[RC] USA team in Aachen - Steph TeeterUpdate from Dinah Rojek - Steph (http://www.endurance.net/2006wec for full WEC coverage) -----Original Message----- From: dinah@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:dinah@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 5:04 AM To: steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: US team in Aachen Dear Steph, The horses arrived uninjured to Aachen. In attendance are, in no order, Val and Larry Kanavy, veterinarians: Tom Timmons and Flavia , farrier: Mustafa chiropractor: Jim (arrived yesterday), and a host of local help, who are currently guiding the horses on the red loop from the backs of bicycles. People who came with the horses are Jen Niehaus and Ruth Waltenspiel, Michelle Mattingley and Grace Ramsey, Meg Sleeper and Dave Augustine, Christoph Schork and Diane Woodward, Kathy and Stanley Downs, and Steve Rojek and me. The Eastern shipment of horses was delayed a couple of hours and I was thinking, standing in the customs line, that it didin't matter that much, because we were going to wait for the Western shipment before trucking to Aachen. Then I saw Tom, Christoph, Jen, Ruth and Diane in the next line! It worked perfectly. The truck was massive, designed for the huge Dressage horses, so even though we were stuck in animal import bureaucrasy for a few hours, they were cool and had wiggle room. Steve and I went with the truck and everyone else went to the hotel and the the barn. We felt lucky because there was a bench behind the driver, and we both got a little nap on the way to Aachen. It was a smooth 4 hour four lane trip with windmills, horses, cows and a whole bunch of cars we never see in the states. The stable graceful, loaded with 100 Dressage horses and jumpers. Our guys would look like minis, but there are also a ton of little kids with truly tiny ponies. There is good turnout with grass and feed and the horse care from staff has been superb. For bonus entertainment, here are always a couple of decent riders working on their Dressage in the indoor. The bicycle path is the shortest way to the barn, and I rode my Segway while Dave biked back to the hotel to catch up on email. Cool!!! We go by sleepy holsteins, through pine forests and up and down short vertical hills to little one person wide bridges. The people are bending over backwards to be kind to us at the hotel and at the stable. The weather is even kind, it is cool and overcast, quite a relief from NYC 104! Right now the horses are preriding the red loop, guided by locals on bicycles. I better Segway back to the barn.I will try to send some pictures soon. Dinah =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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