tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73002676734581954182024-03-18T21:02:06.745-07:00Gentle MustangsMusings of a mustang lover and trainer.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-30963781103860590812013-07-25T18:08:00.000-07:002013-07-29T16:26:56.321-07:00Capricious CapriTwo years ago, when I named Capri, I chose the name because she reminded me of a little brown goat: nimble, quick, smart, sweet and irresistible. She is all of that and more: beautiful, mellow, hug-able and trainable. Darned if she doesn't have a flip-side though. In fact, she can be downright <i>capricious.</i> According to the Free Dictionary, the definition of capricious is "Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior." Synonyms include whimsical, wayward, fickle, freakish and crotchety. Yup. Capricious Capri. Why am I down on our chocolate colored darling? Because six weeks ago she came down on me. Hard. Hard enough to keep me out of the barn for six to eight weeks, and hard enough for me to say "Enough."<br />
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More than a year ago, Capri bucked Rick off in the biggest bucking spectacle I had ever seen. We gave her the benefit of the doubt and figured she must have had some pain. We gave her a year of pasture rest, with lots of tender loving care. This spring, she began to show interest in working, so I started the process of restarting her under saddle. Saddle, bridle, ground-driving, ponying, the works. All done cheerfully and without a hint of unsoundness. Our farrier felt like she was almost ready to ride.<br />
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Rick loves to go on pack trips with his other horses, and so do a lot of other folks in our area, so we decided to teach Capri to pack. Packing a horse for a season before riding it can teach it to be willing and tractable, as well as get in it shape and teach it to balance a load. Generally, when a rider climbs on at the end of a packing season, the horse is relieved to have live weight on board and is ready to get to work.<br />
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With our humble goal in mind, Rick and I began the process of training Capri to accept a pack saddle and the myriad collection of assorted straps, buckles and what-nots that are part of the mountain-horse's getup. A pack saddle really is much, much different than a riding saddle, and we were very pleased and proud when Capri accepted it without so much as a flick of her tail. She ponied beautifully behind Rick's good saddle horse, and figured out how to go around stacked barrels (make-believe trees) without knocking them down. The second session started out just as well as the first. We decided to add hard-sided panniers to the saddle, which Capri accepted with no problem. Then we decided to add weight to the panniers. A forty-pound sack of grain was placed inside each pannier, and up they went on Capri. Still no problem.<br />
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We're not strangers to the pack-training process, having taught each of Rick's other horses to pack in the last couple of years. We know full well that a horse can throw a hissy fit when it first feels those loaded panniers on its sides, and we were prepared for Capri to spin away from us and show us a few tricks. What we weren't prepared for was for Capri to come forward, into me, in a full-blown bucking, snorting, farting explosion that simply wouldn't quit.<br />
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Near-death experiences are nothing new to mustang people, and can provide an exhilarating rush of adrenaline and a powerful sense of immortality. Heady stuff for a middle-aged gal whose second-most exciting activity in life is shoveling manure. My previous experiences, however, left me unscathed. This one didn't. I am recovering from a broken collarbone, six broken ribs, whiplash and two sprains to my shoulders. Fortunately, <i>recovering </i>is the operative word and I will be perfectly fine, but I've decided that thumbing my nose at the grave isn't the wisest thing for a mother of four to be doing.<br />
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Capri is fine and dandy, out standing in her field, without a care in the world. I'd prefer not to work with her again, knowing her capricious nature, but perhaps someone else is up for the challenge? Or perhaps someone has a field for her to be out standing in? Capri needs a new home, one where she can just be a mustang. She is good company for other horses, gets along with everyone, doesn't have any special needs and is lovely to look at. Could you be Capri's special new person?<br />
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<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-30857624409622818102013-03-07T21:46:00.000-08:002013-03-10T10:04:16.886-07:0048 Inches They say some people miss entering heaven by 18 inches, that is, the distance from their head to their heart. Those are the people who can't live on faith alone, and therefore never receive the abundant blessings that God wants to bestow on them. They die without realizing that if they'd opened their heart to God and let Him show them the way to live, the struggles of daily life wouldn't have seemed insurmountable. They die without ever knowing how wonderful it feels to let God take the reins and direct their life.<br />
