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Rascal, AKA Zip Zip Zaray, is a nine-year-old incognito Appaloosa gelding, born and raised in Wyoming. I got him May 13, 2005, from his owner, my teammate at Fresno State.

Rascal had a tough "childhood." The man his owners entrusted his mother with was crazy and nearly starved her to death, obviously incurring malnutrition in her unborn foal. After his birth, a couple of vets said Rascal would never walk and should just be put down, but his owners took him to clinics and universities around the midwest, eventually straightening the worst of his deformities. All that remains today is some crookedness of his front pasterns, which will probably cause arthritis and/or ringbone down the road, but we are taking care of him to delay that as long as possible.

He lives up to his name, but is getting better all the time. The first eight months I had him, I didn't really know what I was doing. We got frustrated; to the point where he began to try to buck me off when I asked him to lope. Then he began refusing to lope at all, no matter how much I kicked or kissed or smacked him with the reins. I allowed myself to get angry and jerk on his face with the bit, after which I always felt very guilty. I realized I couldn't go on trying to strongarm him into doing what I wanted -- especially because I couldn't. We had no relationship.

That was when I decided to try Pat Parelli's program. We have been doing it since November of 2005, and the difference is amazing. Before, when I tried to lead him through the pasture, he would plant himself and no amount of jerking would get him to leave his grass until he was ready. Now, a slight bit of forward pressure makes him come trotting. "Typical" Appaloosa unresponsiveness is giving way to response to the lightest touch. A horse that hated to back up will now back up with the wiggle of a finger.

But best of all, now we are friends.

Welcome to our journey.

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