Turning The Second Barrel: An Equestrian Journal

Cassie Update

Okay so in the last two days a lot has happened to Cassie! So for those of you who are new to my books, or can't remember much about Cassie. When we got her she was wild and scared, and still is. But she has gotten better. Also when we got her she was skinny and covered in lice. She's now a lot healthier, and lice-free. She's came a long way but still has a long way to go.
So yesterday we caught her, and tied her to the post, in the barn. I honestly haven't messed with her much in the last month to month in a half, as shows have began and when I was working with horses, I'd work with mostly Spunky, as she's my show horse. Well I started her out by grooming her, and she did pretty good. I was surprised at how good she did. I also put fly spray onto her for regularly for the first time. I did it how you do on any trained, calm horse I just sprayed it, and put it on her whole body. While before I'd brush it on, and just put it on her neck and shoulders as flies weren't bad then. Well then I moved onto a saddle blanket to see how she'd do, and she was a little spooky but that was expected. Well I decided to push that a little farther and put a latigo on a girth and put it where the girth would go. I then added a breast collar onto that, and she done great on that as it was her first time. I then let her stand there with it on for a moment before taking everything off but the saddle blanket. Well seeing how good she did, I took my I think 10" saddle, (it weighs about 8lbs, so really light for a Western saddle)(Which at some point I need to see how big my 15" barrel saddle looks on as that will be a big decider later) out of the tack stall, and put it on her. I did it just to see how she'd react, as she still has a long while before she can have her first ride. She was startled but this was her first time to ever have a saddle on her back. So she pulled back on the line, but nothing big. Well I let her sit with it on her back for a minutes before coming in to tighten the girth. Her only negative response to that was that she tried to bite me. So nothing too bad. Next I added the breast collar. The next part was gonna be the tricky part, remember when I bought the bitless bridle that Spunky doesn't use? I pulled it out, and put it on her loosely. She was a little spooky as I was messing with her head but she let me. Once it was on I did tighten it. I let her stand like this for a few minutes while I was away from her. I also turned on music at this time, as I can't have a horse afraid of music, because I mean they play music and shows and rodeos.
Well I then got a crazy/stupid idea. (You decide which one it was yourself) She had been acting calm, but before that day she'd been really spooky when her legs were being messed with. I put polo wraps on her legs. She just stood there like Spunky does. I then walked around the pasture with all of that stuff on her back in halter. She honestly did pretty well. Later after all that I let her loose.
Then on a personal note I actually had oral surgery this morning. Now before you ask how it went, I wonder the same thing. The last thing I remember is them giving me laughing gas, and then giving me the IV before I was out. But no in all seriousness everything went fine.
Then today after I was home for a while, and wasn't falling over my own feet. I had a bucket of feed trying to catch Izzy (who I didn't end up catching) The bucket did attract Spunky and Cassie though. So Cassie pretty much ate out of my hands today. She also let me grab a hold of her halter with no fuss, while she got a bite! So that was great, and I was proud of her. My biggest fear for her is her size, as right now she's only about 13 hands, and there most of their mature height by 2, which she'll be in a month. I mean unless she really fills out I'm gonna look kinda big on her. So it's honestly a wait and see thing. Plus when she gets her next coggins test (which will be soon) I'll talk to the vet about her, and see.
Lastly, I did get some pictures yesterday!