2023
Sadly, my beloved Rocky passed away on July 26, 2026. Following a dispute within the herd, he suffered a complicated comminuted fracture of his left hind leg and had to be put to sleep. He will nevertheless remain in my heart and on this website. He was my very first horse and was by my side for almost 18 years. I will be grateful to him forever.
2023
I bought Rocky on 4.11.2008 when he was 4½ years old. At the time, he was spirited and headstrong. He was very inexpensive because he was
almost impossible to bridle and caused quite a bit of trouble in other ways as well. During the trial ride, we even fell off
together. And yet, he couldn't hide his kind and gentle nature from me. After just a few weeks, I had earned his trust, and
a wonderful friendship began. We spent countless hours together out on the trails, exploring new places and getting up to all
sorts of mischief I could think of. Whether it was Hungarian Post, rding with garrocha or pulling a sled,
Rocky was always up for it and gave everything his all. In addition to classical riding, we also had great fun with circus tricks,
which Rocky picked up incredibly quickly. He particularly loved the Spanish walk and lying down flat. He could lie there relaxed
for ages, enjoying being stroked. Once, he even fell asleep while doing so.
2023
Sitting was another one of his specialities: while sitting, he could give a Spanish salute on a simple finger signal. Sometimes, after lying down or rolling in his stall, he would sit up and look around to see whether anyone had witnessed his wonderful trick and might bring him a treat. Rocky was a reliable and sure-footed horse out on the trails, and I believe he had a certain appreciation for beautiful landscapes, as I often saw him gazing dreamily into the distance during our 2020 crossing of the Alps. In the arena, Rocky was always extremely reliable, calm and gentle, so I was able to start teaching lessons on him at an early stage. His kind nature and comfortable gaits made him a very popular school horse, and everyone felt safe riding him. He was very careful not to lose anyone and would slow down on his own whenever he sensed that his rider was becoming frightened or losing their balance. I believe he really enjoyed this job, probably not least because of all the carrots, cuddles and admiration he received from his students. With Rocky by my side, I was able to learn the finer points of classical riding. He soon mastered lateral movements in all three gaits, pirouettes, piaffe and passage. Flying changes were difficult for him at first, but over the years he eventually progressed all the way to two-tempi changes. For several years, Rocky struggled with hock spavin, but over time the affected joints became sufficiently fused that, on April 25, 2026, he still managed to win a Speed Trail at a Working Equitation competition.I miss his friendly little nicker every day when I walk into the stable.