Phase 2

Rome wasnt build in a day

It was slow going. Or more, going at a deliberatly calm pace.
They would take daily walks. At first beginning by small rounds trough the paddock, then a few steps out of it and back in. Then some along its familiar fencing, at first a few meters, eventually the enirety until reaching the starting point. They only went further if the mare had become comfortable with the points theyd already reached. Connor put emphasis on making it a calm, positive experience. He brought her hay cubes with which he rewarded her and created positive assosciations. They would pause outside of the paddock to allow her to take ahold of the space.
Hed talk to and pet her and slowly became a source of comfort and security. It was due to his grounding presence, the calmness of his actions, the way he paid attention to her reactions and the reassuring way he met them. If she needed to take a step back, they did. He neither pushed her nor did he ever resent or punish her fear.
The mare had only waited for soneone she could lean on. When given the opportunity, when finally realizing she could- she did. Cautiously at first, yet it was a process that once started, it couldnt be stopped.

And he wasnt the only one.
Another mare was introduced to Goldie. One who was gentle and patient and who wanted nothing more than to be friends with Goldie. Heicha, a roan mare with kind eyes and a calm heart. She proved to be a well fit companion and guiding presence.

Connor and Heicha, each in their own way, created a sentiment that there was comfort after all. It was fickle, some days barely to be found while others Goldie stood taller, firmer. Sometimes it was a step forward and two back. One day Goldie would approach a canopy, coming quite close to it while still feeling brave. The next it was so scary again and a familiar fear gripped her tight. She could not lament this like a human could. As such she was spared any sense of resentment towards herself or her fear.
She came to like the walks Connor took her on. Once she had been scared, then indifferent to them. Now they were a fun, calm part of her routine. A routine which gave her a sense of safety.

Meanwhile, there were those things which scared her still.
Theyd startle her, make her freeze. But more often than not shed been able to eventually realize things were okay. Be it trough her conpanions perpetuated calmness or memories of similar, harmless things. Other times theyd turn back to give it another try in due time.

Spring turned to summer. The ranchs location at the foot of a lower mountain range made it so that the summer sun wasnt as blazing and the insects not as common. Still, Goldie was doused in fly spray and sun screen day in and out. This entailed regular baths, which also had the side effect of being blissfully cool. They worked mostly in the morning or evening hours, more so evening as Connor had never been a morning type. And midday heat meant midday naps for him. Hed sometimes go visit Goldie to nap under a somewhat nearby tree, trying to more or less sublty show that he was just fine there.
Goldie now lived in her paddock with Heicha and a small awning had been placed in a corner for Heicha to shelter from the sun. Goldie tended to keep her distance from the canopy, but as time went on she began to feel more at ease, little by little.