[SerenWish]

orse
#850001

Name: [You do not need to name immediately]
Age: 13 years
Breed: Mustang
Color: Gray (Black Minimal Splash Base) (EE/aa/GG/Spwspw)
Gender: Gelding (1 Breeding)
Markings: Scars
Height: 15.0 hands
Vice/Fear/Special: This gelding has quite the reputation on the range. He's lived through countless storms, harsh seasons, predator attacks, stallion scuffles, and a terrible wild fire. As thus, he's scarred and has old burns on his haunches. His life, however, has made him virtually bombproof, aside from two things- the scent of smoke, and bright flashes of light. He is incredibly strong as well, with lots of stamina.

[orse]

My Journal

Hi, I'm Aria Brennan. I'm 22 years old and I have worked with horses my whole life. I live in Australia and am the winner of the 2014 CWHR Mustang Makeover. I've flown back this year with my 2014 Mustang Promise and foal. Back in Australia I own many CWHR horses at Willow Wood Stables run a thoroughbred performance horse company called Willow Wood Thoroughbreds. I mainly showjump.

I am blonde haired and blue eyed and am OBSESSED with oranges and meringues. I am 170cm tall and am bright and bubbly. I'm a real joker at times and love to crack a good joke. I've had a pretty simple life so far, but things are starting to pick up as I get more work training horses. This is my journal for the 2015 Mustang Makeover. Please enjoy reading it, try to ignore my rambling most of the time!

The future lies before you like a field of fallen snow;

000000000000000000000000be careful how you tread it, for every step will show


What I Know So Far

Name: Unknown
Show Name: Unknown
Age: 13
Coat: Gray - Black Minimal Splash Base
Height: 15hh
Breed: Mustang
Fear: This gelding has quite the reputation on the range. He's lived through countless storms, harsh seasons, predator attacks, stallion scuffles, and a terrible wild fire. As thus, he's scarred and has old burns on his haunches. His life, however, has made him virtually bombproof, aside from two things- the scent of smoke, and bright flashes of light. He is incredibly strong as well, with lots of stamina.
Personality: Unknown
History: Unknown

Art
Upon Arrival
House Map
Halter
River

[orse]

Day One

''And then my soul saw you and it kind of went ''Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you.''

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000-Unknown

Planes, again? I clutched my bag tightly as the plane launched itself through the thick cloud up in the atmosphere. My stomach whirled with excitement and nerves. The second Mustang Makeover, and I was back to try and help another Mustang along. My thoughts darted back to Promise. She would have landed in sunny Wyoming by now, her foal at foot. I had twisted a couple of arms to get the two over to America so I was glad to have them here for support.

After the Mustang Makeover, Promise's training had not stopped. It never stops! There is still so much more she is learning, particularly in the arena. Promise gave birth to her 'mystery dad' foal and the little colt was stunning! Things were definitely doing great. I looked out the window quickly and my heart dropped again. I kept my eyes fixed on the floor, feeling the thuds of flight attendant feet as they went to get their seats. ''Cabin and Crew, prepare for landing.''

Slightly disorientated and shaky-legged, I picked up my luggage, packing the masses of it into my loan car - the one with the biggest boot I could find! I drove over the the cargo plane centre, signing papers for about an hour before I was reunited with Promise and Foal. I stroked Promise as she paced slightly, aware of the loud jets and huge planes. I quickly loaded her into my loan trailer, securing the foal too. 'WOOF'. I chuckled to myself. 'How could I forget about you, Digger?' A short-haired black and white border collie with too much energy for that body of his bounded from the cart, instantly inspecting his surrounding. I let him jump into the passenger seat of the car, deciding to leaving his leash on for safety reasons. No one wanted to be unexpectedly love-attacked by my crazy furball!



I took a sharp breath in, map in hand as I studied the layout of Wyoming. I had rented a small place with 2 lush green meadows, a barn, a guest house, 2 arenas, a round yard and other small horsey facilities. It was secluded and quiet with a lush pine plantation - slightly unusual for Wyoming! I negotiated my way through the town to arrive at the driveway. I was to be sharing the place with the owner, Lauren. I drove carefully down the driveway, stopping in front of a grand double storey house. A woman with curly black hair and a slightly freckled face in her mid twenties welcomed me at the door with a big hug. 'Welcome, Aria! It's so great to have you here!' She led me to the guest house. It was almost like a whole new house, even surrounded by it's own 'house paddock'. We let Promise with little one at foot into the paddock - they will love it here!

