A Workman Worthy of The Wage

She earned it. Abigail has worked hard and smart with Rico and yesterday it paid off for both of them. Rico was captured because of a serious long term lameness. His suffering was such that he came with in a few hours of being put down. He is about seven years old.

But he is tough--he healed himself. And Abigail wanted a special horse to train on her own. With my direction and with some important assistance from a couple of the big girls, she got it done. Slowly, gently, and affectionately she trained this Corolla and yesterday took him into the woods for his first hard ride.

He shed the mud. He shed the ice....and he shed Abigail. He started to chase Lydia-dog and then decided that the chase would be easier on his part if he proceeded without a rider. He bucked long. He bucked hard. And eventually he bucked successfully.

Abigail rode him for many bucks but she came off--and she got up---and she caught her horse---and she got back on her horse---and she rode him.

And they had a great time. She smiled. He pranced.

And Abigail is not the same kid she was a few months ago. She is proud and she should be. She earned the right to be proud.

When a kid trains her own wild horse, she changes as much as the horse does. She stands up straighter. She walks with authority and confidence.

 She has smiles, giggles, dimples...and  gravitas.

(Pictures can be a bit deceiving. Rico is small but not as small as he looks in this picture)