If right is leaving, I'd rather be wrong...

   Yesterday I was faced with one of the hardest challenges in my life... Deciding wether or not to move my horse to another barn with another trainer. Something like this should be easy.. And in any other situation; it would be. For me though this more difficult then any other thing imaginable! Seven months ago I brought a skinny, overly-hairy, tall, scrawny horse to the Klippenstein. Together, everyone at that stable helped Udex and I in ways that meant so much. When my saddle wasn't fitting right with Udex, the owner of the stable [Johann] let me use his best saddle for as long as I needed to. When people would say really mean things to me about Udex, everyone at that stable was there to comfort us! When Udex was skinny, Lena (a very sweet girl who boards her lovely rescue horse at the barn) would come with bags of treats and bread for Udex! She always says the most kind, comforting things. Everyone helped to put weight and muscle on Udex. Everyone played a part, both big and small. Everyone was there this entire journey. Through it all we became so close; like a family. Thats what we all were. A big family that cared a lot about each other. Then of course there is my trainer, Ellen. She has been there every. single. step. of. the. way. When I needed a special saddle pad for Udexs weak back, Ellen went above and beyond and had one for me the next lesson. The pace she is taking us was right. She never, ever rushed us. She respected what Udex was and wasn't ready for. I can't even write how the bond was with everyone. Just amazing.
  Then yesterday I had a strong feeling I should check out a nearby barn. I had gone there maybe five months or so ago to just look. I never had any intentions of bringing Udex there. Anyways, while at that stable yesterday something was different. I guess I was looking at it with open eyes this time and asking myself "would he be happy here?" Looking at the miles of huge pastures of wonderful green grass, the rows and rows and rows of hay and straw bales, the other hot, fresh horses, the big comfy stalls, the kind warm people... Everything. It was just right for my horse! Then I met a woman who was there training a horse. This woman is a Grand Prix dressage rider. I was in awe just speaking with her. She knew so much! She was against hyperflexion! She said she would train me! She was the woman who found Olympic horse, Floriano for US of A Olympic rider Steffan Peters! I watched her ride and was in even more awe!! Her seat was magnificent! She was doing flying changes, haunches in, shoulder in, and sooo much more like it was too easy. Just by watching her I learned so much! I knew deep down that this was the place where my horse and I needed to be... Everything about it was right for us.
  I thought about it long and hard. Should I leave my amazing barn family that has been there through it all...? Or should I say goodbye and move on to a place where my horse and I could benefit more then ever...?
  My final choice was to say goodbye. As I told the barn owner I couldn't hold back my tears. Watching him tear up was even harder. I had a lesson yesterday, and was going to break the news to my trainer afterwards. Hearing her walk into the arena and say "ohh Udex mein schatz!" had me tearing up instantly. Telling her the news was hard too, and once again I couldn't fight the tears. She is an amazing woman, and agreed that it's time for us to move on. Our new trainer (who she has heard of) will be really great for us. Udex needs this. He has the potential to take those steps back up to be an S**** horse. No one wants to hold him back. It's time to fly now.
  This hasn't been an easy choice for me. Every time I think about it I feel sick and try very hard to resist tears. Deep down though I know that this is the right choice. It's certainly not easy.. but its right. He needs this.. I need this... We need this. I have forever friends at the Klippenstein that I want to keep forever. I never want to fall out of contact with any of them. Ellen has said that she will come visit us often just for chats and catching up. I'm thinking about trailering Udex out to the Klippenstein every now and then to say hello to everyone and ride in familiar territory.
   I guess as of right now, It's time to say the first of our goodbyes. I'm dreading saying our goodbyes to all the others. They have been so good, too good... Well this is the right choice; that I know. I'm just going to cherish my last few days here at this stable, and make these good memories last. <3

"Rollkur opponents care for horses. Rollkur proponents care more for success."