I was able to settle into my house and unpack my belongings. Wyoming's beautiful landscape was everything that I had pictured from the book Flicka. It was stunning! I swallowed lumps in my throat as I opened my car door, letting Digger leap onto the second seat. It was time to collect my mustang. The drive wasn't long, but my hands dripped with sweat on the wheel. I pulled into the driveway and was welcomed by Amy Westfield again. She knew my name this time, taking me to a yard with my name on it. My heart was pounding, I could feel the pulse in my head. I clung to the bars of the yard, peering in curiously. I gasped as I took in the sight of my beautiful mustang. He was incredible! I stared in awe at his beautiful gray coat. His muzzle faded to a black and his eye was lined with it too, making his deep blue eyes pop. A small patch of black from his sabino shone through. I was instantly attracted to this horse. He was old, I could tell. He was marked with battle scars, the sign of a noble stallion who fought hard. He was wise however. His body language indicated that he would not be as skittish as Promise, but he did have his issues.




This gelding has quite the reputation on the range. He's lived through countless storms, harsh seasons, predator attacks, stallion scuffles, and a terrible wild fire. As thus, he's scarred and has old burns on his haunches. His life, however, has made him virtually bombproof, aside from two things- the scent of smoke, and bright flashes of light. He is incredibly strong as well, with lots of stamina.



I drove carefully on the way home to ensure the Mustang was confortable. I could hear his unbalanced hooves clattering and thudding on the floor of the trailer. I opened the ramp into the round yard and let the mustang loose, watching as he tore around the yard. With the trailer parked, I grabbed a leather halter that could break just in case, and went into the round up. I planned to do join up sometime later in the week but I needed time to clean him up and observe him. He trotted with his tail high in the air, tense and fearful. I squatted down in the middle of the round yard, adrenaline tearing through my body. To dangerously put squat down near a scared wild horse is something I was hoping I wouldn't do. I waited for the Mustang to run his heart out, and after what seemed like forever, he came to a halt. Taking deep, calm breaths, I looked at the ground, inching over to the horse. He was frozen still. My eyes peeked into his before flashing back to the ground. I could see him wanting to run away, but he didn't. Something was stopping him from running. I slipped the halter over his head and buckled it quickly, watching as the mustang raised his head in alarm. He backed up, cantering around the yard in fear. I quickly ran out of the yard and sat just outside of it, watching him as he reacted to the halter being on his head. I winced, having to watch it. I knew however that I had to get a halter on as soon as possible otherwise I wouldn't be able to turn him out for fear of not getting him back again.

I opened the yard gate and let him out into my paddock next to the house paddock. My Mustang trotted over, tail in the air to greet Promise and Foal. It was like he knew them! I smiled, watching the horses interact. Sitting down once more to watch, I could feel the gelding tense slightly when he acknowledged me. I studied his filthy coat and pondered over where to start with my horse. Finding a name seemed like the way to start but I had no idea what to call my beautiful gelding. I flipped to the back of my diary and started to sketch him, running my pencil along the line of his beautiful crest from his stallion years. I shaded over his slightly dished face and contoured cheek bone, smiling as his profile began to pop out of the page. I carefully created each scar on his body, wondering just how he got each one, my imagination running wild as I played out stallion fights and scrabbles and incidents in my head. My mustang was a warrior, and I don't want to break that in him.

It feels great to be in America again!
Goodnight Diary,
Aria xx

Achievements
Brought my Mustang home and had him settled in
He will need a wash this week!
This week I need to observe him and get him used to being around me

[orse]

Day Two

'All my life, one page at a time, I'll show you my, my true colours.'

