Uthopia, Valegro and many more (belated Fritzens thread)

Absolutely stunning photos! They are incredibly well composed and really capture those special moments.

And I agree with you 110% about leaving your comfort zone. I definitely think more people should compare themselves to the very top riders and not those below them all the time. Its odd over here how someone can progress from novice to say advanced medium yet their riding barely changes and many riders just carry through the same faults and poor basics in pursuit of the label.
 
FrodoBeutlin said:
Yes I am talking about the serious amateur! I don't believe in the 'money' excuse, you can always work as a groom to pay for your training. And a lot of jobs will let you take one year out or something like that.

I really think the main reason is fear of leaving your comfort zone...where you are top dog.
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FB - I know you mean this fairly loosely, but as an employer I know I full well wouldnt let any employee of mine take a year out. At the last count there are nearly 3 million people unemployed, and although I would understand an employee's reasoning and in an odd way support their aims, being a rider myself, cold hard economics would have to kick in. I run a medium sized company with quite a few staff, and we would have to ask them to leave and take on another staff member. We advertised 2 months ago for an Administrator to work in one of my branches and we had over 400 applications, interviewed 25 and shortlisted 2! It sounds brutal, but times are hard and we have to make money to survive,and much as I would love to support an employee's dressage dreams, I would have to be pragmatic about it. I saw this comment earlier on today and pondered on it, I even asked my business partner what he would do in these circumstances and oddly enough he came to the same conclusion as me.

By the way, wasnt having a go, so please dont take it that way, and thanks for sharing these beautiful photos with us.
 
Ok, I was talking about people who CAN, and there are plenty in the dressage world trust me. People employed by family, "semi-professional"/serious amateur riders who are funded by husband/parents, etc. But they still WON'T, because they don't WANT to.
 
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TheoryX1 said:
FB - I know you mean this fairly loosely, but as an employer I know I full well wouldnt let any employee of mine take a year out. At the last count there are nearly 3 million people unemployed, and although I would understand an employee's reasoning and in an odd way support their aims, being a rider myself, cold hard economics would have to kick in. I run a medium sized company with quite a few staff, and we would have to ask them to leave and take on another staff member. We advertised 2 months ago for an Administrator to work in one of my branches and we had over 400 applications, interviewed 25 and shortlisted 2! It sounds brutal, but times are hard and we have to make money to survive,and much as I would love to support an employee's dressage dreams, I would have to be pragmatic about it. I saw this comment earlier on today and pondered on it, I even asked my business partner what he would do in these circumstances and oddly enough he came to the same conclusion as me. QUOTE]

Well I've completely quit my well paid job so that I can go and ride in Germany and then travel for at least 6 months or so. I thought what's the point of living in fear of never getting another job when I return, as there's so many things I want to do besides just work and pay the mortgage! No I don't have a partner who pays for me, but I've managed things so that I can do this (horse on loan, property rented out, purposely free of ties like kids, pets etc) as I think the long term benefits will be priceless.

As FB said, there are plenty of people who have done this, I know of people who have turned up in other countries with just a rucksack and no work lined up yet, but they have survived. Perhaps the less you have the easier it is to give it up and throw yourself into a new situation. But its definitely all in the mind.
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Stunning photos, cheered my Tuesday morning at work up :)
Must get some lessons once this wrist is fixed!!
V inspiring
Thanks FB
 
Fab pictures, thank you for sharing. Interesting how Gareth rides Sandman with his reins like that.

After reading the post further (i only looked at the pictures to start with) - I would give my right arm (and legs!!) to be able to afford to travel abroad to train but unfortunately I cant ever see it happening. For some people its just not possible no matter how dedicated to the sport you are. I have both financial and other commitments that would never allow it to happen, I cant even afford a trip abroad to watch a competition :(
 
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Fab pictures. Can I ask if you know the breeding of the horse in the first picture as he's the spit of Gerry from that angle (even if somewhat better schooled!)?
 
Interesting that he's got Florestan lines as I'm convinced that Gerry has that influence in him. Sadly I bought him without his original papers and the Westfalen studbook aren't proving all that helpful in trying to trace him.
 
Lol, that spoils my theory then!

Any information you could get would be really interesting. My trainer used to work for the Oldenburg stud and he said they should be able to trace him easily. The Westphalian studbook asked for 125 Euros to do a search and said they don't know if they will be able to trace him. I'm reluctant to part with that amount of money if it will come to nothing.

Yes, he's a Westphalian. Born 2002 and has a Westphalian brand with the number 87 underneath. He currently stands at 17.2hh and has a very high wither. He has almost no white on him other than a small bit on his back left leg and a few white hairs on his forehead.

I'm not trying to increase his value so I can sell hime or anything like that, I'd just be fascinated to know what his lines are and what his original name is as I'm fairly sure his breeder wouldn't have named him Gerry!

 
PapaFrita said:
Isn't that how he is holding them?
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No, to me he looks like he is holding the right bradoon rein only in his right hand, and the other three reins in his left hand...it's apparently called the "three-to-one method"


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