1989
Later my sister became pregnant and asked me to ride her mare Sabrina. First I rode Sabrina only on trails but when she was moved to Christoph Kleimeyer's barn I became infected with dressage and started taking lessons with Christoph. Since then Christoph is my inspiration. I was heartbroken when my sister gave birth and wanted to ride Sabrina on her own and therefor moved her to a barn out of town.
Me on Sabrina
Sabrina
Mare Hesse
When I started riding Sabrina I was an absolut beginner. All Iknew was that summer camp and riding trough the woods with Tanja and the ponies. I loved to ride, but I wasn't able to even do the basics like sitting trot. When the weather turned nasty and I couldn't go on trails anymore I had to ride dressage and I hated it. Sabrina was well ridden, but she was a stubborn mare, that would not do me a single favour. So I had to learn it the hard way how to get a horse on the bit and forward downward. I will never forget the day when Christoph got back from his vacation. I was riding and really trying hard to make a connection and he looked at me and said: "Still not getting better?" On my way back on the bus I bursted into tears and my ambition was fueled. Inside leg to outside rein became my mantra. And then one day I came to barn early and I decided not to be Sabrina's friend anymore, but from now on be her leader. And Sabrina looked at me for the frst time not as if I were her pain in the neck. I mounted her an Christoph's word came to my mind: "After mounting you have 10 Minutes. If you couldn't become the leader of your horse in that time, you have lost." I became Sabrina's leader even befor mounting and now i was taking the reins and she was willingly lowering her head. All she wanted was not to be asked, but to be told what to do.
I think this was the crucial factor for being able to ride Wendigo, Waipiti and Primeur. Thanks Sabrina for this lesson! And that proved Volker Eubel right who used to say:
