The prognosis;

    So we had our first homeopathy session yesterday, sponsored by my lovely trainer. If you are not too familiar with "homeopathy" it's a natural form of healing. Our homeopathic uses her energy and natural talent, and of course natural medicines stemming from herbs. You may think the whole "energy" thing seems a bit absurd and like it wouldn't work.. However I saw with my own two eyes this energetic magic work. I'm jumping ahead of myself though.
  Yesterday we picked my trainer, and Utta (the homeopathic) up and drove to Udex! It was really interesting driving 45 minutes with them and listening. You can really learn so much that way. When we got to the barn I took Udex in and removed his rug. I held him while Utta pressed certain points and ran her fingers around certain spots. She then got to his hip/hock area, and that's where the trouble kicked in (literally.) Udex instantly started a kicking fit with that leg every time she applied pressure to his trouble spot. He had the same reaction on the other side. The trouble wasn't in his spine, hip, or hoof. It really was in the hocks. Yes; hocks. An old injury that never fully went away. How did this injury occur? Piaffe. Lots and lots of it at such a young age, for such a long time and with hyperflexion. It eventually took its toll on his hocks. The good news? Five to ten sessions and it can be cured!! In just our one hour session last night, already there was a huge improvement with his behavior, stride, and legs. Like I said; magic.
  This wasn't the only thing she found however. His jugular veins were clogged. As you know, with rollkur the horse has over 100 kilos of pressure on their over flexed neck. That causes poor circulation and clogged arteries. Udexs' jugular veins never moved when he chewed, and were constantly in an enlarged state. Utta put her finger in his mouth, had him chew, and couldn't feel the veins move; only clumped, hard, and enlarged. She then put her hands a certain way on his head, used her energy to him, and viola; the two veins unclogged. Just like that the problem was solved. It was magic to see them soften, flow, and shrink. The moment she did that Udex became a total different horse! It was amazing! He totally relaxed and was cuddly, kind, and sweet; a new horse.
  He needs more muscle. The solution to that isn't complex. A new custom fit saddle and a special type of saddle pad will do the trick. The saddle pad has padding you can remove and put back in, almost like substitute muscle. When he gains muscle, I can remove one of the inserts, and vice versa, although I hope we will only be gaining, not loosing. Utta said that riding him before caused pain to every part of him. His back, his neck, his face, his hocks, his knees, his hooves; everything and everywhere. She said how lovely he is for being so kind and always giving his best, even though the amount of pain he was in was crazy. As soon as I get the new well-fitting saddle, I can start riding! Thats the best thing I can do for him now; ride.
  I have an entire new respect for homeopathy and transferring and use of energy like Utta did. I don't think just anyone could do it; you really need to have the natural god given talent Utta has. She is a horsewoman, and really respects the horse. She is truly the best. If you have a major problem with you or your horse, then I recommend her in a heart beat. If you can't have her, then have another homeopathic healer heal you or your equine. If anyone asks me if magic is real, now I can reply "yes. I have seen it with my own two eyes."
  Some more good news! Jacq (my trainer) brought a few of her many bits to try out for Udex! We tried them until we found the perfect bit that he enjoyed!!! We also removed the nose band to his bridle! Turns out you don't really have to ride in it! How cool is that!? It makes it easier for me to put the bridle on him, and it fits him better! Eventually I will put a noseband back on, but for now what's the rush?
  Udex should be sore for the next few days. Thats a normal reaction from a homeopathy healing session. I have arnica beads that he will be taking for the next few days. He gets five a day, put right on his gums. They are so little, yet so affective! You would think five little beads as small as a grain of salt couldn't really work, but it does!! Once again, amazing. Today I spent time with him. I gave him the arnica and then walked him for about thirty minutes. The entire time I walked him I just talked to him. I could really feel that he was listening. It was so nice to feel the strong connection right then and there. After walking him I worked with bridling. (you can read how Udex was with the bridle before by clicking here.) Today I put the bridle on successfully without any fighting or problems five times! FIVE! Can you believe it!? Then I spent an hour with him in the paddock, just kissing and hugging him. He left the herd and came over to me. He rested his head on my shoulder and let me kiss and hug him! He is feeling a lot better with his new bit and some of his pain gone. Utta said that the only reason he is like he was before is from the pain. She said as soon as the pain is gone, Udex will be kind and loving. She said he has a heart of gold, and will be an amazing teacher to me. I already agree with her, he has taught me so much already, and even more to come. He's amazing. I love him so much, and I can't wait for the Udex I spent time with today to become permanent him. He means so much to me. His personality is so special. Udex is the best horse in my books. Not for his movement, not for his training, and not for his looks.. But for his personality. That's the part that of him that I'm in love with.

