What an awesome ride through the forest!

  We went on an hour and a half trail ride today!! We did it!! I never would have thought I would take Udex away from the barn and go riding, but I did! And am I glad I did it or what! We went with my good friend and one of the school horses, Ernesto.
I disovered Udex is the most well mannered, behaved horse I have ever rode on the trails. He is probably the most challenging to ride out on the trails as well. He had a lot of power with every step he took; thats for sure. You could just feel the eagerness in with every step! He did really good controlling it and with the right amount of leg and rein use, he stayed at the pace I wanted him to be at. Of course when I didn't get that combination perfect; he would speed up. Most of the time the combo was right though; meaning he was too!
  He was so nice and rounded the entire ride. Such a dressage horse, even out of the arena. Everything he does is so elegant and flashy!! Anyways, like I said before he was pretty awesome!! It was really funny because when we got to the top of this one hill, while we were in the field he spent a good five minutes just whinnying!! It wasn't a "WHERE ARE MY FRIENDSSSS" kind of whinny, but more of a "Look at meeee! I'm the king of the world!!" It was so fun to see him so happy and fresh!!
  The only troublesome part was when we passed a paddock of five or so horses! They came galloping up the fence and galloping alongside it as we walked by. Udex seemed rather annoyed. He did a very fast extended walk past that field. He was so nice and rounded, I couldn't help but think he was showing off! What a silly boy!
  Of course we ended the day with him rolling in the arena! He got his dinner and was put away in his comfy stall! I can see a big change with his mood from today! He is acting a lot more happy, his eyes are a bit more perky then usual, and over all he seems a lot more interested in everything!! It's really good to spice things up with horses. We have to keep it interesting for them too!! Well I'm glad he had fun today!!! I'm looking forward for winter now so I can go riding with him and my friends in the snow!!! I'm so glad I decided to give the trails with him a shot!! What a great choice!

I have been so proud!

   I can't begin to tell you how great Udex is doing. Last lesson [Friday] there was a big, nasty storm; possible tornadoes. The sound the rain makes on the roof of the arena is pretty loud and spooky! Not to mention constant roars of thunder, and flashes of lightning! Udex was so calm in the scary environment. He didn't even flinch!! At some points the thunder was so loud both my trainer and I jumped. Udex being the brave horse he is prodded on like he couldn't even hear a thing!!!! I was sooo relieved to see him being such a lovely chap for me!
  During our lesson we worked on leg yields and shoulder ins and haunches ins! We did everything pretty good!! I am really getting the hang of it all with him! The most challenging part about all these movements is that in trot, it's done at a sitting trot. Udex being such a difficult horse to sit takes a lot more effort to do these moves. I do have to say I am quite pleased with my sitting trot, although even now it could use some work. These movements are coming along nicely though. I think within two months time we will do them as easy as we give a half halt!
 There was a bit a head throwing. Along with the head throwing there was itty bitty rears. You can't really call them a rear though, since all it was was him lifting his front feet off the ground an inch or two. As my trainer says "The good times come more and more." I do agree with her. Every lesson he stays a bit longer without throwing his head. It will be a while before the head throwing vanishes all together, but it's alright. He can take all the time he needs. I have it, and I'm willing to give it to him.
  Big surprise!!! I took Udex on a little trail ride!!! I swore my trail days were over, especially with such a big, energetic horse. So much for that though. The other day I felt so bad always boring him with free running, lunging, riding. The same thing must get sooo boring for him. I decided to see how he acts by taking him for about 45 minutes on a little walk on the street outside the barn. He did so great! I gave him a nice long rein and he was really enjoying himself. He was looking around enjoying the scenery! It made me happy to see him happy! I was so happy I forgot I was even trail riding!! I know it wasn't much, just walking on the road.. but it's a start!! Eventually I would like to be able to take him out and run!! That's my most favorite thing to do on on the trails!! Let him have a nice fast canter, drop the reins, and put your arms out and fly!! Too bad our summer is almost over, not that we had much of one anyways. I will still go in the snow though!! I plan on snow riding!! I think Udex would enjoy that too! After all, I don't want him to get too bored!! I do think that just leg yeilds, shoulder ins and haunches ins must be extremely boring to a horse who could passage, pirroutte, piaffe, and prance around!!
  I'm proud of my baby!! We have come a very far way, thats for sure!!! Whenever I'm having a bad day with him, I just think to the first day I saw him. That makes me melt and forget everything. I'm ready for another fun, adventurous week with my crazy horsey!

