Today I returned to work after the 3-day vacation. A little bit nervous for Dinio but everything was totally OK with him. I arrived to the stable around 17.00 and started to check wether he got a fever or not, due to his vaccinations yesterday. He had 38.1 so I decided not to ride him this evening. I, myself, had also cought a cold.

In stead I gave him a good massage. He really enjoyed it. I also tried to stretch him a little bit, just for him to get used to it. The back was nice to stretch, he said, but the front legs... No, no, he told me directly that it was really scary. So this is something we have to work on. I gave him a good brush and a lot of cuddle, of course. No pulse in the legs, (I introduced Fibergii Low yesterday), so perhaps I can increase it during next week. Better to take it slow.

Today Dinio spent 4 hrs in the paddock, between 7 and 11 o'clock. At 11.20 I arrived to the stable and today it was also the first time for the staff to bring him out and to bring in him. I asked how he have behaved and they said - excellent - no problem at all. They also said that he had relaxed a lot today in the paddock, he had really enjoyed his hours there. I am very proud over my darling Dinio. Today I also introduced Fibergii Low to him. He got 0,5 kg together with his luncheon. He really enjoyed it. I will continue to give him 0.5 kg per day for at least 1 week and thereafter try to increase it slowly.

He now gets 2 kg hay in the morning, 2 kg hay for luncheon and 4 kg hay in the evening. In addition he gets probimin and vitamin B due to the food change and for the process of getting a winter fur.

In the afternoon the vet came. It was time for his completing vaccinations. No problems at all - as usual Dinio behaved excellently. We talked about his teeth but the vet said it would be better to wait until the next time he returns - 4th of januari.

No riding today cause he spent 4 hrs in the paddock and due to vaccination. Tomorrow I will return to work, my vacation is over, and if he hasn't got a temp, I will give him an easy ride in the evening. As I understand there will be a trainer in the indoor arena tomorrow night, giving lessons, and he owns and competes PRE's.

Today was the first time Dinio should start to use the paddock. This is the place he shall be staying during the morning hours between 08.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs. At nine o'clock I took him there for his first time. All the other horses were already outside so there was a lot to take in for him. But of course, if your name is Dinio you know how to behave. When I left him loose he first stood still and just enjoyed the moment. Then he started to ..... yeah, I think you know. He laid down, rolled over several times, stood up and trotted in passage around and around, yes - he really enjoyed his time there. I stod for about 20 minutes to watch him and thereafter I joined my new friends in the stable for a coffee. From there I could watch him all the time. The paddock is situated in a high place so he can see all the other horses in there paddocks and I must say he had full coverage. Today it was really nice weather, not so cold and a lot of sunshine.

At eleven o'clock I took him back to the stable and served him his luncheon. He was totally pleased so I went home to eat something myself.

At 15.00 hrs I returned to check on him and to give him a soft ride. He was really pleased to see me and I started to give him a thorough brush. Thereafter we went to the indoor arena and today we joined 3 other horses there. When I was mounted and started to walk him I immediately felt that he was really tired. No idea to continue this! After about 5 minutes I decided to stop and we went back to the stable. A little bit surpriced that two hours in the paddock had draind him so much of energy but fully understandable after a 12-day journey, new owner, new surroundings and so on.

My darling Dinio! Hope you will feel strong and refreshed tomorrow.

Today, my ferrier Tobbe Hellsten came and attended the Dinio hoofs. He said that the spanish ferrier had done a very good job. He took off a little and attached the wintershoes. He even took photos before and after, just to compare with the future progress. Dinio's behaviour was of course excellent. We sceduled a new apointment for the 1st of february. Then Dinio got his lunch and thereafter I gave him a good brush, did som itchying of course and then I saddled him up and went to the arena.

We continued our work today in a long low form and also repeated the helps from yesterday. A lot of walk in the beginning and we finished the work with a lot of walk. He felt a little bit softer already from the beginning today, but I must be very careful with him and move on very slowly. He was very pleased.

With the snowshoes on I don't have to worry at all that Dinio is going to slip. And that is a nice feeling.

Tomorrow Dinio will enter his paddock for the first time. I hope this will go well. 

I just have to add one thing more - I am in heaven - thank you Dinio!!

