Hi everybody,I am running a dressage stable, right now we are still located in Canada, but our farm seems to be selling and the we are off to you beautiful country New Zealand. IF you like to know more about me, everything is written right here: www.classicaldressagecoach.com
I am looking forward very much to soon be in NZ with my family.

Hi CD, where abouts are you moving to in NZ?? It will be great to have more Classical Dressage trainers here.

Hi Harley and thanks for the welcome!
We don't know yet. We plan on renting an RV and driving across the North Island. Just weather wise my tendency is Hawkes Bay, but it depends on business opportunities too, as on has to leave of something ;-) As for my husbands work, we'll need a milk plant somewhere near...
You know, I've read an article in "Dressage Today", that New Zealand would like to have more dressage trainers, that's what started us on exploring this endavour. Also it is f... cold here in winter, and winter starts here now and lasts approx. 7 month.
I just love passing on the classical knowledge I gained working with several German and Swiss trainers as well as Paul Belasik from Pennsylvania and Silvia Loch.

welcome CD!!! You bringing any horses across with you too?!

Silvia Loch is great, mum has all her books and vids (well maybe not ALL but a fair few of them!)

Of course as long as you're willing to travel, NZ is small enough you can whip around training in other places too which is good. A lot of our coaches do just that.

Is that your overo you are riding in your avatar?

No, he was here for training.

ok, he looks quite nice. I like coloured horses I am a little biased though as I own a tobiano.

Yeahh, I agree, they are pretty, we own 4 coloured horses/ponies. Pics are on our other website, www.happyhorsestables.ca at "our horses"...

Hi KA Raz
Thanks for the welcome.

I don't know yet about bringing some horses with us. So far, we found out it costs C$ 15'000 per horse. I guess, for that money we can buy a good horse in NZ. I have a foal coming in May, I really would love to bring with me. Can't find any ships right now, to send it by sea... ...it's tough to leave 'em behind

awwww particularly a baby! but you wouldn't want to ship a baby too early either would you which would mean them staying over there possibly after you're gone anyway and all the associated hassles of having someone else in charge of them etc.

if you browse Trade Me (www.trademe.co.nz) you'll get some idea of some of the horses around and prices at the moment, or www.equinetrader.co.nz depends what you consider good as to what you'll get for $15K LOL altho an unspoilt youngster is always possible at that price or a lot less!

Yes, but... ...hmm there is a but. This is going to be a special foal, its sire is Watch Me who is a son of WELTMEYER! I really hate to leave it behind. If anyone knows of anybody who is shipping horses by sea, please let me know. I'll drive that little one down to Los Angeles if I have to!!!!

is that not the normal mode of shipping (travel I guess is a better word LOL) for you guys?

No, these days they all travel with an airplane, that's where the 15K come from. I hope that shipping by sea is only half the price.

how long would a sea trip be from there to here?

I think it's usually about 28 days but I can't quite remember if thats exit LA or NY.

hell that's a while isn't it! I bet they wobble when they get off the boat after that length of time LOL

It maybe around 21 days if not slightly quicker from LA. However not sure if there are many or if any sea freighting of horses from the states I think it's only air freight. I know they sea freight between NZ and Aus.

By milking plant do you mean a factory or a farm? There are 10,000 dairy farms in NZ, we're one of them and we're looking for a staff member to join us, maybe 2. What do you and your husband do for work?

@KA Raz: They get exercised on the ship, every day.

@ Harley: Yeahh, it appears difficult at present to find a ship! But the foal is not yet born, so we've got some time...

@Jenzellie: My husband is trained in processing the milk to either milk powder or yoghurt or so. So he wants to find a job in one of the milk processing plants, but might be positive to start on a farm. What type of worker do you need?

there are many factorys around nz, one as far up as Whangarei (close to where i am.) Fonterra is the biggest employer in that industry in NZ, there are a few other smaller companies, but am not sure how large or where they are suituated.

one in Golden Bay, top of the Sth Island, but wouldn't be any good for you for horse stuff it's too isolated.

@Bexta and @KA Raz:
Yeahh, we are looking for one somewhere in Hawkes Bay area. I like it not too cold in winter (here it gets easily MINUS 30 C)and not too hot in summer (25 C is enough).

How are the bugs in NZ? In Ontario there is tons of deer flies and other nasty stuff, in Quebec there is not much of those buggers.

houseflies and botflies (we don't even get bots down in the chillier Sth LOL) sandflies, mozzies, nothing too annoying at all, and nothing poisonous

You'll love it!

not sure about the rest of nz, but here we get ticks on cattle grased grass as well.

Wow, this sounds just great!!!! No more plagues by those buggers. Jupeeeee.

We have a few TBs and they go completely nuts in summer, there is flies of every kind and everywhere. Some bite, some pinch. I used to go riding with a shirt made of moskito net that fit over my helmet too an right down to my gloves plus thick leather full chaps. It reminded me of going to war

I definitely am looking forward to this.

LOL, I can just picture it! Actually I'm sure you have a photo somewhere so we can chuckle

I'll see what I can do about that photo!

*waits patiently while playing games on Facebook* LOL

He, he, he it won't happen today or tomorrow....

that's alright I'll still be playing games on FB LOL

Sad internet junky that I am!