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I guess Belle missed heaven by 48 inches, since the distance from a horse's head to her heart is much greater than a human's. No, Belle isn't dead, but she has moved on, and she never got to experience the great things that I had planned for her. I'm obviously not God, nor do I have a God complex, but I did have a plan for Belle, a direction for her life, and abundant blessings that I would have loved to have bestowed on her. She was fed hay and grain, but she never got to graze in a lush green pasture. She had a clean and dry area to spend her days in, but she never got to roll in the mud or wade in the gentle stream. She had room to move around, but she never got to gallop across the huge, hilly field. She had a pony for a friend, but she never got to run with the herd. Belle had the basics, but she never had the blessings.<br />
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Belle had more belief in her own opinion of how life should be than she had for my knowledge of how life could be better. She was willing to take basic sustenance from me, but never a feast. She was willing to let me touch her, but just barely. She would take my kisses, but she shunned my embrace. She knew I was real, but she didn't have faith in me. She could see the rainbow, but she didn't hear the promise.<br />
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Maybe it was my fault, maybe I tried too hard, or maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I've had to take some time away from the barn to recover from a medical procedure that I had in January. While planning for this time off, I contacted the wonderful gals at the BLM office in Oregon and asked if they could find another trainer to take Belle. I knew that without daily interaction Belle would regress in her progress to become gentle, and I wanted the best for her, so I was hoping that someone would take the challenge and pick up where I left off. Fortunately, a very experienced trainer in Oregon stepped up to the plate, and transportation was arranged for Belle.<br />
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It's been six weeks since Belle left. Her new trainer describes her as "bold, but wanting to connect." I hope that means there's a chance that Belle will put her whole heart, body and soul in the hands of her trainer. I hope it means she'll live the life she was meant to live. I hope it means that 48 inches isn't an uncrossable chasm. And I hope she takes the leap of faith.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-82138796382671095612012-12-31T16:22:00.000-08:002012-12-31T16:22:56.212-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">May 2013 be the year that your <i>Wildest Dreams</i> come true!</span></span></h2>
Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-18011706780547132402012-09-26T23:49:00.000-07:002012-09-27T22:09:59.616-07:00Meeting Her MiddleSince the day that I removed Belle's number tag she has become more relaxed and happy with me when I pet, scratch, rub and make a pest of myself around her face and the upper part of her neck. I mastered her hind end a long time ago, but the middle of Belle's body was still relatively untouched. I'd been itching to get my fingertips in that long stretch of virgin horsehide.<br />
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Patience and persistence paid off again, and now I can walk up to Belle, give her a carrot and a kiss, run my hand down her neck, give her a good scratch on her shoulder, tickle her withers, and rub her back in long, slow strokes. It isn't quite as easy as it sounds, and there is mustang protocol to follow, but it is good, solid progress. My next goal is to get two hands on Belle at the same time so that I can work on getting the snarls out of her mane, but for now, I'd say our dear sweet Belle is doing far better than fair-to-middlin'. <br />
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<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-14495237089005434972012-09-11T23:58:00.000-07:002012-09-12T00:05:54.167-07:00Belle's Gold MedalWild 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.<br />
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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 <i>ten</i> <i>months</i> 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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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!<br />
