It's not only me...

....who loves spring!

Still some snow left in shady places

These last days Fame has been bursting with energy.

I took her out on a bareback hack on Saturday. Not such a good idea.
Starting out, everything was spooky. 

Favourite spooky place #1,
no matter how many times we have passed here...

We zigzagged our way between this and that, didn’t really matter whether it was a stone, some remaining snow heaps or what-not.
I gave up to get any reason in it and concentrated on my balance training...

Favourite spooky place #2, slightly less bad than #1

So I decided we needed to get rid of some surplus energy, and put her to work.
We kept a fresh tempo of trot and canter, steadily climbing upwards on the gravel roads.

We got to a long straight part, still with a steady climb.
I thought she was sufficiently tired and let her go some.

Oops. Bad idea.

She grabbed the opportunity and took off, throwing in some happy bucks too.
Speed was high and the gravel road looked hard.

With a sidepull and riding bareback, this was not a good idea…
I growled NO, tried to get her head up, kicked her forward and managed to hang on.

Phiew.

Walking back, it is allowed to eat some.
After searching for grass in vain, the only option left was pine needles...

...yum, yum. Maybe?

Sunday, we started at a training show jumping arrangement.
Having had a serious workout the day before, I thought perhaps that she would be a bit more sensible.  (At least I had a saddle and a bridle on, haha.)

Have to cross the creek first, belly high today

Time to canter now?

It was about half an hour’s ride to the arena, and I could feel I had the same energy bomb as the day before.
Starting the warm-up, she was spooking at everything. After some work she was concentrating a bit more, but still a lot of energy.
When our time came to ride the course, she enthusiastically threw herself at everything in our way.  In turbo speed.  

As it was a training arrangement, we could take the course once again.
Did not improve much.
Fame was enjoying herself though.
I was somewhere in between laughing and pulling my hair.
Then we rode home, zigzagging again.

*sigh*

I will take her on a 4-5 hrs trail ride during Easter.
Maybe I manage to get her tired?

King of Hunt LOVES spring

On the watch

Up all night takes its toll

Hunting season has started, and the going is good.

We get new presents on our doorstep every day...

I just love spring

Before riding Fame, I had a coffe with newly baked apple pie that my daughter had made on the entrance stairs, basking in the sun.
Afterwards I feel asleep in the sun for half an hour.

For the first time since the autumn, I rode without my long johns.

The outdoor arena has dried up.

It is light until 8 pm.

We can keep the entrance door open, and the sun shines into our living room too.

King of Hunt brings a Mouse Present. Luckily he loudly calls out a successful hunt, so we can close the door in time...

I just love spring.

Stockholm - once again

Old Town

Fortunately this time it was lovely spring weather, and no snow storm!

Stockholm is a beautiful town in spring and summer.
The city is built on several islands and the water combined with the old buildings create many scenic views.

Fishing with the Royal Castle in the background

The Royal Castle

The Royal Opera

Old Town

Gamla Stan, the Old Town,  is the oldest part of Stockholm, and it is so nice just to stroll around there.
To sit down and relax over a cup of coffee when you need to rest your feet.

Not even wide enough for a horse!

The lovely spring weather makes people crowd
on all outdoor cafees with a place in the sun

An old telephone booth

And horses!

Bye for now!

Spring

Today we had lovely spring weather, +15 C/59F, and sun when I came home from work.
Marvellous!
Fame had been worked by Pernille, who rides her twice a week - but I took her out for a spring cleaning.
She is shedding like anything, and I had a long overdue trimming appointment with her mane.

I attacked the jungle, but had to get the help of a knife on the mane.
We were both too impatient, lol!
So, here she is, with a new spring hair cut.
The angle of the photo is a bit awkward, but I guess you can see and admire this marvellous hair do. We are only lacking some pink bows.

Our riding arenas are now not longer having a snow surface, but  has changed to a nice mud layer.
I hope for more sunny spring days with high temperatures, so they dry up quickly!
In the meantime, I am very grateful to have access to indoor riding arenas.

We had a very nice traning weekend with Jimmi, our Danish trainer.
The flying changes are coming along nicely, and he asked us to make two on the diagonal.
We had never tried that before and of course I completely tensed up, making a mess of it all.
So that's our homework until next time.

He also said it is time to start to make Fame accustomed to a double bridle.

Very exciting!

A fortnight ago you could barely see the roofs of the trailers.
We are getting there!

Here is my summer vacation 2010. Plus.
Beautiful, don't you think?
I am ridiculously proud as this is my first very own trailer.
So now it is easier to get to trainings and shows.

+14 C, and close to a bath

Finally spring has arrived here as well.
Last week we had temperatures well above zero, with a top record on Wednesday of 14 C/57F.
Wonderful!
A week ago I decided it was time for my annual spring project - digging out the terrace:

My helper the Sofa Princess, who is in heat and sensually rolls around in the snow, something she never would  do normally!

OK. let's go find the terrace, it should be buried here somewhere

Oh yeah, here it is.

Halfway. Very packed snow, so it was hard work!

Ready - finally!

A week ago, we still had a lot of snow left

But the lovely temperature during the week has really made some difference.
Like I almost got stuck with my car trying to get home on Monday...

Anyway, the weekend came, with some lovely weather on Sunday.
I took Fame out on an early bareback ride as I was to attend a clinic later that day.
The nights are still cold, so when we reached the creek there was a layer of ice on both sides - not strong enough to carry the horse, but thick enough to be unpleasant.
Fame was a real star and just walked through it on both sides. Good girl!

Snow in the forest...

I was not so lucky further on in the forest.
At one place a brook had changed path and started to flow on the path we were travelling instead.
We almost managed to cross it, but on the last part there was a thick layer of ice which did not carry our weight, and we kind of got stuck. Fame tried to save herself by heaving herself into the snow, but got stuck there too.
She kept calm though, I jumped off her and we somehow managed to turn and get out of it.

Now, with this fresh in mind, we were to get home over the creek again.
With the ice.
She stands still, thinks a bit, and then takes a LARGE jump straight over the ice into the middle. Got me totally unawares (yes, I know, should have anticipated it!!) and as I had no saddle I ended up sitting on her neck instead of her back.
The water is cold now.
I guess it was the thought of just how cold it was that somehow made me able to cling on and wriggle back in place while Fame was steaming energetically through the water towards home. I kind of got my balance back before the jump up on the other side.
Phiew.

On the way back we saw a little Bambi.
I just love how close you get to the animals while on horseback.

Finally Home!
...and as you see she has regained weight after the colic.Hahem.

I was lucky to get to join my daughter for a ride on Sunday!
Not as much sun as on Saturday, but a lovely spring ride.

Riding out

Feeding place for the moose. I guess they need something to eat too. Perhaps.

The race horses overtook us

Bye, bye

Lovely ice formations on the mountain sides

On our way home

This weekend Jimmi is returning for a weekend training, I am looking forward to that.
Siri took some pics from the jumping last time - so here you see, the overaged geriatric dressage rider and her eager mount.
Yeah, yeah - small jumps, but now we are getting back on track:
From next week we will have weekly training!