I lived my dream, so far......

Where did the time go? The last year and months have been passing by so fast. Little spare time, busy with business for my trip back and new jobs made it impossible to write on my blogg. I`m sorry. I had big plans to write a blog at least once a month but didn`t succeed.

Jup I`m back in Norway after a fantastic year in Nederland! I went with Marlies on two world cup dressage FEI  competitions, once in Nuenmunster and once in Den Bosch. It was great, met the world`s biggest dressage stars and their horses in person, met them and worked with them. I met Edward Gal and Hans Peter, Helen Langehaneberg, Isabell Werth, etc etc. Times I will never forget. A learned impossibly much, got so many new relationships, passed my Orun instructor exams, and made a bond with all stable crew and the people I lived in with. I cannot thank everybody enough for all their help.

TV footage from Marlies after her Kur in Den Bosch! Me to the right and Hans Peter Minderhoud in the middle. Yes we where happy, they did so well, what an experience! 

For three/four weeks ago I came back to Norway, made the trip back together with my dad! The trip happened earlier then planned, because I found à job at à ridingschool in Oslo area.

 I build further on with the horses as I did before, but in a much more professional way and with so much more knowledge to take with me, I can now with security say that higher level dressage is now longer an issue for me, now I need the horse, haha. Yeah I never regretted my decision to go to NL, I lived my dream..... and the dream will go on.

I will be home now for about a month, I will  see if I can publicate some pictures for my year in NL, so you can taste my experiences yourself!

I want to put new breath in my blogg now, so see you soon and stay tuned ;)

Love, Aurora  

Long time no see!

I doubt at all if there is anybody who is visiting my blogg anymore, because it has been months ago I have been online here. 

The one and only explanation I have, is that I just have no time, nor inspiration, nor energy for it, and I guess the last issue is the biggest, haha.  

Anyway, I`m good at DVB! So many things happened, that its not possible to write it all down. In May I wrote a bit when I was back in Norway. I can put it here so you can have a bit of an idea about our days: 

"Yes you read it correctly, I`m back in Norway, but not for long ;) Don`t worry I will be back in Holland soon again J I`m just back for my exam, and because it was my free weekend I decided to go down for a couple more days to see my fam and friends! 

At first I will say, that a lot of things happened the last view weeks. And to be honest it is to much for me to remember everything and writing all in a small story. But I will do my best to put as much as possible in my update!

I still have a nice time down at Coby and Marlies`s place. They give me a lot of credits and good feedback. I have been riding some more horse’s also young ones, but also the World Cup, GP horse BMC Kigali. Even though I `just`warmed Kigali up for Coby it was an experience of a lifetime. Because Coby let me do piaffe on him. And it was wonderful, what else can a true dressage lover dream about? It was amazing and Coby and Marlies just kept on lauging about my BIG BIG smile that was on my face and the sounds I was making the intire time I did the piaffe! And also I have been warming up Marlies`s GP horse Everything is possible, and last week I had the honor to cool down Marlies`s ex GP horse BMC Phoebe, wich now will be under the saddle with Marrigje.

I also like to ride the younger horses a bit. And also the lunging is nice, because also here I learn a lot of new stuff.

On MBC Kigali!

And of course is my little penny pony stallion Dancer doing well. He developed very well the last view weeks. I can ride him more through and I can ride him lower and I also manage to collect him more J Its cool when it goes so well and you get very nice feedbacks from the pro`s. Last time I have been hearing a lot of good words about my riding. But still I`m very insecure, I want to do everything so well, and letting it be perfect looking when Coby is around, and sometimes that doesn`t really work, haha, at least, not for my feeling ;)

Me and Davina on a show

Otherwise, the photography! Well I`m buisy with that one also J Coby hired my already a couple of times, also Debora, wich`s mother is yournalist at a lot of famous horse magazines. But also the private photoshoots are going well! It`s a good thing for me, because I like to do it and it also is another way to make my time go by on."

