My last blog post was three months ago! The time just flies
by. And it has been a very busy three months.
The boot camp was interesting. We had two bootcampers who
couldn’t be more different from each other.
Anna from Switzerland was offered a position as a working student and
has already started her 6 months, bringing her two beautiful horses with her.
She was a lot of fun to be with and we clicked very easily so I was sad that I
would not be there when she returned but I am sure we will see each other
again.
After the boot camp ended we had one week of relative
normality. Paris was still on pasture rest to heal whatever ligament damage he
had but the 6 weeks was coming to an end and so I began taking him on longer in
hand walks. By the following week, when Marie-Claire, Thomas and Gabi went to
Equitana and Elvira and Mirjam arrived, I was able to do some calm trail rides
with Paris. It was so good to see the girls again and it was a pleasant
surprise to discover that after a year apart, being back with Elvira was as
easy as it had always been. She always manages to bring out the best in me and
we have so much fun together. We went trail riding together with Paris and
Sahel and, when Elvira had no horse to use I let her ride Riva on a trail ride.
One evening I went out to dinner with Laura. Laura was leaving and so it was
our last chance to enjoy our ritual Italian and non-alcoholic cocktails. I
offered Elvira the chance to play with Paris and have a little ride on him and
I almost didn’t see her for dust she headed to his pasture so fast! I had
already played with Paris a few times. He was very playful and happy to be back
in action with more exuberance than I had ever seen from him, but, I am pleased
to say, he did not carry that exuberance into the riding. In my first ride
after the rest he was so calm, connected and responsive that I was able to
demonstrate shoulder-in to Joke whilst riding him bareback with one rein. And
he did it both ways, and sidepass . I was (and always am) so proud of him.
I knew Paris would be in good hands with Elvira and I knew
he would be fun and interesting for her so it was not a surprise for me when
Elvira’s report of their session was a very positive one. She even showed me a
new game she had started with Paris which will lead to him being able to do the
cutting move.
Berni arrived and I used Riva in all my lessons with him.
Whilst I got a few pointers that helped me with some technicalities, like
improving the sideways from the saddle, the main things that came out of my 5
days with Berni were that I needed to use more psychology with the horses and
my riding posture still needs improving. I guess these are things that no one
ever stops needing to work on but it was a bitter pill to take when I had spent
so much time having seat building lessons with Marie-Claire and lessons from
Gabi to help my freestyle and even move into some finesse. The worst part was
that my subconscious fears about not being good enough for the Externship
started to become conscious, very conscious. I did enjoy the course though and
I learned a lot from Berni.
Elvira, Mirjam and Laura all left together on the same day.
I was very sad to say goodbye to them all and it made my own impending
departure suddenly seem a lot closer. Don, Anya, Berni and Christine also all
left and suddenly our busy little hub became a very quiet one. I had two weeks
left and my mind often wondered to preparations for leaving and I had to make
an effort to stay in the moment and enjoy the rest of my time and not fritter
it away. I did some nice trail rides with the girls and we had a meal out
together. A week before I was supposed to leave I got an email from the
transporter that they would be arriving a day earlier than had been
anticipated. I couldn’t help but be happy that I would be arriving home whilst
Will was on his Easter vacation. It meant I would also get to see Summer. Two
days before my revised departure date I got a call from the transporters that
they had already completed their other job and had made great time so they were
already only a few hours away! Suddenly all my plans to pack and prepare Paris
the following afternoon had to be crammed into one evening. I also had evening
chores. So after completing my last ever evening chores I prepared the room for
the transporters, I had pizza and cake with everyone as we celebrated my time
at the Plessis, I then invited the transporters to join us. They were two very
nice, very English blokes who enjoyed my chocolate sponge cake with lumpy
custard before heading back to their room. I then had a late night shower and
packed all my belongings and wrote letters to each of the girls until 3am. I
then woke up early to bring my bags out to the door and started work early in
the hope that I could finish early and load my belongings onto the lorry. I
worked and cooked a last lunch for the team and then I loaded my stuff. After
lunch I said goodbye to Marie-Claire, sorted out a few last things and finally
got Paris and prepared him for loading. By 3pm Paris was going onto the lorry.
The recent trailer loading practice paid off because he sniffed the ramp and
with a small phase one he climbed the steep ramp into the lorry. He was pretty
calm for the whole journey, sleeping and eating. I sat in the front of the
lorry and was able to watch him on the surveillance camera.
It was a sad goodbye and I found it hard to believe that I
was really going home and not just going for a holiday, I still felt like I
would be seeing everyone the next day. I am going to miss so much about the
Plessis and the people I met there, not to mention the horses of course! Saying
goodbye to Riva and Touria was tough and I often think of them. It is the end
of my big fat French adventure, but I am sure France hasn’t seen the last of
me! And Now I am beginning a new blog to mark the beginning of my next
adventure... The Parelli Externship in Colorado!
So it’s
au revoir for now... and see you in the States!
http://cherylsparelliextenship.blogspot.com/
Here is a
final plug for the working student placements... http://www.horsemanship-adventure.com/hsa/working_student_plessis.html