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<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-76829041109558152492012-09-07T18:21:00.000-07:002012-09-07T18:21:26.822-07:00Stardust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been enjoying the contact with Belle's hind end, but somehow it just isn't enough for me. I'd much rather be at the front end, where bonding and training can flourish. To that end, I've been pumping Belle full of carrots while gradually introducing hand-to-face contact. It's a slow process (like everything is with Belle) because if I get even a little teenie tiny bit ahead of her comfort zone, she'll pout for days and not allow any new progress. Yesterday, however, Belle was feeling generous and allowed me to pet her nose, jaw, and cheek while I allowed her to nibble bits of carrot from my hand. I played with her halter and the two feet of rope that still dangles from it. I felt very encouraged! Today, she let me lay my forearm on the front of her face while I vigorously scratched the loose hair and dust from her beautiful star. My husband called it "Full Frontal Forehead Friction," which is clever, but I think I'll just call it Stardust. It was a great moment, and hopefully one that I can build on.<br />
<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-37276168559061410952012-08-23T23:17:00.000-07:002012-09-07T18:30:22.048-07:00Brushing Belle's Beautiful ButtA couple of months ago, in an almost desperate attempt to get my hands on Belle's lovely hide, I started brushing her rump and the top of her tail while she had her nose jammed into the corner of her stall and her lovely posterior presented to me. It was a bit nerve-racking, and the brushing was done at arm's-length. It didn't seem wise, not because it was dangerous (okay, a little dangerous, but I am, after all, an adrenaline junky) but because from then on all she ever wanted was her butt brushed, and getting her to face up to me became a chore. After a few days, I abandoned her hind end and focused on hand-feeding the front end, without any direct attempts to touch her. I wanted her to want to touch me. Eventually, after countless pounds of hand-fed carrots passed through her, she began to touch my out-stretched empty hand. What progress!<br />
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In an effort to move forward, and because of her willingness to touch me, I have returned to brushing Belle's beautiful butt. Both sides of her butt, in fact, which is twice as much as I was able to do previously. Not only brushing, but petting, patting, and scratching with my fingernails. And not just her butt, but also her back, right up to her withers. And her tail! It's a goofy thing, but I feel perfectly safe and comfortable standing directly behind Belle's long, powerful hind legs, picking up her silky-smooth tail, and brushing it until it glistens in a blond cascade behind that glorious posterior. I'm itching to get my fingers in her mane, but I suppose a bit more patience will be required for that. I am still happy with Belle, in spite of her slow progress. She is a quiet, gentle, peaceful soul, and just so stinkin' beautiful.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-43497618215314727752012-05-26T23:49:00.002-07:002012-05-26T23:49:51.743-07:00Three WishesSome of the best advice I've had regarding gentling mustangs is to not "want it" so bad. Don't want the first touch, don't want the horse to approach me, don't want it to call out to me. It's good advice because it helps put me in the mind-frame of just waiting, being patient, and letting the horse decide when she's ready for more interaction with me. <br />
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After six months of pretending I didn't want it, I finally said, out loud, that I wished Belle would get vocal with me, and I wished she would touch me, and I wished she would eat from my hand. Well, I didn't rub a lamp, and I didn't see a genie, but somebody was listening because the <i>very next day </i>when I arrived at the barn Belle called out to me with a lovely, low nicker that clearly meant, "Nice to see you today, may I have some hay, please?" She has nice manners, doesn't she? Not all horses are so polite, you know. I'm nice too, so I loaded my arms with a big flake of soft grass hay and held it through the fence to her. Did I really expect her to walk right up to me and eat from my hands? Honestly? No, not really, but I figured maybe I was on a roll and I had nothing to lose. I figured right! Belle really did walk up to the fence and take three big mouthfuls from the flake I offered to her. <br />
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It's been five days since the first time Belle ate hay from my hands, and we've been perfecting our routine since then. Today was her best day yet. This morning she ate hay from the flake in my hands, but this evening she was happy to accept a tiny handful of hay. I started picking long, fragrant, fresh green grass for her, and she would accept just a stem or two at a time from my hand. When she nibbled at the stems, she touched my hand with her warm, soft lips, which was a first. The funny part was, she acted like it was no big deal, but it was, and I loved seeing her act so casual about it.<br />
