Frosting

In her fourth year, Frosting is really proving herself as a solid little horse. Because of her age, her miles under saddle are on the lower side, but we have been making each one count. This mare has received a great start here at SAFE, and is ready for someone else to continue her journey under saddle. She walks trots lopes on a loose rein, and is getting better and better at going up and down through the gaits off a feel. As she is still young and green, she will need an advanced rider to come and sweep her off her hooves, but that person will have a soft and sweet partner.

On the ground, Frosting is a favorite for her friendly personality and gentle demeanor. She is a very good girl for the vet and farrier, and with hair like hers, is a braid-lover’s dream.

Inner and outer beauty, this girl has it all!

Part of a horse’s education under saddle, perhaps the most basic yet complex thing they learn, is how to steer and stay hooked on to a rider’s line based on leg alone. Frosting, who was started last year at SAFE, demonstrates in the video below just how well she is doing understanding this concept.

What better way to jumpstart your weekend than to watch Frosting exhibit her new trick? No smoke and mirrors — just a smart little mare who learned she could get scratches in exchange for curling her lip, and with that knowledge, is ready to do so on command. You really have to ask yourself, who actually trained who here?

One of the very best things about rescuing young horses is that we are able to shape so many of their formative experiences in a positive way. Frosting had her first dental this week, and was as good as gold. She had a few little sharp points, but nothing that would be seen outside of a routine float. She had a cap on a right molar that our vet helped to pop off (with ease!), revealing a healthy adult tooth beneath. If her increased measurements on the height/weight tape weren’t already telling us, the fact that she’s losing baby teeth sure is reaffirming that this little girl is growing up!

Frosting with her cap

Even better than bubblegum toothpaste is a shot of xylazine to help relax. Frosting didn’t need much help finding her zen — even before the sedation, she was mellow, watching the vet set up all the tools and arrange all the instruments with curiosity, not fear. It’s never particularly fun to see the dentist, but when they’re as kind and gentle as our vets, it makes it a whole lot easier! Frosting certainly didn’t seem to have any complaints, and while her mouth likely will feel funny for a few days, in the long-run, her teeth will thank us.

There are, according to Buck Brannaman whose style of horsemanship we follow most closely, multiple ways of moving the hind. 5, specifically. One of them, and in my opinion one of the most mystical, involves bending the horse using the rein only and simply… waiting for them to figure out that you’d like them to rock their hindquarters, please. Truly nothing speaks to a horse’s intuition and intelligence more than when they fill in for our unspoken desires (occasionally before we even know what those are ourselves), and it is certainly a little bit like magic when we ask of them something they have never been asked before and they find the answer.

Frosting, like all horses, possesses this ability to intuit. Here you can see the process in real time of her coming to the conclusion of what is being asked of her, a process that doesn’t take her very long at all. And then, once she’s learned it, replicating the answer is quick and easy.

Frosting is really coming into herself as nice little mare! Hers is truly an ugly duckling story — it is hard to believe the scraggly, ratty little creature who arrived at SAFE is the same mare who stands before us now, a true beauty. But looks aren’t everything, and we would love Frosting just as much had she not had such an impressive metamorphosis.

She was started under saddle earlier this year, and has since had around 10 rides. We ease our youngsters into their riding careers gradually, with a great emphasis on allowing them to grow up in between their work under saddle. Frosting spends the majority of her time turned out with her herd, where she plays at being boss mare while being bossed around by the true leaders of the pack (hence all her little scrapes and scratches!).

Recently, we switched our main arena to our covered outdoor, a new location for a lot of our horses. Frosting took it all in stride, barely batting an eye at the new sights and sounds.

Frosting also began work in the bridle. Previously she had only been ridden in the halter, but more and more work was done to transition her into the snaffle. This looked like a ride that began in the halter, and finished with a little bit of work in the snaffle bit.

The ride below shows the very first time Frosting’s ride began in the snaffle, with no prior work under saddle in the halter.

The Frosting who arrived at SAFE at the beginning of 2021 was a scraggly creature, barely half a panel high at the wither, and covered in a ratty, matted coat. She was just shy of a year old then, and still clacking at every horse around her to remind them that she was little and therefore, not a threat. She spent some time at foster, growing up alongside mother-figure Fancy, and when she came back to SAFE some months later, she had shed that stinky (literally) hair and had transformed into quite a sleek looking young lady. Taller, too. Being at foster had also helped her learn some manners, taught by both horse and human, and back at SAFE we were able to experience first hand the joy of getting to work with a horse who knew more good experiences than bad.

This meant that preparing Frosting for a saddle, and subsequently saddling her for the first time, went far more smoothly than it does for some other horses who carry the baggage they often arrive with. With Frosting, the experiences she had here were new and novel, and we could help her find understanding without the fight of having to unlearn any bad habits or braces. In short, what is often a difficult thing was made much easier.

Here, you can see Frosting’s first saddling and her first ride. As always, the videos we post are only a small snapshot of the full story. Hours upon hours are spent preparing even the readiest of horses for a saddle, for a rider. Frosting handled both new experiences phenomenally well, but plenty of work was done beforehand to ensure said experiences would be as pleasant as possible for her. Glimpses of this include things like: sending her out in the roundpen after cinching up so she could move out freely, getting her accustomed to the feel of something on her back, the swing of the stirrups on either side of her, the touch of both front and back cinches. It includes tons of groundwork, touching her all over with flags and ropes, helping her differentiate when a stimulus means something and when it doesn’t. It includes bumping her up to the rail so she knows what it’s like to have a human over top of her, putting weight in the saddle in preparation to ride. And then of course, the first rides, more about going with her than anything else. Little emphasis is placed on steering, more on learning that she can move out freely with a rider. In a full circle kind of moment, Frosting’s first ride was assisted by her old friend, Fancy, who helped move her out around the round pen. Still helping her learn, just in a new capacity.

