WE'RE HERE!!!

Just wanted to update and let you all know that everyone made it to Florida safe and sound. The trailer ride was long but steady, nothing huge or eventful to share. We stopped in Belleville, WI the first night, Cadiz, KY the second night, and made it to FL on the 3rd day. It is absolutely perfect down here, the first 3 days it was 70+ degrees, bright sunny, with a light breeze. Gorgeous weather. (It's raining buckets right now, go figure)

We're staying at a little equestrian center about 10 minutes from the center, which is nice. It's a traditional barn, so we do have to watch that we don't go too crazy, but still it's a good place.

Prin had a VERY unpleasant weekend. Saturday she got her feet trimmed, bathed in a washrack for the first time, which ended VERY badly-the cross-ties squeaked, scared the ever-living out of her, and so I ended up bathing a really really rambunctious 1/2 crazed 16.1hh Paint in the yard. After that (took me almost 2 hours of alternately doing vigorous falling leaf and scrubbing in shampoo) we set to work drying that crazy winter coat before doing a trace clip. Which brought me to Prin's next torture: She's never been clipped before except around the ears and on the fetlocks. She started out worried about the clippers, but then fear turned to dominance, and she got really really BIG. Farrah ended up having to take her and give her a thought or two (or six, since she we played with it for almost 2 hours)and then we finally made some progress. Prin still looks like someone took a weed whacker to her coat, but it's better than having 2 inches of winter coat all over.

Yesterday we arrived at the center (GORGEOUS!!!!!!) and checked into our pens, etc. Our course is small, there are only about 40 people split between two courses.

All went well, until after orientation, when we all went outside to see a demonstration. We were watching the demo intently when all of a sudden everyone's attention was drawn to "CLANK CRASH CLATTER CLANG CLANG CLANG!" of panels. We looked over and I was horrified to see that 100 yards or so away, in her pen, Prin had cast herself against the corner, had gotten a leg stuck and was now FRANTICALLY trying to get up and out. What a welcome to the Parelli Center! I sort of froze until the person sitting next to me went "FRAN! GO!" and I went SPRINTING.

To make a long story short, Prin is fine. She got out, favored the leg for quite a while, but eventually (after a red-light treatment cold water, and liniment) she got her full weight back on it, and we were able to play in the Enchanted Forest play ground for the afternoon. I do want to commend the faculty and support that all came RUNNING to help me out during this whole ordeal. There were at least 4 people there almost immediately, and I think everyone (students included) asked me how Prin was both yesterday and today whenever they saw me. Only a Parelli family could be so fantastic.

Today was rainy and damp. Prin and I played around for an hour and a half, and I am sufficiently soaked, now. I'm not going to detail much about sessions so far because I need to check with the powers that be to make sure it's okay for me to describe classes here, first. Same with photos. But I can tell you that Prin and I are having a blast, and that I will try to get you more details. I'm having dinner soon, and I'll investigate then.

Until next time, Savvy on! We certainly are :)