Wild Weekend Away!

Every year, to end the academic year on a wild note, our BLOKKERS pick up the rains and gallop to a place far far away, where they can eat, drink and ride with each other during a full weekend away. This year, a delegation of 7 BLOKKERS traveled all the way to beautiful Drenthe to enjoy a weekend full of riding. With tropical weather predicted, our BLOKKERS were nervous: will this weekend be wild or will it be mild because of the heat? Turned out a BLOKKER can do both. We started on Friday evening with a short ride to get to know our companions for the weekend. Afterward, we ordered pizza in our best Drents and drank all the leftover beer from the SO (thank you Eeuwige Jeugd).

The next day we started early: at 08.30 we prepared our horses for a 4-hour trail ride with picnic in between. After an early broodje kroket, Lieke felt courageous. No need for picnic tables to mount my horse, or so she thought. Luckily Skittles did not skedaddle off the cliff and we went on our way. When we returned, the heat was almost unbearable so our BLOKKERS fled to the nearest lake to sunbathe until dinner. A glass of wine in the right hand and a horse quartet in the other. What a life.

At the tapas restaurant, we noticed that we might really live in a bubble in Amsterdam. Vegetarians? That is a problem. Lactose intolerance? Goat cheese is the way to go. Fortunately, Drenthenaren are just as flexible as BLOKKERS and we had a lovely meal. Back at our little house, it was time for some entertainment. Performances from all over the country were flown in to amuse our riders: Lil Kleine and even Andre Hazes Sr. performed at Les Chevaux. A wild night to remember.

Time for our last ride at 9.30 the next morning. In the already burning heat, everybody was quiet and listened to the horses’ hooves on the forest floors. After a cold shower for horse and rider, we went on our way back to Amsterdam, but not before a quick stop at McDonald’s. Thank you, everyone, for an amazing weekend!