Marlies on BMC Everything is Possible

Jup so that is a little piece of the story I wrote in May!  In mean time lots, lots, lots more happened. There have been clinics, shows, Olympic games, more photoshoots, foals got born, A lots of visits to Hoorn, another visit home, witch was actually for just three weeks ago,  I have been riding a lot of different horses, and now my stay for 6 months expired. And I`m still not home... because.... They want to keep me on DVB for another while, and in mean time I get a wonderful young horse to ride from Coby, the 4 year old Donna Gracia DVB (Wynton x Chronos). And also, I`m going to do the Orun course, which is an instructor course here in NL. And I`m going to take Donna with me to the course and probably I`m going to compete her as well. To bad she is expecting actually :P 

Me on Donna on a recent photo, and the website message: http://www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl/pages/newsdetails/s2/14-09-2012-1.aspx

Donna under the saddle on a warm summer training for Coby :) 

So it`s an exciting time coming up again. I miss home a lot though, but still this is the experience of a lifetime!

Hopefully I can make  more time to write a little update on my blogg in the future, I will do my best! 

What`s up?

Hello everyone!

Here comes a new update from Holland! A lot happened the last view days ;) 

At first, the big news...

Last Thursday Coby took me for a little talk with her and Marlies. We sat there outside in +22 degrees. And the first thing they asked was if I  had a nice time down here. I told them that I was very happy about my stay so long and they told me that they also were very happy with me and my work and wanted me to stay! I couldn't believe my ears, I was so happy! They asked what I wanted to work on, and I told them it was the grooming and riding I wanted to work on, but that the other work also belonged to the job, and then Coby said that they already had the impression of it. To keep a long story short, they want to keep me and offered me to stay for a half year, and another place to live, a place for my own! I can guess how my face looked like  :P 

So, I will stay down here for the next 6 months, how cool is that? Danm, I would never ever think I would end up with a offer like this, I am so happy! 

Beautiful weather the last view days! 

What else, you think, come on with those stories, well I`m not gonna tell you the details, but there happened a lot the last week. Coby asked me to plait the manes of Ben Johnsen, so she could see how I did that. Mèn I had not been doing that for a long while, yes with the rubbers bands of course, but not with the needle and thread! So I stood there for an hour, swet in my hands, looking very critical on my own work, not pleased at all and afraid Coby would not like it at all! But when I came in the indoor to show the result, she was so pleased! "So nice to see you can plaiit so beautiful Aurora" she said. Well hah, happy me, yup! So couple of days later, she asked my to do the same to Duchesne, the horse and birthday present of Marrigje, who had her birthday last Thursday. Well much better mane to work with ,this mare had, so I was more pleased with the result, and so where the others:

Marrigje and Duchesne

Read the article on the website here, btw my face is also on the picture longer down, hihi: http://www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl/pages/newsdetails/s2/22-03-2012-3.aspx

The riding goes well, but because of some busy days I havn`t been riding for about 4 days. But it goes very well. Last week Marrigje was again happy about my progress, and after I had been riding Akatschi for a couple of times she wanted me to ride Dancer again on Wednesday. And so I did, Marlies was teaching at that day and moment, and Marrigje was away, so I had to ride a bit on my own, but of course Marlies kept an eye on me, and when I finished the training she said that I was good on my way! Nice to hear! It`s so nice to ride those animals, because for example Akatschi is the learning horse, who let you get familiar with the feelings, and let you know if you do it wrong, and Dancer is for me the pony which I can check if I have the right feeling. Its so nice ! And I really hope I can ride other horses in the future and learn even more! 

Also on Friday, when I went down to Astrid`s again, I tried Zancho Panza, her horse. And for two years ago the riding I did on him was a total disaster, but now I sat down in the saddle and walked away with him without any trouble. A wonderful feeling and experience when you know it`s a very difficult horse, and you just can sit there and ride. I really have to say that As does a great job with him! 

As and Zancho

And here are some pics with me and ZP, photo`s by Astrid:

I hope pictures from me on DVB horses will come later, but time is expensive. 

   

Right now we sit in the little caravan thingy, preparing for a long day tomorrow, starting at normal time, but because we have a clinic/show in the evening the day will be long. I will show the pregnant DVB mare Davina who got 90 point in the Ibop test. I hope we also have time to see something from the evening itself, but I guess I will be in the stable that night.