  Next Wednesday at 9:00 am we have our next homeopathic healing session!

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

Home.

   Udex and I are back home, at The Klippenstein. I couldn't be more proud to say so. I shall save the last barn the humiliation, so I will just be leaving it at this, and making a long story short: If you feel safe leaving your horse in an environment with mould everywhere, even in the hay, undersized paddocks over crowded with horses, attacking each other for water and food, jealous girls, a so called "farmer" who can't tell the difference between a rutabaga and kohlrabi and forgets he is handling horses NOT cows.. Then sure, that stable is okay. Let me shorten the story...
 Because I wrote about saving a horses life, two of the barn witches decided to dramatize my story and go tattle tell to the barn owner. Of course everything they said was a lie and when the owner of the horse I saved read through it she could find nothing but the truth. That was the start of my trouble. A few days later I was physically and verbally assaulted and attacked by the grumpy old grandpa-of-a-barn owner. Unfortunately for him his farmer skills get a F-. He couldn't tell the difference between a rutabaga (which is completely healthy for horses to eat!!) and a kohlrabi (which aren't healthy for them.!) He stole my rutabaga from Udexs' food tray, and then had the nerve to say something along these lines to me
   "YOU! (while physically attacking me.) YOU!!!! YOU!!!! You give your horse this kohlrabi!! You want to kill him so you can say that this stable killed your horse!! I called the vet and he said kohlrabis are bad for horses! YOU!!!"
  Whoa now, chill out grandpa! I could have told you kohlrabis are bad for horses. I also found it funny that while a horse was choking to death at their stable, they couldn't call the vet, but he can find time to call the vet about a so called "kohlrabi" I'm giving my horse? Hmmm.. Speaking of calling the vet, maybe he should ring him up and ask about the effects of mouldy hay for horses? I love the entire idea of this "you murder your horse so we can take the credit" thing.... Hahah!! Grandpa made a fool of himself though going around the barn showing over 40 boarders the "kohlrabi" I was giving my horse. I guess he got his karma really fast!!
  I would never give something unsafe to my horse. If I was and someone told me it could kill my horse, I would listen to them until I had proof it was safe for them. When I'm 100 percent sure something is healthy for my horse, and I've already asked a vet about it, and someone comes and physically attacks me and yells at me for it, that's a different story. It's my horse, I'm allowed to feed him whatever I please. Also, Udex is Mr. I-eat-nothing, so the fact he goes nuts over rutabagas should be enough proof he won't kick the bucket from them.
  We left the barn that day.
  Oh how it feels nice to be back home. Friendly faces, lovely people, sweet horses.. Udex acted as if he was never gone. The best part was when Johann, the owner of the barn looked at us with a smile and said "I saved your stall! I knew you'd be back!! It was only a matter of time!!" There are a lot of bad people out there, but good people like Johann and the others at my barn really make up for that.

NOTE: I have pictures of Udex back at home that I've uploaded here!

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

RUTABAGAS!!!

Rutabaga.
SOURCE:
http://shizuokagourmet.wordpress.com/

  I have really important advice for horse owners, lovers, leasers.. anyone really..! Give your horse rutabagas!!!!!! Seriously; I said rutabagas. My extremely picky eater goes wild over them!! If Udex eats them, I think its safe to say anyone else horse will too! Here in Germany we have the big one pound things! They are super cheap, just 99 cents per pound! Today we picked up about six HUGE rutabagas for only around five bucks.
 Just rinse theme, and plop them in your horses food dish or on the ground. Your equine will take little bites and roll it around with his nose a bit! It's almost like a game for them!!! I can not express how much the horses love them!!
 So if you haven't already experienced the joy of feeding your horse a rutabaga, then it's about time you head out to the store and buy one for your horse!!

