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Rocher: A Personal Tribute
by George Williams
Oh the ears! You can't help but notice them. They were immediately obvious
when we went to the DOKR to see Rocher for the first time. Her regal bearing,
excellent gaits and good work ethic were immediately evident as well, but those
ears' Of course, since then she has become well known for her ears. They are
expressive; they relax and go with the rhythm of her movement, they in a manner
of speaking sway with her body. Little did we know when we first saw them how
honestly they portray her personality.
For me Rocher is a dream come true. How often does one have the chance to ride
a horse of her quality? The places she has taken me, the experiences she has
given me, the things she has taught me. Those are all invaluable, once in a
lucky lifetime type of things. Her real gift, though, is her personality.
It goes without saying she rules the stable, and if you know her so it should
be. She does it quite naturally through her own special mixture of graciousness
and aloofness. There is no doubt she is a born diva. She is a diva that likes
to work; she seems to truly look forward to her daily sessions. Even though
some of the work doesn't come easily she always puts her heart into it.
I have stated numerous times that with Klaus Balkenhol's help we initially
focused on improving the throughness. The thing with a horse like her is she
started as a good impressive horse but once the throughness is improved with
a little fine- tuning she became a great horse. What a horse like Rocher teaches
you is that it's not just a matter of knowing the training scale and applying
it. Rather it is knowing it in intimate detail and feel and applying it to
the nth degree with a refinement and subtlety that seems unattainable. It is
this attention to detail that creates the top international horses.
No matter what the outcome of our dreams may be, Rocher has made the journey
with all of its challenges so enjoyable. There are few things in life that
can compare to dancing with a diva!
© 2009 Gypsy Woods Farm.
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