Phase #1 | Taking Chances

Kass paced a bit nervously, wringing her fingers together as she paced. She took slow breaths, trying to keep her anxiety down. The last thing she needed to be was this nervous. She was, after all, welcoming a rescue today. 

Her very first rescue. Her very first time working with a horse that wasn’t already perfect. That hadn’t already been started off successfully in training. And she wouldn’t be doing this with her well seasoned trainers. No, this was her project. For Kass, this was her chance to prove she was more than just the rich girl who rode just because she could. No, this was how Kass would prove to everyone, even maybe herself, that she knew what she was doing. She could work with horses. 

Of course, that was the plan. But the closer she got to meeting her new prospect, the more nervous Kass got. What if she couldn’t do this? What if it was too much. 

It seemed simple enough. The mare that was coming seemed like a simple enough case. She’d been sheltered, and was nervous about windy conditions. That was what the paperwork said. It was clearly just a matter of desensitizing. Some TLC as it were. 

So why was she so nervous!? 

Kass nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the stable door open. Her brother poked his head in. “Kass, your trailer’s here.” 

Kass shook out her hands. “Okay okay. I’m ready.” She took a deep breath to center herself.
Her brother regarded her with a clearly uncertain look, but he said nothing, only disappearing back the way he’d come. 

He didn’t believe she could do this either. But unlike other, more critical members of her family, he was willing to help.
Kass took a moment to survey the stall she’d prepared for their arrival. Right now the barn was quiet, with all of the other horses being turned out for the morning. She hoped it gave their arrival time to settle inside. Since this horse seemed to have problems with environment, Kass thought it would be best to start in a comfortable stall, then they could work on the next step. 

Satisfied, Kass dusted her hands, straightened her shoulders and strode out of the barn to meet her new charge. 

The trailer had already pulled up and parked, it’s rear doors facing the barn door that Kass strode out of. All was quiet. Kass had to resist the urge to twist her fingers together nervously, instead opting to fist them up at her side. She could do this. As far as she understood it, the horse she was rehabilitating was well behaved, just easily spooked. The driver had already hopped out of the truck and was waiting patiently by the trailer door, exchanging friendly words with Kass’s brother. He smiled a toothy smile at Kass when she walked over. “Mornin’.” He grunted in an accent that was most certainly not native. 

“Hello.” Kass nodded in greeting, though her eyes never left the trailer. The horse inside was quiet, and she couldn’t be seen through the window. 

“We had to give her a mild sedative for the trip.” The driver gestured to the stock trailer’s open windows. “She don’t handle wind well and this was the only trailer we had available to make this trip.” 

“Oh.” Kass cleared her throat and nodded. “Thank you for bringing her all the way out here.” 

“Welcome.” He nodded and moved to pop the hatch. After just a moment, the door was open and Kass was admiring the Loshenk as he worked to unload her. 

Kass was confident it was more than a mild sedative. The mare’s gaze was lidded and it seemed like she couldn’t keep her head up. She was a beautiful ginger coated mare with lovely over patterning. Though her silky coat was dull and her tail was in need of a good brushing. Her feet drug a bit as she unloaded off the trailer and the driver handed Kass her lead. Kass swallowed as she took it, her skin itching. She knew this would be a stretch from her other horses, but suddenly, it felt like she was In over her head. And the look her brother gave her, confirmed that. Kass gritted her teeth and thanked the driver before she guided the dreary mare to the barn to her stall. It would be a few hours before Kass would even be able to get a glimpse of her personality. She took a breath. It was okay. She would make it work. It would be fine. 

That few hours was nearly a whole day. Kass spent post of the day near or around the mare’s stall, keeping a close eye on her. When she wasn’t doing that, she busied herself with barn chores that were usually left to the stablehands. But Kass couldn’t just sit there doing nothing. And she couldn’t bring herself to leave her new charge either. 

It was late in the evening when Kass was beginning to realize something. The sedative should’ve worn off by now, but the mare hardly looked any more alert. In fact, she looked just sad. Her head hung, her ears stayed back, and she swayed on her feet. She didn’t eat, nor did she pace. She just stood there. 

Kass rubbed her hands nervously together. The vet would be out tomorrow. Hopefully it was just a case of a stronger sedative than she was told. Kass clung to that hope.

***

The Next morning brought about no change in the ginger mare. She still looked listless had hadn’t eaten a bite of hay. Kass knew she wasn’t under weight, so it was just odd. But the vet, whom had been by earlier, said she was healthy. Her hooves were good, her weight was good. She handled being touched fine it seemed. She was just listless. Kass sighed, leaning on the stall door. Ginger, as her brother affectionately called her, watched her with some wariness. 

“Well,” Kass mused, “At least you’re a little more awake than yesterday.” She sighed and drummed her fingers on the stall door. Now that the mare was here, she truly had no idea where to even start. Her paperwork gave little information on where she’d come from. Just that she was a rescue from a huge city nowhere near here. She’d lived in a small, indoor stall and had adversities to being in weather, especially wind. From what else Kass had gathered, she had been well handled and may have suffered some neglect. But that was uncertain. Of course, with how depressed Ginger seemed to come off, the neglect was probably truth. 

“Then we’ll just have to work on that first.” Kass said decidedly. She fetched the halter off the wall and stepped into the stall. Ginger watched her, and didn’t shy too much from the halter. In fact she almost leaned into it. Kass took some time to rub behind the mare’s ears, smiling as she leaned into the scratches. “That’s it.” Kass cooed. Maybe she just needed some extra love. Kass knew enough that she’d have to work on this melancholy before they could even consider working on her sensitivity issues. But the good news, was Kass excelled at this bit. She guided the ginger mare out and down the barn isle to the wash stall. Kass was careful to keep herself calm. The barn was quiet, with the other horses already being out to pasture for the morning and most of the morning chores having already been done. Better that it was quiet. This was a relaxation exercise after all. 

Kass was impressed at how well the mare handled the cross ties. She seemed a bit more alert here. Though Kass wasn’t sure if that was fear, or curiosity. Her ears were forward, that was a good thing, even if her head was still low. 

Kass took her time to quietly gather her favorite brushes and a few treats, then returned to let Ginger examine them. The mare really seemed to perk up at the taste of the sugar cubes. Kass hadn’t met a horse yet that didn’t like sugar cubes. 

After a few more sugar cubes, Kass showed each brush to the mare and began to take the time to groom her. As long as she went slow, Ginger seemed to enjoy herself. After a while, she even cocked a back foot, and her whole body felt more relaxed. Kass was content to brush her for as long as she stood still. They’d try the hose tomorrow. But today, she was going to take the time to help the mare relax. She talked to the mare too, about everything. About the other horses, the barn, her brother. Kass was surprised at how comfortable she felt just chatting to the horse. Usually she was so busy riding, she didn’t take the time to do this. 

By the end of the session, Kass was feeling much more confident about her decision to bring Ginger in. And Ginger seemed much happier as they returned to her stall. 

“Don’t worry, pretty girl.” Kass murmured, stroking her ears gently. “You’re safe now, and together we’ll bring you out of that shell.” It was just going to take time.