Casper – Trust for Body Work

Casper lived with 14 other horses before they were all rounded up by a rescue. All were adopted out, but Casper was still at the rescue after 16 months. Pictures show that he had a halter on – not sure for how many years, but that didn’t help him become halter broke.

The rescue facility that Casper stayed at – his caregiver spent time and knew just how to halter him, he trusted her. When he came here to be with us Dec 6, 2019, that trust didn’t automatically come along. In fact he wasn’t interested in connecting or bonding with horses or myself. His response was deep fear. My goal was to give Casper reasons to trust me. To be myself, and let that be enough so he could be himself, so his involuntary movements and reactions would stem from his curiosity, interest, our partnership, his first bond with Starry, my other horse.

Five months later, with just a few minutes a day, he is allowing me to walk up without a treat, put the lead rope on his halter and he’ll follow my lead, he’ll walk with me, and allow me to walk with him – with out the need to run off.

This session was a milestone. In the arena – where he has the ability to leave – he took a treat – the bond of trust as he isn’t overly food oriented, allowed me to hold lightly the halter and then do body work with him. I doubt few of you will understand how truly amazing and special this trust is… I offer it – to those who don’t have time, or don’t know the ways to gain this trust… My course is almost ready to share.