After rushing breakfast and shoving a crinkled polo shirt over my head, I speedwalked out the door, almost running into Lauren. I checked in on Promise and her colt, throwing a summer sheet over her back to protect her from the occasional winds and bugs. She stared at me with her liquid brown eyes, ears pricked. I scratched behind her ears, leaving her once more to graze. I quickly made my way to the gate of the paddock holding my Mustang. He had sure made himself at home! I grabbed a clean thin leather halter from the gate and walked over quietly. Of course, he wanted nothing to do with it so I walked towards the roundyard at the top of the paddock. I rounded him into it carefully, shutting the gate as he trotted around anxiously.



I sighed, tying the halter to the fence and walking back to the house to retrieve Promise. The foal grazed quietly as I removed her from the paddock. My weaning practice had been paying off! I put a neatly pressed white 'WWS' saddle blanket over the mare's back, followed by a black AP saddle and breastplate. Then came her boots and bridle. Promise didn't flinch as I swung into the saddle, tightening my girth once more when mounted. It felt good to be in the saddle again. I took Promise to the indoor arena, walking past the rather large jumps laid out. Lauren must have been jumping lately. They were definitely over a metre, a bit too big for Promise's type. I took one of them down to 90 centimetres. Warming her up, I took her over the jump a couple of times, feeling sweat build up on her neck. Taking her tack off and putting it away, I put her rope halter on. I vaulted onto her back, cantering over to the river to let her roll. When she was nice and damp, I scrubbed her with shampoo, getting all the dirt from her travel out of her creamy coat. Grabbing a bucket, I doused all the suds away once more, letting her dry in the warm sunlight before covering her with a sheet once more.

I looked back to the Gelding who had calmed only slightly. We had time, and lots of it. I grabbed a rope from the post and stepped into the yard. The horse tensed again. I swung the rope at him, making him run his heart out around the yard with his head high. He couldn't get away from me, he could only run in circles around me or come closer. I pushed him on, every time he slowed I flicked the rope more. What astounded me was how fit he was. I was getting dizzy turning in circles and was close to giving up and stopping. I could see the horse begin to lower his head as he cantered. I dropped the rope and turned away from him, hearing his thudding hooves cease. It was no relevation, but when I turned around he was faced to me, stock still once more like he had been yesterday. He was frozen like the ice over a lake, his wise eyes staring into my mind. I was entranced by him. There was something about this horse that was so unlike any horse I've ever worked with before. My arm flinched at the flies and the horse reacted to that, snapping out of his trance and moving off again. I left him alone, going into the tack room to put Promise's tack away in her trunk. I had brought along an AP saddle an a jump saddle, a bridle, a halter, leadrope, saddle blanket, boots, a breastplate and rugs for Promise. I was going off to buy the same for my Mustang. I hopped into my car, driving to the tack store.

It was fun to splurge a little bit. I bought an extra light synthetic AP saddle and a stretchier girth for comfort. I bought some safety-break stirrups and 4 protective horse boots. I bought a hanoverian bridle with a removable noseband and a comfy padded saddle blanket with fleece around the wither. I wanted my horse to be as comfortable as possible. I bought a 5 point breastplate, one of my guilty pleasures. Seeing as my Mustang was used to the harsh winter cold, I bought a summer sheet and a medium-fill winter rug to go over the top in winter - it was all he really needed anyway. After 20 more minutes putting more things I didn't need into my basket, I exited, heaving bags to my car and unpacking them excitedly.

When I got back to the farm, I checked in on my Mustang. He was still again and I sighed. Grabbing a long lunge rope, I went into the ring again to try the join up technique. When he had slowed and stopped, I walked up to him with my head to the ground. He snorted as I reached the clip of the rope up to his chin. *Click*. With that, he was off around the yard. I loosened my grip on the

rope, letting the contact fade as he cantered around the ring. I held onto the rope, slowly tightening it and he circled around me smaller and smaller. He finally stopped, the whites of his eyes showing as I pulled on the rope slightly and he jumped forward to avoid the pressure. I led him to the gate on a very loose rein and opened it. He jigged out, spooking at the snaking rope. 'Whooooo.' I began to go for a walk around the paddock and the horse had no choice but to follow. I took him to the river, watching him paw at the river on the very end of my lead rope. He went down to roll and I watched in awe as mud cascaded down his back, falling into the river. He rolled again to show his pure snowy coat. I got the whole picture as all the dirt dissapeared showing his creamy tail and mane. I looked at the black spot on his bottom, like a sprinkling of ash. His true colours.

