What a guy.

Cajun arrived on Thursday evening around 7:30. It had taken about three hours longer than anticipated, because it was so hot in Eastern Washington, 100+, so Kurt, the hauler, stopped every two hours to water him. So I didn't mind him being so late. Cajun was tired, but ate and drank and pooped, and really that is all you can ask of a guy after such a long journey.

Yesterday Scott and I went to the barn and led him around, turned him loose in his paddock, and generally just hung out for a bit. Cajun was fantastic, so polite, but still interested in the goings-on in his new home.

Then today, I went to the barn at about 9:30, for our first ride. I took my time taking up, and he did not get the cross ties at first, but he figured them out pretty quickly and was fine.

I took him out to the outdoor arena, and it was already pretty hot. I led him around and let him get a good look at everything. He was very interested. I got up and walked him around the arena. He does not understand walking in a straight line, but I don't forsee any problem with my leg meaning "forward". I would ask for a brisk walk, he would walk on, and eventually start to drag a bit. I would re-apply the leg, and if I did not get an immediate "good walk" gave him a reinforcing tap with the dressage whip. It did not take three of these reminders, before he was giving me a really good forward response off my leg, and sustaining a relaxed swinging walk. What a good boy!!

Then I wanted to work on walk/trot transitions. Walk 5 steps, trot 5 steps, etc. He caught on to the game very quickly, our downward transistions were choppy, but going from walk to trot was immediate and brisk almost every time. Like I said, I don't see forward being a problem at all! We would work in 10 minute sets, and then I would let him relax and look around for 5 minutes. When I would ask him to get back to work, he would get with the program pretty quickly.

Really I could not have asked for any better response - our first ride in a new arena. When we were done, I took him to the washrack and let him snuffle and look at everything, and I hosed off his legs, and let him drink from the hose, something he really enjoys. Then we went for a little walk.

Tomorrow at 9:30 we have a date with Jill and Turbo to take a walk on the Lake Youngs trail. I am looking forward to it.