My trainer has turned into a slave driver. Honest. I was supposed to have today off as a reward for working hard over the last week. I made plans to go into Cologne for the day to do a bit of shopping and get some presents for my mum and dad. This morning, however, my trainer tells me that there is a new horse coming onto the yard who is owned by Saph's owner and I have to ride him. Bye-bye to day off, then. Not complaining too much about the new horse. Apparantly he is Saph's full brother. Let me tell you, his dam and sire breed them big. He is enormous! I swear that he is nearly 18 hands high - a whole hand taller than Saph is. His name is Midnight Sapphire, also known as Fly by because he is quick. He was bred to do showjumping, but took aversion to jumping fences when he got to a competition. However, he makes a lovely dressage horse. He is pure power in his extended work and piaffe and passage. I was breathless after I rode the first extended trot on him. My trainer says that he my end up reaching Grand Prix before Saph purely because of the power in his movement. Wow, 2 Grand Prix horses, that is the stuff of dreams.
So now I have to work twice as hard to get Saph ready for our first competition together for a year next week and to prepare for what could be Fly By's last competition before he makes Grand Prix level a couple of weeks later. I can't wait!