Boot Camp Session One - Arrival

Today is the day that Kaswyn was scheduled to head over to my trainer's new barn for a week long intensive training session. I hurried to the barn after work and packed all of my equipment. I tried to only take what I thought I needed, but it was still a lot of stuff. Saddle, girth, pads, polos, etc,. I know he's only going for a week but I didn't want to leave anything behind.

I had some extra time after I finished making up grain, loading my truck, and taking hay out to the driveway, so I decided to clip Kaswyn and wash his tail. Everything was going along just fine, until I brought out the shipping boots, which was purposely the last thing I did. When I started putting them on him he got totally antsy as I knew he would. He started pawing and dancing in the crossties, anxious to go someplace. Like I've said before, my horse loves to go places. Not only that but he's really impatient about it. He doesn't care where he's going, he just wants to get there, now!

We walked outside and waited for our ride in the driveway. He tried to graze a little bit but he couldn't even stay focused on the grass. As soon as the truck and trailer pulled into the drive he yanked his head up and watched intently. There was already another horse on the trailer so both the other horse and Kaswyn had to have a little chat as we opened the trailer.

When the doors were open and the ramp down I did what I usually do with Kaswyn to put him on a trailer - I threw the leadline over his neck, pointed him at the trailer, and said "Okay, get in." He surprised me by not just loading immediately on the trailer, but instead trotting up the ramp and into the open slot. He just cracks me up.

It was a short trip over to the new barn and I got Kaswyn unloaded and into his new stall. He was completely nonplussed, and didn't seem the least bit upset or nervous. He got some hay and started munching happily, and was very quiet as I unloaded the rest of my junk. Then I tacked him up and we went for a quick ride in the arena.

My plan is to ride very day that I'm there, even if it's only for ten minutes. I don't want to ride him into the ground every day, but I want to maximize my time in the saddle while I can. Since we are having a lesson tomorrow, I decided to ride for just fifteen minutes. A warm up, really, just to see how he felt in the arena in nice footing.

When we walked into the arena he was looking around but wasn't nervous at all. I got on and we walked around the ring a few times. Again, he was unphased. How I love my horse! He's awesome. No spooking, no nonsense, he just went to work as asked.

We did trot and canter work and I have to say that he felt really good. He felt a little stiff in the neck, but his strides felt very even. Stiff I can deal with, no problem. It's those uneven strides and funky canter that makes my heart sink. But I didn't fell any of that.

After our ride we walked down the driveway, then went back to the barn for a quick rinse. Again, my horse just walked right in to the strange washrack with no funny business. When I hear people talk about crazy arabs I want them to spend time with Kaswyn. Yeah, okay, I might be biased but the proof is in his actions.

Overall it was a great arrival day. When I left everything was put away and Kaswyn looked very content and relaxed. I hope he gets some rest tonight because I see lightening and hear thunder rolling in as I type this. We have our first lesson tomorrow and I don't need a pooped pony!