Gel Shoes and Other Stuff

  I have not wrote in a little while! Man! I have found I just don't have the drive to write at the moment. So much has happened though! Isn't that how it always goes when you skip writing for a few days?
   The farrier came for Udex and put on really neat gel shoes! He only has shoes in his front feet since it isn't necessary to put them on the back. About two-ish months ago we had a different farrier trim Udex's hooves. Biggest mistake ever. He ended up cutting waaay to much out of the soles of his already flat hooves, resulting in a few abscesses and lameness for around a month. There was quiet a few little abscesses that popped on their own within a few days durning that time. However, there was this one really nasty abscess that took about four days to pop. It was in the heel of his hoof! Eventually, -after epson salt soaks-, it popped!! He was good to ride right then and there! He was turned out with his friends and the next day we started work like normal.
  When the farrier came again to re-shod him, he showed us something interesting! In Udex's abscess hoof he had grown two soles!! Instead of just one sole there was now two, messy and all over the place. It was interesting to see, and watch him get rid of! Lots of cutting and snipping! His hoof was over exposed, and probably would have bruised or abscessed if left without any special attention. The solution? Fill the hooves with gel!! I was really excited to see that process happen! "Too cool" was the only thing that went through my mind! Anyways, he put the shoes on Udex with a chicken wire mesh as well. After his shoes were on he brought his little "gel gun" and squirted lots of the liquid into the hoof until it touched the brim of the shoe. Then he wrapped the hoof and let it set for about fifteen minutes. He did this to both front hooves.
   After the wrapping came off, he had a nice, soft, squishy gel in the hooves!!!! If I was a horse, I would love to be walking on that! Mr. Rau is an incredible farrier!! He has a natural talent for the job, and is a horse person as well. Udex stood extremely calm for almost an hour.

  Besides new shoes, lessons have been going well. We are working a lot more in trot now, which is both exciting and challenging at the same time. Udex is a "rocking horse," and really skinny at that. That makes him super challenging to sit! The way he moves is rather choppy. He is a horse that you really can not sit without having the right muscles, practice, patience and drive. All my friends almost flop right off him in sitting trot, canter, and rising trot even. His walk is even enough to make you cringe. You can only feel it when your riding though. When watching him move he actually looks surprisingly smooth!
  I have been getting sitting trot down with him. My seat isn't anywhere near as good as it is with other horses, but it's enough to call it a working process. The other day we were leg yeilding in trot and it wasn't working as well as I'd like it to have. As my trainer was yelling at me I caught myself thinking "ughh. It's not my fault that this horse is impossible to sit!!!!" Then almost a second later I felt really terrible when I thought that it wasn't Udex's fault either. It wasn't his fault that someone put him through years and years of rollkur pain, causing him all this damage. He was born a perfect, healthy, talented foal. Someone did the damage to him, he had no say in what went on.
  I gave Udex and pat and told him he was a good boy. Not everyday can we ride and get the expected results. It takes time to get it right. I have a lesson today, hopefully it goes well!! Even if it doesn't go too smoothly, I'm still going to be proud... Because six months ago, my horse was not rideable, not sitable, a failure, a "cow" and a lot of other things according to a lot of people. Today he is one amazing dressage horse, happy as can be, super talented, and lots of other amazing things. (-: I really, really, really love and appreciate my horsey. He's really just so amazing, I don't know where I would be without him!

I never thought we would get this far this fast.