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Belle has an established fondness for carrots. Typically, I toss pieces on the ground for her, and she has fun picking them up. A few months ago, I started using the word "cookie" whenever I offered her a piece, and as she was chewing it I would repeat the word several times in a sing-song voice. Today I offered Belle a whole, large carrot from my hand. She never tried to take it from me, but as soon as she looked at it I dropped a small piece of another carrot on the floor and said the word "cookie". Pretty soon she was touching the carrot to earn the reward. After a few minutes, she was <i>touching my hand</i>, deliberately, to earn the reward. It is the same as clicker training, except that I use the word "cookie" spoken in a unique way in place of an actual clicker. Clicker training involves the use of a target and a reward to establish a desired behavior. In this instance, the whole carrot was the target, the small piece of carrot was the reward, and touching my hand was the desired behavior.<br />
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Belle's progress this evening was amazing. After the carrot session, she acted like she couldn't get enough of me, and followed me everywhere. If I was outside of the paddocks or the arena, she stuck her head over the top rail and kept a close eye on me. She's never, ever, done that before. It's a funny coincidence, but just the other day I was remembering how Siesta and Capri used to do that and I wondered if Belle ever would. I guess I have my answer! I rewarded her with lots of verbal praise and more handfuls of fresh grass. <br />
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I'm still going to play it cool and not pressure Belle too much, but if Belle is as hooked on me as I am on her, I think we can expect a lot more progress in the next week. Working with a responsive animal is so much fun, it is difficult to not get too excited, or to want it too much, but it's easy to think of more things I would like from Belle, so maybe I'll just make some more wishes. Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-12397163292335796492012-05-10T00:34:00.000-07:002012-12-31T16:24:42.842-08:00The Devil Needed His Chocolate FixOn a blustery Wednesday evening six weeks ago, Rick had the shortest, wildest ride of his life. Capri, the sweet chocolate-coated mustang mare, had been twiddling her thumbs for a couple of weeks and needed to be ridden. As her trainer, I had been Capri's primary rider. Rick had only ridden her twice before, and on each of those occasions I rode her first. On this particular evening, I wasn't feeling well, so I groomed Capri but Rick did her groundwork, then saddled her up. She seemed a little sassy, and maybe a little nervous, but she hadn't had much work lately and it was a very windy evening. In fact, if the wind hadn't died down at the last minute, Rick wouldn't have ridden her at all, as it was a very noisy, somewhat creepy storm.<br />
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With the saddle and bridle snug in their places on our sweet Capri, Rick put his left foot in the stirrup. Capri side-stepped away, and Rick repositioned her and told her to hold still. She did, but she still looked sassy and nervous. It was unusual behavior for Capri, but we thought she would be okay once Rick was up and he got her busy.<br />
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Get up and get busy doesn't begin to describe it.<br />
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Rick set his seat in the saddle, slipped his second foot in the stirrup, and picked up the reins. And that is when Capri cut loose. I've never been so close to such ferocious bucking in my life. She gave him the ol' one-two punch with a fancy combination of bucking and crow-hopping, and to his credit, Rick stayed on for three big bucks before he came flying off and landed on his back in the soft arena footing. Capri wasn't done, though. She felt the need to stick around and buck some more, right over the top of Rick while he was still on his back. Darn if it wasn't the scariest thing I've ever seen! Rick literally reached up with both feet to kick and push Capri off of him. She kept bucking--hard--while galloping two laps around the arena. Rick was okay, thank heaven, except for some general soreness.<br />
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Once Capri stopped, she came to me and put her head at my shoulder and acted like nothing at all had happened. She looked fine, and I was convinced that she simply preferred me, which really had me worried, because training horses that only respond to me is not what I'm here to do. Creating a Jekyll and Hyde monster is not my idea of successful horse training!<br />
