We are flying through 2023. I will take you through the months of 2023 and tell you about all that I have experienced with my horses again. As I write this, it is already August 2024. Then when I look back at all the pictures like this, I always realize again, what a luck I have with so many great horses! So many moments that pass by like the most normal thing in the world and are often even a bit forgotten, but are always beautiful to look back on.

January - February.

The year 2023 began with snow. The horses enjoyed their winter vacation for the most part, but for Sensation, work began. He already knew lunging on a halter, but now it was slowly getting real and thus time for a bridle. Sensation proved once again why I really wanted to keep him for Camping at the time. He has a golden heart and is super cooperative. So it turned out the first time with a bridle, to which he did not react differently at all than to an ordinary halter.

March.

At the end of the month, Issy was due of her eighth foal. On the morning of March 30, she had resin drops on her udder and I knew it was going to happen. Issy usually gets her foals at night or early in the morning. But I have a camera hanging in the stable so I can keep a close eye on her. That evening the closing dinner of the ski school was also scheduled. I kept in mind that I might have to leave. Fortunately, the restaurant was not far from my house so I could leave quickly if I had to.

We were well and truly at the restaurant, sat down at the table, first drink ordered, another quick check on the camera.... And then I knew enough... Issy was circling, for Issy a sign that it's about to start. I asked a co-worker if she could take me home quickly to get my car. In my jumpsuit on my heels I got into the car. Phone with live camera next to me to follow everything, I drove to the stable. Even though it is only a 10-minute drive, in the car I saw on the camera that the foal was already coming into the world. Issy does this completely on her own and rarely needs help. Still, I always want to go there to check everything. In the stable I luckily had a pair of shoes that I could just put on.

There I stood, wearing a rolled-up jumpsuit, stable shoes and an old bodywarmer over it. The foal was already born and Issy was already up. Then the moment of truth, what has it become! Tail up, and yes another mare! I don't care if it's a stallion or a mare, it's a cliché but you want it to go well and to be healthy. But still I am very happy that it was a mare and then I spontaneously shed a tear. No matter how many times you experience it, I think these moments will always remain enormously special! It is a great miracle that such a foal with those long legs fits into the mare and then almost always finds its way out on its own.

So another girl this year, another name with an I.... Every year a task to find a suitable name. And I don't think an Irene, Isabel or Ida is special enough. All year long I search for names and everything that comes along and starts with I, I write down, even if it happens not to be with an I but is special. By now I have a huge database of names, but even then a name has to fit the foal. Usually I have 3/4 favorites and then I sleep on it overnight to figure out what fits best. This handsome little foal was named ILIYANA.

April.

This month was mostly devoted to training. The yearling judging was on the schedule, but also the Bundes Nightshow and for the next month the Club Exhibition. Ilaysha had to work hard, unfortunately she turned out to be as difficult to feed as her mother. All day hay, every day on the grass and even buckets full of Hay Pellets. But it was not enough, even though she was well dewormed she would not gain weight. The thick pack of hair she had she didn't really want to lose either and so we were not at our best at the yearling inspection.

Nevertheless, she showed very well! Where at the foal inspection we still got a remark about her being too red, here she had super nice white mane. Furthermore, she was very well behaved and I was very proud of her.

A week later, the first Bundes Nightshow was scheduled. At this show the focus is not on the horse but on the handler. Here I participated with Ilaysha. It was a great experience, but unfortunately we were eliminated in the first round.

This month was also the Studbook registration for the 3-year-old mares. Here Intizara was presented, also a daughter of Issy. I was very curious how she had developed, she had always been a copy of Impressive. Now at 3 years old, she was very much like Issy. She was not as big, did show well and got a 7.5.

Iliyana was a nice and curious foal. She did come into the world a bit crooked, the legs were a bit crooked. But with lots of exercise and a good farrier that would all be fine.

Furthermore, this month I had to put the horses in training for the club inspection that would take place in mid-May. Issy, Impressive, Ilaysha and Infinity would participate here. Infinity also had to compete in the show so we had to do a lot of riding.

We practiced for a dressage quadrille and also wanted to ride a jumping quadrille. Unfortunately, jumping had to be cancelled because the ring where we were supposed to ride turned out to be unsuitable.

Of course training doesn't always go perfectly, that's what training is for. Infinity was often very hot and showed that clearly, as in the video below. Here she had to show that she can also buck.

However, jumping was practiced beforehand. Infinity had to become a little more skilled at this and so in the beginning I often jumped alone for a while to let Finn get used to the jumps.

A full first part of 2023. Too much in a whole year to write everything in 1 blog and so I will write multiple parts for 2023.

Love, Fabienne