   Yesterday while riding I couldn't help but feel so proud!! Six months ago Udex was an un-sittable, suicidal, depressed, emaciated horse who would always tuck himself behind the bit due to riding with hyperflexion so many years. We are now doing shoulder in's and haunches in's and leg yields, and lot's of sitting trot!!! He is doing so, so, so amazing. I never ever ever in a million years would have thought that in just six months he would be coming along so far!!! I'm just soo impressed!! I mean of course, we still have our bad days. Our good days are just getting better and better. My trainer is raising her standards for us, pushing Udex and I to work even harder!! I love it!!
  So yesterday our lesson was beyond great!! Udex was a bit tired, but other then that; truly amazing!! Days I don't bring the camera something amazing always happens.. Go figure!!! He gave me some absolute perfect leg yields! I couldn't have asked for better. We also worked on our shoulder in's, which were also going well!!! For the first real day of schooling them and perfecting them, five to nine steps of a good shoulder in at walk was pretty rewarding. We also tried a bit of haunches in, which is actually quite difficult to do with Udex. When I give the absolute correct aids, then he goes right, but if it's anything below perfect he just won't budge. That's quite difficult due to my muscles not being at the strength that he is expecting. I'm not worried though. Doing all the leg yields and shoulder in's and now haunches in's I have been doing, I will have those muscles in no time!!!
   I couldn't stop smiling while I was riding him. Just thinking that six months ago how bad he was and how today we are riding second level moves!! Ah!! It's so amazing!!! This has to be the most rewarding feel that is possible. If you haven't ever took in a rescue horse... you're missing out... BIG time!!! The farrier is coming to put new shoes on Udex soon, so I'm off to the stable!! Hopefully Udex stands quiet, but since he is the horse he is, he probably won't, and will cause a hassle!!! Oh well, fingers crossed!!

German summers. Gotta love them.

   When you see advertisements of Germany, you always get the same, beautiful image.

White, cold winters with snow everywhere. Lush, green springs with white flowers scattered in every field. Warm summers with the cattle grazing and the sun shining brightly. 

Let me tell you... wrong. wrong. wrong. WRONG. If you had a picture in your mind anywhere even close to what I just described, please.. remove it, immediately. The truth is...

 Freezing cold icy winters, with little, to no snow. Just icy winds and chilly bones. Rainy springs with left over bitter ice wind from the winter. Occasionally, the rare glimpse of sunshine. Mostly just muddy fields. Summers are dark, cold, rainy and just yucky. A warm day is very, very rare. Even then a warm day is never above 95 degrees. 

pulling him out of his secret hideout.

  So, now that you know how the real German weather is, I can say that today we had a very warm day. The poor horses were being rained on and freezing their butts of this entire summer that they have a somewhat thicker coat then they should have. It's not good for horses to go from freezing cold, to super warm. Everything gets messed up. Today I had to squeeze past horses huddled together under the wooden shed. They were all squeezed super tight in there to keep from the sun and bugs. Poor things. It was even warmer in the shed because all their hot bodies were together. I couldn't leave my poor Udex out there in that!! Also, the cut on his leg was being swamped with flies [again.. ugh] so I had to take care of that. Udex was really happy to be in the cool shade the stable had to offer. I hosed him down with cool water. It was refreshing for both him and me!! Nothing beats the feel of being splashed with cool water on a blistering hot day. Ahh. priceless. I also sponged down his face so that too would stay cool!!! He really, really, really enjoyed being pampered like that.

  After our little "water party" I put cream on his wound and put him in his stall. For him it was a sun free, cool day!! Happily munching on his hay. Tonight I think there should be some light showers. Usually light showers are fine with me, but since he has a nasty open cut I would rather him be inside and dry. Some days with Udex are fun! Today was one of them!! I'm really happy he is my horse. I still can't believe he is my horse!! I also can't believe that the choice to use rollkur was made when training and riding him. It's been hard undoing all the damage rollkur has caused, but everyday it's getting better. I can't beleive how fast his recovery is going!! It is really weird looking at when I first got him just six short months ago and looking at him today. Wow!! He really is a new horse!! I'm so proud to know that I'm (with the help of my parents, friends, and trainers!!) the reason this horse is feeling better. It's a feel like no other.

Wounds && a Lesson

after I cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide

   Yuck! Last week Udex was kicked on his front left leg pretty bad. He had a little gash in it. Taking the barn owner, my mom, and my trainers advice I cleaned it, put blue spray on it, and let it be. For about five days that was working. Yesterday? It was open and raw and flies were everywhere. When I put cream on it I got about four flies in the cream, that's how many flies there were. Instantly I became paranoid about infection!!! Ahhh!!!! Anyways, today I wrapped it and put a lot of good stuff on it. Hopefully tomorrow it's closed up again and fly free!!!

