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Topic: Hello from Istanbul, Turkey (Read 1520 times)
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KatieK
Novice
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Posts: 18
I love Trakehners!
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This is my first post on the forum, after several attempt at the gate of the registration form and failing at the historical place name...and me, an historıan...
I live in Turkey, although I am from Oregon. I bought a ten-year old Trakehner stallion from Bulgaria last November, who is trained to S-level in dressage. I have questions about the breed, about registration, about many things, but I am at work now and really should get back to my papers (I am an academic editor at a university in Istanbul).
I am relieved to have made it into the forum so I can start reading and asking questions. 
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Deb
FEI
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Posts: 208
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Welcome aboard! When you get the chance, tell us more about your stallion! 
Deb in KY, USA
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KatieK
Novice
Offline
Posts: 18
I love Trakehners!
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He is, as you can see from the photo, a dark gleaming chestnut. 16.2 hands. That's my almost-15 year old daughter riding him on a corner. She is very "into" dressage and rode in the Turkish national championships last June, placing second in her category. He is very calm under saddle, and very sweet in the stable. He was brought to Istanbul from Bulgaria four months ago. He had never been given sugar, or much of anything in the way of treats or coddling and seems quite abashed by it (though he never says no to more carrots!)
We ride in Turkey's oldest equestrian club, which usedto be on the outskirts of Istanbul. Unfortunately it is now surrounded by the city's financial district and has lost its grazing areas. Lack of turnout and grass is beginning to get on his nerves is the general opinion as he has been acting out the last few weeks. He reared up last Friday and left me in the dust and then galloped around the arena...Saturday morning saw me driving out to the countryside with a friend to see where she keeps her horses. I'll be moving him out there this weekend. I had imagined it might be possible to keep a horse in the city, but this is obviously unwise.
While we are moving him, we will be renaming him. We do not know what name he was given at birth. He was renamed by him trainer at some later date. She gave him the name Glinka, which is the name of a 19th century Russia composer. For a number of reasons we don't like this name. The latest is that a Russian I met on Sunday told me that the root of the word means something like "grout"...so now I am on the trail of a nice name fitting a really nice looking stallion that begins with "G" since his mama's name begins with "G". A good dressage-y "G" name is REALLY hard to come by, so any suggestions would be welcomed from you, my new best friends
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stryder
Novice
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Posts: 13
So much to learn!
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Welcome!
He's beautiful. And appears to be Gallant, as well. 
My horse is calming down after another change in feed. No alfalfa, just grass hay, and regular work are bringing her mind back to us. Too much energy was sabotaging everything.
Good luck figuring out all the pieces.
Stryder from Washington State
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Karen P.
ata
FEI
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Posts: 177
I LOVE Trakehners!
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Welcome Katie! You are not missing anything in the NW this winter, it has been very WET. Mud is just not my favorite. How long have you been in Turkey? So glad you found your way to us. We have some very knowledgeable people who post here so ask away.
Karen P. also from Washington state
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KatieK
Novice
Offline
Posts: 18
I love Trakehners!
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I've been here 20 years. I came straight out of university. My intention was to stay a year, teach English and learn some Turkish before going to Indiana U. and doing a MA/Ph.D in Central Asian studies of our medieval pediod-- i.e. nomadic studies (horses!)....but about 14 hours after I arrived, I went to a concert of the Modern Jazz Quartet at the Istanbul Jazz Festival and met my husband...so I stayed. I did an MA in Ottoman history and now run my university's thesis editing office. My husband is an architect with his own firm, plus he lectures at one of the university's in the city. We have a near-15 year old daughter.
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KatieK
Novice
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Posts: 18
I love Trakehners!
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Hello, an update: Dante (Glinka, which a Russia has since told me is not only a feminine name in Russian but means something like 'grout', thus making it an even less appropriate name for our stallion, who was named by a Bulguarian) LOVES his new home. He is calm, his ears are forward, has seems pleased and relaxed and ready to work. My daughter is riding him again and has decided not to replace him...WHEW!!
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KatieK
Novice
Offline
Posts: 18
I love Trakehners!
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An update: Things are going really well. My daughter is getting along with her new trainer. He is a really nice, gentle guy who knows how to motivate through praise and rides Dante like she does. She's almost riding back up to the level that she was riding on the horse we leased last year, meaning she's started doing all of the dressage moves (shoulder-in, half pass, etc) with Dante. She's really happy. Her confidence has come back to about 95%.
Dante is very very happy in his new place. And now that we are no longer in the high-service urban club, we have full access to him, so my daughter is able to be in the box with him, grooming and talking to him. He is a real dear, always gentle. There is no trace of the horse that went beserk at the other club. (yet we keep in mind that his is always a horse, don't worry)
Here is a photo I took last weekend. I have more photos on a blog I set up just for my horse photos.http://www.mysirapinar.blogspot.com
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« Last Edit: May 11, 2007, 01:32:28 PM by KatieK »
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Joy
ata
Old Hand
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Posts: 1,270
I love Trakehners!
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Great photo! It looks like they have really bonded.
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