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I let a day go by, a day spent agonizing over Capri's future. Who would want a devil horse? Rick doesn't, and I don't either, but it was impossible to believe that our sweet Capri had actually gone to the other side. I needed to spend some time with Capri to find out what was really going on. So I groomed her and got the saddle out. Saddling Capri has always been a simple task, and she has never shown the slightest bit fear or discomfort regarding it. Until this time. She let me put the saddle pad on her back without too much concern, but when I lifted the saddle up her eyes about popped out of her head and she snorted with fear. I set it gently on her back, but it was clear that she was terrified of me putting the right stirrup and cinch down, so I left them up. I cooed to her and soothed her fear, then asked her to take a few steps. She did, and gradually calmed down. I put the saddle away and spent some quiet time with her before putting her away too.<br />
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I let another day go by, then decided to get to the heart of the matter. When all else fails go back to square one, right? I got the teeny-tiny pony saddle out and plopped it on Capri with no problem. Dropped the stirrup and cinched her up, and still no problem. I took it off, and replaced it with the big saddle, which I cinched up without too much trouble. I put the bridle on too, and made it clear to Capri with my posture that I had no intention of riding her, but we were going to do some groundwork. I picked up the left rein and asked her to give to the pressure. She did, with no problem, so I did the same with the right rein, which caused her to absolutely explode. I was standing at her head, and she was nice enough to explode in reverse, so I was fine. So, now I knew where the problem was. Capri had some serious pain in her right shoulder or elbow and her girth area. It explained why the bucking started the instant Rick put weight in the right stirrup and picked up the right rein. Capri and the other horses had been doing some crazy running and bucking in the pastures the very afternoon of Rick's eventful ride, so there is a good chance that she hurt herself at that time. Poor Capri. Why didn't we listen when she tried to tell us she didn't want a rider? Perhaps she could have spoken a little more clearly? A nice, obvious limp would've been a good clue! What does she think I am, anyway, a horse whisperer?<br />
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So now six weeks have passed, and in that time Capri has had a mixed bag of treatments, including bute, rest, light turnout, light exercise, and massage. Tonight, she had some vigorous exercise and a massage that she enjoyed very much. She is feeling good and looking bright and beautiful, so the plan is to get her gradually back in training. I don't know exactly what the future holds for Capri, but she is staying on the sweet side, and the Devil can get his fix somewhere else.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-17576136574365354402012-05-02T23:28:00.000-07:002012-05-03T08:56:26.307-07:00So Cute!If only I'd had my camera on me tonight, I would have the cutest video to share with you. Rick and I were badly in need of a ride, and it was a lovely evening, so we saddled a couple of trusty steeds and mounted up. Belle and Woody (the fat little pony that is Belle's designated buddy) were hanging out in the arena, and instead of shooing them out, we let them stay, and left the gate open to the paddock, just to see what they would do. Woody's favorite game is Follow the Leader, so when Rick went by him on his mare, Woody fell in behind. What did Belle do? She fell in behind Woody, and the three of them went round and round the arena in the cutest nose-to-tail fashion. More than once, I created a diversion on my horse by getting in Belle's way or otherwise upsetting the queue, but Belle was able to out-think me and get back in line behind Woody every time.<br />
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Belle's progress toward the goal of becoming gentle and halter-broke is still going slow, but she is still progressing, so there is still hope for her. Her interaction with us tonight was not only cute and sweet and funny, but also a real sign that she is interested in spending time with us. Belle doesn't like to be pressured, and any attempt at forcing her to respond to proven training methods will only back-fire and cause a regression. So, in the interest of staying safe and letting her keep her sanity, most of my time with Belle is of a quiet, gentle nature. She is always happy to see me and follows me around, but stays at a distance of twelve feet or so from me. In her stall, I can pick her rope up and ask her to come to me. She'll come within a foot or two, but she doesn't relax and enjoy the experience at all. Touching her with my hand hasn't happened yet, but she will allow me to scratch her all over with a lunge whip, and drape the string end of the whip all over her body. <br />
