Cooper arrived in California from Germany during Christmas 2002---what a Christmas present! In November a group of Christine's students' went on a horse-buying trip. I was going for the experience, definitely NOT to buy, as I already had two dressage horses. I rode Cooper near the end of our trip at one of the barns we visited, and the rest is history! He was gorgeous, athletic, light and responsive, and we immediately felt comfortable together.
Cooper's California experience was not to be easy. A few months after he arrived, he tore a tendon and had to go through a six month rehab program. Shortly thereafter he resumed work and he re-injured his tendon and began another six month recovery program. During that period he experienced a major bout of colic and had to undergo emergency surgery, barely surviving the episode.
