Mammie on holiday

Last Thursday I went on a little holiday 'all by my own'. Alibi was the seminar of paardenbegrijpen, an organisation that promotes the art of academic riding that I follow on the internet. It's been the first time in almost 7 years I've been to the Netherlands for 'pleasure'. And it's been a pleasure overall, but with some difficulties to get around and back...

Thursday night Liesbeth picked me up. It's so nice to see here so happy and relaxed! Great to be able to visit the Netherlands without a huge jetlag...

In the morning she dropped me of at the station and I went to Arnhem where Jolanda, another french member of the horseclub, picked me up. The day was held in a stable that was set up with a lot of space for the horses to wander around as a herd. The place had several feed cabins similar to those in cow sheds that repond to the microchip of the horses. Very high tech!

The seminar consisted of 9 demonstrations of squires showing all the levels of work starting with the basics of the in hand training of a young horse to the advanced work like canter pirouettes with an more experienced horse. Very useful to see and hear the explanation. Great to see all the people I only know from the forum.

All of a sudden the day was over and almost everybody left! A bit of a missed opportunity maybe. It would have been great if everybody had stayed for drinks and chats, but the pouring rain made everybody rush to their cars... Felice and I went to have dinner. I really enjoyed getting to know her better and maybe we can email a bit more in the future...

Saturday Joyce gave me a riding lesson on a very experienced stallion. A bit overwhelmed by cold and all the new impressions it took a little while before I really got into it. Then a mare entered the arene and we decided to continue our lesson on another horse, Roko (not a stallion...). It doesn't really matter what horse you're on if your teacher is good you will learn something.

I had a real eye opener. Joyce made me feel the different influences my seat has and how any tension in me is responded to by a change (for the worse) in the horse. At the end of the session I felt I really had found a missing key in my horse riding skills! Great stuff, worth every cent. Thank you Joyce!

I came back downtown Arnhem and it was incredibly busy... to find there where no trains at all that day. By bus and train back to Amsterdam. A new public transport ticketing system makes it not easy for tourists like me. By that time I felt pretty exhausted by the whole urban experience. Is it me, or is it really so much more overcrowded everywhere?

Sunday I had a lovely day with Liesbeth and Quint. First I had a chance to practice my 'new seat' on her horse and wow it worked! I've never really felt this kind of being in balance on and with a horse! I could even do very nice flying changes, stuff I only know in theory!

In the afternoon we went on their Harleys to the beach. I love that sound and that feeling of strong engines nicely tucked in lots of layers of clothes and leather. But Gee, very 300 meter there is another red traffic light. Lots and lots of traffic, even on a Sunday afternoon.

Monday another nice social day: Breakfast wit h Hilmar, a quick visit to the dentist, shopping with Ineke, coffee with Alan. So Nice to see everybody, picking up the friendship as if I'd never been away.

With Jan to Lelystad to visit his new horse: A beautiful young mare with very long legs. Interesting also to be able to guess what side she would prefer by just looking at her feet!

My flight was delayed due to the strikes. Tuesday I had a quiet day, reading a book and visiting a museum. Sounds boring? Not for mums with four year olds!

Wednesday morning I had the change to visit Saskia and her baby twins. They were so adorable and so calm! But I had to run again, to the plane... Everything seemed to be on time, boarding was slow, waiting for fuel. Then more then an hour on the runway.

The ladies on the plane reassured me that there were hardly any planes on time. They advised me to run for it! So I did... CDG is a very very big airport. The plane had left. And by the time I had found a phone Rod and the kids had left too to pick me up. I felt so bad! Staff tried everything to get the people in Brest to make Rod phone them, but no luck there.

Rod's gone home after two hours. I arrived around 11. My only option was a taxi. The lovely taxidriver gave me a good price and we chatted french the whole way back.

So nice to be home, have cuddles and funny chats with the kids.