Kinglsey - first two days in new home

It's very much a world around little Kingsley at the moment while I go through logistical whirlwind of trying to work and organise everything for the boy AND be at home before midnight.

It will be much better once I have some sort of routine sorted and we have all the stuff gathered together. For the moment it's a lot or running around, borrowing things etc.

We are getting there though!

He seemed to have a good first night and judgeing by the new pooh pattern on his new summer sheet he had a lie in too.

I didn't want to turn him out on the first day as had some really bad experiences when trying that with my own horses ages ago so I am now being extra careful. I took him out of his stable every 2 hours to walk him around the yard and let him run loose in the indoor school. He wasn't too keen on leaving my side though so it took a lot of encouragement and sending him away to finally get him to do so.

Here is him playing:

I then lunged him for 20 minutes after work. I say lunged but it was more of him running around in excitement than any kind of lunge work. I let him get rid of some energy, then walked him in hand and that was his first day.

Today he was much calmer on the lunge but still it was more for him to move a little than any proper work. I put a chambon on him without clipping it though so he could get used to the feeling of all the strings without them actually acting in any way. I am going to give him a few days before asking for anything and this is because I think it's very easy to create a battle with a horse when he is tense, distracted and a bit bewildered. So for now I am just letting him take it all in.

We had saddle fitting at 1.30pm today and managed to find a very nice Albion dressage saddle that fits him well. Although he is only small he rides much bigger than he looks and is a good medium width as far as size of the saddle goes.

Considering he was running around the arena as if he was on fire I am glad we managed to get that sorted. He will also be fitted with a GP or a jumping saddle as he is certainly more of a jumper than a dressage enthusiast ;) I reckon his idea of fun will be XC but we shall see. I also tried a lovely event saddle which rode so comfortable but it was off his back too much and he hated it (refusing to go forwards at all).

However, the dressage saddle isn't too straight cut and can be used pretty much for anything.

Saddle fitting done it was the time to let the boy out for the first time. He was going out with another gelding and I was dreading it as really didn't want to see them both running mad and/or having a kicking fit.

Well, Kingsley behaved as if he had never been anywhere else but in that field. He just walked in, had a little look around and started grazing!

Now, E., his field buddy, was unimpressed so started prancing around and having a bit of a play. They both showed off for a moment, then settled within 5 minutes. I watched them on/off for the next hour and they just grazed calmly. Super.

Kinglsey meeting E.:

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