So on Thursday I picked up where we left off from Tuesday. It didn't take Cabrito very long to let me get close again and scratch him with the lunge whip. In fact, he seemed pretty relaxed about the whole thing so I thought I'd see how he felt about me touching him with my hand. I rubbed him with the whip and started getting closer with my arm out moving it up and down in a petting motion. He got a little bothered, but only moved off a couple of steps. I kept at it until he was letting me touch him! I was able to rub him on his hindquarters and back on both sides. Then yesterday I worked on that some more, getting him used to me approaching him without always touching him with the whip first and also working my way up closer to his head. By the time we finished, I had rubbed all the way up to his jaw on both sides and he figured out how pleasant it was for me to itch him under his mane. I tried touching him in his pen last night when I fed him, but that must mean something different to him since it's "his" domain. I got my hands on his hindquarters, but he was a little uneasy. I'm not sure if I'll get to work with him today since we got more snow last night and the wind is blowing a hundred miles an hour. But if I do, I plan to work some in his pen as well as the round pen so he learns that it's okay to be touched regardless of his location.

I am so proud of him though, and myself. This has been very challenging and finally getting to touch him was the most rewarding and exciting feeling. This mustang has certainly reminded me of my earliest days working with horses - being frustrated and not knowing what to do next. But thank goodness he is a patient teacher because I have already learned more from him in 3 weeks than I learn from most horses in 3 months!