This one is a little bit of a heartbreaker. Jasper has entered the horsemanship program at SAFE and it is clear from his reactions that people have not been kind to him in the past. Jasper’s difficulty with changing eyes and his tense, upright posture show how troubled he is about human interaction. We’ve made some progress, but it seems like this will be a long road to undo that damage that was done previously.
Fortunately, he is at the right place for that! SAFE will take all the time necessary to help Jasper relax around people, even if that means never riding him. We are committed to doing what is in Jasper’s best interest, whatever that may be. Introducing Jasper to his new best friend Alder has helped him feel much more comfortable in his turnout and in his stall. Being led from stall to turnout and back again every day has started chipping away at Jasper’s reluctance to be caught. Terry’s work with him on groundwork has started to show him that he can move away from pressure freely. Hopefully, Jasper will start to realize that people are not going to take away his ability to choose and he will begin looking to them for support, rather than in fear.
