Green eyed monter!

I am usually pretty understanding of things.  I try hard to be nice, cooperative, and to share...really I do.  But this past month has just pushed my limits.  Another has been too busy with her spotted horse, I have not gotten enough time!  Then to top it off there are cows in my pasture who think I should share my hay with them, a couple of charges and swift kicks changed their minds.
Another takes her spotted horse to clinics and out on trail rides.  Then he comes back to the pasture and brags about how he is all that and a bag of chips...makes me upset.  I made it very clear to Another that I am not happy with the situation.  She comes out to see me, I turn my butt to her and walk off.  I know that makes her feel really bad.  I am not sure, other than making her feel bad, I am getting the results I want.  I want her to try to win my affections back.  She just stops, waits, tells me when I am ready she will be there for me and then she leaves the pasture.  I am thinking I may have to cave and let her know I see her waiting for me and I really want to go with her and play.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Sshhhh, I have a secret

Another and I have a big secret.  I have been keeping it for a bit now, but it is so hard!
She saddled me with the big saddle again one day and was working with me.  I was super good, in fact the best ever!  When she stepped up on the cement pad that goes into the barn I lined myself right up so she could get on.  I gave her my best puppy dog eyes and kept nosing my stirrup.  She told me to wait a minute and went into the barn to get her helmet.  I didn't move an inch, I wanted her to know I was serious.  She came back out with her helmet on and put her foot in the stirrup like she was going to get on.  I didn't move...I was relaxed and licking my lips. I kept waiting for her to swing her leg over, but she just kept laying over the saddle and banging the off-side stirrup and rubbing all over me.  She stepped back on the pad and told me how good I was.  I nudged her with my nose, I really wanted her to get on.  She put her foot in the stirrup, took a calming breath, threw her leg over and sat down.  I stood very still, I was afraid I might worry her if I moved.  We stood there for a bit and then she got off.  She was so pleased with me.
She says as soon as I am consistent at yielding when asked we can go for a short ride. But for now I have taken a big step forward!
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

The big saddle

Today I wore the big saddle for the first time.  I was a good boy!  I went to the small pen with no problem, got brushed and fussed over.  I did some liberty work and the Another put the saddle on me.  She turned me loose so I could sort out carrying it on my own.  It took me a bit to figure out I could walk with it.  I learned to line up to a mounting step.  Another even put her foot in the stirrup like she was going to get on. 
I even got to play with the big soccer ball.  I love playing with the ball.
I also got checked out to see if I needed any body work or nutritional changes.  I will be getting a change in my supplements for a few weeks.  I like the there are people here who ask me questions and listen to me.
I led nicely back to my pasture, which was 1/2 a block away from the small pen.  No bolting...
"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Given enough time.

This is Freedom's Lady.  While she is Another's horse, she does not live at the ranch.  She lives at a very special place that allows her the ability to be a "free domesticated mustang".
Free is a special horse that faced being euthanized.  After three years with Another and the Rope Man she is now loving life in captivity.  She also lives in a place where she can take long walk-abouts and come back after a few days.  She always chooses to come back even though she could return to the wild if she wanted to do so.  Free loves her life with humans because the ones she is with honor her nature and allow her to be herself while training her.  The Rope Man and Another know that some horses take years not months-they give them time.
This weekend Free went to the ocean for the first time and played in the surf.  Another promised me that I will get to do that when I am ready.  I think I will like the beach, I think that storming the waves would be fun. I am glad I have all the time I want to get ready to be there-after all when you don't like getting wet it can be hard to run in the surf.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Speical ME TIME

Another said yesterday in her post that she feels bad when I get left out, well so do I.  She does however try to set special time aside for me, but with me being unsure away from my friends it is hard to get me on my own. 

The horse guardian set a small "square pen", rather than a round pen, right up outside my pasture.  Now I can get alone time with Another.  Tonight she came out and haltered me up, help me get past the big 'Bully Boyz", making them move out of MY way for a change, and out the gate.  Jack tried to go too, but Another told him it wasn't his turn-he pouted.

I got groomed, lunged, flagged, and then showed off my liberty skills.  Another got out the biggest ball I have ever seen!  At first I was worried about it, but then Another started playing with it.  I started to join in some and we had a good time.

Another put me back in the pasture and thanked me for coming out to play with her.  She says we will do more of this.  I now I will like that, after all I picked Another and it is my responsibility to play with her.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"

Some days my heart breaks...

This is me, Another, posting today.
See that face?  I love everything about the Mighty Q!  He is gentle, loving, playful, tries so hard, and is a grand horse.  He also has fear, sometimes lacks trust, and surprisingly enough has little confidence in himself. 
I have not one bad word to say about him since he has come to live with me.  He is the horse that humans made him and he wants to be the horse I ask him to be.  But some days my heart just breaks for him.
When I take Jack out of the pasture and Q begs me to take him too!  When he sees us load up for a trail ride and he whinnies to go along.  When he watches the horses in the arena and makes it so clear he wants to join in, but just doesn't know how....my heart breaks and sometimes I cry for him.
I know that soon he will be doing all the things he wants to do. Now he reminds me of the little child on the playground being left out of the games-he reminds me of myself and maybe that is why we are together.
I don't know why, because it makes absolutely no sense to me, I love the heck out of this horse.  Maybe it is because with him I get to love the child I was and help make things better.  Who knows?
One day the Mighty Q and I will be riding a clinics, working cows, and going down trails.  He will do all the things that he wants to do-it is a promise I make to him (and to the little girl I once was)
I love you Q, thanks for choosing me.
Another

Partners

Today I went for a walk.  Now walking itself isn't a big deal, after all I have been doing it since I was a day old.  Learning to stay at Another's side is getting better all the time.  Today was something totally new, well something old with a twist.  I know how to walk with other horses, how to keep my space or get a well placed nip or kick, I even know where my place in line is now.  I have never been led with another horse at the same time with us both being haltered.  That takes skills-not getting tangled up, not squeezing the human or stepping on toes.  Well today I did that and was stellar.  Who knew I had such crazy mad leading skills?  Notice I even kept my cool when another horse tried to bother us.

Another was very pleased with me, especially since I did not get a warm up first.

"It's the little things that make a big difference"