  Also last Monday Lizz (my room mate) got asked by Coby to go to a reading from Foppe de Haan in Zwolle, to represent DVB. It was a reading about coaching and it was a good experience, Lizz and I had a great evening and took a meal at the MAC, haha. We came home late, around 00:30, but we had fun and I was more information richer :)  Here is the article about the evening:

http://www.dressuurstalvanbaalen.nl/pages/newsdetails/s1/20010000005843-2-10000000002201.aspx?newstype=2 

  

            Coby teaching students

And what else? Well I am happy here, really have a nice time with the girls here, I learn everyday more and more. I feel at home, though I miss my fam and friends down in Norway <3 Of course there will be harder times and bad times, but for now I don`t regret my choice to come down here. The finance is the only thing that can make trouble, but I hope my photography skills will keep me standing. For now I have been doing three photo shoots, and also Coby asked me last Friday to take photo`s for the website. There are a lot of interested people and Astrid is my best advertisement so long, but I hope when my pics got published on the DVB site, more people will ask me to do a shoot. I like to take photos and being around horses so this is wonderful of course!   

Picture I took of one of Coby`s students

Bennie, another photoshoot

So for now, I guess you are all up to date again! I will take a shower now and go to bed early. I hope I will move to my new place soon, but for now time hasn`t been kind enough to go down there and see with Marrigje. I hope Tuesday will give me more help  ;) 

Love, Aurora

Update from Holland!

Well, because a lot of you guys asked about a bigger update, here it comes....

I`m not gonna tell again about how the planning of the days look like, because it`s very much the same everyday, its just that sometimes we make longer days, then others. And no, I still don`t regret my choice, I`m finally getting the feeling of getting settled and comfortable with everything and liking it more and more.

The day pretty much look like haltering horses, saddling, cleaning, and of course riding the lesson with Marrigje or Marlies. Right now we have a mare that's going to have a foal pretty soon, I look forward to see the little new horse.
Marlies is going on competition this weekend, the championships for Holland, so there is a lot to do in the stables, some have a day of, and one other is going with Marlies for grooming. Last week a saw a bit of Marlies`s training and wow, its amazing to look at! Just saw a bit of the passage/piaff and its was amazing! Otherwise, I see a lot of the world/netherland`s dressage top everyday and sometimes the water just escapes your mouth without knowing it....you know...

But, after having Dancer to ride for a couple of times, I learned much, but now I have been riding the international prix st georg horse Akatschi the last 3 days, and that is where the learning fase took a big step foreward. Akatschi is 22 years old and the learning horse. He is a trakhener stallion and such a nice horse. I like him very much. First time i rode him, I really had to take the time to learn to handle his movements. And yesterday it was such nice weather so we where riding in the outdoor in our Tshirts, and he went so well! We did try some piruettes, half pass in trott, and other nice things and it went just very well. Also nice that Marrigje mentioned  that I made a lot of progress the last week. It`s nice to get compliments of several riders here, and also compliments for my working.

Akatschi

Today we did half pass in canter, made some changes and I got a lot of new tips from Marrigje :)) 

I got homework from her, because my riding is not "planned" enough. I really have to prepare my lines much more, because right now I just ride anywhere and it makes me not ride consequent and aware enough. And the bad thing is, that I know it, but I`m so concentrated that I forget it most of the time. So tomorrow I`m going to prepare my riding including warming up, what do I want to do. Preparing my lines and getting aware of my own riding. So I`m really gonna work hard on that now! 

Zigeuner is curious ! 

  

Yeah and last Wednesday I had a day of, so on Tuesday night i left Brakel and went to Hoorn, to visit Astrid and her fam. It`s so nice to stay with them, and it`s good to come out and be around my fam. I really appreciate the way they take me in on. 

I also took photo`s of Astid`s Zancho and of Ben, the horse from someone who wanted me to take photo`s. 

I really had a nice day, and though I like it at DVB, I left with led in my shoes.  

So now, I have to work this weekend, and though it`s gonna get busy, I`m looking forward to a new day! Now I`m gonna find my bed! Good night everyone :) 

I arrived. About the journey and first day at work

Well, here I am safely arrived at Van Baalen.....

