new digs

OMG it's done!! We've moved!!

Sunday was the big day, and I got up suuuper early to make sure Ace was nice and relaxed for the hour plus trailer ride. I was very anxious about a lot of things regarding him, not only the trailer loading but the trip itself, and how he would react to a new atmosphere after almost four years of being at the ranch.

Guess what?? He was a STAR! It took about fifteen minutes to load him up behind Captain, and he dove into the hay bag and let me clip the bungie-tie onto him. He was busy munching so he didn't really notice when I did the buttrope and closed the door. Both he and Captain were outfitted with Kensington booties, flymasks, and their 1200D sheets, but I was still terrified. Last weekend I loaded Ace up in our trailer and he stayed in, where as before he would back himself out in about ten milliseconds. I tried something new though, in that the food was ONLY in the trailer and every time he backed out, I immediately said "load up!" in a firm voice and clucked. He seemed to get the message last Saturday, as he did on Sunday. I'm very impressed that Ace will now walk right in with his front feet, and will go as far as having his hind legs touching the bumper of the trailer, though he needs a little extra encouragement (in the form of grain) to come all the way in.

Captain loooves his trailer and even gets mad when he sees it and he can't go in. Needless to say, I was completely worry-free about his trip, because I know he's in hog heaven when he's in there stuffing his face. It was the opposite with Ace, because I was imagining scrambling and trailer rocking and pulling back and rearing and cracking his head open on the roof... Well, to my very pleasant surprise, none of that happened! They were quiet as lambs the whole way down. I didn't hear a peep from Ace at all. He was gently rocking the trailer when we were stuck at a long traffic light, but I think that was the way, way, lesser of many evils.

We arrived a little later than expected, just because my mom and I both firmly believe in not going too fast while trailering (I think the fastest we went was 45, LOL). Anyway, we pulled up to the place and parked, and I cracked open the back door and unhooked Ace before I had my mom undo the buttrope. I wasn't sure how he'd unload after an hour plus trip, in a new environment with new smells, but he slowly backed out like a pro and looked around with his ears perked. Um, what?? Everyone was expecting an explosion out of him and he sits there and LOOKS AROUND. I was so proud of him right then it almost killed me. Captain couldn't care less about where the hell he is as long as he's not roomies with Jack the Ripper, so I think that might've helped, but still.

I'll update with pictures tomorrow, and to let you know how Ace has been doing during our rides (take a wild guess, I know I'm surprised!). We'll be going next door on Thursday-ish to the facility with a beautiful indoor ring, fully set up all-weather jumping arena, and mock XC course, so we can actually get a work out in rather than riding up and down the driveway. Tomorrow I think I'll take a trip down the road, since it's one of those quiet country streets that sees maybe ten cars a day.

I'll have a post up for y'all tomorrow, and if not please bug me until I do, you have my permission!