Just over a week after my previous post and so much has happened, it's difficult to know where to start. Rui has been over and we've had our demo with the boys; in hand and ridden wok for T followed by a session at the long reins for Q and I rode him afterwards: Sid nearly got battered for not taking any pics, the swine. People who came really liked the place and were impressed with the boys, and it gave us a chance to sit and take stock of all the things we've done since we've been here and truly appreciate what we have done instead of dwelling on all the stuff there is yet to do. This perhaps sounds a bit silly but sometimes it needs looking at with a different perspective to really take stock. Nice.
Rui was with us for a couple of days so we had a second session with the boys on Monday; I rode T after Rui and wasn't given much time to contemplate what I was and wasn't going to do - he had us up to canter in very short order which was really nice - need to stop blocking in the transition; a remnant of tension to be worked on. Sid took pics which was very useful from a techical perspective in terms of adjustments to make and very valuable as a training aid. Great ride though, really enjoyed it and must have had my pants on outside my breeches for a moment or two there at least. I was more pleased with the canter work than the piaffe and passage.
And then dawned Tuesday, a day we've been awaiting for Some Considerable Time, the day that our two mares were due to arrive home. Weeeeeeeeeee! It's so difficult to describe the emotions that went through my head in contemplating their arrival: excitement, of course, lots of it, and impromptu outpourings of emotion, like a dam breaking at random moments - but also no small trepidation at what the hell it is we've got ourselves into and whose idea was it to start breeding Lusos anyway? It's no small weight of responsibility, that is for sure.
I had a call from the driver about 10.30 saying he'd be with us in about an hour. Who knew an hour could last so sodding long - arrgghhhh. Eventually that most welcome sight of he light blue livery of a John Parker lorry came into view, accompanied by a flood of emotion that might have carried me off with it had it not been for the half bottle of Rescue Remedy I'd consumed a little while earlier. That and Sid saying "Oh for God's sake don't start blarting Rach". How lovely to see those two familiar faces looking out of the window - our two beautiful girls :mush:
Alfama came off first and a part of me was expecting some sort of unnecessary behaviour, what with her being largely unhandled from the midst of a large herd of mares and after a five day road trip across Europe, but I should have known better. Th true joy and beauty of the Lusitano brain - she stepped off very calmly, walked with me to the field, we had a moment between the three of us to welcome her home, let her off and off she went, head straight down to start munching. Similarly, Xacra came off the lorry very calmly and we couldn't believe how much she has developed! Jesus - although clearly the same horse, she has grown up so much in the past two years and is looking absolutely lovely - notwithstanding the terrible feet, the poo stains and the giant dreadlock of a tail - she is stunning. Into the field, a welcome fuss and off she mooched to join Alfama. Absolutely calm as you like. Had a great conversation with the driver about the all round excellence of the Lusitano brain - needless to say he transports a lot of breeds of horses to and from a lot of locations and like all the JP drivers before him that have brought the boys, they all say the same thing.
We've been spending quite a bit of time in the field with them, just sitting quietly and enjoying being with them. They've taken turns rolling, resting, using the field shelter etc and are looking and feeling pretty chilled. Thus far they've resisted all efforts to imbibe any food, until today when I mixed a bit of apple juice with it and that seemed to go down well.
I worked the boys today for the first time since the girls arrived and they were very good; interest of course and some whickering but nothing out of hand and distraction/work techniques quickly had them back to the job at hand, so very pleased with that.
The Next Big Thing is the girls' first farrier appointent (and I do mean their first) on the 18th Aug so I have to (a) catch them and (b) teach them to pick up their feet for then. Sounds easy when you say it quick. Xacra came to sniff me today so that's progress.
Meanwhile I have been trying to find homes for the meehoos :sniff: A friend of mine is coming on Saturday to take two, and tomorrow we are taking two to their new home, along with Ted who is going to the vets to have his orange orbs whipped off. So this is their last night all together as a family. I feel really sad about this but Sid has reached the end of his ropewith the general meehoo-related melee and it's either rehome them or fling myself off the edge of a cliff. However sad it is, I must keep in mind that they've had a far better start and have much better prospects for a healthy life well cared for than they would have had if they'd been born under a bush somewhere. Still.
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