Tuesday, the day of my big journey, I left from home about 06:45, and the goodbyes felt heavy. Larissa kept me company until Lillehammer, where I dropped her off at school and said goodbye to her. And plops, then you are all alone in your car, knowing you have a long journey ahead of you.
It was about 4 hours driving from SF to Oslo. I arrived in good time, and got aboard the ship at 14:00.
The boat trip was maybe the worst. Sitting all alone in the cabin,  going a bit around like a chicken without a head and not feeling at ease with all the people around. So, I wen`t out of my cabin, when necessary and spent the rest of the trip in my cabin with the Norwegian TV, fast food and drinks, I went to sleep early.
The boat arrived at about 10:00 and we got of the boat around 10:15, and as soon as I left the deck, the trouble started at Kiel, I drove the wrong way for about 3to 4 times before I finally found the 215 to Hamburg.
And I drove, drove more, and even more, music high, driving around 100/110KM an hour and suddenly, keeping myself to the route planner and finding the right way, wasn't a problem anymore. I did not drive wrong one single time again, hallelujah!
Otherwise the trip went well, had a lot of maintenance on the German highway but otherwise, fine. And I arrived at the boarder around 15:23, where I took a pause at Twente and filled with LPG for the 2th time.
The weather in Holland was horrible, as soon as i crossed the boarder. Rain, and a lot of wind. So the driving was intensive, and at Apeldoorn, the traffic got kind a...uuhm... stuck, so I ended up into two traffic jams. There was movement though, but anyway, knowing you have 2, 2,5 hours of driving ahead, to get to your destination, any hold up would be hell. And just to complain even more about the traffic, there was A LOT of traffic on the roads, happy I handled it so well, as I never had done anything else before!
Well, finally at 18:00 I arrived at Brakel. Drove up the drive way from Van Baalen and parked. I met the team at once and 10 minutes later I sat in the kitchen of Coby`s place eating dinner, with my new college`s, and where I met Coby, Marlies and Marrigje. Everything went so fast from there! And meeting both Coby and Marlies but also Marrigje in person, made me feel like a little girl meeting the spice girls or something, for just 10 seconds I felt penny again, haha. I packed out my car after dinner, and putted all my boxes in my room. Oh I`m so happy that I putted all my stuff into plastic boxes, because I have to spent my room with a roommate. And the room is small! We live in a sort of trailer. It need`s a bit of imagination to figure out how it looks like.
So I took a shower, and went to bed kind a early. The clock would wake me at 06:45 the next morning.

Just for illustration

First day at work, the clock waked my at 06:30, and  I didn`t sleep too tight. I took my clothes on, and went out with my roommate. The day started with stable work, cleaning around 50 stables, getting in new straw, feeding and mopping. Then we ate breakfast at 09:00. After that we started to work the horses, lunging, brushing, saddling, washing, and of course cleaning bridles, etc. I felt a bit like a stupid 10 year old, asking for everything, being the last one  finished with the stables, and not knowing where to start. But it`s good to know that everyone here has gone through that fase. 

At 13:00 we ate lunch, and at 14:00 the group lesson from Marrigje would start, and I was going to ride the sport pony stallion Dancer. Beautiful little horse, with a lot of character, exactly the things I was used to know. I entered the big arena with the other`s. What an impression! 

It took a while before I had Dancer where I wanted, and I felt kind a stupid for the first couple of minutes, also because Caby was looking at me with Marrigje and Marlies was riding arround, but I was happy that things got into place and I finally got him where we wanted. Good to hear compliments than. And even better to hear Coby saying, that it`s looking well, and managing my hard work an red/sweat face, haha. So I look foreward to the lesson tomorrow! 

The rest of the day, was a bit the same, saddling horses, feeding, cleaning, lunging. And just as my back was about to give up, we where done for the day and got to eat dinner. I took a shower after dinner, and got right into bed, where I`m still sitting by the way, skyping with Mom and Larissa, and writing this blog. 

Tomorrow the day will start again at 07:15. And therefor I`m going to sleep soon now. My college`s and room mates, also asked me to go out tomorrow evening, because the girl I took over from here, has her birthday and we all go out for dinner. I just need to ad that I`m happy with the team I ended up with. So far it`s of course hard to say which you fit best to, but everyone is so helpful and I don`t get any impression as if they won`t like me. So I`m happy for that! It`s a lot of hard work, but so far I feel it`s gonna be worth it all! My dream finally came true. 

Coby and Olympic Ferro

Well, I end this blog now, and go to sleep! Good night :) 

Oh men, the time has been flying away the last 10 days. Marieke left Norway today, and it`s not more then 6 days before I leave Norway. And guess what, my car died on Tuesday the very same day it left the service.....

