My editorial column has been an inconsistently appearing feature on Eurodressage since its inauguration in 2000. My writings have dealt with a plethora of subjects going from critiques on the dressage world, to political statements, to activist propaganda, but they also revealed simple journal notes, disclosures of my private life with horses. My new year's note in 2006 explained the hard struggle I went through in 2005 bringing my horse back from injury. Even though it is already March, my first column of 2008 will be a belated new year's note similar to the one of 2006
Much seemed to have happened for me in 2007. While Eurodressage was going full blast, I had to cut back big time on going to shows myself in order to complete my PhD at the University of Brussels. I cancelled covering all shows in the spring and summer of 2007 and only attended the 2007 World Young Horse Championships in Verden (it is my personal favourite). I finished writing my doctorate in December 2007 and it felt like a burden of 100 kilograms fell of my shoulders. I was liberated.
So professionally December 2007 was a month of liberation, but privately it was the beginning of horse trouble again. My lovely 20-year old New Forest Pony colicked and was trailered to the fantastic Equine Clinic in Kerken, Germany. Though fortunately no operation was necessary, she gave me a big scare and many days of anxiety by reminding me of all the colic misery I've already had in my life.
When she was released from the clinic, I did not bring her back to the boarding stable in my home town, but took her home to the fields I look upon from the kitchen and living room. I see her now more than I ever did when she was standing at the boarding stable 2 miles from home. She lives in a herd of four with one annoyingly dominant young quarter horse gelding that continues to pester her and wind her up. One day in February, when we brought the herd in, the gelding cornered her and made her jump through the electric fence . She tripped, fell on her mouth and bit off a part of her upper lip. The result: 14 stitches, a pony shivering from the sedation and a fortnight of medication without getting any treats (she ran away when she saw me approach with the syringe, something she has never done in her life). Welcome to herd life!
After two weeks, the stitches were removed. The result: a lip only partially grown back. The sides grew back but the fleshy top bit did not, so now my pony has an upper lip with a mail box opening. Verdict of the vet: trailer her to the clinic where she will be fully anaesthetized and the lip completely restitched.My thoughts are: the same trouble all over again and paying double now for a job that should have been done. Am I starting to whine?
Well, when it rains, it pours. My 16-year old Westfalian warmblood mare has gone lame again! She did so well the past two years -- we started training piaffe and passage, which she took up so easily (she's such a clever horse). But the legs are failing and instead of spending fortunes on getting her back on track for what probably may be one more year of riding, my considerations are leaning towards a new career for her: the career of brood mare. I haven't truly decided yet, though my mind keeps thinking about what stallion to use. Furthermore, I have a successor ready for my mare, but was actually thinking of selling this 3-year old as I consider him too good in quality for me as "ambitious recreational dressage rider."
Sometimes all this horse trouble makes you feel like quitting horses in general, but I love them so much. I can't live without them. They are my pulse.