Rebecca Horstmann's Friend of Mine Retired from Sport

Dressage

German Riding Pony

Rebecca Horstmann has retired her career starting youth riders horse, Friend of Mine, from sport.

Friend of Mine is a 17-year old Oldenburg gelding by For Compliment out of Riverside (by Rubinstein x Veritas AA ).

Home Bred

The chestnut is home bred by Rebecca's parents Anne and Klaust Horstmann. Mom Anne competed him first in 2012 int he riding horse tests. One month later Rebecca debuted him as a 4-year old youngster.

She gradually took him up the levels and by May 2015 rode him in his first S-level test.

German Junior Team Horse

The pair debuted internationally at the 2015 CDIO-J Hagen which counted as German team selection trial. They won the team test but placed sixth in the individual and were not picked on the team. At the CDI Darmstadt in August they won all three rounds.

In 2016 they showed successfully in Saumur and Hagen and clinched a spot on the team for the European Junior Riders Championships in Oliva Nova, where they won team gold and placed seventh in the individual test and eighth in the Kur. They won the 2016 German Junior Riders Championships.

In 2017 they won the 2017 Preis der Besten and went to the CDI's in Joosland and Hagen to return on the team for the European Junior Riders Championships in Roosendaal, where they won team gold and came close to the podium again when they were 5th in the individual test and fourth in the Kur. By the end of 2017 they moved up to Young Riders level at the CDO Aachen Indoor.

In 2018 they showed in Lier but then a long break from international showing followed as Rebecca got diagnosed with an eye tumour which required chemotherapy. They returned to the CDI ring in Hagen in June 2019.

Moving On Up

Horstmann has been struggling with health issues in the past few years but continued to find energy in riding her horses.

She and Friend of Mine moved up to Under 25 Grand Prix level and debuted internationally at this level in Mannheim in April 2021. Fourteen months later she rode her last CDI in Grote Brogel in July 2022. Nationally she rode him in two more shows, in Elmlohe and Essen-Herbergen as a senior in April 2023.

Retirement

Horstmann has now retired "Fridolin" from sport.

At the 2017 European Junior Championships

"Fridolin, you are living proof that you can move mountains with willpower and confidence," Horstmann wrote about Friend of Mine. "How many times did we have to tell ourselves you weren’t “good enough”?! My dad was met with phrases like, "Buy your daughter a decent horse." But I didn't care at all. You have always just given it your all and you have constantly outgrown yourself. At the age of six, you were slowly able to convince even the first outsiders of you. As the Oldenburg national champion, you were not only able to qualify for the federal championship, but we were also allowed to ride the federal junior championship. From then on, one highlight after another came."

She continued, "thank you so much my best friend, my little big fighter, my support, my everything! I know that I owe everything to you!

Becki continues her show career with a few young horses, Viva Deluxe (by Viva Gold x Don Deluxe), Sympatico S (by Sarotti Mocca-Sahne x Concetto), and Dutch (by Don Tango x Samarant) which she has been competing nationally in 2025.