More Bareback!

  Unfortunately for me, my tack still hasn't gotten here yet!! It probably won't arrive until the middle of July. Aaah!! I guess I'll have to deal with the fact I'll be riding bareback for yet another month or so! Overall I guess it's not too bad.. I just miss not being able to work my horse in the way he should be worked. He's become really sour over the past few months- and he has good reason to be. In January he bruised his tendon and was off of work until April.. Of course, as soon as he was ready to be started again all my tack had been shipped! Now that he's been here in America he hasn't been worked anything like he should be. It's been five months he's gone without being worked right! In his mind life is all play; no work. He's gotten very testy recently. Of course, that's all to be expected from a horse under his conditions. Nevertheless, it bothers me immensely.
  Another bothersome fact; as soon as I start to work Udex again, he's going to be a turd. I know him well enough to say that if you skip more than a few days time riding him, he gets it into his mind he's on vacation. My heart starts to race imagining how he's going to behave after almost six months off. He starts to get an attitude of "I do what I want. Like it, or not." (This is already starting to show.) This includes head throwing, kicking, and testing you to your max. I suppose it's just him releasing his inner Weltmeyer. Either way- He's no fun to work with when he has that attitude- and he embarrasses me very much so. In other words, I'm not ready for the humiliation that will follow with my saddle and bridle arriving. I keep telling myself that after the storm there will be sunshine. I'll have to cowboy up and take it like a man and try to use his behavior as a learning experience..
  In the meantime I've been trying to enjoy these bareback sessions and not think about what the future holds. It's a really nice feeling to throw all your posture out of the door, relax, and just have fun! Although I still don't feel comfortable doing canter, we've been doing a lot of tackless walk/trot work! I must say; it's the most amazing feeling to hop on your horse with absolutely no connection to his head, only your hand on his mane and legs pressed against his sides. It's the true feeling of freedom. Lucky for me, Udex is trained so well! I can change the hand, turn on the forehand, control the speed of trot, halt him, and even back him up with just my legs! In other words; he's a good boy to ride tackless.. (:
  As much as I wish I already had my tack, I'm very thankful for the chance to be riding Udex bareback. I've discovered my seat, worked on posture and still hands, and so much other little skills that I probably wouldn't have perfected if it wasn't for this opportunity to be riding bareback! Although as soon as my saddle comes I probably won't ever be riding Udee bareback like this again, it's still a great learning experience!(:

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