Two years passed, and since then, I have been lunging her everyday with her halter, but today was different. When I woke up, and got ready for the day, I grabbed the special saddle used for their first time being saddled. I kept it hidden in my house so they couldn't get to it and destroy it. Upon reaching the barn, I was immediately greeted by Lila. I've worked with her for some time now on emotion, and she shows a few of them now, happy, sad, angry, inquisitive, which is the one she has now as she sniffs the saddle. I assumed she got out of her stall again and I smiled at my intelligent girl.
"Lila, todays the day of being saddled, are you ready?" I murmur, stroking her neck soothingly.
I get a tilted head, and a shrill neigh in response so I started with her bridle, which she has worn for a while now. After that, I stroked her sides, and placed the saddle blanket onto her back and stepped back. Curiously, she turned her head and sniffed the blanket, then turned to me as if to say, that's it? Shaking my head, I carefully placed the saddle onto her back and her body tensed up and shivered. As I tightened the girth, she got even more tense, but didn't move. Her open-minded ness kept her in control, and allowed me to lung her with the saddle on. Smiling, I thanked her, and after the day was done, I gave her a nice, cool bubble batch for her good work.