Kaya has been doing a fantastic job helping prepare Kat for adoption. Kat has gained a ton of weight and has some topline muscle now! She has settled in so well to life at Safe Harbor and her special connection with Kaya is very sweet. We’re glad she has such a great friend to help her feel loved while she is with us. Kat is looking great and ready to be adopted! Here is what Kaya had to tell us about working with Kat:
“Kat is coming along so well! Her try is so impressive to me. She focuses so much and wants to do the right thing so badly. Kat feels the energy of her handler so acutely; she has taught me to really refine my peaceful feel. Since she tries so hard to do the right thing, she can often get anxious when she doesn’t know what the correct answer is, so I always have to make sure my release is timed correctly and that it is truly a full release.
“We have been working on leading with the front end for a little while now and have recently made a lot of progress because I got more accurate with my timing and focused more on a full release. Since she’s so sensitive, it really only takes one or two moments of doing the right thing for her to understand. It’s pretty neat, you can almost see a lightbulb go off above her head when she figures it out! On the other hand, Kat can get a little troubled if her rider is unsure, off-balance, or tense. This is a good challenge for me, as I have a tendency to try to be a little too perfect and not root out the trouble when I need to.
“I’m excited to help her feel more comfortable and happier; she is such a special horse! It has been really incredible to see her start to enjoy my company and relax while I’m riding her. We went for a trail ride recently and, though Kat is generally somewhat barn sour, she led the group the whole way home walking comfortably. For the difficult life that Kat has had, it is so beautiful that she is so willing to trust people and form connections. She is truly a shining example of the resilience of horses and I’m so glad I’ve gotten to work with her!”
