Happy.

Hey everyone- Just wanted to updated you on how things were going and show you some pictures. I've been gone for over a week! I miss Hearthstone very much. Caruso was very tired and had lost a lot of weight when he got here but he is now happy, looks much healthier, and has successfully switched feeds. 

I started work on Thursday and got to ride him with Jochen then. We didn't work him long but we spent the entire time very softly stretching him into the contact and really using my legs to help connect him. It was really good. Jochen is now in Oklahoma giving a clinic but will be back today. I've been riding Caruso since then as well and I'm just having so much fun. When I really feel his back soft and connected underneath me I feel like I'm doing him so much good and his response is to be so willing. It's really a cool feeling. It's so hard in general not to rush Caruso into a frame and practice all the movements, but when I stretch him so that he uses his back it's so much more satisfying. I remember reading an article with Isabell Werth a while ago about how she loves to stretch her horses, and how feeling her horses back is an indescribable feeling. I've also read a lot of Klaus Balkenhol and bought a DVD of him teaching, he is really good. He is very patient. Over the last couple of months I've started to realize, on a completely different level than what I had thought before, how much patience is involved in the training of the horse, and how by doing too much results in Caruso not doing enough. I just need to let Caruso work underneath me, wait, and let him make the mistake. Over the past month or so things are beginning to make sense! I just can't wait to ride him tomorrow.  

Being a working student here basically means you do anything and everything to help out. There are 4 trainers here, a guy who's in charge of all the workers, and maybe 7 boarders. I am at everyone's command. Feeding horses, tacking up horses, grooming horses, turning horses out, bringing them in, watering the horses, blanketing horses, sweeping, walking horses who don't get turned out, riding some of the Lipizzans, and then riding dear Caruso. I'm always doing something. The work itself isn't too hard but it's hard getting everything done by every one's own time frame. I love it though. Today was my day off and it was nice to groom and ride Caruso at my own pace- he was so good.

Again, I miss everyone so very much. You all are great! I know the address here but I keep forgetting the zip code. I'll tell you when I know it.

Im having a lot of trouble uploading pictures. I'll show you more when I figure this all out.