Just a bit of background about how she ended up in Tuscany - as from August 2016. This is an extract from my blog.
After 7 years at the yard it is time to move on - we can’t face another winter of limited turnout, mud and being kept in, so Scully is off to the winter sun & sand.
Monday 15th August and she goes out into her jungle for the last time and says Hi to Chester next door.
Little does she know that a VERY large lorry is setting out to take her away!
Due to arrive late afternoon and then delayed to 8pm she has to go back into her stable and while away the time with some creative doodling on the stable wall.
8pm and the lorry is stuck in traffic in Winchester! So a bit of a snooze till it turns up at 10.30 pm … one horse already on the lorry whinnys in greeting and the whole yard of 11 horses answer it - that got the YO out to see what was up!
Cool lorry drops its ramp and the whole rear lowers to make a very gentle slope - she is the last of ten horses to be collected and takes a couple of abortive attempts before stomping up and into her compartment - tied in she scowls and grabs the proffered polo mints before scowling at me again - “have a good trip - see you Thursday” I tell her.
I follow the lorry up the moonlit lane -
and watch it negotiate the sharp bend successfully -
looking for all the world like an alien spaceship with all its lights blazing away!
Tuesday 16th August and I muck out for the last time and load the final bits into the back of the van - at last I can give it a good clean out and shake the dust, straw & hay out of it!
A 10 am report from the driver tells me that she is fine, they were setting off from Dover and would be overnighting in Holland before going on to Germany on Wednesday - she is on the Grand Tour, lucky lass.
Wednesday 17th August
Sparrow fart and I am on my way to Stansted to fly out to Pisa
I arrived at noon and walked up to the train station to catch a train to Empoli, changing there for a train to Poggibonsi - then I had some time to kill before catching the afternoon bus up to San Filippo - had to go and eat some ice cream and do some people watching in the square
Checked in and settled in my room for the next 3 days I went off to find Lisa and the others to update them on progress so far.
At the evening apperativo other guests asked if I was joining them to have lessons or ride - no, I am waiting for my own horse to arrive!
Meanwhile she made it into Germany to be stabled overnight in Munich.
Thursday 18th August
After a nice quiet day watching the others ride I get a call from the driver estimating arrival between 18.30 and 19.00 and about 18.50 I spot the lorry on the main road across the fields - a quick dash up the lane and it is squeezing between the road signs & parked cars to turn round and unload
paperwork done and her suitcase unloaded it was time to get her out …
chilled out but a bit sweaty from the last bit of the journey along twisty roads - Gianni took her suitcase in the truck and I led her down the lane - she had a good look at everything so it took a while but she coped with the stony track very well
she stood quietly while I opened the electric yard gates
when we got to the menage there was a lesson going on which she had to stop and watch - one of the horses in the lesson, Toupe, neighed a welcome to her and I took her down to her new stable
she has the first box on the left, opposite Furor the stallion and next to Nobility who showed much interest in the new arrival …
as you see it has a back window as well - so she can be really nosey! It took her no time to find the manger which was empty so she snorted at it followed by discovery of the automatic waterer which she emptied in a fraction of a second, only to spook as new water rushed in - she spent a good minute with her nose in there.
I got her saddle & bridle out of her suitcase and put them in the tack room
Cristina said she now understands why I said Il Paretaio needs a horse like her - good for taller riders! Gianni seemed impressed with her rounded neck, Sarah is itching to get on and ride her, says she is in fat club now… and Lisa was even more impressed with her size when I got her out for a hose down to get the sweat out of her coat.
Friday 19th August
After breakfast, I took her out for a bit of a stretch of her legs - first down the track to the lunge ring to let her warm up a bit in a confined area
and then on down to the bottom arena for a good workout
after which she towed me up the steep stony track - I could hardly keep up with her!
She was still fretting in the stable but that is probably due to her being used to being out in the fields during the day - that will happen once they are happy she hasn’t picked up anything in the transport with other horses.
Saturday 20th August
I have to fly home, so left her being lunged by Lisa in the top arena - Scully wasn’t paying a lot of attention - bit distracted by the new surroundings and probably needing to learn to lunge to Lisa’s commands ( or Lisa learning my ones!)
Sunday 21st August
It felt really odd not having to go and see to her at the yard!
Sarah riding her this afternoon thanks to Lisa for the photo
Lots of people have asked why I have done this - all I can say is watch the following promotional video of Il Paretaio - the reality is even more magical than the film - Scully & I are very lucky to be a small part of it.
