Second Show

I am happy (and late) to report that the second show was a success!  All the young horses were great again.  I still can't believe the maturity and confidence these 4 year olds have away from the farm!  In the 4 year old class, there are 2 horses in the arena and the judge calls out what to do.  This can get a little confusing because I don't speak Danish, so I do a lot of following and looking around.  I understand some words, like the gaits, but it is safe to say I have a lot to learn.  I placed in a huge classes with solid scores (7.6 and 8.1).  In the FEI 5 year old class I placed 5th with a 7.9.  Dino and I were more in sync than at the last show and the test was much improved.  He is also such a confident horse who likes to show off, so once I trusted him and didn't hold him back it was a lot of fun! The show was about an hour away at a riding club.  We took 6 horses all together so it was a busy day.  Kathryn and Sarah rode as well.  Our next show is in a few weeks so we are busy preparing for that already.  I am so excited and appreciative I have the opportunity to show here!  

Bogdan went home to Romania for a month, so us 3 girls have been doing all the work around the farm.  I learned to drive both tractors (one for dragging the arenas and the other for lifting hay and straw) which was very entertaining!  They are quite different from the Kubota I drove in America.  I am finally getting the hang of it but at first it was a little scary!  We also use the tractors to move and stack the dirty straw and bring water to the horses who live outside.  I worked my first weekend alone and survived.  I was tired, but it wasn't so bad.  I cleaned all the stalls and turned out the horses.  Needless to say, I will be a little relieved when he is back to help us in the barn! 

I was really excited when my old friend Kaja (who I met while working at Hilltop Farm in 2009) contacted me and said she would be 40 min away in Denmark!  She drove up to the farm and I gave her a tour before we went into Silkeborg and had dinner.  It was so nice see her again and to catch up.  I miss home a lot but I am very happy here.  Time continues to fly by... I can't believe it is the middle of the summer already.  As the lone American, I celebrated the 4th of July by watching a video of fireworks my Dad sent me.  Hope everybody is surviving the heat (guess I should specify I am talking about New England!)... it is a comfortable 70 and sunny here :) 

 Awards for 4 year old class (I am on the far right)

 10th place out of 43 with a score of 8.1! 

 Kathryn and Zap Zap (5 year old)

 Dino and I (5 year old) 

 Home cooked lunch 

 Home cooked dinner

 Tyson (the barn dog) eating pizza

 Relaxing 

 Artsy shot of the new footing in the outdoor

 My new buddy Tyson 

 Meet my new friend...

 ...And his big brother!

I can't resist art

Kaja and I at dinner.  American/ Hilltop reunion!!