Settling into my bed for the night with my Mustang grazing peacefully out in the paddock once more, I gazed at the paintings on the wall. One of them caught my eye. I studied the snowy volcano with dustings of ash on it and closed my eyes, imagining the flashes and smoke from the terrifying event of Pompeii. I had an AHA moment. My mustang was snowy and pure with sprinklings of 'ash' on him, and he was terrified of smoke and flashing. Pompeii would be his name.

WWS, Ash Falls Like Snow

Goodnight Diary,
Aria xx

Achievements
Clipped a lunge line on my Mustang
Tried join up, he's not as responsive to it at Promise but I think we are getting somewhere
He has a name! Pompeii!

[orse]

Day Three

Digger's bark woke me up abruptly. I rubbed sleep from my eyes, my body almost jolting as I realized where I was and why. The sun beamed through the mountains to the north, blinding me slightly as I went to feed Promise and her foal. Digger rambled along besides me. Promise flicked her ears back at him while she munched her breakfast. Digger of course, did not notice and continued to fool around. I called him sternly, making my way back to the ranch house for breakfast.

After a large meal that satisfied my huge hunger, I grabbed a flake of lucerne hay and threw it to Pompeii in his temporary home, the round yard. While he munched happily away at his newfound favourite food, I grabbed a bucket from the feed room and scooped up some pellet. It was an allrounder type with sweet molasses giving it more appeal. I added half a scoop of lucerne chaff and half a scoop of meadow chaff. I mixed it up in the bucket and added a pinch of salt. Pompeii sniffed at the bucket, snorting and huffing over it. I stepped back, watching him take tentative bites of the unusual feed, his bites although still small, finishing some of the mix. He pawed at the bucket, tipping it over and spooking at it, ending up at the other side of the round yard. I picked up the bucket, putting it back in the feed room. When I got back, he had eaten a bit more but seemed to have stopped. He wanted nothing to do with it. It was a lovely Saturday morning but the heat had really gotten to us. I boiled under a collared polo and jodhpurs. Pompeii had begun to adjust to the daily life of being on a farm with humans everywhere and he had given up on pacing around and building up a sweat.

I got into Pompeii's yard and approached him gently again, not daring to make eye contact. He stood his ground, frozen still. I carefully clipped a lunge rope to his halter and stood back, leaving it slightly loose with no contact. He trotted off in the arena and I let it slide through my hands until I reached the end, watching as he trotted with his head high in the air, spooking at the jiggling rope. I kept him moving forward but remained on the spot, turning on my heel. He pigrooted, twisting and cutting across part of the circle. I stayed glued to the middle of the arena letting him run out again. I let him slow down and eventually stop. Gathering the rope as I went, I pulled him into the middle again, holding onto the rope firmly as I extended my arm out to him. He wasn't as spooky as Promise but he was sure hard to win over. He smelled my hand, snorting and snuffling at it warily. I touched his nose gently, feeling the soft but ragged hairs and the occasional scar. He pulled back but did not run. I unclipped the rope and ducked out of the yard knowing it would be enough for the day.

I gave Promise's girth another tug, feeling underneath it to double check it was tight. Clipping my helmet up, I swung into the saddle, taking her for a walk on the buckle. I decided to take her up the mountains to the north. They were only just covered by a canopy of trees but the distance between the trees were wide. We only went up slight inclines at a trot, building her back muscles. She relished her bath in the river after our ride and I went to check on my beautiful Pompeii.

I watched him eating his lucerne hay and pondered over what to do. I decided to begin letting him out at night and feeding him in the morning in his yard. I decided to give him hay in the afternoon before I let him out once more. It would begin to give him a reason to come to his yard in the morning meaning he would be easier for me to catch. I was considering letting him have a break out in the paddock this weekend, but even though we were taking baby steps, we were getting somewhere. I decided to let him wind down in the paddock next weekend.

