Rickie Zayee & Arnie at Dutch Dressage

This is no exaggeration but in just 12 or so weeks, Arnie transformed before our very eyes. It was incredible to watch our tired little pony turn into this little strong ox of a horse who was athletic, no stiffness, alert and muscles in the right places.

7 months ago we were at a livery yard that was very holistic in its treatment of horses and they lived out in herds. This winter really took its toll on our 20 year old pony. He lost every scrap of topline, seemed stiff and he was tired and listless. It was like he'd given up. It was a friend of mine who was at our current yard who told me about Dutch Dressage and initially said we should get ourselves over there. Initially in order to check them out, I booked a few lessons with Okke. Well I needn't have bothered. After the first visit I was hooked. The facilities were first class, the yard pristine, not a stray blade of hay anywhere, (seriously how do they do that?) and the only mud I saw was on our own pony's legs. A few weeks later we moved in. Okke immediately said we should put Arnie on Hack Up and immediately set about formulating a good nutrition plan for Arnie to put some weight back on him as well as a fitness plan to build muscle in the right places. Dutch Dressage have a strict daily routine that involves exercises and the horses seem to love the repetition of it all and Arnie was no exception. He didn't have to compete with any horse for food or hay. This is no exaggeration but in just 12 or so weeks, Arnie transformed before our very eyes. It was incredible to watch our tired little pony turn into this little strong ox of a horse who was athletic, no stiffness, alert and muscles in the right places. He has so much energy now he's even been known to throw in a little excited buck from time to time, he's literally jumping for joy.
Dutch Dressage is very much a competition yard which was another reason for wanting to be there as my daughter is fiercely competitive. The yard is definitely set up for this, hot showers, regular grooming, exercise, a full show grooming service (great if you're rubbish at plaiting like me), quality nutrition, hay and the best part, daylight lights that ensure that winter coats never get established on the competition horses. Now Arnie does have a bit of Welsh in him so he may give those lights a run for their money this winter, but we will have to see. And the training itself is first class, and Okke is a fantastic trainer, but not so arrogant that he won't allow other trainers in, he actually embraces it. He even has one lady come in from Holland who is also super. Along with clinics and educational seminars, there's always something to attend and do. Okke has taken my daughter from pony club to classical rider in just 4 months. She's gone from scorning low 50s to mid 60s and will definitely be ready for her first Elementary tests by the end of the year. And for a non riding mummy like me, there's a beautiful clubhouse to hang out in with a fully stocked fridge and tea and coffee on tap. This place is so calm and peaceful it's the sort of place you'd want to hang out at even if you didn't have a horse there! But the story doesn't end there. I don't know a lot about horses or their care and that's why it's imperative to have a yard whose judgement you trust completely and that's really why I am there. I trust them completely to do right by Arnie and my daughter and whatever magic they have in their drawers is clearly working. We count our blessings every day being at such a wonderful place.