   This morning, when I arrived (at 09.00 hrs), I met a very curious Dinio. He immediately took contact with me and we started our second day togheter with a lot of cuddeling, ichying and it was sooooo nice, said Dinio. Thereafter I gave him a good brush, put on the riding bandages and saddled him up. Put on the riding rug and the bridle. He looked so happy! "Finally - are you going to ride me?" We went to the indoor arena and to be honest, I was a little bit nervous. But he was really a gentleman. There were horses in all the paddocks around him but he only looked and walked slowly beside me. Then there were another thing I was nervous about. The mirrors in the arena. Yesterday he went very disturbed about them. But today - Yes he is real gentleman! He bearly noticed them. He was soo happy. We walked for about 10 minutes and then we started to trot in a long low form. He really enjoyed it and we started to repeat forward helps and "come back to me" helps. Worked perfectly. Thereafter we walked again and soon we started to trot some more. At the end we cantered about 3 minutes in each direction. In the beginning he felt a little bit stiff in the trot but at the end he felt soft and loose. Very proud and pleased I took him back to his stable. He was very pleased too.

Another brush, some more itchying and then the lunch were served. About 12.30 I went home for some rest and to eat something.

At 15.30 me and my darling mother returned to the stable. Now it was -14 degrees celsius so I decided not to walk with him. Too cold! So he got another good brush and some cuddeling. He was soo pleased.

Dinios ferrier comes tomorrow. He will get wintershoes so after that I don't have to worry when we walk on the snow/ice. No more slipping.

     After e few hours of sleep I went back to the stable. Everything was OK with Dinio. He had been feeding well. My darling mother and father joined us soon and also my son and my grand daughter. They were of course very curious about him and wanted to see him. I started to brusch him and thereafter it was time for our first walk together. We went to the indoor arena and started to walk. Suddenly he froze - what is that? Other horses in the wall? No Dinio, it is mirrors. No, no, it is absolutely other horses running in the wall. No Dinio, it is mirrors. Come on now, don't bother.

Anyway - it was a little bit to much for him. After a while I decided to leave the indoor arena. Thought it would be better to do a new try in the morning. We took some photos and then we turned back to the stable where he was served with pealed and cut carrots. Yammy- said Dinio.

Then my family left and I gave Dinio a thorough brush and I also found his itchy spottes. We did some itchying - very nice indeed - said Dinio.

Now I hope the night will go well and tomorrow I might ride him for a short moment so he can release some of his upbuilt energy.

At last - my darling Dinio arrived to the stable at 04.30 Saturday morning 11th of december. The evening before it was -14 degrees celsius but during the night the temp rise to -1.5 degrees celsius. A good omen I must say. Anyway - Dinio left the transporter in an excellent condition. Two lovely ears pointet towards me, was the first I saw of him. Then the head and then the rest of this lovely horse. Very gently he sat down his feet on the ground and then very slowly he walked to the stable.

I think he was a little bit excited over the snow. He tilted his head a little bit and looked down on the ground.

He entered his box and the first thing he did was to drink a lot of water. Then he laid down and rolled over a few times, standed up and gave his body a good shake.

Thereafter he started to feed on the hay. He saw a reflection of himself in the window and that excited him a bit but not for long. While Meg and Ryan, the two drivers still remained, I changed rugs on him. Now he has a fleece rug with neck and a thicker rug on top of that one on him.

I refilled the water bucket for him and about 06.30 I decided to go home for a few hours of sleep. I will return about 13.00 and then we will take a 30 minutes walk, give him a good brush and take some photos.

Finally!! He arrives tonight!! How I and my family have been waiting for this moment. Unfortunately they were delayed from Norway so he will arrive in the middle of the night. They phoned me from the office to ask if it was OK to deliver him so late. The other option was to deliver him on Sunday morning. But I answered that I wanted him delivered tonight. 

I also, finally, succeeded in finding a rug with a belly warmer. My darling mother bought it for Dinio as a Christmas present in advance. So during this late afternoon we drove to the store and bought it and then we drove up to the stable for the final preparations. Hay was already in place so my mother and I cleand up the water buckets, filled them up with fresh water and also prepared his night snack.

May the last travel from Strömstad to Stockholm go well.

(I have prepared a small gift for the drivers, Julmust, traditional christmas soda, an Alladin choclate box, and home baked christmas bread. I hope they will enjoy it).