PolarSkye
Well-Known Member
Bit of background - as I now work full time in London, we have made the decision to move Kal to full livery - a new yard being set up and run by friends of mine. In time, they'll start a RS (something they've had a long and successful history doing before), but Kal will likely remain on full livery. Yesterday was moving day!
Got up to (old) yard early (dragged Em with me) - Kali was still clean after his bath the night before (clever pony) so booted him up, put a fly rug on him and turned him out in his field. Em and I got to grips with digging out his box (lurvely job), loading up the car with the last of his rugs, buckets, etc. At about 10.45 we headed up to (new) yard to drop off his stuff and pick up horsebox keys - a friend from yard came with us to pick up horsebox and then it was back to (old) yard to pick up the boy! First time ever driving a horsebox (a nice little Equitrek) - quite the experience - but ridiculously easy to drive (I now want one ). Loaded up the last of Kal's tack, his feed bins and the last bits and bobs and then brought him in from the field - one last brush over, travel gear on and he walked straight up the ramp (what a good boy!). He did call a fair bit (startled the hell out of my friend who was standing right next to him), and made sure he left his (ahem) "calling card" but other than that was very, very good. Ramp up and off we went! The box handled much better with Kali in the back and the journey was very straightforward - even the very sharp lefthand turn at the entrance of the new yard. Kali continued his impeccable behaviour by unloading beautifully and after a quick turn around the yard and a wash down (he had gotten quite sweaty) he went straight into his box for some hay and chillout time. My friends at new yard had organized a picnic lunch to welcome us . . . so we sat at the table in the courtyard in the sunshine watching Kal take in his new surroundings (he was very smitten with Floh - the YO's daughter's lovely mare). After we had stuffed ourselves (yum yum!), unloaded his tack, feed bins, etc. from the horsebox and washed the horse box out, we put Kal's field boots back on and turned him out next to one of his new friends - Ollie. Kali pulled out all the stops to get Ollie's attention - piaffe, passage, extended trot, extended canter, tail up, snorting, bouncing like tigger - and Ollie resolutely ignored him - it was hilarious to watch. We left him to it while we went to return hosebox and then went back to old yard to finish clearing his box and poo pick his field. All that done, we went back to new yard one last time to see how he was settling in - they had brought him in but he was less than happy so we decided to put him out for the night with his new herd (Olllie - a huuuuuge ID, Guinness - a 15.1hh Irish cob, and Dude - a 14.3hh native type). Result? One very happy horse. When we left him he and Ollie were practically glued together, grazing side by side - awwwwwwwwww. YO said she would check on them before she went to bed, and I left her a tube of sedalin in case she needed it.
Pics here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/NaomiH...authkey=Gv1sRgCM7ghvKOkOOF7QE&feat=directlink
It's 9.20 on a Sunday and I feel guilty b/c I feel as though I should be up the yard mucking out! I need to go back to old yard to pick up wheelbarrow, sweep his old floor once more and then I will head up to new yard and see how he is - depending on how he is, I may lunge him/give him a bath - or I may just give him today off. He'll probably go out in the field again tonight.
Fingers crossed that he settles.
Tell you what - I slept like a flipping log like last night! Veeery tired.
P
Got up to (old) yard early (dragged Em with me) - Kali was still clean after his bath the night before (clever pony) so booted him up, put a fly rug on him and turned him out in his field. Em and I got to grips with digging out his box (lurvely job), loading up the car with the last of his rugs, buckets, etc. At about 10.45 we headed up to (new) yard to drop off his stuff and pick up horsebox keys - a friend from yard came with us to pick up horsebox and then it was back to (old) yard to pick up the boy! First time ever driving a horsebox (a nice little Equitrek) - quite the experience - but ridiculously easy to drive (I now want one ). Loaded up the last of Kal's tack, his feed bins and the last bits and bobs and then brought him in from the field - one last brush over, travel gear on and he walked straight up the ramp (what a good boy!). He did call a fair bit (startled the hell out of my friend who was standing right next to him), and made sure he left his (ahem) "calling card" but other than that was very, very good. Ramp up and off we went! The box handled much better with Kali in the back and the journey was very straightforward - even the very sharp lefthand turn at the entrance of the new yard. Kali continued his impeccable behaviour by unloading beautifully and after a quick turn around the yard and a wash down (he had gotten quite sweaty) he went straight into his box for some hay and chillout time. My friends at new yard had organized a picnic lunch to welcome us . . . so we sat at the table in the courtyard in the sunshine watching Kal take in his new surroundings (he was very smitten with Floh - the YO's daughter's lovely mare). After we had stuffed ourselves (yum yum!), unloaded his tack, feed bins, etc. from the horsebox and washed the horse box out, we put Kal's field boots back on and turned him out next to one of his new friends - Ollie. Kali pulled out all the stops to get Ollie's attention - piaffe, passage, extended trot, extended canter, tail up, snorting, bouncing like tigger - and Ollie resolutely ignored him - it was hilarious to watch. We left him to it while we went to return hosebox and then went back to old yard to finish clearing his box and poo pick his field. All that done, we went back to new yard one last time to see how he was settling in - they had brought him in but he was less than happy so we decided to put him out for the night with his new herd (Olllie - a huuuuuge ID, Guinness - a 15.1hh Irish cob, and Dude - a 14.3hh native type). Result? One very happy horse. When we left him he and Ollie were practically glued together, grazing side by side - awwwwwwwwww. YO said she would check on them before she went to bed, and I left her a tube of sedalin in case she needed it.
Pics here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/NaomiH...authkey=Gv1sRgCM7ghvKOkOOF7QE&feat=directlink
It's 9.20 on a Sunday and I feel guilty b/c I feel as though I should be up the yard mucking out! I need to go back to old yard to pick up wheelbarrow, sweep his old floor once more and then I will head up to new yard and see how he is - depending on how he is, I may lunge him/give him a bath - or I may just give him today off. He'll probably go out in the field again tonight.
Fingers crossed that he settles.
Tell you what - I slept like a flipping log like last night! Veeery tired.
P
and very clean, well done 