I was doing my usual barn chores when Cass sauntered into the hay room. She knew I was sweeping up excess hay. She had to walk through the tiny opening from the main barn to the hay room. She used to be too nervous to attempt this. Not even the lure of the hay could get her through the faux doorway, which is really the aluminum walls cut to allow passage. I decided to test her confidence and raise the door! Oooh! It makes a lot of noise (picture a roll up garage door) and would be ending up directly over her head. I lifted, it clanged, Cass’s head shot up from the hay and she looked at me wide-eyed. I told her she was fine. Lifted it higher and she planted her feet and looked up as it was rolling over her head. Such a good girl! Four years ago that very act would’ve sent her charging through the wall!

We became friends those four years ago with the help of Quaker Oats. The photo shows her very first full day being a Florida girl. It also shows her overcoming the first of many, many fears. We no longer need the oats, only each other.