I love dru so much. He's the horse I want to always ride. He's perfect for me. He gives me enough of a challenge that I'm always thinking, but not too much so that I'm scared. He's playful and can cheer me up whenever I'm sad. Awesome ride today. Went out in the field and just cantered. Relaxing and not so stressful. He's getting so much better about his head too!

On a different note I was talking to r today about putting horses down. She said she couldn't look a horse in the eye and put it down unless there was a valid reason. So she couldn't do it to the horses that she has now that are old and don't work very much or at all. I don't really understand how she can't do it. But I realized I've never had a horse for 20 years. The bond that you have must be crazy after that long. The most I've ever had a horse was for about a year. And even then we were pretty close. I hope I some day experience that kind of bond.

Really great lesson. At first I warmed up making sure he had a go button. But found out he doesn't need that much of one, because he can get too fast. I know, hard to believe. Then we did a 20m and I closed my eyes for a little bit. It's frustrating because I don't remember what I did to keep his head down. He just did it. We just leg yielded him to the outside reign and he was just there. But whenever I do it on my own I can't seem to get it right. There wasn't one big thing I did, there were several small comments on what to do that when all added up made him good.

Ride was a little bit better today. His neck just doesn't want to go down. I think not having all of the heat to loosen him up is what's really making it worse. He's always so amazing on hot days. I hope the next show is really hot again! I guess I'll keep trying.

On a side note... No matter if I'm crying thinking about missing him, having an amazing ride and realizing I'm in love, or having to let go of the horse I know I want to be with forever, cause he's just that one for me, I'm sad. I'm sad, and know I'm going to miss him like crazy and probably have a really hard month coming up, I have never second guessed myself. No matter how sad I am I know that I made the right choice for me. Which makes the pain worth it. I couldn't have done it any other way. I'd rather have this then have him just taken away like what might have happened if his owner moved him for the winter. And I have a new horsey crush and want to ride her <3

Dru was wicked stiff today. He was trying, I was just upset. Pretty bad ride. :(

Don't want to ride dru or Xavier. Dru because there's no point anymore. It used to be ride to get better, for the next show, or to learn something new. Now there's nothing else. It's done. And Xavier isn't the horse I'm familiar with, the horse I love. I don't really think I'll ever have with xav what I have with dru, because I've never had anything close to what dru and I have. It stinks because loosing dru has put me in such a bad mood. Thinking about stopping riding for a month.

It's strange that I can now fill in the blank about Dru. I don't want to, but I never wanted to fill in any of those blanks. With each horse I rode and grew close to, there was a sad ending. I'm accustomed to them now, and understand what I will go through. But no matter how many times it happens, each one hurts more than the last, and it sesems I fall harder with each one. I feel like just yesterday I'd finally gotten passed chessie, and now I have to start all over again. I will miss dru, I will not want to ride Xavier. But I will move on, all the while wondering when it will be too much, questioning when I will give it up. When will I be so sick of loosing them that I just decide I'm done. And then I think about it, and see every horse is better than the last, and every horse I fall even more in love with. So no, I don't think I will ever just give it up. I'll go through the sadness of loosing yet another, and preserve hope that someday it won't be like this. Until then, Dru is done. I have a few more rides on him, and then I will forever hold him in my heart. As well as Nigel, Joey, Marissa, Thumper, and Chessie.

Dru was special and I love him so much. He made me the rider I am today, and taught me how to ride, really ride. I think a piece of my heart will always be with him. He was the first horse I showed, and got a blue ribbon with. He taught me not to always be scared, and gave me courage to keep going, even when I thought there was no reason. I'll never forget him<3

Position, position, position. Not heals down, legs back, shoulders up. Precise placing over every hoof that touches the ground. My hip moves off of the line a millimeter he should respond. My pelvic bone tilting any way should cause him to respond, sending him flying forward, or slowing down. It's more than walk, trot, canter. It's every little thing in between that I need to pay attention too, otherwise, in three little things, you have a big thing.

People need to show their level. Or I need to be like everyone else and show a level below where I really am just to beat everyone. Because a horse really needs a ton of muscle to do a five minute test.
Good ride today. It was hot so we took lots of breaks, which means he keeps thinking he's done. So when we did our tests he was pretty sure he was done and not going to listen. Second test was better. I'm ready to learn some new stuff and not keep doing the same thing. Another chapter closes...

So after a long week of riding Xavier I've come back to dru with more knowledge, and as always, expecting more of him. We were both furthering our educations last week and had to come together and figure out how we could do it effectively. He was pretty frisky at first, he bit me and was being all girthy and kinda stupid. I decided just to lunge him and make sure we established right off who was in charge. After that he was pretty good. One thing I really like about him is the second I go into the saddle everything is about that moment. The craziness and frustration before I get on don't matter there. Same when at a show. I sit down and think let's get to work and all of my nerves or annoyances are gone. I've never had that with a horse before. Pretty good ride. He's an awesome horse.

Nigel- died

Joey- sold


Marissa- sold


Elliot- sold


Thumper- left him


Chessie- sold


Dru-