Sunday, February 7, 2010

Everybody is Settling In

It's been almost a week since we moved all the boys and they seem to be settling into their new home just fine. Allison loves the lights in both the indoor and the outdoor arenas because she gets off work late but can still ride during the week.  Sarah has been able to use the covered arena and lights for a lesson which she might not have gotten in because of the rain.  But Saturday and Sunday were beautiful days and we took full advantage.

Noah's rehab is progressing and he felt better on Sunday than he did on Saturday. This is a positive step in the right direction.  And he looks happy and well adjusted.
 


Spenser is looking good and hasn't missed a beat in the transition.  I am loving the beautiful backgrounds available at Bridlewood.



Even Remy has found a new playmate Bella.  Is it odd for him to be the same size as a Great Dane???

I was busy taking pictures and looked over to see what Sammy was up to.  I think he was feeling a little left out of the action

But I put him to work for the first time since our move.  He was a superstar.  He could not let the big boys show him up.I'm really there but Allison has taken the perfect picture of us together!  She's such a good child.
We started out in the covered arena then just walked right on out into the outdoor. This was as bad as he got, not bad at all.
 
 He had to be sure Allison was paying attention and getting pictures of his good side.


I was very pleased with our first work day. He was calm and happy and we called it a day.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

It was time to get the flock out

Due to the onset of the monsoon season, it was time to move the flock to higher ground.  So our little group of 3 have found a new place to play that has a covered arena which is quite a luxury here.  In honor of our pending move, we thought we needed a way to celebrate and embrace our togetherness.
New saddlepads were in order....

So, our new residence is Bridlewood Equestrian Center and we hope it will be our happy home for many years to come.

This is the front gate:

 

Here is the front entrance to the barn.  A single row of stalls is to the right and left of the walkway and it opens up to the covered arena with another row of stalls on the other side of the covered arena. (I'm trying to see how many times I can throw the words covered arena in this post)  The open window immediately to the left of the walkway  (or is that technically a breezeway?) is Spenser's room.  He's next to the office/lounge.  He's the partier you know.

Sammy and Noah are side by side across the....you guessed it...covered arena.  They enjoy chatting outside, observing nature.  (Don't ask me about the hawks right outside their window...Sammy is too young for that stuff!) I'm glad Sammy's got Noah right there to explain things.


If you walk to the left and around the barn, you are at this end of the...you guessed it...covered arena.

I'm standing in a turn out - it had been raining for almost 24 hours by the time I took these.  On my left is the outdoor arena.  That big white pole in the foreground happens to be  the light pole for the big lights.  Rumor has it, at night, if the moon is right, you can see the lighted arena from outer space. Looking straight ahead, is a mirrored wall.  Spenser lives on the right hand side and Sammy and Noah live on the left.  We all thought they would be bothered inside walking past the mirrors but it didn't phase any of them.

Now the arena has some serious lights, really. I think they were football stadium lights in another life.

It's very wet but you get the idea.  It's a very nice outdoor arena, when it hasn't been raining for months on end.

 


On the other side of the barn/covered arena, behind the wall of mirrors are the wash racks/grooming stalls.



Are you getting the picture here?  It's all about the covered arena. Sammy got to try out the grooming area.  He really liked the noise he made when he stomped on the concrete in his brand new shoes.  We're going to have to work on that one.  Baby shouldn't need new shoes all the time. It seemed like he was listening.


But I think he was faking it.
 

I don't want you to think we ONLY have a covered arena, there are actually pastures for turn out too. This is Sammy and Noah's view out their back window.


And this is the far lower pasture and next to it is the preserved land that has trails for riding. (Really for the birds but they share)


Walking up from the lower pasture/land preserve area, Spenser paused for a moment. Not a bad place to rest.  Straight ahead of him are pastures on the right and Sammy and Noah's condos on the left.

Not sure where this picture fits into my story but isn't he just handsome?
And here concludes our tour.  I think the boys were getting tired of the papparrazzi

 
They appear to have settled in and are enjoying their new facilities.