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

A good reminder..

  The most crazy amazing thing happened last night.. A horse was choking! It's a really long story and I would rather not get into it here... But it was an amazingly helpful reminder that you should love like there is no tomorrow. With horses, well anything really, you can loose it in just minutes. One day you have a perfectly healthy horse, the next minute, even hay can become life threatening! Of course, the horse is fine. It's a lovely stable with lovely helping people where you can be sure your horse is safe, even in scary situations. Crazy though. I'm happy with Udex and every time I leave the barn, I always say goodbye like it's my last. I'm lucky to have a sound horse. Even though there are a lot of scary problems that are ahead with him and I, he's alive, we have a bond, and we're both happy... and thats what matters.
  Also I gave Udex a rutabaga!! Guess who totally adores them!? That's right!! Loves it!! The boy cracks me up with his awkward appetite!
 

                 OSTEOPATH WOMAN COMES NOVEMBER 3rd 5:30
FARRIER COMES OCTOBER 24th 3:30

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

STALLS!

  As I last wrote about, I'm not to ride Udex until the osteopath woman comes and has a look at him. It's been equally hard on us both. Udex is being hot, hot, HOT (they were moved to a really small paddock and are in stalls now, so that adds to the heat. More on that in a second..) and he has all the go in the world! Also for me, stress is building up. I'm always all for him though, and I know that riding him wouldn't do any good. at all. Today after I let him play in the arena a bit, I had a friend hold him and had a seat on him for just a few seconds. My friend, mom and I were giggling. As soon as I got on his back he instantly perked up and wanted to go!! He was looking like "why aren't we going!? Come on Mama, it's been so long since we have rode!!" It was really cute!! I only did spend maybe four minutes on his back today, but it was nice to feel that skinny thing underneath me again!! Even though it hasn't even been a week, it feels like years!!!

  The weather has gotten chilly!! I heard it is supposed to drop below freezing tonight- yikes! With weather like that all the barn buddies are coming inside at night! Woo-hoo!! Tonight will be their third night in!!! I love when Udex comes in at night. I get him away from all the others without his nerves acting up. It's nice. He gets cuddly, calm, and easier to work with when he is in his box. Of course, in the day they are out in their new smaller paddock now!! Not really much of a paddock, just concrete with some straw and hay outside, with a bit of grassy area. It's really nice though that they can be outside socializing like that though! Since now they are inside, they get silo and grain!! He gets his norm; half a kilo of power feed. Silo now.. I have no idea what it is, or even translates to in english. It is cow hay. Sour, fermented cow hay. It keeps weight on the horses, gives them lots of energy, fiber, and well surprisingly, they like the stuff. Only downside to it is to pay extra attention for the mould! I thought no way will my picky eater like this stuff! It smells rotten and is so moist! Well, I was wrong. He likes it! Not his favorite food, but sure not his worse either!! I watched him carefully eat a bite of silo, and a bite of normal hay, bite of silo, normal hay, silo, normal hay. It was rather cute in a strange kind of way.

  Also a quick funny story. Yesterday I was hand walking Udex around trying to walk out some of his energy since the arena was full. I kept his rug on him, no point in taking it off. Anyways while walking alongside the barn he accidentally brushed his butt up against the wall. I guess it made an extremely terrifying sound, because next thing you know Udex is a spanish horse doing a high flying levade through the air, lifting me up with him!! In a few seconds I calmed him down. His eyes were huge, and he kept staring at that wall like it was going to grow arms and a mouth and eat him any second! So cute seeing my big boy get scared at something sooo silly!!

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

Not always friends.

