Meet my new horse

She arrived today :D

Her new name is Raina and she's a 6yo OTTB mare. She won a race but only ran ten times and retired earlier this year. She's been a paddock mate for another racehorse since then, but the trainer wanted to give her away to a riding home so I put my hand up and nabbed her.

Fresh off the truck:

https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14102421_10154739630875769_6014375442365452775_n.jpg?oh=18e7c34d0f4040afb873a5d82003da9a&oe=585B518D
https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/s960x960/14054410_10154739631485769_3057589840718476091_o.jpg

After a hose down:

https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/l/t1.0-9/14079987_10154739631565769_3346384465400110529_n.jpg?oh=5a001a590808ef94b3f573d1059b08d7&oe=584783B1
https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/l/t1.0-9/14089300_10154739632305769_7861804538935898618_n.jpg?oh=bdf05b125279834851c9eb879dfcc5a0&oe=5857DA25
https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14067502_10154739632255769_151889279492001870_n.jpg?oh=f08417e7c3399acb9e7c3f26169fd934&oe=58167CA0

All snuggly in her new rug with a new friend:

https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14034874_10154739572235769_8614314706061998821_n.jpg?oh=22f68f6582928bae503de6bd70621205&oe=5814A2F3

She's so pretty! :D

Wow those are great photos. They look professional! My favorite is the second one off the truck. She's a beauty!

wow how pretty nice pictures to by the way

She's simply gorgeous. Congrats!

such a stunning mare :) hope you enjoy her!

Thanks guys :) I've ridden her twice so far.

Initially she wouldn't settle in. She was pushy and anxious and ignorant. She walked the fence and wouldn't eat. But I noticed she calmed down immeasurably when I worked her so I just started spending a heap of time with her. Even if it's just bringing her up to the barn to pick her feet and collect her feed, I just make sure she leaves the paddock once a day because she's used to that from the racing stable.

On our first ride we worked on installing brakes (lol) and using leg. She's not very straight but has a beautiful soft mouth. She hated standing still but only protested a little bit. And she cottons on to new things so quick. On our second ride yesterday she was halting with very little rein pressure, just seat/leg/voice aids and was much straighter as well as yielding a little off leg pressure.

She does hollow when she wants to go forwards, though, as if she's trying to squeeze under the contact, so we'll work on that :P