What is Aria learning at the moment?

Aria has been in school now for a few weeks. She came in to training fresh out of the pasture. She is learning to be stalled up which is a big change. She does get turned out in paddocks. I have her in training off the track so there are turn out areas. This helps her with the transition to race training. Aria likes to be pushy so they have worked on her attitude about not pushing to come out of the stall. Everyday she is tied in her stall and groomed. This is important for her to learn how to be tied for extended periods of time. In racing horses are tied or “nailed” to the wall for grooming or waiting their turn to go out to the track. She is learning to have her legs handled from all sides and angles. Racehorses must allow their legs to be handled to check for any problems such as heat, soreness. Its important that the trainer or groom know her legs and what they normally feel like before she starts any strenuous work.

Bathing, Aria prefers not to bathe. She feels Arabs should not have baths unless it rains. I know this about her. She has had bathes at my house, but not real often and not on a formal wash rack. To her surprise, racehorses are bathed on a regular basis . . . like everyday. So she is learning that she has to get on the wash rack even is she doesn’t think this is a good idea. To her horror her face has to be washed too.

Aria is learning to walk on the walker. She is also learning to lunge in the round pen. She is starting to wear a saddle and has accepted this new equipment without a fuss. I thought she would accept it because she is use to being blanketed in winter. She is about ready for a rider.

Now, what has Aria been teaching her new handlers? Oh she has been busy teaching them that she likes to be pulled first out of the pasture. She waits until they go to put a halter on the thoroughbred that is next door in his paddock, Aria then lets out a squeal and takes off bucking. The thoroughbred gelding can’t stand it. He ducks his head away from the halter and takes off. He tears around and can’t be caught. Aria then gets to go in first. She’s very pleased. She knows what she is doing and likes to be first.

Food its one her main thoughts in life. I had her out the other night hand grazing. She had had dinner and was eating grass. She's very friendly and was saying hello to everyone. But then she started pawing. We were right by the barn door, near her stall. She kept pawing and acting impatient so I let her walk into the barn. She wanted to go in her stall to check out her bucket. She just wanted to make sure it had been licked clean. She is a foodie. If the trainer, would stand at the finishline and shake a bucket, she would make sure she was there first.