Successful day with the Colt

My mustang is doing great! He's starting to feel much better, and it's quite obvious. He now lets me pick all four feet, he'll be ready for the farrier to do his back feet very soon! Today I even offered him a bit, he took it fantastically, didn't care at all. He chewed it for about 10 seconds, and then let it gently sit in his mouth.

He leads with just a rope on his front foot. His ground manners overall aren't horrendous. He's pushy, and he gets frustrated when I make him whoa. If I don't use enough pressure right away to whoa and back him he just walks through me, but if I give him direction instantly he does well.

After working with him more, I now see, this little guy was started by someone who knew what they were doing. This little guy is so relaxed about everything. I swing a saddle pad on him, he doesn't care, tighten a rope around his heart girth, barrel, and just in front of his flanks, and he stands stone still. I can swing a rope around him, and he keeps his cool. He even leads by just a rope around his front foot. Judging by that move, I know that someone taught him that little trick. I've never met a horse that just leads perfectly like that naturally. Someone started him with the intention of eventually successfully riding him.

Moses isn't going to be his name, it was vetoed. So I broke into my Sunday School memory (and asked my mother) searching for some bible stories. I have really liked the story of David and the Lion Den. I have a thing for lions, and the story is great. For those who do not know, the story goes something like this. David worked for the king, and the king really liked David. The other workers didn't like David, so they talked the king into passing a law that made it illegal to worship anyone but him. David still worshiped God, thus the king was forced to punish David. The punishment was a night in the lions den. David was brave, and trusted that God would protect him- so he spent a night in the den. Sure enough, the next morning God had protected David and kept him alive. David was loyal, faithful, and incredibly brave. Those are all characteristics that I would love for my colt to obtain. Unfortunately, his name is David, and this horse is not a David.

So how about Samson? Samson was granted supernatural strength by God to fight his enemies- wow! He was so trustworthy, and faithful that God granted him such a tremendous gift! Samson was old, which I can chose to read as wise, and this horse is wise.

This little guy is just amazing to me. He is so level heading, intelligent, and so brave. He is not bitter, or food aggressive, all of the other horses love him. Roxy usually doesn't get along with anyone but Dolly. She doesn't act out under saddle, but that is because she is trained not to, when she's loose or in her stall she fights with everyone. However, I let her and the colt sniff through his mare motels. Instead of raising her head, grinning her teeth and snorting at him, she sniffed him for a while, and then decided to eat some of the loose hay. It was obvious that they liked each other, and it was just too sweet!

I'm excited for this colt and the adventure that he holds. I was pretty worked up and honestly rather nervous to ride him, but now I've settled my fears. By no means do I trust him yet, but I like his personality, and he's a beautiful mover. I think he is going to end up a beautiful functional animal, now if only we can find him a functional and beautiful name.