My sister, Marieke and me skiing at Hafjell

Marieke`s vacation,

was absolutely fantastic again! We did a lot, went skiing at Hafjell for two times, made several trips to different national parks, had fun with the sled slope which we made in the paddock, had a LOT of fun, talked horse talk and went riding, etc. Just to keep it short, I met Marieke on the internet on a horse forum. She came to Norway for the first time in `09 and since then she has been here every year. It`s incredible how good we came along together, because that was one of our issues when she came over the first time, after all, we only talked to each other by inet or phone. But we got along more that just good, and now she`s one of my best friends, soul mates? yes I think you can put it that way. So people the internet also has it`s benefits ^^ 

Me and Marieke

My car,

came back from the service where they switched the tires and checked the car before my trip. And guess what, when I drove home and had a struggle with the snow, my car went dead. Didn`t start again so i called the naf. The tossed it back to the garage the next day, where they would fix the problem, hopefully. But it`s ok, not really no, because it`s gonna cost me a lot of money again, but the fuel filter was broken and they found a leak at the manyfoald or something. Anyway no damage to the engine or so. 

My car

My job, 

is done, I had my last day at work last Wednesday and it felt pretty awkward. It`s a bit scary as well, knowing I will not have any paychecks for a long while. But who knows, maybe I find a new "sort off" job down in Holland, besides the horses, so people I will let you know that I also do photo shoots, hihi. 

Me and Jurre on a trip

I really need to pack now, 

because time goes by. My stock like shower gel and stuff is quite well filled now, so I expect I will survive on those a while ;) All paper work is done. Now I need to wait on my car, and have to got my last things into place. So yes I`m starting to get the nerves. The trip is the worse and of course to leave my family and friends and horses. There are some persons I`m really gonna miss a lot, and thinking about leaving them hurts already, spending some tears and stuff, haha, but hey I`ll be back here anyway, hopefully already in Mai (thinking that I pass my month on trail)  for my exam. And I won`t turn of a vistit either :)  Oh and of course there is phone and Skype! 

Winterwonderland

Yesterday the weather was just so beautiful, that going out with my camera just had to be done. I also played a bit with my macro-glass.

Well I`ll just put the photo`s down here, so you can see for yourself, no explanation needed :)

Wonderfull light

Naughty Jurre

My candy pie

First time of the year, that Gab went outside without his rug :)

Copyright on all photo`s! ©

Just one month and 3 days to go...

Yup time is ticking away. And I need to say that things are getting very close to reality right now. Just 4 weeks and 3 days to go before I drive away from Norway. Normally, 4 weeks pass by in just two eye blinks, but right now it feels like everything goes by in slow motion. Really, that`s fine for me, because there is enough to do, still. And anyhow, if I look at it more positive, Marieke get`s here the 20th. February, so in fact, there are just two weeks an two days left before fun time is starting! I have to work though, but that isn`t more than 7 days of 6 or 4 hours.

For two weeks ago I had the feeling that everything was a dream, but when I got a new Email, I came back to reality. I was just going through the news archive from DVB and mèn the things happening there are just amazing, can`t wait until I`m a part of the team :) Just being around the horses all day, and learning from the elite. Hard work, but I guess and can`t aspect anything else, worth it all.

DVB, my destination, here just a small part of the area (photo, from Google street view)

               

So now, the temperature here in Norway is arround -17,9 and still snowing. It`s funny, because in Holland they have a temperature of -20, haha, no not very usual. 

I never go out riding with the horses when the temperature get`s lower then -15. And it has been to cold the last view weeks to do anything with them at all. Not only for the horse`s good, but also for yourself. Yesterday I took out Gab for a small bareback trip along the road, shit I forgot my ear warmers, not even 10 minutes later my ears where frozen, and thàt hurts big time :P My but was warm though, thanks to Gab and his 400gram rug, but that was about everything that was warm at all. So you can say that riding in such a cold atmosphere isn`t anything to look forward to.    

