One Down, Two To Go!

Stan has joined me in Canaan!

I moved him up last Friday. He was nervous for the first bit of the trip, drenched in sweat after the first 5 miles to the gas station. Fortunately, when I stopped again about 10 miles out of town, he'd calmed down significantly. By the time we reached home, he was totally dry.

He's settling in well at my farrier Dan's house where he is serving as mentor to a yearling mustang. His pasture situation is definitely a downgrade from the lush digs he has enjoyed most of his life, but it's a good thing! He, like Q and Grif, is an easy keeper. Not being on primo flatter pasture will serve him well and help keep him at a better weight.

We've been on two rides so far. He's currently completely barefoot, so we're a little limited on where we can adventure. Regardless, we're making the best of the few barefoot friendly options we have.

I turned him loose on a grassy trail the other day and let him gallop. Or rather, he insisted to me that galloping would be far more fun than just cantering and I acquiesced to his request.

It was the first time I'd let loose and galloped (though still not full bore for this horse, he's SO fast) on a trail my horse had never seen before. Q's exceptional ability to spook and drop me on the ground during the maneuver has sobered me to galloping about like I once did. Stan is making up for lost time teaching me to move past that and have fun.

I hope to get shoes back on him in the next week and really get to it with our conditioning. We've got so many options right from the house! Bonus? It's a great workout to ride from Dan's place to my house. While my HOA doesn't allow livestock or horses, there is nothing preventing me from putting up a temporary pen to let him graze for a few hours in the afternoon to break up a workout.

I'm hoping to get Grif and Q up to the valley this month, too. Still a few things to firm up first. Fingers crossed!