Goodnight Diary,
Aria xx

Achievements
Worked him in the round yard, patted him a bit
He is starting a new feeding routine
Next weekend he will go out for a break

[orse]

Day Four

'Don't fear, baby, cause you and me are golden…
0000000000000000000000000000000000When you can't breathe, it's you that I'll be holdin''

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000- Golden, Travie McCoy ft. Sia

I walked in the ranch house door, expecting to smell breakfast, but Lauren was standing there with pancakes and candles. She began to sing happy birthday but I stopped her to save myself from embarrassment. Pancakes for breakfast, my favourite. There wasn't long to sit around however as breakfast for the horses needed to be served. I mixed up feed for Promise and Pompeii and grabbed 2 biscuits of Lucerne hay. Hauling the buckets, I fed Promise with Pompeii watching on. As I walked to his roundyard and put his feed in there, I saw him begin to walk over to the yard. I stood at the open gate, closing it behind him slowly. He backed up and I froze, waiting for him to walk forward again and closing it fully. He began to eat from his bucket, a bit more enthusiastically than last time. I smiled, sitting down to watch.

It seemed like all I had been doing lately was sitting down and watching my mustang eat. Why was this so much harder than Promise? I love her to bits but this gelding was so much more emotionally complex. He's been wild his whole life and his life has been consistent with no change. I need to be a member of his herd. Not his herd, our herd. I needed to channel my inner wild horse. I know, it sounds weird but maybe it was the only way I could feel like I was getting somewhere. If I didn't have his trust then I'd just be forcing new things on him. I rested my face in my hands watching as he ate slightly more than yesterday then left it once more to rot.

The stubborn mud from the heavy rain before I arrived had caked itself onto Promise's feet and legs. I furiously brushed it all out and gracefully threw a saddle over her back. She scratched her hind leg in the dirt as I did up her girth, leaping into the saddle. I warmed her up, cantering around the house paddock, my hair flapping under my helmet. I unlatched the round yard gate and closed it behind me, entering into the round yard. Pompeii froze with fear. After all, another horse had one of those.. things on their backs and it was something unusual to see. I began to ride around the arena at a walk and the two horses stopped to acknowledge each other. Pompeii acted a lot differently when another horse was around and he was a lot more submissive towards mares. I trotted around the yard, Pompeii trotting around with me. I finished my ride on Promise and dismounted, walking over to Pompeii. I clipped a lunge line to Promise and lunged her with the stirrups down and the reins around her head. Pompeii was wary of the flapping things on her side but had no option but to go around the yard with Promise. I pulled Promise in and Pompeii followed. I carefully grabbed the side of his halter and ran my hand down his nose. He quivered but remained paralysed much like before. I ran my hand down his nose again, feeling his silky hairs and weathered scars. He was surprisingly calm and was more wary than spooked by my presence. He didn't know what I was here for just yet.

What confuses me is how wild horses react to humans. Are they mad at us or scared of us? What triggers their reactions? Are they anxious all the time or do they learn to stand still in a yard? What can they do and how do they react? All of them are so different. I sighed, leading Promise back to her paddock, greeted by whinnying from her lanky little foal. I grabbed a rake and picked up all the poo they had left into the paddock and did the same roughly with my Mustang's large paddock. Sweat poured from my brow as I chucked a flake of lucerne hay outside the yard and let Pompeii out into the paddock to eat so I could clean his yard too. Dumping a wheelbarrow full of manure onto the pile, I huffed, putting it away and pouring myself a tall glass of icy water. I watched as Pompeii kicked his heels up and cantered around the paddock. I grabbed my note book, planning the rest of this week. For the next 5 days I would continue the join up and leading process and begin to lead him and teach him to follow when I lead him. Then I would leave him out for the weekend to go explore what Wyoming had to offer.

Tomorrow is another busy day!
Goodnight Diary,

Aria xx

Achievements
Getting Pompeii used to touch
He's becoming used to being fed in the morning

[orse]

Day Five

Everything is alive... listen.