But the cold is also beautiful ;)

I also got a new, temporarily job in the kitchen of Gudbrandsgård Hotell. Nothing fun really, just doing the dishes. I`m working til the 20th. of February, just to gain some extra money. That`s nothing of a luxury problem at all, but more like an emergency solution. My work as waitress at the bakery isn`t enough right now. So yup, I`m very glad that they offered me this opportunity. And tonight I`m working my first shift from 18:30 (until laaaate in the evening) alone. Sunday and Monday am I also there. It`s stressful, two jobs and the horses, and it feels like money just flows out my car`s exhaust big time. Anyhow, my parents are very helpful with the horses so I don`t need to worry about that. And in the end I guess it`s worth it, at last, I hope so ;) 

Aurora 

About my move

As some of you all know, did I got in contact with Dressuurstal van Baalen in Brakel, the Netherlands. They had place for a new working student. I didn`t hesitate a moment and wrote a Email to Marrigje. She was very enthusiastic about my Email and told me some information about being a working student at their stable and asked me if I could find myself in it.  This was a chance in a lifetime for me, working at an Olympic dressage stable, working with the animals and sport which are my passion, so of course did I accept the offer without hesitating. I talked to my boss that very same day, to find out when I could leave there. She told me that I had to stay to at least out the month February. 

All it was relaying on now, was the Email from Marrigje with the answer if they wanted to have me or not. Because they did need a new student already in February, and I couldn`t get away from my work before the end of February, you remember? But then just as I had a phone call with my boss, the Email from Marrigje arrived. She and Coby, where very enthusiastic and would like me to start in March! Could you imagine how happy I was?  The adrenalin rushed through my whole body, my biggest dream had come true. And so much things I had to fix now, when do I leave, because they wanted to know the exact date of my arrive, so this Saturday morning I booked a trip with Colorline, and went to the bank to fix my assurance and stuff. On Friday I wrote my months notice to the Bakery. This is the real stuff, no way back, not that I was planning on that anyway! 

Me and Apollon summer `10

 So okay come to the point, you may think, what are you gonna do there, and how long are you going to be there? 

Well at first I am going to work in the stables and get a horse to ride. They are gonna learn me the stable work and will help me to develop my riding skills.  

I`ll work 12 days in a row and have a weekend off, and so on. I can`t take the horses with me, because they had now more place, but that's fine for me, I don`t have any horse to really train on anyway right now. 

I`m going to live on the farm, along with the others team members I expect. First for one month. In this month both sides can find out if it`s the right decision. So there is still something to be in excitement about ;) 

Yes, so i booked my boat for 6th March from Oslo to Kiel, and will drive from Kiel, Germany to Brakel, Holland. Hopefully I`ll arrive somewhere at dinnertime on the 7th March. It`s the first time I`m driving alone, outside Norway and such a long time. Jup of course I will survive, I`m just a bit anxious about finding the right road and stuff. Because driving in the EU on the German Autobahne isn`t as driving on the Norwegian E6. Well, means I have to prepare my journey closely :) 

Best stuff is, that before I`m leaving, Marieke gets here on vacation! Whii it`s going to be a very exciting period coming up!

 Oh by the way, wanna know more about the stables? Take a look at their website.

Greetings   :)

Welcome guys!

Welcome to my blog!!!

 First thing I want to say is that I appreciate you guys to take the time to follow this :) This will be a blog where I will keep my family and friends up to date about my move to, and stay in Holland. More information about that will come in a later blog.

Second thing I want to explain is why I decided to make this blog in English. Well that’s a very easy one. I have family and friends in and from Holland, and friends from Norway, Sweden and other countries. Just to keep this blog `easy` to read for everyone, I decided to make the blog in English. 

I will not bore you guys with looooooong blogs and stories about the happenings in the stables. At first because some things can`t and don`t need to be shared with the outside world, second, this is no blog with inside sneak peaks from the stables, its a blog about myself ;)

Oh besides, you will also, NOT find any girly talk here at all, and no talk about my emotions and feelings, it`s just so boring and so not me :P 

I will try to blog as much as I can, but I`m going to put all my time in my work experience, and this blog is therefore one of my bottom priorities ;) 

I will fancy my blog with as much photo`s as I can, just because I love my camera. But also here, I`m not sure yet what kind of photo`s I can share and which not.    

Oh and last but not least, my English is bad at some times, I`m sorry for this, so please see those grammar failures through your fingers, or find your way out of my blog ;)