More News from Florida

It doesn't matter where I am in the world,...time is going by so fast and so much is happening!! Fun Fun! But PUH! The days are filled to the brim!!

I'm not sure where I left off the last time I wrote, but here I am again. About a week ago, I did ride Finn in a Grand Prix and a Grand Prix Special. I was third in the GP and I won the Special. Lots of fun and a very good start on my Florida journey!

But here you never rest on your success.... My starting time at that show was on Sunday 11:00 am. Here you can pay and have your stall cleaned up or you totally strip it yourself and no fee. So after my ride we had to take care of Finn, clean out and pack, go back to the stable with Finn, and I had to be back in the saddle at 1:00 for a lesson/workout with two other horses. So by 3pm I was finally out of riding a horse.....Do I love it?? You bet!!!

On Monday the horses that were home during the show days had to be worked and again, like every week, I have to buy shavings, order hay and go to the market, do laundry and prep for the coming week. I left on Wednesday with Finn, and also Rico this time. Finn had to jog in front of the panel that day and Rico's jog was on Thursday. Both ran perfect, so I was ready to go!

Finn was out in Grand Pix on Thursday and was ok. I did, for example 17, ones instead of 15 and that cost me about 20 points and in this competition you can't have a mistake--it costs you way too much!!!! Rico did PSG and was 5th. One mistake and that took me out of first! Finn was 4th in GPS--still great, but 2 mistakes! On the last day in INT 1, Rico was in the lead for over two hours and the last rider beat me with a point! Darn!! So we were second that day.

So 3 times this weekend I got to go in for an honor round and that is really fun! This last weekend has been so great! SO many people from America and Europe and god knows from where have been here! No wonder they like to leave Europe where it is -25 C. Most of them came to be part of the Masters. It was a fun competition and the Swedes were the best. In the Freestyle Tinne had a super good ride on a lovely horse and won!!! She rode great and had a super cool outfit: dark, really dark grey coat, with a hat in exactly the same shade. The music was put together by Cees Slings from Holland--the guy that always did Anky's music. Patrick Kittle was second and Steffen was third!

Sunday Tinne's sponsor had a brunch put together at their beautiful, impressive home/barn for all of the important people, riders, officials and me. It was so nice, so incredibly beautiful with all the details! The barn, the ring, just everything--I wanted to move in right away!

Anna came out on Thursday to be part of this fun weekend and I can't tell you how much I missed her! She is a pearl and she knows what I'm thinking, need, and how I want everything! Unfortunately, she has to fly back home tomorrow to take care of the business at home, which she does with flying colors!

The Dressage Forum will be held on Monday and Tuesday and there are riders, trainers and knowledgeable people from all over the world who will talk, demonstrate and whatever. It's starting at 1:00 and will end 10pm and the same format on Tuesday. They start late so we all can train in the morning. Here you don't miss a minute!

Hope all of you are well where ever you are. In my thoughts!

mette