Mondays have never been so great. I peeked at my alarm clock: 7:28. I leapt out of the bed, full of excitement and adrenaline. After morning hugs from a hungry promise and little foal sniffles, I turned my attention to Pompeii. I called out 'Po-oh!' and his ears pricked. I shook the bucket, tipping it into his feed bin. He ate almost all of it this time and I could see his coat starting to gloss under the scratchy dirt still marked all over him. I watched him eat and re-arranged his tack box, folding his rugs and rolling them. When he was done and had digested his food, I grabbed a shorter lead rope and clipped his halter, moving slowly so he was calm. Slowly, I added pressure to the rope and he stepped forward to avoid the pressure. Taking baby steps, we crawled around the round yard until I opened the gate, walking out to the paddock. Pompeii resisted a few times but was sensitive to the pressure and moved forward quickly.

I tied Po to a tree on the bank so that his legs were in the water and grabbed a bucket. I tipped water over his back as the dirt from the last few days and the dirt still ingrained in his hairs began to wash off. He was scared but not spooked - he was too bombproof for that! I carefully used my hand as a scraper, watching as the dirt cascaded down. He jumped to the side and I touched him again, lightly this time. His skin flinched but he stood still. 'Gooooood boyyyyyy', I cooed to him. 'There's nothing to be scared about.' I finished up, getting as much dirt out of his coat as I could. I untied him and led him up onto the bank which he decided to jump. I righted myself, switching the short rope for a long lunge one. Finding an open grassy space, I used my body language to ask him to get going, not wanting to use a whip or the end of a rope unless it was join-up in which case he would be loose and I would use a coiled rope. I didn't want him to associate me with whips or scary things until he knew what he was doing and I knew he could handle it. I clucked watching as he instantly went into a tense, active trot. I watched as his legs floated in the air. He was so graceful and swift. 'Whoaaaa', I called out. Some horses have issues walking when being lunged and I wanted to tackle it quickly. He had an instinct of flight and at the walk with a flappy lunge line on his side, it's hard to keep him relaxed. He still hadn't realized there was no point in running on a lunge line. I used my body direction and language to try and keep him at a smooth, consistent walk. He snorted, his head jammed into the air. I was patient, walking and walking him until he began to wind down once more. As soon as he was relaxed and had been calm for a few laps, I asked him to trot in the quietest way possible. His transition was rushed but he eventually slowed his pace and dropped his head a notch.

I crept my hand up the lunge line, tightening the circle and clucking. He had to work harder on a smaller circle. Po was so fit that he found no issues with this. I made the circle larger again, letting him loosen up again before I waved my hand a bit, making him break into canter. He fell into the circle a lot, his shoulder dropping. I flicked the rope a tiny bit, making him pick himself up slightly. Once again I tightened the circle. He sped up, almost galloping around me. I pulled on the rope, slowing him back to a loose trot then a walk. Repeating the same exercises on his other side, I pulled him back into the circle and stroked his face gently. His eyes clicked into mine and he did not resist. I grabbed a biscuit of Lucerne and threw it out in his paddock, letting him loose. I sat down a few metres away and just talked to him as he ate. 'I came all the way from Australia for this you know…' 'It's where we will be taking you back to.' 'And you can live with Promise and her foal. I promise you'll be happy.' As the sun set, I could hear my stomach grumble. I walked back to the main house to hot lasagne. The perfect way to end a not-so-bad Monday.

Goodnight Diary,
Aria xx

Achievements
Getting Pompeii used to touch
Did some more complex 'lunge' work

[orse]

Day Six

Listen to me. PAIN is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. [Please watch]

My breath caught in my throat as I watched the sun rise in the most picture-perfect way. Promise grazed beneath me, cropping the long greengrass. I looked down at the ranch below and almost cried. Picturing the first scene from Flicka by Mary O'Hara, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia from my childhood. I was finally in beautiful Wyoming where greengrass grew and landscapes lasted for days. I twirled my fingers through Promise's mane, dismounting and sitting in the beautiful grass. Opening up a thermos of coffee and a danish, I chewed slowly and thoughtfully, not ever wanting to leave. The sunrise seemed to last for hours. It was so serene and silent. All I could hear was the occasional cropping of grass from Promise.