  Our lesson was pretty good!! Udex was a little tired; he spent four nights in the paddock Other then being tired, he was pretty good! It was a really, really, really warm day today. I'm surprised neither of us died (lots of laughs.) It's never easy to work in the heat, as almost anyone should know. So putting together the fact he was super tired and it was super warm out.. I'm pleased with the outcome of today. We didn't have any more, or less, head throwing then usual. Leg yielding him from F to X wasn't working out too well. Actually it wasn't working at all. I need stronger muscles on that side, and he does too!!! Our other hand is both of our dominant hand! It's a little difficult making our weak hands stronger, but I'm sure we will do it. He does all his moves so lovely, sometimes it's a little frustrating knowing that the reason he isn't doing it is because of me!!! I was watching a T.V. show yesterday and had to giggle when the dressage rider was half passing her horse, and the trainer was yelling at her. The rider said "It's this footing in the arena. It's terrible!!" The trainer looked at her blankly and said "it isn't the footing... and it isn't the horse!" It was really funny to hear this (at least to me!) I guess it could be because my trainer says the same thing when I try to make excuses!! Well sorry for the short entry, I am just not in the mood to write.

Fun!

  This morning Udex and I had a nice little ride. We didn't really focus on anything but fun! Not worrying about the usual, just simply having fun! It was really refreshing for both of us! We did a lot of stuff we usually don't do today. We cantered with no hands. Even though I have done that so many times with him, every time I let go of the reins I can't help but believe that I'm flying. Udex's big, energetic stride can really give you the illusion that your above the world, zooming into the unknown. -Anyways.- Our canter was pretty fun!! After he was finished cooling we had a lot of fun! I rode him in a walk a bit "side saddle!" At first he thought (since my legs were both to one side) that he pirrouette! For about a minute he was pivoting on his back legs, confused on what to do. Eventually he realized that I mean to simply go forward. Aha. Then he walked on like the good boy he is. After a few minutes side saddle I layed down on his back. He put his ears back a bit, but compared to what he normally does I was happy! He got a good boy pat for being so good while I did that!! He is trusting me enough to do things that six months ago he would have been a demon at. I also stood on his back!! I did about two steps of walk before I sat down. Let me tell you, standing on an over seventeen hand horses back... you feel really tall! It's crazy!!! So I did that a few times as well. We did a lot of other fun and crazy stuff today. He was a really good boy for me. I'm really proud with the rate he is recovering from his rollkur damage!!! I couldn't have asked for better!!!

Sometimes bad days turn good... really good.

  Days like this I just am not in the mood to ride. Rainy, windy, cold, blue; gloomy. Everything about today just set the mood for a bad day. Since it was raining, I had my horse cooped up in his stall all day. Just thinking about how I was going to have to wrestle with my huge, energetic, fresh warmblood gave me a headache. I just wanted to skip today and go right into tomorrow... I came to the barn feeling very sour. Udex was pacing around in his stall and whinnying every two minutes. I rolled my eyes and took a while setting up my tack box and getting my saddle and bridle out. "Oh great.. He's so energetic and nervous today! It's going to be a hard struggle to pick his hooves, yet alone put the bit in his mouth when the only thing he wants to do is run!"
  I was right. It was a struggle to get him to stand still long enough for me to pick his hooves. After getting that task over with I very unhappily took him to the arena to free run a bit of the crazies out. After a few minutes of running he walked over to me, chomping on nothing, (sign of submission) and nuzzled me. He was still full of energy, but he let me tack him up a lot easier then he would have without letting that negative energy out.
  I did notice he had a fantastic trot today. In the beginning he had a very nice long and low neck! I trotted him with no hands for a bit... Good for my balance, and good for him to really stretch down low. Anyways, after he was warmed up to some extent, my trainer arrived and we began our lesson. [At this point I was still a bit gloomy. The wind rattling the roof, Udex whinnying out to his friends every few seconds.] We started out the lesson with einfache schlange linien [simple snake lines] and lots and lots and lots of circles. Udex was going great with little head throwing and very eager to listen to my leg. We did lots of circles on a loose rein! He was being such a good boy. My bad mood was slowly getting lighter and lighter. When it came time to canter I was in a pretty happy mood considering how outstanding my horse was preforming!!! The canter was amazing. No head throwing, total response to my leg, and a nice steady pace!!!!

Udex sometimes curls behind the bit.
Thankfully now he doesn't tuck his head in
as far as he once did.

