Sig Update #1

I'll try to keep it concise as I'm sleep deprived and it's late already, but only a few days into the relationship and I'm already very impressed with Sig.  He is both similar to Soon, and vastly different...and his age is probably the biggest difference, as he is still very much a baby.  But that said, he is one helluva baby that has a pretty damn good sense of humor about life.

The Arrival
I shipped with Brook Ledge again, having had a great experience with Soon three years ago.  I can't say enough good things about Brook Ledge, their folks are the best, from the office staff, to the drivers and horse handlers.  Shout out to Aaron, the driver, for saying lovely things about the goofy three year old alone in the back of his truck, and handling Sig with all the patience in the world!

I can't lie...seeing that beautiful Brook Ledge rig crawl down the street was like watching the slowest Christmas present unwrapping ever. 

To my surprise Sig wasn't shipping in one of the smaller gooseneck "shuttle" vans...Aaron was bringing the R.M.S. TITANIC MASSIVE TRACTOR TRAILER down the teeny narrow and obnoxiously twisty back country roads.  Because our farm driveway better resembles a Rubik's cube rather than an actual road, they informed me they'd be parking the rig on the main road, and the horse would be unloaded there.

So, Sig's first test was getting off the van, and walking the half mile across cornfields and down the driveway by himself.  And he was foot perfect.  Walked right in the barn, settled immediately, never jigged, or called for anyone, or put up a scene of any kind.  Just strolled onto the farm and said, "Ok, this is fine.  Oh look...hay."

This is major eye candy geeking in my world. 

Hi baby horse!

Figuring out what chickens are

The rest of his first day was uneventful: a quiet hand graze, a test turnout where we learned Sig is the Most Chill Turnout Buddy Ever, and dinner.  He was mildly concerned about the mini donkeys and the goats in the lower paddock, because....

But actually

...but the worst he did was pick up his head and snort. Then he went back to eating grass.  Which, for a three year old horse, fresh off the truck and not having been around farm yard aliens before, I think that was totally impressive.  I didn't push him on the donkey/goat thing, I figured he had enough for the day, we could tackle meeting them once he was more settled.

Sig is basically out 24/7 right now, he has a daytime turnout buddy, and a nighttime turnout group, all of whom he gets along with beautifully.  He is such a quiet, laid back horse out in the field.  And by "out" I mean he probably stands in the run in shed 99% of that time eating the round bale.

Activities
Full disclosure, I am digging out of a pile of issues at work which have amassed over the last month or two during my partial absence.  It's caused some long days, and because we have no indoor, has put a damper on me playing with (or getting on) Sig this week.  Which is totally fine, it's good to give him a few days to just settle into the farm, his new routine, and get comfortable.  Basically he's been learning about nightly groomings and how cross ties work.

I have played with him twice in the round pen though.  I get the feeling someone did some basic ground work with him at some point, because he caught on to the round penning quickly.  I am impressed how he handles himself in an unfamiliar corner of the farm (just next to those aliens we were talking about), by himself, and focuses on his work.  Seriously....the round pen is covered in leaves, and apparently leaves are like his Pringles potato chips.  You imagine trying to concentrate on algebra or something boring-ish while sitting in a kiddie pool full of Pringles.

YOU CAN'T.

You're welcome.

I like to keep the round pen sessions short maybe 15 minutes, just enough to get him moving his feet the way I want, responding to some of my cues, softening up a little, and finding a happy place to stop.  We're doing some moving of the haunches by swinging the rope, and also standing still and relaxing while I throw the rope over and around him.  It's about me being able to move him around me when I need to, and him standing quietly when I want that too.  The first day, much to my surprise, he actually connected with me (Join Up™, Hook On™, or whatever absurd natural horsemanship school you subscribe to for 6 easy installments of $99.95....).  This evening it was even faster and he was getting right down to business.  This horse is an absolute goof, wiggly and mouthy like most three year olds are mouthy...but you give him some work to do, and all of a sudden he's all business.  I love it. 

I normally round pen with the 30 foot line as my driving aid, but I forgot it in my trailer so I thought it was a good opportunity to introduce him to the lunge whip.  Before we got down to any actually round penning, I rubbed the lunge whip all over him while I scratched his neck, threw the lash over his back, across his hindlegs, and absolutely no fucks given.  He's clearly never had a bad experience with whips.

I am hoping to get on him tomorrow or Saturday, and right now the plan is to stick to hacking and some light dressage work this winter.  He's going to get front shoes, we're going to check saddle fit tomorrow, and he'll get a visit from our massage therapist soon, just for funsies.

Getting a three year old is a drastic change, but it is a welcome challenge, and while it will be challenging at times, a horse with a great attitude like Sig makes it so much more fun and enjoyable.