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I don't know why Belle is so different from Capri and Siesta, but she is, and I respect and appreciate her unique personality. Each mustang has something to teach me: Patience, Humility, Perseverance, and more. Allowing the lessons to flow between the horse and the human creates a give-and-take relationship that is based on trust and love. And that will, eventually, help Belle to be a Gentle Mustang. In the meantime, I'm enjoying watching her bloom in her own time and in her own way. And she really is just so Stinkin' Cute!Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-78720407849708513312012-03-03T23:53:00.000-08:002012-03-04T23:00:20.981-08:00Capri's Day OutIt was March of last year that Rick and I started ponying River on the trails. She has become a very solid riding horse, both in the arena and on the trails, and we're very happy with her. Here we are looking at spring again, and now it's Capri's turn to learn to be a trail horse. The weatherman promised us a nice day, and while he wasn't entirely correct (hey, what else is new?), it was a decent day for riding, so we loaded Capri in the trailer with April and Buddy.<br />
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Our usual trail-riding place surprised us with snow on the ground, but it wasn't very cold out, and the snow just added to the fun.<br />
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Capri was terrific for the entire two-hour ride, and Rick and I were very proud of her. We've had a lot of wet weather recently, so the trails that weren't snowy were very muddy.<br />
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We sloshed through puddles and ponds, forded the high, raging stream, stepped over big logs, pushed through tight brush, stopped to cut branches and fallen trees, went up and down steep hillsides, and crossed four bridges without so much as a blink from Capri.<br />
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Capri was so good, you'd think she'd been out in the wilderness before...oh, wait, she's a mustang! She has been out in the wilderness before! Except, where Capri is from, the terrain is sagebrush, scrub pine and sand. Here in western Washington State, we have fir and cedars, fern, moss, and mud, so for her to be happy and comfortable in the deep woods made us very happy too.<br />
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Rick and I always ride in big loops, never riding the same trail twice in the same day, and we finished today's ride by riding on a short stretch of road.<br />
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There weren't any cars, but one of the neighborhood horses decided to play a little prank on us by galloping towards his fence, then spinning and galloping away. The sight of this blanketed beast bearing down on us nearly gave us all heart failure, but Capri pleased us again by cozying up to Rick and April for comfort, instead of trying to bolt away or do something foolish.<br />
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Isn't she just amazing? We'll pony Capri a few more times, and keep riding her in the arena until she's rock-solid, and then she'll get to make her big trail debut under saddle. We have a hunch she's going to be awesome!Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-43551069794088681572012-02-24T23:01:00.000-08:002012-02-24T23:43:26.142-08:00Blink Once For YesI made a new friend last weekend, a city girl whose only pet is a small dog, and I had the opportunity to show her the barn and let her meet the mustangs. She admired each of them, and relished being able to spend time in the presence of horses. While she was petting Capri, and we were talking about mustangs and horses in general, she asked a question that I wasn't sure I could answer. You know how when you're talking to your cat, and you're looking deep into his eyes, and he gives a slow, sure blink in response?<br />
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My friend was wondering if horses do that, and I said I wasn't sure, but maybe, but if they do it seems less deliberate than when a cat does it. I think dogs do it sometimes, but a horse? It seems like they blink if I'm petting them, but when I'm talking to them they tend to stare. What do you think? Blink once for yes...<br />
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</div>Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-64205217750199600962012-02-05T23:42:00.000-08:002012-02-05T23:42:53.973-08:00When You Care Enough To...Glare?Belle turned a corner tonight. A little corner, but a corner nonetheless. She showed emotion! I mean an emotion other than fear and avoidance. And she showed it to me!<br />
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Up to now, when Belle has had her dinner, she would eat if I was with her, but
only if I would hold very still. If I made a move, she would stop and back away
from her hay until I backed up, then she would return and gingerly resume her
meal. Tonight, however, I leaned on the rails in a forward, relaxed
posture like I might do with any other horse. <br />
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I didn't really expect her to
eat with me there like that. But, eat she did. <br />
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But that's not all. My presence didn't please her. That's no big surprise, and it doesn't hurt my feelings. The big surprise was that she became annoyed
with me. So annoyed, that she actually pinned her ears and stuck her
nose towards me and GLARED! TWICE! She cared enough to glare at me!