   Sadly, some days Udex still curls up behind the bit out of his past trauma from rollkur. It breaks my trainer and I's heart to see that even when I give him a very loose rein, he still is tucked in behind the bit. He is so mentally afraid. It is very sad to see him curled behind it. Usually towards the end of our lesson I give him a very long rein with hardly any connection and just ride him with my body and legs. We try to get him to come up on the bit, not behind it. Usually the long rein makes him feel secure enough to go on the bit. It's very difficult to help his behind the bit problem, but it's getting better. Today in our lesson, towards the end he started to go ON the vertical, instead of behind it. To see Udex not behind the bit is enough to make me tear up. Two years ago this was a high trained dressage horse, riding everyday in hyperflexion. Today, he is my best friend riding on the bit.
   Over all, today I was expecting a bad day. To my surprise it turned out to be one of our best rides yet!!! I am so, so, so pleased with Udex's recovery! Although some days It isn't easy and I want to give up, I don't. I keep on working with him. Sometimes I see an instant difference, sometimes it takes a little longer. This has been one very hard and challenging journey, both mentally and physically.. but I know what I'm doing for my horse is the right thing to do. I hate knowing he was trained with rollkur his entire life... At the same time I am thankful for it. I know that he was put in my path (and I in his!) so I can do him justice and share his story. If at least one person hears his story and changes their mind about rollkur... then I feel that I have done my job. Rollkur needs to end. It doesn't do anyone any good. Please, put an end to rollkur.

More energy, less head throwing.

   This new feed combo is awesome. I'm so excited I finally found the right combo that works for Udex! Anyways, today during my lesson he had the most perfect amount of energy.. Which means? No head throwing! The entire time I was riding he didn't throw his head a once. At the very end when I was talking to my friend and had him in a halt, he tossed it about two or three times, but that was it. Yipeee! I'm sooo happy! It was really great to ride toss free! It wasn't an intense or hard work out today. Mainly just circles. The circles were pretty good though, possibly a few of my best circles my entire time riding Udex. The way he was bent around my leg, rounded, and staying perfectly on the circle track pleased me. (and of course, no head throwing which just added to my happiness.)
   So not much to say about today's lesson other then the fact we did lots of circles. Udex is stubborn and is getting a little sour when it comes to cantering. When I bring out my friend; the whip, Udex usually starts to realize I'm serious and not just playing around. He leg yielded nice! Haunches in still needs a bit of work, he knows more then haunches in and wants to complicate things by either half passing, pirouetting, etc. It's difficult to ride such a well trained horse because you have to really ride him right in order for him to work. He knows so much that when you are even the slightest bit of on your aide you won't get anything you want.
   So today was a great day!! We are super close to throwing our head shaking battle away! Almost through this small chunk of his rollkur recovery battle! One more thing... I have changed my out look on insults that come my way. When people rattle of all the things that are wrong with my horse, I now look at it this way. "Thank you for telling me everything that's wrong with my horse. You have made it clear what I will fix, and make better. Everything you named wrong with him is everything that is just giving me more experience and my horse more happiness. So it's good the list goes on and on. It's just more tings to eventually name of on the completed list." So now I truly feel unstoppable with an outlook like that. Of course, things like that do hurt me, but having a more positive perspective on it really does change things and ease the hurt. So go ahead and throw insults at us... It won't hurt us, it will only make me more determined and even stronger to go out and do whats right for both me, and my horse!!!! It's those moments that make me the persona and rider I am today!

New feed a SUCCESS!

fresh

  Aaaa-ha! The new food I have been giving Udex has been a huge success! It has given him the right amount of energy and is really helping him to pack on the pounds! It's half a scoop of beet pulp, half a scoop of performance feed, corn oil, molasses, and a splash of garlic powder! He really loves the stuff, which is a relief considering how must feeds and treats he hates!
  Anyways, I spent the day running around with him in the arena. Me in my pajamas, and him just trotting on behind me. It's really fun to play with him in this kind of way now! Even after he runs around like crazy he still has enough energy to play with me! So awesome! Now when I put him on the lunge he wants to just go go go! Before after a few minutes he would tire down. I'm really happy to see him able to just be the fresh and happy horse he was born to be. I can definitely see a change in his behavior now.
  Of course, having an even hotter hot horse is always a joy! Oh well, it's something that is really paying of!! I can't wait for our lesson tomorrow considering he is going to be more energetic!!!

Jealousy.