  Honestly I would be lying if I said that me and Udex had a perfectly happy relationship all the time.. Because we don't. Some days it goes so great I can hop on him tackless and ride.. and others? Well Udex and I don't seem to be friends on those days. I usually choose to right only about the good things and times I have with him, but as with all horses with bad past experiences, there are just as much bad moments as good. In about a two month time span we go through a few days, to even two weeks where we just don't get along.. at all. Of course we both still love each other, but our connection with each other just isn't as strong as it should be.
  It's been about a week where Udex and I haven't been best friends now. Yesterday he crossed the line, although I'm not innocent either. I should start from the beginning before I get too jumbled up in words!
 Yesterday I rode Udex. He was okay, but not as okay as I would have liked him to be. Lately he has been fighting against the bit big time, running like a lama under saddle, and refusing canter. I think I'm going to pick the crop, if that fails then spurs, back up and try them again before I officially decide he is being a bit stubborn. Usually when you ride with a crop he gets his head in with you and knows that your not playing around and what you are asking for is real. Okay- to get back on track here! After our ride I put Udex's sweat blanket on, cooled him off for a bit then took him back outside to groom him and put his winter rug on. He was okay during grooming, not too much pacing. When I put blankets on Udex, or anything by has back end, he gets a little sensitive by the skin by his back legs. The part by the hip and back legs? The name for it escapes me at the moment. Usually he picks his leg up like he is going to kick be he never does it. Some days he may kick out an eency bit but he is so kind hearted he never actually hits anyone. Yesterday he proved me wrong. I was going to strap the parts on his blanket by his legs and he picked his leg up a bit. I took a little step back and was going to give him a second to put it down. Like predicted, he did. So I went back over to strap it again. He was quiet one second and the next... BOOM! Ouchhh!!! He got me right in the leg above the knee. I have been kicked numerous times by horses.. Just never from such a big, tall, powerful one.
 I don't know what hurt worse.. The pain from the kick, or the pain in my heart from feeling so lost with my horse at this time. Right now I just feel so defeated against him. It feels as if he doesn't love me and I do so much hard work and make so many sacrifices for him, and he in return offers nothing. I know that isn't true, it's just that it sure doesn't feel that way right now. I hope we come out of this stubborn, gloomy time frame soon. I can't stand it! I have no drive at all to do anything with him right now. Something as simple as grooming him takes all my energy away and usually ends up with me sustaining a large amount of bruises, and him getting a not too happy vibe from me.
 On the bright side however I will be buying several new items for him. I am picking up on friday my nice new gel wedge for underneath the saddle. It offers great support for a weak back, protects the back muscles, makes the saddle fit like it should, forms to his shape, and should make him a bit more relaxed. As for me, I hope Udex does feel better from the new pad!! Saturday, maybe even Friday I am looking so forward to giving it a try!! Also, I think I will be supplying Udex with new vitamins. His newfound attitude could be from lack of minerals! I took him off his feed, and starting tomorrow I'm giving it back to him, PLUS more mineral bricks. He will be getting his usual power feed with oil (slowly weaning him back on the oil again.) Am I crazy for giving me already hot horse power feed? That very well could be the case. It's a crazy chance I'm going to take. With his power feed mix he will get the right amount of nutrients, and that could change a bit of his attitude. Besides, I can ride a hot horse, no problem.. It's only the bridling of Udex that gets me!!!! Hee-hee.
 Tomorrow I'm going to try to be strong and do my best to handle the mighty Udex right and not let him get the best of me again!!! I love him so much, and I don't like the feel that neither of us is offering our best. So I'm going to change that tomorrow.. <3

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

Bruises and blood.

  Putting the bridle on a horse isn't usually hard... Key word: Usually. As always, the term usually doesn't ever apply to my crazy horse. It took about an hour just to bridle him. An entire hour. Oh man. Some days my horse drives me bonkers!! I had him in his stall so he couldn't run away and he was just too mentally excited. Kicking, running around in circles in his stall, nipping. You name it. Since we have changed barns he hasn't been nervous alone at all, so I know that wasn't the case. Anyway Udex was crazy. Every time I would get the bit in his mouth, he would raise his head up as high as it could go, (easily over six something feet.) Considering the fact I am only 5'1... Yeah, didn't really work too well. During our little "discussion" about bridling, Udex gave me over ten huge bruises, a bloody lip, and stepped on my feet over four times. Not too surprising considering the mood he was in. Obviously after about fourty five minutes of struggling I realized no good was going to come from fighting in his stall. I let him run in the arena a few minutes before I tried again. He was still extremely difficult to bridle but I managed to do it.
  Then I was able to ride. (-: He was hot to the touch while riding. I love it! He has always been a hot horse, but here at our new barn... He's not only physically hot he is also mentally hot as well. I guess thats what the difference is! I'm really happy I have this new hot-in-every-way kind of horse!! He's been a real joy to work with.. Even if he has an off day like today!

