Cassie's (Zanaella) Homecoming

She's here, she's here! She's also scared, frightful, nervous, knotty in her neck/ shoulders to name a few...

She got to Eatonville just fine, trailored with her buddy, Andora (Bitsy). Doesn't like the change from alfalfa to orchard grass, but she's learning about a healthy diet.

My first impression is that Cassie needs help getting confident, she needs to know from here on out, humans will not hurt her. It is obvious to me that someone has been rough with her, she's very bracy and flinchy when you go to pet her. She knows too much to be just halter broke, but she is not comfortable with what she knows.

I worked with her over the weekend, and by working I mean sitting in the paddock and spending time with her. She finally lowered her head, and wanted her forelock to be pet, at which point she took the opportunity for me to scratch her ears as well. By the end of the weekend I had her accepting of the carrot stick as an extension of my arm and was also able to touch her back. This is a huge improvement because when she first came she wanted humans in front of her at all times, and no human was allowed to go past zone 2.

She acts like a baby around the other horses. She wants to be mothered by the lead mare, Wilma. Wilma treated her like baby which is unusual for her. So for now, Wilma is doing what Cassie needs. We all are.

I'm scared for this horse....because she needs time and love, and time and love. She's learned to mistrust, and unless we help change her mind, she's going down a very dark road.

-Ally