"Move along, move along like I know ya do"

Well, we moved Greta to her new place today! She was calm when I brought her into the barn to get her ready for the trailer ride: groom, liniment on the legs, all that jazz. We nuzzled and got kisses. And then everyone else started to arrive to help get her ready. I explained to them the game plan: get out of the way when I load her, don't make a bunch of noise, don't hover, turn the car off (she hates the sound of big engines) and just let it be me, her, and instructor (holding open the door).

Um.... yeah......... I walk around to the trailer and all of the sudden pots and pans are being banged around inside the barn because stuff had to be moved then? So Greta totally lost focus of my treats and refused to trailer. Her last trailering was quite a traumatic experience, I wanted this to be different. Nope. We gotta move stuff around in the barn!

So, as you can imagine, that did not make me very happen. We had to bring Sneaky into the trailer and then Greta loaded just fine. She trailered like an angel. Good girl!

I took her out at the new place (which everyone who tagged along went "ooh" and "ahh" at) and she was very ancy, but we worked it out. A girl from my physics class walked by: I didn't recognize her but she recognized me.

"Hey, you're in my physics class!"

"I am?"

"You go to ----- ---- High School, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah, you were the one explaining to Mrs. Lopez how hands went up and down and not side to side! (We had been talking about different measurements and the teacher had brought up hands) I was about to raise my hand, but you got there first. I didn't realize you worked with horses too!"

"That's so cool! You ride here?"

"Yeah! I board here! Me and (Cooper?) barrel race."

"How cool! I used to barrel race, then I decided to do dressage.... don't know how that happened, but it happened."

And so on and so forth. Can't wait to talk Monday! Also, I found out that my PreMed/Clinicals teacher boards her horse there (did I already tell y'all that?)

Greta, however, waited until all the talking was done, then she acted up again. I led her to the new pasture, and we did loopty-loops all the way down. At a trot. She did not want to go in a straight line.

We made it to the arena, let her go, and she pranced all over the place. Soon, the other horses came up and wanted to see who this new girl was. They were all running and playing when we left (I wanted to stay and watch, but it was "too hot". That's what I get for not taking my own car haha!)

I put my grooming stuff and Greta's halter in the pasture tack room. I still can't figure out how to close and lock the door on that. It won't shut! But I got keys and I tried to make it look like it was closed. It's really nice. Right next to it is a little bathroom and those two rooms border the large wash rack/grooming area. Really nice. The cross ties face one of the barn entrances so the horse is looking outside the whole time. Really cool.

And the indoor arena has mirrors! Suhweet! Some pictures from the website:






So, yeah................

I came out later when the horses were being fed dinner. Greta was in a corner of the pasture. Pacing. She kept looking towards the big barn. What was going on????

I went out there to her and found a bite mark and a kick mark. I was expecting that: she's gotta establish her place in the herd. She would hang out with her new mare buddy, Gracie, whenever she came over, but if she left, Greta continued to pace. I put her halter on and tried to lead her around the pasture. Bad idea!

She did the loopty-loops again, at a trot, and I had to drag her away from that corner to the round bale and again to the water, where she stuck her whole nose in to drink. That was good at least! I made her stop, and once she stayed at a stop I pat her and let her go. She went right back into that corner. Ugh!

Still couldn't get the tack room door to close when I put her halter up.

But at least she's moved, right?

I'll see how she is tomorrow. I'll bring her in and groom her and clean off that kick wound (it's superficial) and bite mark. And then I'll actually ride her. I haven't rode her in the past week! Shame on me! But I should be able to from now on, because now I won't be dogged to take care of the rest of the barn first. It's all Greta now!

Gosh, I hope she's not pacing again tomorrow.