Cargo is a good lookin’ 15h Liver Chestnut gelding. He turns six this year and is from the illustrious Sulphur herd in Utah. He was captured on November 14, 2008 and has spent 5 years in holding. Now he has a great opportunity to become somebody’s riding companion. He is eligible for registration with the American Sulphur Horse Association and possibly the California Vaquero Horse Association if his adopter is interested.

Day 8- 01/22/2013

Worked with Cargo today with the carrot stick and string. He did well as I expected. Today we continued to work on his back feet. He showed good progress today and did not offer to kick even once. He should be picking up his back feet soon!

Day 7- 01/21/2013

Start to finish this is Cargo’s very first approach (on a leadline) to the trailer and the first time in his life he hasn’t been loaded with a chute. He is very inquisitive and very brave. I guided him in the right direction but he figured it out pretty easy.

Day 6- 01/20/2013

Cargo got a bath today and came out of his pen for the first time. He was SUCH a good boy. Video to come soon but here is two pictures of him after his bath for you. What a difference some soap and having your mane and tail brushed can make!

Day 5- 01/19/2013

He did excellent with the tarp and saddle blanket. The video is kind of long. Shows his second introduction to the saddle blanket and first introduction (aside from being fed on it last night) to the tarp.

Day 4 - 01/18/2013

Cargo was excellent today. I introduced the saddle pad and he had absolutely NO problem with it not even initial fear. He was good on both sides and carried it with no problem. I worked with him today on leading and approach and retreat. He did very well. I continued to work towards desensitizing Cargo to having his legs touched. No way I’m getting near them till he has had lots of desensitization. But he is coming along nicely in that regard. This evening I have a short clip of him and I working before the camera battery died. At the close of our session I was able to pick up both front feet and rub them down while he stood calmly. Before leaving his stall I decided to drag my small tarp in there. He was very curious, never tried to bolt and followed wherever the tarp went. I never moved it toward him so as not to turn his curiosity into fear. I wound up feeding him on it and when I checked on him a few minutes ago he was happily munching away. I’ll work on fully desensitizing him to it tomorrow. He is light and soft enough on the lead that I think by the end of the weekend he will be OK to go outside his pen!

Day 3 - 01/17/2013

Finally got a working light setup so I can work these guys at night. Cargo did phenomenally. He is still wary for me to catch him so still wearing an old lead rope in the pen. Once I have him caught he is very light to lead. Still really cautious of me petting him but comfortable with me at his shoulder and neck. Today I rubbed him all over with the carrot stick and was using my savvy string all over his body to desensitize him including his leg. He kicked out a couple times with his back legs but figured out really quickly nothing was going to hurt him. He was really worried about the carrot stick touching his belly but came around really quick for that as well. I spent some time continuing to desensitize him to my approach and retreat and also teaching him that it is OK if the carrot stick / savvy string are swinging from side to side hitting the ground on each side of him. He did really well. I am continually impressed on how hard this horse tries to be good.

Day 2 - 01/16/2013

Again I was working at night with little light. I wanted to get a height on Cargo. First I caught him. First try I pushed to hard and he left. Second try I was able to grab his lead rope without him thinking he needed to leave. I reinforced his leading again then started desensitizing him to the height stick. Almost every horse I have used the height stick on freaks out about it at first. Cargo was familiar with this type of lesson from the carrot stick yesterday and let me rub him on his neck and shoulder with the height stick. It took me another few minutes to desensitize him to the level opening and closing, but pretty soon I was able to measure him. He is at least 15 hands, possibly 15.1 if I get him squared up better and on more level ground. But he is definitely a nice sized boy. I rubbed on his neck and shoulder a bit and let him get back to dinner.

Day 1 - 01/15/2013

Cargo was really easy to halter at the facility. He was worried and shaking but didn’t fight. Once we got home, I noticed that our shelter ties had come loose. I had to climb up on our six foot panels to re-tighten them. I was sure Cargo would freak and bolt to the farthest corner of his pen but he didn’t! He stood right square in the center of the pen and just watched. Later that evening, even though I had very little light I decided to just get in with him and see what could be done. Wow was I amazed at what a good boy he is. He tries to be SOOO brave. He really tries to think about whatever is being done to him. I was able to get within four feet of him consistently just using approach and retreat and gauging his body language. Eventually I was able to crouch and grasp his lead rope. I started asking ever so slightly for him to give. Instead of fighting he took a step towards me. Within about five minutes of first touching his leadrope he was leading circles both ways around his pen following me like a puppy dog!

Touch was the next step so I grabbed my carrot stick. I touched his nose first, then his neck, then his shoulder. All while gauging his body language. I used approach and retreat and eventually gained his confidence to where I could consistently walk up to his left side and pet his neck and shoulder without him flinching or stepping away. That was good enough for me and I quit him on a good note! At no time during our session did he try to flee or leave me. What a nice little horse!