After 7 years at the yard it is time to move on - we can’t face another winter of limited turnout, mud and being kept in, so Scully is off to the winter sun & sand.
Monday 15th August and she goes out into her jungle for the last time and says Hi to Chester next door.
Little does she know that a VERY large lorry is setting out to take her away!
Due to arrive late afternoon and then delayed to 8pm she has to go back into her stable and while away the time with some creative doodling on the stable wall.
8pm and the lorry is stuck in traffic in Winchester! So a bit of a snooze till it turns up at 10.30 pm … one horse already on the lorry whinnys in greeting and the whole yard of 11 horses answer it - that got the YO out to see what was up!
Cool lorry drops its ramp and the whole rear lowers to make a very gentle slope - she is the last of ten horses to be collected and takes a couple of abortive attempts before stomping up and into her compartment - tied in she scowls and grabs the proffered polo mints before scowling at me again - “have a good trip - see you Thursday” I tell her.
I follow the lorry up the moonlit lane -
and watch it negotiate the sharp bend successfully -
looking for all the world like an alien spaceship with all its lights blazing away!
Tuesday 16th August and I muck out for the last time and load the final bits into the back of the van - at last I can give it a good clean out and shake the dust, straw & hay out of it!
A 10 am report from the driver tells me that she is fine, they were setting off from Dover and would be overnighting in Holland before going on to Germany on Wednesday - she is on the Grand Tour, lucky lass.
Wednesday 17th August
Sparrow fart and I am on my way to Stansted to fly out to Pisa
I arrived at noon and walked up to the train station to catch a train to Empoli, changing there for a train to Poggibonsi - then I had some time to kill before catching the afternoon bus up to San Filippo - had to go and eat some ice cream and do some people watching in the square
Checked in and settled in my room for the next 3 days I went off to find Lisa and the others to update them on progress so far.
At the evening apperativo other guests asked if I was joining them to have lessons or ride - no, I am waiting for my own horse to arrive!
Meanwhile she made it into Germany to be stabled overnight in Munich.
Thursday 18th August
After a nice quiet day watching the others ride I get a call from the driver estimating arrival between 18.30 and 19.00 and about 18.50 I spot the lorry on the main road across the fields - a quick dash up the lane and it is squeezing between the road signs & parked cars to turn round and unload
paperwork done and her suitcase unloaded it was time to get her out …
chilled out but a bit sweaty from the last bit of the journey along twisty roads - Gianni took her suitcase in the truck and I led her down the lane - she had a good look at everything so it took a while but she coped with the stony track very well
she stood quietly while I opened the electric yard gates
when we got to the menage there was a lesson going on which she had to stop and watch - one of the horses in the lesson, Toupe, neighed a welcome to her and I took her down to her new stable
she has the first box on the left, opposite Furor the stallion and next to Nobility who showed much interest in the new arrival …
as you see it has a back window as well - so she can be really nosey! It took her no time to find the manger which was empty so she snorted at it followed by discovery of the automatic waterer which she emptied in a fraction of a second, only to spook as new water rushed in - she spent a good minute with her nose in there.
I got her saddle & bridle out of her suitcase and put them in the tack room
Cristina said she now understands why I said Il Paretaio needs a horse like her - good for taller riders! Gianni seemed impressed with her rounded neck, Sarah is itching to get on and ride her, says she is in fat club now… and Lisa was even more impressed with her size when I got her out for a hose down to get the sweat out of her coat.
Friday 19th August
After breakfast, I took her out for a bit of a stretch of her legs - first down the track to the lunge ring to let her warm up a bit in a confined area
and then on down to the bottom arena for a good workout
after which she towed me up the steep stony track - I could hardly keep up with her!
She was still fretting in the stable but that is probably due to her being used to being out in the fields during the day - that will happen once they are happy she hasn’t picked up anything in the transport with other horses.
Saturday 20th August
I have to fly home, so left her being lunged by Lisa in the top arena - Scully wasn’t paying a lot of attention - bit distracted by the new surroundings and probably needing to learn to lunge to Lisa’s commands ( or Lisa learning my ones!)
Sunday 21st August
It felt really odd not having to go and see to her at the yard!
Sarah riding her this afternoon thanks to Lisa for the photo
Lots of people have asked why I have done this - all I can say is watch the following promotional video of Il Paretaio - the reality is even more magical than the film - Scully & I are very lucky to be a small part of it.
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