Wild mustangs fresh from the BLM corrals almost always wear a tag printed with their personal identification number on a length of stiff, waxy string around their throat latch. In Oregon, the BLM uses red string for the mares and fillies, and a bluish colored string for colts, stallions, and geldings. The tag is made of sturdy yellow plastic, and is kind of a triangular shape with rounded corners. The string is woven through and tied to a small, V-shaped piece of aluminum that has three holes on each end. I imagine that putting the string around the neck of a nervous, unhandled mustang in a stock is no easy task, and I admire the wranglers who have the skill and patience necessary to accomplish it. Taking the string and tag off of the mustang is a bit tricky as well, and is considered by most folks to be a momentous occasion, on par with cutting the umbilical cord. With the tag on, the horse is a wild mustang referred to by its number. With the tag off, the horse is on its way to being domestic, and is trusting enough to let a human put her hands by its throat and undo the tricky little knot there. Once in my hand, the humble piece of yellow plastic feels like an Olympic gold medal.
Typically, a trainer or adopter can plan on getting the number tag off the new mustang within two weeks or so. Typically. Is Belle typical? Nope. I've had Belle for exactly
ten months today, and today is the day that she chose to let me take her tag off. Instant gratification is highly overrated, by the way. Delayed gratification is so much more rewarding!
Since the day that I was first able to scratch Belle's star, I've been working my hands around her face and her throat, and playing with her tag as well as the rope and halter. Today I was hoping to be able to touch her neck and mane, which I did, but I didn't really plan to remove her tag. Belle was so relaxed and happy with being petted and scratched, that removing it just seemed like the right thing to do. While I was at it, I gave a big, nasty chunk of loose mane a good, hard tug and the whole big blob came out in my hand. It is lovely hair, but she looks better without it hanging there. Working out the tangles in the rest of her mane will be a job for another day.
Belle was willing to give me more, so I snapped my 15 foot-long rope onto her halter and played a little bit of pressure-and-release with her, then removed it and let her relax while I scratched her face and neck again. It was a very satisfying session, and the best part was that Belle was comfortable with everything that I did. I think she deserves a medal!