   Jealousy. It's something that from my experience is pretty big problem in the horse world. Then again, don't you have jealousy in any competitive sport?
  People express jealousy in many ways. It's never fun when your'e the one they are jealous of though. A lot of times you get "hate mail." Other times something stolen or taken from you, and sometimes something as simple as a friend removal off a social networking site. Bottom line is, jealousy causes all those problems.
  Anyways, this is just a little note to anyone who may be reading that when you get hated on, it's not necessarily a bad thing! It just means you have something someone else doesn't! Stay strong and don't give up!

Head throwing.

   The one bad habit Udex has is the fact he throws his head. When I look at it in the big picture though I am pretty lucky that his only bad flaw is throwing his head.. It could be a lot worse!
  When I first got him every time he threw his head I would loose my balance a bit. Now since I am so used to the head throwing I hold against it very well and respond to it without loosing balance; like it never even happened. The head throwing gets worse when he is low on energy. When he has a nice large amount of energy he usually throws his head five times, max. However, on a day he is rather low on energy, the head throwing goes on and on and on. With every four or five strides I would get one or two head tosses.
  Well holding against the head throwing is not that difficult to do once you get in the hang of it. You just have to push him a bit more, and at the same time be hard with the outside rein and ultra loose with the inside rein! Of course there are a few other easier tricks to do to make the head throwing stop.. But being the sneaky person I am I would rather keep that a secret and let you figure out on your own what to do with a head shaker!!! hee-hee.
   The reason Udex throws his head though is from none other then the harsh training tool of rollkur! His lumbar spine is locked in place and you can imagine that it is hard for him to work on the bit after being behind it for so long and having a sore back. I wouldn't ever make Udex do something that wasn't good for him. I have a very nice gel therapy pad (that my trainer was oh so nice to donate to Udex for the time being.) so Udex's back is not taking so much impact! It is good though that I am riding Udex right so he can repair the damage that he has sustained to his back. I know the head throwing will stop once his back gets better. For now he just has to stay strong and get past the hard work so he can feel over all better soon!!!

Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy horsey.

  Some days when I let Udex spend the night in the paddock, he becomes unbelievably sleepy. No; seriously... like dangerous tired. If I have him tied up and he is in a "sleepy" mood he will fall over. Usually I am able to scream or make a loud noise when his knees start to buckle in and prevent him from the actual falling.
   Anyways, yesterday before my lesson he kept on "buckling up" (as I like to call it.) This happened so many times. I knew that today was going to be one of those days where Udex was as stubborn as ever. Joyyy.
   So obviously our lesson was kind of blah. Lots of head throwing (Udex does this when he is tired!) Our leg yields, renvers, traverse, etc. was all done with a lot of head throwing and unwillingness. Poor Udex was just too sleepy!!!!
  No problem though! Not every day can he be perfect!!! I mean at least I actually got coffee this time, it was just a little cold! [see here for more information on that metaphor.] Anyways, even my trainer was fine with Udex. For being as sleepy as he was he was great!! When Udex get's sleepy he doesn't get impossible to make go. No, not at all. He has so much go, even when he is tired. When he gets tired he starts to throw his head, refuse the basic aids, and test you to all extremes. Leave it to my horse to become even more hot headed when he's tired!!
   So I'm off now to go make him his mushy feed of beet pulp, performance mix, power pellets, and corn oil! He is spending the night inside again so he gets a very well deserved sleep!!!

It was a great birthday.

   Yesterday I turned fourteen years old! I got two new bridles for my Udex! One, a lovely double bridle, and the other, a nose band piece to my single snaffle bridle. Warmblood nose bands are somehow too big for my crazy horse. Yeah, I don't know why it is but oh well. Anyways, I bought a vollblut size noseband (which in German, Is thoroughbred size. I had finished grooming Udex, putting on his leg wraps and his saddle and was about to put on my bridle, in hopes that the new nose band would fit a lot better!
  It did fit a lot better.. Only problem was the leather on the crank was too short, and I couldn't reach the end of the leather to the buckle to close it tight! Ahhhh! My mom and friend and I thought about what we could do to make the end reach to the buckle. We sat there for about thirty minutes.. Then we came up with the good idea of attaching one of my old flashes to the end of the leather, and closing it with the end of the flash!!! The idea was brilliant! It worked!!!! It does look a bit ghetto, but hey, it does the job, and that's all that matters! [pics to come later.]
  Anyways, yesterday I had a fantastic ride with Mr. Udex! He was so great! Now, when you ride Udex you have to keep in mind he is intelligent beyond belief. Some days he will test you and try to avoid every aide. [[giving ice tea instead of coffee just because he doesn't feel like making the coffee.]] However, when you ride with a whip he knows that you are not playing around and that everything you are asking him is for real.
  So yesterday I did the whip! I wasn't willing to take any chances. Oh my gosh! Udex was so amazing! We did shoulder in, haunches in, leg yields, renverse, traverse and so much other awesome movements perfectly. Udex was listening to me so well, at one point I held the reins with only one hand, and with the hand that was holding the reins put them to his ears. When I did that it means he was truly only listening to my seat and leg aids, not my rein aids. He was being so amazing and doing everything so perfect!!!
  Towards the end of my ride I had a great trot with Udex. I have learned to hold against his head throwing, so these days when he tries it it doesn't last more then two or three shakes.
  I really love my horse!! He made my birthday so amazing!! The little things he does are the ones that make me smile the biggest! Such an eager boy that one! <3 I am so blessed with such a talented pony. <3
 