Because she is still young, we will not ask very much of Frosting at this point. It is mostly about giving her positive foundational experiences that we can continue to build upon as her education expands. But we are extraordinarily proud of this little mare, and cannot wait to continue undertaking this journey with her.

Our sweet filly Frosting sure is growing up quick! This little lady is really growing into a beautiful, feisty mare and has a new opportunity to figure horse things out in her new herd. Having been supported by her aunt Fancy for the last year, Frosting is ready to make some friends and live her rebellious teenage years with her fellow youngsters (while of course running back to the support of Fancy when necesary). Frosting has made good friends with both Rae and Nova and seems to be doing really well understanding how to live in a herd. She’s showing some strong characteristics of a herd leader and it seems likely that she’ll become the boss mare as she grows up. Frosting loves a good scratch and pet, but we’re making sure she gets to live her young life learning how to be a horse and not learning how to ignore or push on people. Hopefully she’ll be an easy project to start next year and get her going as a nice riding horse! In the meantime, Frosting is happy to play and nap and eat with her friends.

Take a look at our little “ugly duckling’s” transformation into a swan this spring! What a difference good food and care has made! She is turning into a gorgeous young mare — it’s almost hard to believe she’s the same horse as she was when she arrived! 

Check out this photo Frosting’s foster mom sent us of Frosting and her BFF, SAFE Alumna Fancy, enjoying a nap in the sun together. There’s nothing quite like basking in those rare wintertime rays with your buddy by your side! 

Frosting’s foster mom, Casey, wrote an update on Frosting and here’s what she had to say about her:

“Frosting is a great companion on the farm! Right now, we’re just giving her time to grow up and learn the basics. She is pretty fearless and has no trouble with blanketing, mane and tail spray, hosing, grooming, leading, etc.  Even when Frosting’s paddock mate is away for a ride, Frosting remains unconcerned. 

Frosting is also as entertaining as ever!  She is constantly getting into shenanigans, and paddock buddy Fancy certainly thinks she’s a pesky little sister. She loves to pull tarps into their paddock and run around with them as if on a victory lap. I once left Fancy’s rain sheet too close to the fence, and that got dragged around. Luckily no damage done, just a soggy blanket. She was given a Jolly Ball (horse toy) for entertainment, and it does work, but much like a cat, the free old tarp is much more appealing. She also likes to be as dirty as possible, so it was a relief when a new rain sheet was delivered! Rolling in the snow is her new favorite thing, which is a welcome reprieve. 

Night check is my favorite. The girls are usually in the same stall, and one or the other is laying down taking a snooze. As much as Fancy thinks Frosting is pesky, she appreciates her company, too.”

Frosting is currently at foster with Fancy’s adopter, one of SAFE’s volunteer riders. While Frosting is fostered, SAFE will continue to pay for her veterinary and farrier care. Frosting had her first visit with the farrier and was a brave little mustang throughout the process, although she gave the farrier and her handler a good run for their money. Frosting needs continued work on having her feet handled. The stress warts that Frosting had on her nose upon arrival at SAFE have mostly cleared up. These were most likely caused by a too abrupt weaning. Frosting is losing her fuzziness and is turning into a real beauty.

Little Frosting is away at foster and is living her best life. When Casey, one of our volunteer riders, decided to adopt Fancy, she wanted to have a friend for Fancy and also continue to be part of the horsemanship program at SAFE, even though she recently moved farther away. So Casey decided to always foster a horse from SAFE and Frosting is the first lucky girl.

Casey’s property is perfect for multiple horses and gives Frosting the chance to grow up with the best guidance we could offer her. With both Casey and Fancy as her teachers, she will be set up for success when she finally returns to SAFE ready for adoption. Right now, she gets to enjoy being a young little thing hanging out with her big sister, enjoying sunshine and a little grass.

Grass turnout time at foster

Frosting and Fancy become friends at SAFE

Witness Frosting’s first moments at SAFE after Animal Control dropped her off. Having Veronica as her neighbor was a highlight for this young mustang who makes sure Veronica knows she is a baby by clacking her teeth.

Frosting is an 8 month old Mustang filly who was one of four horses seized by Animal Control due to neglect. Having just taken in seven ponies from another county, SAFE was not able to take all four of the horses, so one went to Pony Up and two went to a private rescuer. Frosting, being so young, will likely be with SAFE for a few years, since we prefer to start horses under saddle before offering them for adoption.

Frosting is absolutely adorable. She’s a scruffy little girl with big eyes and a wavy mane that flutters around her head. She’s shy, but extremely curious and she seems to want to make friends. She’s certainly done her best to make friends with her next door neighbor, Veronica. The two play together from either side of the fence. Like many foals do, Frosting will often “clack” at older horses with her mouth, a gesture that’s meant to say “I’m just a little baby, please don’t hurt me!” Again, absolutely adorable.

Frosting was seized along with her dam, so she was able to maintain decent weight while nursing. This is something we’ve seen before in rescue: thin, starved mares who give birth to relatively healthy foals. It’s remarkable how much a mother will give of herself to her offspring. But we’ve also experienced the heartbreak of losing foals that were born into neglect situations, because their needs weren’t met when they were small. So we’ll be keeping a close eye on Frosting. She’s a lovely filly who is full of life, and we will do all that we can to keep her that way.