Next thing you know she'll be showing me her hooves! I can't wait! Any
emotion is good...it gives me something to work with. I care,
therefore I glare...that's so sweet!<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-44915873445986104712012-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:002012-05-02T23:32:39.630-07:00A Little Bit BraverSweet, beautiful Belle is still making little bits of progress. Nothing monumental, and each little thing would hardly be worth writing about individually, but together the little bits add up to a smidgen of hope that one day Belle will be ready to join up with me and learn to enjoy domesticity.<br />
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Our good friend Capri is back for more training, and the two mares are enjoying hanging out together during the day. Capri is the boss, and Belle will follow her, which surprised and charmed me the first time I put them together. Part of the day, Capri gets to go out in the pasture to nibble on what's left of the grass. Belle gets as close as she can to Capri's pasture and keeps an eye on her.<br />
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It makes me happy to see Belle care about somebody, even if it isn't
me. She needs to get engaged with life, to learn to embrace the
challenges, and show some emotion. It's a funny thing about her,
really; she shows very little emotion about anything. She doesn't seem
depressed, but she's just a little too disinterested. An emotional
flat-liner, I suppose you could say. No head-tossing or kicking up her
heels, no nickering or bickering with other horses, not even a glare to
spare for her ever-persistent trainer.<br />
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She is mighty cute, though, isn't she? She lets me love her from a
distance, and for now that is good enough. Through patience and faith,
trust will surely come. Right?Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-19496896747350794132012-01-18T20:09:00.000-08:002012-01-18T20:09:25.707-08:00A Spot of Snow<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pMpd-rukvHk/Txd9-xSo_zI/AAAAAAAAA8M/uzCfzl0mJZc/s1600/snow+horses+2+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pMpd-rukvHk/Txd9-xSo_zI/AAAAAAAAA8M/uzCfzl0mJZc/s640/snow+horses+2+075.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beautiful, isn't it?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Such fun to play in!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXicpWa3fW4/Txd-VKNyYAI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/53kMy_8XgCE/s1600/snow+horses+2+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXicpWa3fW4/Txd-VKNyYAI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/53kMy_8XgCE/s640/snow+horses+2+092.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">River's nose makes a good snow shovel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvq2l-kC0U0/Txd-F0pi7jI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/epLkrvU7Mg4/s1600/snow+horses+2+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvq2l-kC0U0/Txd-F0pi7jI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/epLkrvU7Mg4/s640/snow+horses+2+077.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ahh, just like Eastern Oregon!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDey4d9Ywdg/Txd9j_gdwoI/AAAAAAAAA8E/cfnG0lw9UgM/s1600/snow+horses+2+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="596" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDey4d9Ywdg/Txd9j_gdwoI/AAAAAAAAA8E/cfnG0lw9UgM/s640/snow+horses+2+041.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Snow is so funny!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXicpWa3fW4/Txd-VKNyYAI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/53kMy_8XgCE/s1600/snow+horses+2+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDey4d9Ywdg/Txd9j_gdwoI/AAAAAAAAA8E/cfnG0lw9UgM/s1600/snow+horses+2+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cDey4d9Ywdg/Txd9j_gdwoI/AAAAAAAAA8E/cfnG0lw9UgM/s1600/snow+horses+2+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-84517304172740797072012-01-06T23:53:00.000-08:002012-01-06T23:53:22.778-08:00Getting Back to BusinessWhen Belle first arrived here eight weeks ago, I had it in mind to let her settle in for a bit, then get right down to the business of getting her gentle. I could pick up the end of her drag rope and move her in a circle, and even ask her to take sideways steps towards me. I felt pretty confident that she would come around in the same time frame that Siesta and Capri did. Now I know that Belle will come around, but she'll do it in <i>her</i> time, not someone else's. <br />
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Belle isn't stubborn. She isn't silly or stupid. In fact, she is quite clever, charming, and creative. She's also fearful, and it's that fear that has made progress go so slowly. When working with her in the gentling pen or the round pen, she would express her fear by running in furious, mindless circles, which is not a good thing to do, especially while wearing a drag rope. Rather than pushing her hard and fast, I've been working to earn her trust, and it's been paying off consistently, in little bits at a time. By using pressure and release tactics, I've shown Belle that she doesn't need to blow up and nearly hurt herself whenever she gets afraid. She can calm down and listen to me now. That's a huge sign of progress, and it's what I needed to know before I could get back to business and move her forward in her training.<br />