I wanted coffee, but I got ice tea instead.

   A friend once told me this...

"You treat your horse like you are eating at a restaurant for breakfast. You ask the waiter [your equine] for the coffee. He doesn't come right away with the coffee, so you wait patiently until it arrives. As soon as he brings the coffee to you, you say thank you and continue going on as you were before. Some days the waiter takes a little longer bringing you your coffee. You don't pester him though every two seconds "WHERE'S MY COFFEE!?" Instead you just wait and be patient." 

  Okay, so I hope I explained that as well as she explained it to me! Today while riding I asked for my coffee, but received ice tea instead. When that happens, you have to very kindly explain how you wanted coffee, not ice tea. However, after multiple tries you keep on receiving ice tea and the waiter is refusing to listen to you.. You do get a little frustrated. 

   Ah, so yes. Today I asked at least fifteen times for coffee from my horse, but he kept bringing on the ice tea. I was getting so annoyed. Some days it just gets to me. I think of only the problems my horse has and just start to focus on the negative. With every time he comes back with the ice tea, I just think more and more about what he isn't doing right, instead of what he is doing right. The head throwing, the stubbornness, the hot hotheadedness; the damage. It all just got me today. I couldn't help but feel so angry and humiliated as I was riding, and my trainer was shouting. 

  I repeatedly was asking for a simple leg yield, and every time he refused and would do total opposite of what I wanted. My trainer stood their, hands through her hair, on wits end yelling at me the simpleness of a leg yield. I can leg yield!!!! Today it just wasn't working. Ah! I felt so, so, so frustrated with both my horse and myself. No one likes to be yelled at by their dressage trainer... It just isn't fun! 

  So today my lesson was a majority of one stubborn horse, angry trainer, and frustrated rider.! 

  Towards the end of our unsuccessful lesson, I felt really terrible for being angry with my horse. It wasn't his fault at all. It finally hit me that maybe I was asking for coffee wrong, and speaking an entire different language. Perhaps my horse was just doing what he thought I was saying. After all, what if he had a really bad day, and I was expecting too much out of him. Not every ride can he be the exact horse I want him to be. So towards the end that's when I started to think how unfair I had been towards my poor Udex. 

I. Felt. Terrible.

  I gave the poor horse a very well deserved pat and decided to give his poor back a break and cool him down bareback. Those silent minutes walking around bareback really got me thinking. I felt so terrible for overlooking the fact poor Udex had been through so much. I can't understand why it was so hard for me to accept that today wasn't his (or my) day. I think that lately I had been taking too much good things for granted. Udex is recovering. I bought him knowing that it would be a long journey that is anything but easy. Thankfully during our bare back cool down I remembered that. I cuddled him for a bit and just thought about how it would feel to walk in his shoes.

  So I honestly think we had a day like this to humble me. It's something I really need to work at. From now on, I'm going to make sure I ask for coffee in the most polite, least confusing way. If I get ice tea, I'm going to think about what I originally ask for and see if there is another way to say I want coffee. If all else fails, then it's safe to say it's just a bad day, and I;m going to have to just make due with ice tea. Some days are just better then others. Today definitely wasn't one of them. But I'm okay with that. Actually, I'm thankful for it. Like I said, I'm just going to try to be more humble and straight forward.

I am so thankful that I have the talent to sit such a bumpy horse.

