Just five weeks old, Sassy Girl is now eating out of my hand. It didn’t start that way. She was born about 10 p.m. on April 1. She is no fool, but the smarter one between the two of us. She’s a dream come true, full of spit and vinegar, the type of horse that has the moves, with boundless energy and independence. She’s a girl, remember. Okay, Cricket, my mare. produced the opposite two years ago with Casey, Sassy Girl’s full brother. He’s Mr. By-The-Book, doing it all in stride without incident. Oh, he can start trouble, but not like Sassy Girl.

She came into the world ready to prove it all, clambering to her feet inside of 10 minutes with me holding her steady, trying to touch every part of her body — ears, legs tail, and all before she realized she was out in the world. Still, she wanted no part of me or any other human. Imprinting the foal is a process that bonds horse with man, promoting early socialization skills on the part of an animal. Three-and-a-half weeks later, I was concerned the imprinting might have failed as I still had to corner her to put the halter on and begin training her to the lead.

Her brother, Casey, bonded almost too well. He was more interested in humans than his mom. He was a push-button colt that today is in training with someone who loves his mom, Sassy’s mom, too. “Mr. Layback” is a mellow fellow — destined to be a great trail horse as very little bothers him. He takes noises and strange sights in stride.

Until she was officially a month old last week, I was sure his little sister came from a different mould. But gradually she is settling down, gaining confidence in her surroundings.

She’s built like a brick — perhaps a throwback to her great, great-grandsire, the famous Doc Bar that sired many cutting and other performance horses.

“Cowie” is the buzz word for horses like Sassy Girl.

Her dam once penned a bunch of calves in a girlfriend’s corral all by herself, without wearing a saddle or packing a rider.

When my girlfriend asked me about it, I just shrugged my shoulders and said I hadn’t had her trained for that. It must have been instinct. Now, if Sassy Girl has her mom’s instincts, she is going to be a spitfire around cattle. Right now, she already has the moves of which most cutting horsemen dream.

I really wasn’t looking for this kind of challenge. Actually, I would have settled for another Casey, who was leading out on the trail alongside his mother within two months.

Last week’s major breakthrough came when Sassy Girl decided to be sociable, curiously seeking attention and some scratching on those itchy points. She is accepting the halter readily now. Sassy Girl came marching up to me, stopped and began nuzzling my arm. Okay, I thought as I sidled up to her, scratching her neck until she was thoroughly enjoying it. The halter slipped on without incident. I crouched down to her level and she moved forward to me. Carefully, I snapped the lead rope to the halter. After a short moment of resistance, she gave in. I decided not to use the soft cotton rope on her rear end to encourage forward movement, but coaxed her into the barn with Mom nearby.

There is a price to pay working with young horses, I thought as I soaked my battered feet that evening. However, a person must understand the challenge, treat it with respect and remain calm at all costs, even when being stomped. Patience and kindness are virtues that go a long way in the animal world. When that concept clicks, it’s differently contagious.