The
Story of Roger
Who can say they bought a Grand Prix horse for $2.00? Probably
not many, but I did.
The story of Roger Rabbit begins on a cold and rainy day in
Braunschweig, a city in Germany near Hannover, a region well
known for breeding some of the greatest sport horses in the
world. As head trainer and Pferdewirtschaftsmeister at a
prestigious equestrian facility my duties included not only
educating horse and rider but also seeking young new talent thus
always keeping an eye on what the market may offer. What caught
my eye on this particular day was a young Hanoverian gelding
named “Little Big Man”. My client, Dr. Joachim Bösche, a well
known and respected “O” judge and a mentor of mine, had already
seen and made the arrangements for me to try the 3 year old.
After riding this big, athletic individual with gorgeous gaits I
had absolutely fallen in love. Little Big Man was to be sold at
the Verden horse auction, a huge annual event that attracts
potential buyers of all nationalities. This is where one comes
to see the best of what the industry has
produced. Dr. Bösche made the decision to buy the gelding and I
was to train him.
As
we entered the packed arena in Verden two weeks later we looked
for two seats at about mid-level. Working our way through the
crowd we passed a group of people selling raffle tickets,
shouting “First prize is a Hanoverian Yearling” and I thought,
why not, I had an extra $2.00 and the prizes where quite nice:
riding boots, saddle with bridle and, of course, a yearling. I
bought a ticket, stuffed it in my purse and we took our seats as
the bidding began .Horse after horse was lead out, the gavel fell and purchases
were made. At last our horse was on the block and after an
intense “cat and mouse chase” we were able to out bid a buyer
from switzerland. “Little Big Man” was ours. As the day was
coming to an end Dr. Bösche took care of the formalities and I
stayed for the drawing of the raffle tickets.
I
cannot describe what I felt at that moment when they called the
numbers I held in my hand, 2250, the winning ticket......me, I
won! I do recall jumping up and waving my arms...somehow I must
have floated down the stairs because the next thing I remember
is standing in the arena holding my new colt, introduced to me
as “Roger Rabbit”. Walking on a cloud, feeling numb with joy we
loaded the two horses into our trailer and took our “prizes”
home.
I
turned Roger out at a small boarding facility not too far away.
I would visit occasionally, watching him develop while trying to
keep an open mind. Growing up on the family breeding farm I knew
what to look for when evaluating young horses. So far Roger
Rabbit was true to his name in having a rather large set of ears
but as he was reaching his second year I had some serious
doubts. He was still quite ugly and uncoordinated. His lineage
was impeccable coming from the“Gestüt Amselhof ” in Celle, a
facility with a reputation of breeding and educating top notch
performance horses headed by Heike Kemmer, one of Germany's
finest trainers.
A
year later I made the decision to leave Braunschweig and move
back home to help run the family business. Roger Rabbit, now a 3
year old, made the move with me and it was time to start his
career. Actually quite handsome now, he finally grew into his
ears. Dark chocolate in color with 3 white socks, he was huge,
topping out at almost 18 hands and still growing. Having spent
the last two years with his peers in a pasture, Roger wasn't
accustomed to human contact. Extremely sensitive and very
insecure, the initial training steps were not easy. My first
goal was to ride him straight and forward, getting him used to
the weight of the rider and establishing balance in all three
gaits. Again, true to his name, he was more like a rabbit but
eventually, with great patience, Roger began to trust me and our
relationship over the next few years became a true partnership.
It was a partnership so strong I felt confidant and at ease
riding him while pregnant with both of my children.
My
husband Richard, a Floridian who had spent most of his adult
life in Europe, felt it was time to move to the United States to
be close to his parents. We both agreed we would enjoy the
sunny, tropical Florida climate after living in cold and often
wet Germany. This meant a big change for me but also a challenge
I would not turn down and in 2000 I said good-bye to Germany, my
parents, my friends. We packed up our children the 2 horses and
flew across the Atlantic to make Florida our new home.
I
thought the language would be my biggest hurdle until I stepped
off the plane and tried to breathe the hot, salty, humid air of
the subtropics. Not to mention the bugs, biting, crawling,
flying and the unrelenting sun. Over the years I have been able
to adjust completely but Roger with his massive stature still
has issues with the environment. At 18.1 hands his size is truly
monumental and at the age of 6 we hit a major training plateau
as we schooled third level movements and struggled for more
collection. I wasn't convinced Roger could develop the self
carriage required for the upper levels and the thought of
selling him crossed my mind more than once. It was then I began
to work on a more stringent training regiment, a diet plan to
make him sweat more and a conditioning program to give him more
endurance.
In
2005 Richard and I established Half Halt Stables, a 13 acre full
service training facility on Florida's east coast. With the
addition of a covered arena in 2006 and the help of a few
esteemed colleagues, I have been able to build Rogers stamina
and work through the ever increasing difficult demands of the
sport, earning many championship titles. This winter, at the age
of thirteen, Roger and I will be showing Grand Prix, the highest
degree of collection and balance in dressage. We know one
another's strengths and weaknesses and we work with them in full
collaboration and harmony. He is a reliable partner, still
sensitive but trusts me whole heartedly. Ever correct and
honest, he has been a wonderful experience in my life and a joy
to ride every day.
"I
feel compelled to tell Roger’s unusual story because it says so
much about horses; their resilience, devotion and trust in their
human partners. And how we need to be patient, understanding and
most importantly not to give up too soon! After analyzing and
recognizing your horses ability and your own skill level,
believe in this partnership and work hard at what you believe.
Seek the help of good reputable trainers that have the knowledge
and positive encouragement necessary to help you with the
challenging task of educating a horse through the levels!"
Thank you, Susanne Benne
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