A whole lot of work but I cry at their glorious beauty

As soon as I possibly could, upon returning to my wonderful LA, I searched on the internet for some place to get around horses quickly.  I began my volunteer stint at Saffyre Horse Sanctuary in Lakeview Terrace that day.

 http: //www.saffyresanctuary.org/

The wonderful woman Esta who devotes her life to saving these seemingly unsaveable beasts (some are stallions and mares only used for breeding, never had a human relationship, never ridden in some cases, bony skeletons, shy and terrified) told me "go ahead and take them out to the round pen for longing, groom them, treat them as your own, do as much ground time as you like anytime!"

So I took a shine to a purebred Arabian stallion named Baskey -- good looking, spirited, I groomed him in his pen, he seemed very pleasant. But lets note-- I have NEVER handled a stallion before (unsnipped), only geldings, and even those males can be a world of trouble.

So feeling confident, but still cautious, I asked the other gal Laura to help me walk him to the round pen-- she had a line on one side and me on the other.  2 minutes into the walk, he went batshit crazy, rearing kicking lashing around we had NO control over him and were just barely were able to stay in the safe zones to not be kicked dead.  All the people around at the stables were screaming at us and very upset, caused quite a ruckus.  I see that unsnipped male horses are EXACTLY as despised as un-neutered dogs at the dog park.  everyone looks down on them (including me) and thinks the owner is terribly uninformed, irresponsible or stupid.  At this place they wont even allow them to be stabled in the gen-pop.  they have to be way out on the outskirts facing the mountains.

We did however get him into the pen and were still alive.  This is how he ran and thrashed for nearly AN  HOUR without stopping out in the round.  Do you see this demon!?

Baskey spins and kicks

Baskey thrashes

Baskey shreds

I called my sensei Jack in Oregon to tell him the story.  He said you cant fix a 20 year old stallion that acts like that.  he will kill someone.  In fact Jack was pretty angry at me for taking him out without knowing anything.  He said save your sanctuary money for something that can be rehabbed, grind this one up and send him to Mexico.

I told Esta I just couldn't work with him anymore I did not have the skills or insurance to do so.  She said hold on, let me bring you up to show you how to work with MY pure arabian stallions and then you decide.

So Thursday we drove wayyy out to Iron Canyon (out the 14 near Soledad Canyon) to her place.  She had us groom, longe, and work with her three-- the father who is famous
and featured in books and stock photography "Caleyndar" and his two sons.

They have to be treated with a very bad ass attitude, even being raised since birth.  You must keep them in their place or they will trample all over you or just say F you.

But I never had a more glorious day than being out in the sunny mountains, watching and working with these PERFECT specimens --unsnipped! and just beautiful.

After a big brush session I get a kiss

Simply telling Mini-C what to do with my mind
(walk, trot, canter)

longing with no pen, just a rope

can you imagine the glory of this postcard image?
he was just having fun because his brother was running
in circles near him-- its definitely not okay for them to rear,
but I couldn't help loving it

After my Mini-C session I get a neck kiss/hug!

This is long but stay with me.  After this session we went right back to the sanctuary to work with Baskey again.  This time I groomed him for what seemed forever, he was being lovely, mostly.  but he had a stud chain on his chin.  that helped.

Esta walked him out and said see this is how it should be, calm, no attitude, easy.  Right then he went mental ballistic AGAIN!!  I was so glad it was not just me.  got him to the pen and after another hour of racing thrashing kicking shredding, he came walking up to Esta and held a glorious pose for me.  So proud, so smart.  Who knows what horrors he has had to put up with.  But I will commit to helping him, not eat him for hamburger.

Baskey submits reluctantly after running crazy for
at least 45 minutes straight, us just standing there

Baskey so obviously posing for me showing me
how handsome he is

FOLLOW UP MAY 2013:
Baskey is 100% improved today.  He is rideable and a wonderful smart guy.  He is now a gelding and a real charmer...see link below!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=597294707000413&set=a.210608362335718.56495.131586753571213&type=1&theater