next stop: COLLEGE!!

It's been a little quiet here recently, my apologies for that. For the first time since a long time, I'm actually staying with my parents at home in the Netherlands, enjoying a couple weeks of summer vacation like the old days. I've been all over the place this year and even tho I was occasionally here in holland with mum and dad for a week or two, it was always just a mini break from work in the US. In my mind I was always thinking about upcoming shows we were going to or organizing my next move. (Or... Organizing school. Because yep, I'm going back to school. College, starting this September.) However, as of last week, I'm more or less done planning, organizing, worrying etc. I moved all my stuff back over from the us to holland, which was, note to self, incredibly/eye-opening/ridiculously much!!! College preparations are also dealt with and even the little yet time consuming things like filling out applications to be an inhabitant of the Netherlands again, is all behind me now. So there's finally some rest! Yeah!

I figured this might be a good time to tell you what I'm gonna be doing once the holidays are over, so.. Here we go!

The college I'm gonna go to, is called Helicon/NHB Deurne. For those of you who noticed, no that's not 'University of this' or 'College of that'... And that is because, like most things in my life, this is not an ordinary college. It's a, Surprise surprise, Riding College! I've thought long and hard about this, cause apart from my passion for horses, I'm also really interested in psychology, photography, fashion and neuroscience. Unfortunately for me, there's nothing that mixes all that together and still contains horses, so I went for the bold move and decided I'm not giving up my equestrians dreams yet. Ok back to NHB Deurne; this college is the oldest and biggest horse college in the Netherlands as far I know and it got my interest since it launched a new, higher level, 4 year study called Equestrian Sport. It includes everyday riding (all English disciplines) but also teaching (both riding lessons and in classrooms) a bit of business and a variety of veterinary subjects. I'm gonna be in the sport-class, in which there's an extra emphasis on riding/competing so all of this together is a mix I feel is made for me. :-) But, there's even more to come. This school is like a boarding school. All students stay in the same building all week and only go home in weekends. (College campus/dorms are highly unusual in the Netherlands)You're required to wear a school uniform for any equine activities. (Navy school polo shirt or sweater, tan breeches) Small groups of students stay at school during weekends or holidays to look after the horses. Also, all students are required to be at school at 7AM, feed the horses and muck stalls, then have breakfast at school together at 8 before classes start at 9. We also have lunch together and dinner once all the horses are well groomed/fed for the night.  In my eyes, this makes the school similar to one of those ballet academies featured in tv shows haha!
I'm honestly so excited. A year without books and study was great after 6 years of high school, but now, I'm looking forward so incredibly much to combining my passion of riding with studying horses and everything around it at an actual educational institution. Only with classmates as crazy about horses as I am..!!! However, it will be a couple of months before I open any book... The sport class starts off the year with a 3 month internship at a barn/riding school. NHB Deurne decides who goes where and luckily they placed me at one of the greatest barns I have ever worked for in the past..; Jos Lansink Stables! Weehoo!! So after quite some years and other barns in places far more away, I'm returning to Belgium to work for this great man, who in my eyes, will always be the World Champion, just sayin' ;-), and his super team! I can't wait. :-)

This party will start early September and will last until end of November. But, obviously, I couldn't possibly sit on my butt at home until September.. Thankfully, there are still some shows to attend in the meantime!

This weekend I'm going to a 3 star show in Beervelde, Belgium, to see Lauren and Eirin Bruheim (and the ponies i miss so much) jump and then the week after there's the Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, to which I'm definitely going since half the United States appeared to have flown in their horses to compete! :D

I'll keep you posted with pictures! Until then, thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your summer!!

xoxo 

NHB Deurne!!

my mentor for this school year! Mr. Mans Buurman

school uniform polo shirt

the beautiful Lansink stables