After what seemed like hours, I finally got up reluctantly. There were horses to feed. I mixed up Po's feed again and fed it to him. This time he ate all of it and cleaned his feed bin. I stroked his neck softly and he remained quiet. I was so happy with how we were getting along! I took his halter off for the first time since I put it on him. He shook his head then began to eat once more. After he finished, I went back into his yard and his head looked up again. I walked over to him slowly and a huge grin erupted from my face as he let me pat his head and put his halter back on once more. I clipped a lead rope on him and took him for another walk, this time round to the barn and horsey facilities. We went closer to the driveway, walking through pines. I broke into a run and he trotted [with encouragement] behind me. We ran for a bit up a few hills then stopped. I was overfilled with joy and I praised him over and over. I was starting to feel a connection.

As soon as I found a grassy area, I clipped his lunge line and asked him to walk on. He trotted again and I relaxed my body language until he walked. This time, he read my body language and posture. His head had lowered a notch and his back was swinging and stretching. It was the biggest step we had made for the whole time I had been working with him. I clucked him forward, letting him work his energy out. I took him back to his yard, taking his halter off but standing with him. The basics of liberty were only just forming. I stroked his neck, back, belly and legs carefully. He was anxious but I continued to do it, left side, right side. As soon as he had relaxed, I left the yard after throwing him a biscuit of hay once more.

As the sun set, I bathed in the river, the slightly cool water running over my arms and legs. I floated, my head peeking out above the surface. Thought after thought ran through my mind as the golden rays of the sun weakened. This journey had only just begun!

Goodnight Diary,

Aria xx

Achievements
Getting Pompeii used to touch
More leading and lunge work
I can see that we are getting somewhere!

[orse]

Day Seven

The saddlery opened at 9:30am and I arrived there at 9:35am quickly to beat the mid-day rush. I walked out with a bag full of horse treats. The horses had happily finished their breakfast as I got back. I opened all of the packets of treats and poured them into a big container to make a scroggin mix for horses. Po seemed slightly excited to see me. It was one of the most amazing feelings ever to have a horse want you to be there. I opened my container and took out treat one.

Treat one: Apple bite
Pompeii sniffed at it tentatively and had no idea what to do with it. I put under his nose and he took a nibble at it. He shook his head up and down as he chewed, his ears pricked. I guess he likes it?

Treat two: Liquorice
Surprisingly, Pompeii loves these! It was hard to convince him at the start but now he enjoys them a bit.

Treat three: Salt lick
Po loves this! I'll hang it in his yard for him.

Treat four: Peppermint
He wanted nothing to do with it! It was too unnatural.

Treat five: Carrot
He ate it with no complaints so I think he doesn't mind it?

Treat six: Apple
This has to be one of his favourites! He kept going back for more and more pieces.

Treat seven: Horse cookies
Definitely not his thing. He didn't want to eat it at all.

I shook up the container, putting it back in the cupboard. Po was napping in the sun as I ate my lunch, looking out the window. I cleaned up my plate and shoved a helmet on my head, making my way to the tack room. I opened the box up, grabbing Promise's cleanly oiled bridle. I went to visit Promise and foal, bridling her and sliding her rug off. The mare was not very tall but it took a bit of effort to get onto her bareback. I wriggled forward on her back, nudging her forward in the direction of the hilly forest. I twisted my fingers in her mane as we cantered over open fields. I put her over a few logs, feeling her back lift and her shoulder blades move under my legs. Promise broke up a sweat a lot easier than Pompeii, and the sun was beginning to set in the sky. I took her back and hosed her off again, reuniting her with her foal.

I lunged Pompeii again, tightening the circles to build his hind legs and get him to sit back. We would need those skills later! He was so fit that even I couldn't keep up with him!

Later at night I sat down with a hot cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, opening the computer. I went back to the website from last year and looked through the pictures of the wild horses of Wyoming. I searched up Po's number and found a picture! I studied it closely. He was standing so proudly on the top of the hill. Like a true warrior! I wrote up a letter to the website again, ordering the picture on a canvas and asking if they knew anything about him. Closing it off, I put it beside my bed, reminding myself to post it really soon.

It wasn't a very productive day but nethertheless, it was a good one!
Goodnight Diary,
Aria xx

Achievements
Introduced him to new foods
More Lunge work