Many years ago I was afforded an amazing opportunity to work in Holland. I want to take a moment to share this story briefly.I apologize for bouncing back and fourth through time, but I am a bit eccentric to say the least, so please bear with me. We have some ideas for interesting topics that are from our more resent past, the present, and hopes for the future, they are just still cooking and not quite ready to be offered for you to taste yet!
Holland is a beautiful yet small county. But big in intellectual minds, ingenuity, and heart !!! The people are very warm, generous and kind.They have Fantastic beaches. They grow stunning flowers. They have an amazing night life and cultural extravaganza.They have marvelous restaurants with everything very fresh and delicious.They also breed raise and train sport horses of the highest quality! Partly due to necessity and partly due to their immense pride they are incredibly efficient, organized, and clean, in every aspect of their culture.They put families first and have excellent social, educational, and environmental systems in place that are always improving.They apply this to the horses as well. The selection of breeding stock is as strict if not the strictest in the world, and the results from the world young horse classes all the way to Hickstead, and Totilas, and the WBF rankings give proof it is working well.
I guess you can tell I liked it. I even considered making it my home at one point. The horses are fantastic, and horse sports are on TV all the time. The horse competitions are extremely well run and affordable, with great audiences, prize money and sponsorship.When there is a competition the whole town comes, and there are vendors, music, and great competition.
I worked at a jumper sales farm that was the most active in the country at the time. I was able to ride some amazing horses, most of whom went very well for me. I was able to attend some incredible shows. Everything was done first class. Why did I leave? you ask, well the owner of the farm and I agreed that I had the riding talent needed to ride at the highest levels, and all I needed was time, the horses, and experience. I was too nice and too soft and did not like the quick fixes sometimes they felt were necessary at that barn. I will just leave it at that, but I will also say, I am very thankful for the time I spent there. I learned a great deal.
What was the most amazing thing I saw? An international rider from Canada was trying a young potential GP horse and went through a one stride vertical to oxer at the top of the standards, and was still not sure they were ready to pay the incredible top price for the horse. So another fantastic young rider Michael and I were told to pick up the standards- holding up the back rail of the oxer to our knees! We did which made it well over 2 meters or well over 7 feet!!! The horses jumped it cleanly and the rider shouted SOLD! on they way down.
What was the biggest realization for me jumping 2 meters on a horse I had never ridden before and realizing how much the sport is about horse power, and there is probably a lot of truth to the saying "a great horse with a good rider- will always beat a great rider on a good horse"
What did I like best? The people I am only sorry I have not been able to stay in touch with Michael and so many other truly marvelous, fascinating, and kind people I worked with and was fortunate enough to meet!
I hope this has helped you in some small way.
Sincerely,
John
P.S. Am I Dutch? well yes and no. If you go back in my family tree you will find Dutch, German, English, French, Irish, Scottish, and possibly a few other origins that can't be verified, BUT I was BORN in the USA so in the end I am an American first, but also a citizen of the planet earth who hopes to find a way to get along and live peacefully with everyone! I hope you can respect that even if you don't agree with it!
Holland is a beautiful yet small county. But big in intellectual minds, ingenuity, and heart !!! The people are very warm, generous and kind.They have Fantastic beaches. They grow stunning flowers. They have an amazing night life and cultural extravaganza.They have marvelous restaurants with everything very fresh and delicious.They also breed raise and train sport horses of the highest quality! Partly due to necessity and partly due to their immense pride they are incredibly efficient, organized, and clean, in every aspect of their culture.They put families first and have excellent social, educational, and environmental systems in place that are always improving.They apply this to the horses as well. The selection of breeding stock is as strict if not the strictest in the world, and the results from the world young horse classes all the way to Hickstead, and Totilas, and the WBF rankings give proof it is working well.
I guess you can tell I liked it. I even considered making it my home at one point. The horses are fantastic, and horse sports are on TV all the time. The horse competitions are extremely well run and affordable, with great audiences, prize money and sponsorship.When there is a competition the whole town comes, and there are vendors, music, and great competition.
I worked at a jumper sales farm that was the most active in the country at the time. I was able to ride some amazing horses, most of whom went very well for me. I was able to attend some incredible shows. Everything was done first class. Why did I leave? you ask, well the owner of the farm and I agreed that I had the riding talent needed to ride at the highest levels, and all I needed was time, the horses, and experience. I was too nice and too soft and did not like the quick fixes sometimes they felt were necessary at that barn. I will just leave it at that, but I will also say, I am very thankful for the time I spent there. I learned a great deal.
What was the most amazing thing I saw? An international rider from Canada was trying a young potential GP horse and went through a one stride vertical to oxer at the top of the standards, and was still not sure they were ready to pay the incredible top price for the horse. So another fantastic young rider Michael and I were told to pick up the standards- holding up the back rail of the oxer to our knees! We did which made it well over 2 meters or well over 7 feet!!! The horses jumped it cleanly and the rider shouted SOLD! on they way down.
What was the biggest realization for me jumping 2 meters on a horse I had never ridden before and realizing how much the sport is about horse power, and there is probably a lot of truth to the saying "a great horse with a good rider- will always beat a great rider on a good horse"
What did I like best? The people I am only sorry I have not been able to stay in touch with Michael and so many other truly marvelous, fascinating, and kind people I worked with and was fortunate enough to meet!
I hope this has helped you in some small way.
Sincerely,
John
P.S. Am I Dutch? well yes and no. If you go back in my family tree you will find Dutch, German, English, French, Irish, Scottish, and possibly a few other origins that can't be verified, BUT I was BORN in the USA so in the end I am an American first, but also a citizen of the planet earth who hopes to find a way to get along and live peacefully with everyone! I hope you can respect that even if you don't agree with it!
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