Monday April 21, 2003

2003 National Dressage Symposium with Kyra Kyrklund

Rosalind Kinstler and Fruhsport

When Fruhsport, enters the arena, heads turn. With the presence of royalty he strides past onlookers and eyes follow his every movement. The 18.2h gelding is by by Frohwind Furioso II, and is co-owned by Helmut Schrant and Vanessa Carlson. Fruhsport is big, black, and handsome and his presence fills the stadium.

Bred in Chicago by Helmut Schrant, Fruhsport was an ugly duckling who developed into a swan according to his owner Rosalind Kinstler of Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Having first been introduced to the horse when he was owned by her clients Bill and Carla Cox, it soon became evident that he was too big for Carla’s 5’ frame. Even Kinstler, who is five and a half feet tall, is dwarfed by the ten-year-old gelding.

Having seen his potential and with the right price at the time, Kinstler bought him and watched him bloom. “All of this muscle on him now is the work,” she said. “He gets regular feed, no supplements – the closer to natural the better, I believe.”

She says that she has brought him along slowly to develop the muscles properly before putting pressure on him. “Now it’s paying off,” she grins.

Kinstler said that her sessions with Kyra Kyrklund helped to give them more finesse. “He knows a lot now but he needs fine-tuning to be an FEI horse.” Fruhsport has competed at Prix St. Georges but was in the fourth level group at the symposium. Over the winter she worked with Betsy Steiner and Hans Dressler in Florida. “With him it’s the fine tuning,” she continued. “He’s light and responsive so I have to not inadvertently over-ride, but at the same time push him and not settle for less.”