First snowy day at the boarding barn

The snow is so beautiful with my Christmas lights in the yard. And one thing I will never stop loving about Germany - the Winterdienst. Every single night that our temps drop below freezing  I hear the salt truck go by, except for last night, they were waiting for the snow to stop and then all the plows came out. Our street was clear by the time I wanted to go to the barn. Taxes are high in Germany, but they take street clearing seriously. We live out in the sticks! But they don't want ice or snow to impact our lives negatively. So although I don't like this monochrome world, there is no stress.

Today was a good trailer training day - Mag doesn't like it when I sneak out the back of the trailer and stand on the ramp but he was pretty calm today. Calm enough for me to sweep up the bits of food he dribbles on the floor, and for me to investigate how a tiny pile of snow got into the trailer. He started to back out on his own a few times but I corrected him and he came back in.

Interruption - J just called to me, "Ich glaube es schneit" and sure enough, it's snowing. I missed the snowfall last night so I'm happy to see the feathery big flakes floating down landing on my Christmas lit yard. Sooooo pretty!!!!!

Anyway, Mag feasted on the rest of his beet pulp in his stall as I got out my tack and wondered if anyone would be around to make saddling up worth it.

Jana was there, the one who goes to J's school. She was sitting around waiting for something, and even leaning against Mag's stall wall with me silently, just watching him eat too. I asked what she was doing and she said, "Waiting til 4 pm so I can clean the paddock, we're not allowed to clean until 4 pm to make it fair." I said, "If you're just waiting, can you please come to the arena with me to be there when I ride?" She was happy to.

I told her I needed some time to lunge him at a walk and let him get warm - it's a Winter wonderland and the horses feel it. As I was walking him over poles she came in and sat on a bench to watch and Mag flipped out, he did that J thing with his tail as if his back was pinched, and started leaping about, almost bucking, but not quite, as if I'd tacked him up wrong. I had no idea but she said the horses are on edge cuz of the snow. Hm. Should I ride?

Then Angela joined Jana at the very moment I was asking Jana if she knew any good patterns or games to make out of all the "toys." Angela jumped to the project, "Build a cloverleaf from poles!" and together they did. Mag was not calm at all, but I noticed he was very, very forward and kept breaking into a canter when I just wanted a trot. That is a first for him, no lazy Mag today. I laughed at him, "Easy, easy, whoop...whoop." (Whoop is the word my Seattle dressage trainer used to tell a horse to go from a canter to a trot. And I know she's not the only one.)

Finally I lined Mag up with the mounting block, embarrassed because he still does not trust where his body is and will not get as close as I like. I said, "He doesn't know where his legs are" and Angela said, "Mine didn't either, he's only 7."

She leases a medicine hat blue eyed horse named, guess, Blue.

I asked Jana to please take the line and lead us through the cloverleaf pattern to see what Angela wanted. We'd done it before, with Claudia, but with cones, not poles to go over. Mag relaxed into it and I felt fine so she released me and I did the cloverleaf alone and then the ganze bahn (entire arena).

I thought since S said I was ruining his sensitivity to my leg, that I'd need a whip, but today Mag was forward. I just nudged him with my legs and he responded and walked at a perfectly acceptable pace the entire time. Hm! Perhaps it was all that snow.

I sat on Mag's back talking with Jana and Angela, thanking them profusely, and Angela explained how she's only been riding 1.5 years!!!! But the people at this barn have all pitched in to help her become comfortable on her lease horse Blue. And she went very slow, with only ground work for 6 months, and how every Thursday they have a lesson, the grown ups. I know Tanja is part of that, with Mia. She said I should come. I said I'd be there, but only to observe. I explained to her that what I need most right now is rides on my horse with someone nearby, not  necessarily lessons. She said the trainer will also go into the woods with you to help out there, and I said, "In Wermelskirchen?" Jana and Angela said, "Probably, she goes pretty far..."

Anyway, Mag is really getting that being ridden is a very relaxing time (5th leg as usual, made its appearance). But today he was walking smartly and responding to my cues perfectly.

So happy! And grateful, I thanked them both several times.

When I put Mag back in his snowy paddock, he was completely calm. The best way to end a day with a horse.

Especially in contrast with earlier today as we left the trailer for a break and he was humming with energy. Obedient, but not calm at all. And the humped back today... I worried a bit, but we made it.


Ok photos! I actually followed a Winterdienst onto the Autobahn! We were going so slow I grabbed my camera. This is one of my heroes!






There is a spinning thing on the back you can't see here, that sprays salt.



I think you can see the snow on my hood, I hadn't cleared every trace, even though I'm very careful to get it all off the top of the car cuz it sucks when you're driving along and suddenly a slice of snow falls down onto your windshield and you cannot see.



Just found this photo from November 2015, the moment I met Mag. I really think he is the one I had hoped for, despite the warnings of the handler. I am starting to realize he is easier than most young Arabians, and his motto continues to be, "Nothing bad ever happens to me."

See you tomorrow, Mag.