Cayenne

I havent mentioned on here yet one of the "projects" I have been working on...Here is the back story:

A friend of mine (remember Chica? Milo's old girlfriend? Her owner) has a client with a two and a half year old mare that needs starting. My friend is nearly at the due date for her pregnancy and took a hiatus from working the mare as soon as she found out she was pregnant. With summer approaching her owner was wanting her to get the basics on that way over the summer months she could be working with her. Even with the end of the pregnancy coming near, the weeks (months) to follow would be difficult for my friend to work with the mare. Enter me.

My friend called me up and asked if I would be interested in starting the mare. She had the saddle on a couple times already, but it had been some time since she had been working with her. A couple reasons why my friend thought of me to do the job: 1) she knew I had started Milo five years ago and could get the job done, 2) we have similar "training" background and 3) the mare reminded her so much in personality as Milo. Shes fiery (named Cayenne), can be snarky and have a 'tude, but also incredibly smart. In fact, when my friend and her owner initially went to look at her she immediately mentioned how Cayenne reminded her of Milo (even in color! She's a sorrel overo with two blue eyes).

Cayenne apparently was pretty difficult when they first brought her home. She has bred on a small farm with elderly owners who hadnt the time or energy to handle her. She needed to properly learn how to be handled, haltered, and lead, among other basic things like picking up her feet (which we are still working on for the rears). She needs to learn how to tie and go on a trailer too. But those are more things to come.

I was initially asked to do "thirty days" with her and get her to the point of her owner being able to confidently ride and work with her. Shes not a nasty mare by any means, just fiery and with a mind of her own. When I first went out to work with her and get an idea whether or not I wanted to take her on, I immediately liked her. Its uncanny how alike to Milo she is - practically his female identical.

I spent about a week and a half lunging, putting the saddle on her, and stepping weight into the stirrup. She was coming along nicely and stopped humping with the saddle. The day came that I was going to go astride. I had my friend come out that day to stand in the center of the round-pen and help as needed. All went very well; we walk, trot, and loped both directions and Cayenne only humped and kicked out once at my heel in her side.

Sunday I rode her for her second time and she did very well then too. We have also continued work on tying, touching her legs and belly, and putting wraps on her legs. She is doing very well. I have to keep telling myself: I do not need another sorrel overo...I do not need another sorrel overo. But I cant help myself - I really like her.