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

Wow, today was amazing.

  I am more then pleased with my lesson today!! Udex was an entire different horse!!!! I can't believe how great he was!! Everything was just so, so, so good today. I still can't stop smiling and feeling happy all over!!!
  Today was a very windy day. Most the horses I know get a little on edge when its this windy out! Of course, Udex was a brave boy and totally content in the wind. I actually think he really enjoys it actually! He loves to stand facing the wind and makes nice happy snorting sounds. It's really cute to see him so happy. Anyways, having him tied up outside and grooming him, he was lovely. He had a huge amount of energy which was a sign to me that we were going to have a very good ride. After grooming came tacking up! Like usual, as soon as the saddle and leg wraps were on, he become super fresh. He gets really, really, realllly excited. He enjoys working; especially riding! Putting the bridle on was a hassle. He just wanted to run around! He is a well over seventeen hand horse.. When he decides to put his head in the air while the bit is mid-way in his mouth and his rider is only 5''1...  you do face a bit of trouble. After the bridle was on, I mounted him and we rode to the arena!
  Like I had suspected, he was very hot and fresh today. His walk was really fast and energetic (which I didn't mind!!) and you could feel the pressure to start trot! Of course he did his little trot bolts here and there in the beginning, but after fifteen minutes in walk he cooled down a bit and got his head in the game. That's the thing with Udex. Once his head is in game mode, he doesn't leave it. He gets really focused on what he needs to do and doesn't let anything distract him. Occasionally he does give a whinny or two to his pals, but he continues on like nothing happened. That said, today once he was mentally with me, he was preforming beautifully! One movement, where you leg yield diagonally from the corner to X, ride one horse lengths straight, and then start to leg yield back to the next corner on the side. I only know the word for this in german, not in english. I don't even know if this has a name in english? Udex does these really good though. It's amazing how easy he makes it look, and does it. We have also been doing lots of shoulder and haunches in, renverse and traverse. He does those really, really good and easy. It's almost funny because with him you can ride them more easy then you can a circle.
  Siting trot!!! That has been coming along unbelievably well!! I am really, really pleased with my seat. It looks really good, especially considering that he was declared as an "impossible" horse to sit!! When I am sitting him in trot it's anything but easy, and is still really, really, really difficult to do. I have been practicing like crazy though and every time it's getting better!! I am happy with the seat I have right now, and I wont mind if it stays like this with him. I do hope (and know!) that in a little time, it will get more natural to sit him like this and I won't have to do as much as I am now for this pretty seat.
  Cantering was fantastic!! He does his walk to canter transitions wonderfully. No steps of walk or trot between, just pure canter. It's fantastic with him!!! He does it so gracefully and with so much ease. It's really fantastic to sit his canter too. Everyone else that rides him disagrees, but with me I find it rather refreshing. When you have to sit such a difficult trot all the time, switching to something as steady as canter is just a better feeling.
  On top of our great day, Udex is also gaining a lot of weight!! His ribs are barely visible!! I think that by december he will look the exact way he should! Aaaah! I'm too happy!!!! To see his withers getting definition, his hips getting rounder, and his ribs slowly fading under fat and muscle... Wow! It is a feeling like no other! Looking at him today I said to my friends "see that muscle right there? Yup! Six months ago; it didn't even exist." I pointed out a million newfound muscles as I said that. He has seriously come so far. I couldn't be more pleased!!! Ahh! I am stoked!! There are so many moments I look at him and have to convince myself that yes, this is the scrawny, thin, malnourished, depressed horse I took him six months ago!! This is one amazing journey I am so thankful to be taking. All the time while making Udex feel better, and me a better rider... I get to share the word about how rollkur does more harm then good!! This has been amazing! Killing three birds with one stone! W-O-W! Talk about cool!?

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!!

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!!!

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 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!!!