage horse should be ridden. Next Blitz and I demonstrated the next level of collection and although we rode higher level movements like trot/canter half passes, tempi changes and pirouettes Leonie really emphasized the importance of the basics again. I was so proud of Blitz because although there was a lot of atmosphere because of the huge crowd with screaming kids and bright decorations Blitz stayed right with me the whole time- locked in one my seat- and proudly showed off his moves! At the end Leonie rode on of her Grand Prix horses, “Prinz” wrapping up the demonstration by presenting the final product- in a very impressive manner- the whole training scale.

This is Blitz and I warming up outside in there beautiful out door ring. I should also ponit out that there were kids playing in a large blow up bouncing tent right next to the ring, I think Blitz's eyes almost popped out of his head but... the brave man still stayed right with me!

Here I'm doing tempi changes as Leonie is explaining the fundementals

Working on our canter pirouettes

Although 85% of my time is spent working and riding, I still have had plenty of opportunity to meet up with all of my various family members who also live in Germany and I’ve also had the chance to go out with some old friends. Work hard, play hard right :-)

I hope everyone who is reading this is doing fabulous I miss you all and I’ll do my best not to leave such large gaps between posts.

Ready, Set Go!

2009-09-11T18:09:00.000+02:00

Alright everyone, I’m sorry that I don’t have any new pictures of the barn to add to this post. It seems that a camera bulging out of my back pocket while I’m working and riding isn’t the most convenient accessory ;-) But maybe I’ll be a tourist this weekend and get some snaps shots, especially since there is a stallion show in Celle on Saturday night where Leonie is also taking part in and riding a Par De Deux.

Last weekend I drove up to Warendorf and watched the Bundeschampionate- which was incredible! It was truly inspiring to watch so many talented young horses, Little Zeph and Anited now have much higher standards to live up to!

Life at the barn is great, it seems strange to think that I have only been two weeks, the boys and I settled right into the rhythm of the barn with ease and now its training time! Leonie has had some great insights for all three horses; she really focused on accessing all angles of the horse and establishing a true three dimensional contact. My learning curve is sky rocketing at the moment.

My days start at 7 am where we all meet at the barn and first feed and clean out the stalls. I’m usually on my first horse by 8:30- 9ish and then we ride all day without a break until about 3. Then its evening chores and at 4-5ish is “Feierabend!” (German for Quitting Time).

Here’s a picture my uncle took the other morning as I was heading out at 6:50 to the barn with my flashy wheels! You can also see my uncle’s house in the back ground which is my current home until I find my own apartment.

Craziest place to do stretches

2009-09-03T17:53:00.000+02:00

So today is Thursday, exactly a week since my three boys and I left Canadian soil. All four of us are completely settled into the new routine and we are loving it here! All three musketeers feel great and are taking in the new adventure in perfect stride. The transition from Leslie’s training program to Leonie’s could not have went more smoothly, because Leonie and Leslie have a very similar approach.
The most interesting news I have at the moment is... today I did equestrian gymnastics with an equine specialized physiotherapist in the middle of the area on a mat in the dirt with people riding all around me. Apparently Leonie has a physiotherapist come in every week and work on all the riders in the barn. So, this morning, after I finished riding my first horse, I had to take my riding boots off, climb on the mat and stretch out all my tight muscles as Leonie rode tempi changes right across the diagonal past me. (I promise I’ll take pictures next week because it’s quite a sight!).

Safe and Sound... Happy Horses

2009-08-31T21:18:00.000+02:00

So great news- All three boys arrive in great shape yesterday. They strolled off the transport truck like a bunch of professional travelers and settled in immediately. After a quick lunge the three muskateers got to hang out in the paddock which they just loved.

Leonie and her team have been very welcoming and there's a great team atmosphere when working in the barn.

In other exciting news- check out my wheels! My uncle has given me his old school VW bug while I'm here. Compared to my big Dually truck I feel like I'm crusing in a little toy car :-)

Off to Germany!

2009-08-26T05:18:00.003+02:00

Hi all,

I have offically arrived in Germany, and the horses are finishing up the last leg of their journey. They will arrive at Leonie's barn in the next three hours and I can't wait! Let the adventure begin :-)

Pictures and more details to come...