128 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Jan Westmark
I went to the 2010 Alltech FEI World
Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky
and had a great time. Who wouldn’t? It
was filled with the best horses and riders
from all over the world, competing in a
multitude of disciplines. I loved it. Now it’s
time to get ready for the Alltech FEI World
Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy,
France.
So what am I doing to get ready for the
great Normandy adventure if I get to go?
You might think I am brushing up on my
jumping skills, taking additional dressage
lessons or learning to drive my four-in-
hand team – but no, I won’t be competing
in the Games. That ship has sailed. Or
maybe it would be better to say that pony
has bucked me off one too many times.
To get ready for the Games in
Normandy, I decided to start taking French
lessons. I signed up for conversational
French at my local community college
and made it through four weeks of the
eight-week class. I am not kidding!
Je ne
plaisante pas!
I could tell you I stopped
going because of all the deadlines I face
with the magazine, or the fact that I live on
top of a mountain and I was worried about
driving down my slippery slope in the dark
(it was a night class) or that I was scared
of my French teacher’s bushy eyebrows –
but none of these would be true. (Except
the part about the eyebrows.)
Instead, I dropped out of the French
class after four weeks because all I was
going to be able to do at the Games in
Normandy was go to the bathroom and
find my hotel – in French, of course. So,
instead, I am trying to conquer “horsey”
French online, all by myself. So far it’s
working out just fine.
When I arrive in Normandy, instead of
heading to my hotel I will head straight to
the barns at the show grounds by saying
Où est la grange?
(Where’s the barn?).
Once there I will find a horse and rider
competing in the Games and say,
Joli
cheval
(Pretty horse) and
Vos chaussures
sont brillantes
(Your boots are shiny).
That is sure to win the rider over and, if I am lucky, and they end
up on the medal podium, then I am all set for more dialogue.
After they have that medal hanging around their neck I will
congratulate them by saying
Félicitations à l’occasion de ne
pas tomber
(Congratulations on not falling off) and then
Je peux
l’essayer sur votre médaille d’or?
(Can I try on your Gold Medal?).
I promise to take photos. I will be able to try my French on plenty
of unsuspecting riders because the event will be packed. Check
out the official poster for the Games: eight disciplines, 15 days, 60
nations, 1,000 competitors.
Brushing Up On My French For Normandy – Oui, Oui
e
The Bottom Line
For now, I’m going to keep practicing my French because the
Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games begin August 23, 2014.
Even if I don’t go to Normandy, the benefit is that I now speak
fluent horsey French. Describing my abilities as “fluent” might be
a stretch, a big stretch – but what’s not a stretch is saying
Je
suis enthousiasmé par une aventure en Normandie
(I am excited
about an adventure in Normandy.)
Hope to see you all in France! (
Vous voir en France
.) If you see
me there, please help me get to my hotel – that is one thing I still
haven’t learned to say!
Merci!
Let the show begin. (
Que le spectacle commence.)
