Our First Day 3/14/09

Well today was Klassy's and my first day together to really spend time together so far. She has had two weeks of no handling really, and before that she had been in a stall with maybe 2 hours of work or just "human" time being handled in the last four months, before that she sat in two different pastures in Kirkland, She was originally sold by her breeder who I was told through the grapevine of past owners that she wanted her to be on the track, but we don't really know why she never made it, I am guessing on her size, she is a smaller TB and pretty lazy when she wants to be...kinda like the whole SeaBiscuit story... only I am not training her to race, no no ladies and gentlemen this little horse will become a SUPERSTAR OF A JUMPER!

So about this little filly, she was born this month (March) in 2006, not sure what day, but hey lets say it was the 14th since that was my buying date, why not! haha

Klassy is a 3yr old bay, TB mare, and right now in March 09 stands about 15.0 hands, and is "downhill" at the moment, her booty sticks up just a little, but her tail makes up for it like none other. I have never in my life seen a young TB with such a thick tail, its so beautiful, and her mane is so "poofy" and think it very cute!!

Klassy is such a brat, but we love her for being such a cute sweet brat :)

Here are what I have found as her "Likes and Dis-likes"

LIKES :

*Lots of treats, anything edible that is in you hand... or pocket..or a bag

(carrots,mints,horse cookies,apples...I'm sure you could give her a pickle and I'm sure she would gobble it all up before you blinked!)

*Lots of pets and brushing..in a quiet place with just the two of us

*Her neck.. on the right side.. in only one spot. Oh my does she enjoy that.

*She can't live with out nosie Kissie's, she loves to blow sweet horsie breath right in you face, it always makes me smile :)

*She loves the two words : "GOOD...GIRL" she thinks it means "I must be done so I'll stop and let you love on me and look cute"

* She is very talkative friends, she also carries conversations on with me if I am out of sight from her.

DIS-LIKES

* Having her feet picked or held (we will be working with that)

* Horses right behind her...she might be one of those persnickety mares..hm how-a-bout that.

* Getting the bridle put on (I think she was roughly handled or just lack of consistent work on it)

Klassy and I had great fun today, at 8:20 I got to the barn and pulled her out of her stall, and since the barn owners had stuck their horses in the arena, I couldn't lounge her and get her used to the feel of her shipping boots, so I decided to spend time with her and groom her.

THIS MAY BE A LITTLE HORSE... BUT HAS SO MUCH HAIR YOU COULD MAKE A STUFFED ANIMAL FOR A KID FROM ALL OF IT! She enjoyed her "massage" very much, and if it hadn't of been for her hunger she would have fallen asleep in all her glory. (The barn owners somehow skipped her while feeding all the other horses am feed) ugh!

After 20 minutes of grooming we found some hay and put her in her stall to eat while we all waited for the hauler. (we being her old owners, my mom, and my godmother Kathy and I)

Her old owner gave me all her old tack and brushes and vet care stuff, and wraps, bridle,lounge line, pads,and leather girth.. oh and her winter blanket. THANK YOU BETH!

By 9:30 the hauler pulled up.... 5 minutes later I had Klassy in the trailer safe and sound, and for all you who know how my Millie was with loading.... or heard the stories of Dakota loading... and unloading.. you would think I might pick another horse who thought "oh no.. trailer... must refuse to get in for a hour..at least" But no, again this little horse proved us all that she may be small but she can handle anything, no hay, no grain, no other horses, she just followed me up and in and rode so well.

After unloading and paying the hauler, we went for food to let her settle her into the new barn and her neighbor horsie friends in the paddocks next to her.

I came back and she was so muddy, even with her blanket on she had some how managed to get the two belly straps off and well her belly was so wet and muddy she looked like she had pasted 2 pounds of mud on her to look "cute".....not.

I played with her in the arena after an hour of just brushing and talking and giving her treats. We worked on moving away from me, I would ask her to move her shoulders to the right, away from her and at first she played with the idea of "back...?....forward?...no back..wait huh?"

So within 20 minutes I had her taking one -three steps over, crossing her front leg closest to me over and giving more space between me and her, I was so proud.

We worked on a few other little things, such as, back when I wiggle the lead, move the hind end and shoulders away from me when asked, trot, halt and back and trot again.

Hutch who is Klassy's and my new trainer and friend (He is the owner of the barn) came to play with her, seeing what all she might know and not know and to see what kind of horse she was. I watched and was so amazed with how I could see Klassy thinking and figuring out everything Hutch asked her, she tried so hard, every time she did the right think Hutch would pat her on the head and you could see her think " oh look I did right!"

I was most impressed when he worked with her on back when you wiggle the lead rope, trying to use as little movment of the arm and lead rope as you can, if you can get your horse to back just wiggling your pointer finger while holding the lead rope at the end and the should horse back up calmly, you have succeeded! Well at first Klassy had no clue, and was so confused, so after some BIG WIGGLES and some wide eyed looks of the long lead rope I watched Hutch wiggle the lead rope pretty small, and she took three steps back and sighed, dropped her head and chewed. I was so happy to see she was a fast learner and understood it after a short time. Afterwards, Hutch mentioned how impressed he was with Klassy, that she had a good mind and was a good mover.

After Hutch left, I worked on the same thing (backing) and she was so much more responsive to what I asked, I can see we will move faster then I thought. YAY

I spent a lot of my time taking pictures and videos of her, also making new friends, Abbey, a grey Arab, her owners name is Ashley and her mom was really nice, they were having a lesson at one end of the arena and I had fun watching what she learned and worked on.

Well that is all for now, I am off to bed here very soon. I hope you will enjoy fallowing me and Klassy on our big adventure, marking today as just the start to a long journey. Here is the web address of where I currently have Klassy, in Fall City: http://www.nwnhc.com/ I will be busing out to the barn on my school days (Monday-Thursday) and with my mom out there on the weekends. I will be posting pictures, videos and news as often as I can. Enjoy!

Sam