Wild Horses: Cremosso Comes Home to Mica

Claro and Mica watch as Cremosso comes out of the trailer

Mica watches Cremosso

Last Sunday, Rich Scott brought Cremosso home to my house after 2 months of training, and 2 months of letting Mica get to know his new home and Claro. When Rich led Cremosso off the trailer, both Mica and Claro pricked up their ears, alert to this new development. Mica especially was interested. He had gotten to briefly touch noses with Cremosso when he arrived at my place 2 months ago.

Rich and Cremosso

Rich trimming Cremosso

Rich began trimming Cremosso’s feet, and I immediately noticed a big change in him – he was so much more relaxed and accepting. It had been a struggle before to trim his back feet, but Rich had thrown the lead rope over his back, and he was quiet and calm. He did at one point run to the corral to see his brother and Mica, but came back to Rich immediately.

Cremosso looking at Mica and Claro

Claro and Cremosso touch noses and Mica gets close

After Rich finished, I took his leap rope and reached out to pet him. There was a quick startle, which had been there before, but now he caught himself, then relaxed, almost as if telling himself that it was ok. That startle seemed involuntary, ingrained after all he had been through in the roundup and in holding, and all the trauma he remembered, but now good things are stealing away the power of those memories, and I can imagine a time not so far in the future when even that momentary startle will be erased. I stroked and petted him, and enjoyed looking in his beautiful green eyes.

Cremosso much more relaxed

Rich went into the big corral to catch Mica and Claro kept going in front of Mica and running away. Claro has become very protective of his new little brother.

Claro and Mica run

Mica running in front of Rich on horseback

Mica with the rope on

Rich saddled his horse, and rode into the corral and roped Mica, who immediately became very quiet and easy to handle the minute he felt the rope touch him. Rich trimmed his feet as well, then caught Claro.

Rich trimming Mica's feet

Rich catching Claro

Claro has never seemed as troubled by his experiences as Cremosso had, and has always been easier to catch and handle. Rich then moved to the trailer and loaded Claro, and I opened the gate of the small pen and let Mica meet Cremosso.

Loading Claro in the trailer

They touched noses then immediately started grazing as if they had known each other for a long time. Cremosso rolled, as if rolling the smell of the grass of home into his coat.

Mica watches Claro get into the trailer

Mica and Cremosso touch noses

Cremosso rolling in the grass

A huge rain cloud had moved in as we had been with the horses, and it was beginning to rain. I opened the gate to the corral to let Mica and Cremosso into the pasture, and Rich moved in behind them.

Cremosso bolts out of the pen

Cremosso runs with Mica behind

Mica running to catch up

Slowly they grazed toward the entrance, and suddenly Cremosso bolted out the gate, running at full speed, glorying in being at home again! Mica ran as fast as he could, trying to keep up. Cremosso made a loop and ran back over the hill and by us, with Mica finally caught up, both running shoulder to shoulder. I was so happy to witness their obvious joy.

Cremosso runs

Cremosso leaping, Mica right behind

When Rich pulled the trailer out, Claro whinnied, and both Mica and Cremosso whinnied back, and they ran along the fence following the trailer. I wished that I could tell them he would be back soon, and all three of them would be together.

Mica and Cremosso running side by side