He's there!

George is duly delivered to his new place. He was amazingly relaxed about it all. He settled into a stable and attacked the haylage in the net as if he'd been there all his life.

We felt that he was happy enough to ride, so M tacked up and we went into the indoor school. M wanted me to ride him first but I said there was no point, since he was quite obviously perfectly happy. Her last memory of riding in there was being bucked into the wall by the four year old we sent back, so she had a lot of nerves to conquer. "No time like the present", is my motto. No point in giving her time to dwell on it, so up she got. At her request, I led her for the short side and round the first corner then asked if she was happy if I let go. She said "yes, but walk by my side", which I did, but within a few strides she said she was OK and I went to the middle.

We did half an hour of walk, trot, and canter and everyone seemed very happy. The canter was rough, but everyone expected that, and M said that she didn't feel at all unsafe, which was what mattered. M was thrilled, Mum was relieved, I was pleased with what a good boy George was and the audience of livery owners who had gathered were making comments about what a wonderful horse George is.

So it was a good start, and I have been promised daily updates until we are sure that everything is going smoothly. Today went so well that they felt that they can manage tomorrow without me. I'll be on tenterhooks, but it's out of my control now.

As I walked out past the barn to leave, George, I thought, was peering out over his door at me. But I passed the end of the barn and he continued to look in the same direction, instead of his head following me as I expected it to. I looked behind me, and there was M - it was her he had been watching all along and not me. I've achieved what I set out to do - have him bond with her before he left me to live in a strange place. I can't do any more now, we just have to hope it continues as well for them both as it started today.

As for me, I am looking forward to getting up tomorrow morning and working both my boys and getting into our winter routine.

C