Back in mid-February, I had dropped off our blind colt Cash at his new boarding school -- oops, boarding stable -- in Missoula. We had arranged with a trainer, Will Balis, to work with Cash and train him for riding. Well, Will was riding Cash at the end of his very first week -- even out on pasture! Barbara Howell, who runs the Flying H Stables where Will trains horses, shot some video the following week and emailed it to me. (It's taken me this long to get around to editing it down and posting it on YouTube!) The first time I saw this video of Cash being ridden, I'll admit, I got a lump in my throat. So many people think a blind horse "isn't good for anything," and yet here is this youngster cantering around an arena like any sighted horse. In fact, as you'll see when you watch it, you'd never know the horse being ridden was totally blind.
Note: If the fellow riding Cash looks different from the fellow holding Cash in the February blog post, it's because Will shaved his beard. Barbara said it was a "winter thing" with Will. I wonder if it had more to do with the number of comments and emails I received saying how much he and I looked alike. I suspect that may be what got him to shave his beard.
---
Please keep voting for the ranch in the Shelter Challenge -- and you can vote every day! We're currently in fourth place and still on track to win $3,000 for the animals, but every vote counts! We just slipped from third place to fourth, so please help round up as many votes as you can so we can stay in the running for the $3,000. Ask your family and friends to vote for the ranch, too!
Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state postal code, MT, for Montana, and it will bring up our listing.
Vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Last year we won $3,000 in the first round and then won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the second round, so your votes really do add up and make for a wonderful gift for the animals here.
Thank you!
What a thing of beauty!
Warm hugs all around,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger, Tobias & Tlingit | March 24, 2010 at 11:29 AM
All I can say is WOW!! This is awesome...Go Cash!
Posted by: Ann | March 24, 2010 at 03:19 AM
WOW!! Way to go Cash! What a great job Will has done..
Posted by: Maree in NZ | March 24, 2010 at 01:54 AM
Way to go Cash!!
Posted by: Lynda | March 23, 2010 at 09:21 PM
This is truly a "melt your heart" clip! What an example of trust!
Posted by: Nina | March 23, 2010 at 09:04 PM
Way to go Cash,he is looking good.
Posted by: Karen Mundy | March 23, 2010 at 08:08 PM
He looks great!! Boy, he sure has come a long long way - all thanks to the RDR!!
Posted by: Suzanne | March 23, 2010 at 06:29 PM
Three cheers for the scholar of RDR! Well done, Cash!
Posted by: Moon Rani | March 23, 2010 at 03:39 PM
Very Impressive! He is going to make you a nice riding horse. Your trainer deserves a huge pat on the back!
Posted by: Anna Espinoza | March 23, 2010 at 02:36 PM
INCREDIBLE!!! What a fantastic video - and even more fantastic horse AND rider.
Posted by: Kenna | March 23, 2010 at 02:29 PM
WAY TO GO CASH.
You have said many times that the blind animals are just as talented as the seeing. This is a perfect example. Cash ranks right up there with the high flying Herbie. NO Fear, no problem.
Posted by: Eric | March 23, 2010 at 02:03 PM
Of course he is in "boarding school". MT has many. Cash looks great. What a great fit for such a robust and smart teenager.
Posted by: Ev | March 23, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Great little horse and great trainer. Love it!
Posted by: Mary | March 23, 2010 at 11:18 AM
Atta boy, Cash! More people need to see this video. Truly amazing.
Posted by: Linda | March 23, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Wow - that's amazing. Good work Cash!!
Posted by: Kristi Gross | March 23, 2010 at 09:56 AM
Amazing horse and trainer, Cash will turn out to be a wonderful riding horse. He reminds me of my Lad, Quarter horse, same color and blaze.
I had a blind horse and you could trail ride him anywhere, he always trusted his rider not to get him into a situation he could not handle.
Posted by: diana kitchen | March 23, 2010 at 08:47 AM
What's even more amazing than Cash cantering, is Cash stepping up and down. It took me another moment to realize--again--that he's blind and doesn't know where the end of the walkway is. It's all about trust and positive training. Fear never taught anyone anything, except more fear.
It's taken both the horse community and the dog community a long, long time to realize that, but I think it's sinking in.
He sure makes a mom and dad proud, doesn't he? Remember when he was just a little niblet eating grass while lying on his side? They grow up so fast!!!!!! :-)
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | March 23, 2010 at 08:43 AM
*sigh*
what a lovely video to see...
makes my day and warms my heart.
Posted by: Jessica, NL | March 23, 2010 at 08:14 AM
Here is proof that blindness should not equal euthanasia. That's so incredible. Oh, and A VIDEO!!!
Posted by: Lynne Parker | March 23, 2010 at 07:16 AM
Cash, you're such a good boy!:-)
Thank you, Barbara & Steve, for this great video.
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | March 23, 2010 at 04:13 AM
I've been following Cash's progress since he arrived at RDR.To see him all grown up and doing so well brought tears to my eyes.Good boy Cash. We are all so very, very proud of you!!
Posted by: Beverly | March 22, 2010 at 10:56 PM
I think there must be an enormous amount of trust between Cash and his rider.
Posted by: Barb | March 22, 2010 at 10:39 PM
Heart warming beyond description. Cash looks wonderful!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | March 22, 2010 at 10:11 PM
I hope Cash is as proud of himself as we all are. Good boy indeed !!! Thank you Will !!
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | March 22, 2010 at 10:07 PM
What an amazing video - especially the "obstacle"! Cash is going to turn into a great riding horse!
Posted by: JC | March 22, 2010 at 09:49 PM