   I know this is a blog about my horses rollkur recovery.. But for this blog entry I am going to discuss the importance of having a good seat, and share about my seat experiences. For some reason I feel I need to discuss this subject
   A good seat. It's what every dressage rider desires. Well, at least this dressage rider. The first thing I look at when I see a rider riding, is 1) The hand position/placement and, 2) The seat. A good rider, who uses his legs properly should display a still, quiet, steady seat, with little movement. A perfect example of this seat is Dutch dressage rider Edward Gal, or Adelinde Cornelissen. They both have lovely seats with great movement. If you watch these riders preform, take note at their legs. Their legs are not moving with them, instead their legs stay quiet and steady. If I was a horse, I know I would like to have a rider who didn't plop on my back too much, or ping me with the spurs with every trot stride!
  I have seen so many riders with just the opposite of a steady seat. I am rather ashamed to see many of Americas riders have a seat where everything moves. Legs, head, tummy, arms, etc. All I can see with these riders is the spurs digging in the horses side every step. That can't feel good, it just can't!
  Obviously, I made it a very big focus to have a good dressage seat. There are a few good secrets that I did to get my seat the way I wanted it; minimum movement. I practiced every ride so, so, so much. I took my pony and would gallop fifteen minutes straight on trail rides sitting the entire thing to improve my seat. I would come home sore as can be, stiff with every step.. But I knew in the long run it was what I needed to do to get what I wanted.
  Eventually, my seat became very desirable. People who had seen me ride stopped to tell me what a great seat I had and that I had a talent for it. When I would take my pony out on the trails (we would go to empty fields and do lots of dressage!) many passers by would stop and wait until I was finished riding to just tell me I had a lovely seat. A few times several people also pulled by in their cars to compliment me!
  It was so rewarding to hear such kind words about my seat. I had worked so hard to get it that way! Every compliment I got made me feel so great about myself!!
  Anyways, Udex is a rocking horse from rollkur. Which in other words means he has a lot of movement. Also the fact he is extremely skinny doesn't help either. He also has huge, floaty movements which make sitting him all the more harder. Everyone who has sat on my horse says, (even after just a few steps in walk!) that he is the most difficult and bumpy horse they have ever sat on.
   When I first got him, I became extremely discouraged. He was extremely difficult. In walk I was moving so much it was scary!! In trot I would bounce so high out of the saddle, I could only do a few steps. Canter was almost impossible. That trot right before canter and coming out of canter was so hard to sit!! Seeing a lot of other riders, and even my trainers ride him and have the same seat I did with him was even more discouraging. I truly thought that I would never be able to sit the horse. I had friends lunge me and I held onto the saddle and just practiced sitting trot until my stomach muscles felt like jell-o. I tried bareback trot many times as well. Still, even with all this practice, I had no luck. When people would come into the arena to watch, instead of complimenting my good seat like others had once done, they looked at me like I was a crazy person who couldn't ride worth a darn. Even explaining as to why I was sitting him the way I was, they still thought I couldn't ride. There were nights I just came home and cried. I worked so hard for a good seat, and here I am with my horse.. Every step was a challenge not to fall of!!
  Everyone knows that dressage tests require you to sit the trot, rather then rise. I felt that I didn't have a chance with my horse. His sitting trot was so bumpy, I fell off so many times I can't even count. Every time I managed to loose balance though, I got back up and tried again and again and again. I knew I couldn't give up. I wanted to sit my horse. I worked hard for my good seat, and no way was I going to let that slip away with Udex. I then decided I was going to sit my rocking horse better then anyone else had ever sat another horse.
  Thats when I tried harder and harder and harder. Now, -almost six months later- I am successfully riding my horse at every gait very balanced and smooth! I have learned to adjust my body to become one with the bumpy rhythm of Udex in all three gaits. My seat doesn't look like as good as it does with a normal horse, but it still looks extremely well considering the standards with Udex. My friends who first rode him still can't sit him.
  Anyways, although in the beginning I was extremely discouraged about my seat and Udex, I now realize that it was a blessing in disguise. My already great seat became even better. I can now sit a horse without even moving. Because I had to work even harder to get the feel of my horse, other horses feel like sitting on a sofa. Once again, I am thankful I worked so hard to make my seat work with Udex! In the long run all those hard times really payed off. I am sooo thankful!!!! A good seat makes the ride so much easier!!!