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I'm the proud owner of a twelve-foot bamboo pole. I like the length of the pole, as it matches the amount of personal space that horses like to keep around themselves when they are checking out a visitor, whether horse or human. I've been using the pole to get closer to Belle, using it to move her forequarters and hindquarters effectively, using it to desensitize her to touch, and using it to pick up the end of the drag rope, which I can then grasp with my hand.<br />
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Sometimes, I can pick the rope up without help from the pole, but Belle has adopted the rope as part of her body, and she is very clever at positioning it just out of my reach. I see no reason to bend down and present my skull as a target for her hind end (never mind that she's never yet offered to kick...there can always be a first time), so the pole is useful for "fishing" the rope up to me. Belle actually likes this part of the game, and patiently waits while I get the rope up off the ground, slide it down the length of the pole, and into my hand. I like the game, too! As further evidence of how clever and creative Belle is, she somehow managed to tie a lovely knot in her rope, approximately two feet from the dragging end. I love the knot, because it gives weight to the rope in just the right place, and makes it much easier to pick up with the pole.<br />
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So, with the rope in my hand, I let Belle do circles around me until she is relaxed and breathing, then I start to apply pressure to her head. The other half of pressure is release, and I like to experiment with how much pressure I can apply before she needs her release. I start by squeezing my fist on the rope...release. Then a little wrist motion...release. Next, some elbow-bending...release. Belle's head turns towards me every time I exert pressure, and it returns to a straight position with every release. If I get greedy and ask for pressure plus more pressure without a release, she pulls the rope from my hand and spins away to her favorite corner. That's okay, though, because as she continues to learn I have to test her to see how far I can push ( or pull, in this case). I fish the rope up, then start again. This time, after the elbow-bending pressure, I use my whole body and step backwards in a straight line and expect her to move not just her head, but also her forequarters, toward me. She does, as long as I offer a release. This part of the game forces her to confront her fear, so I keep it brief and let her return to her comfort zone, then ask it again on the next lap. That way, she is allowed to build confidence without passing the threshold of her sanity, and we stay safe. I find a good note to quit on, and then we spend some quiet time together.<br />
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There is still a lot to look forward to with Belle, but I am enjoying working with her. I'm convinced that when she finally comes around she is going to be a heck of a nice horse. She sure is pretty, and so sweet too. Good things are in Belle's future, and I can hardly wait to show them to her.<br />
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<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-25210597041032228672011-12-31T21:11:00.000-08:002011-12-31T21:11:19.535-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been a wonderful year for me, full of blessings and lessons learned
from these wonderful, beautiful, amazing mustangs. I hope that your
year was wonderful, too, and that the year ahead is even better. All
the best--Tricia & The Gentle Mustangs</span><br />
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</div>Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-18440060229322730372011-12-24T22:20:00.000-08:002011-12-28T23:23:14.638-08:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas, Everyone!</span></span><br />
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</div>Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-12978278081397928502011-12-23T23:37:00.000-08:002011-12-23T23:37:55.490-08:00Belle Has a FriendI love ponies. Just over a year ago, my husband talked me into adopting a little fuzz-ball Shetland pony for our kids to learn on. He was a rescue pony that had been literally starved almost to death before he was seized from his owners by animal control. He was placed in a wonderful foster home, where he was rehabbed and made ready for a permanent home. We are that lucky home, and we adore him. His name is Firecracker, but he is as gentle as can be and he loves to be ridden and fussed over by our children.<br />
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Well, enough about my family's pony. Rick and I are neighbors, you know, and neighbors have to keep up with one another. As soon as we brought Firecracker home, Rick decided that he and his wife should find a pony for their grandchildren. So, the search began, and we found a wonderful little gelding named Woody. He is the perfect babysitter pony and he loves to go on trail rides. Actually, he loves everybody and everything. And everybody loves him, too. Including Belle.<br />
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Belle was weaned from her foal just a couple of weeks before she came here, and she was used to being with lots of other mares and foals for companionship. Here, there are plenty of horses to talk to, sniff, and even do some mutual-grooming through the fence with, but I thought it would be nice if she had her own little buddy.<br />
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Woody was only slightly alarmed in the beginning. That is a wild mustang don't ya know, and a mare to boot. Yikes! He is used to being at the bottom of the pecking order, so Belle can control him with just the slightest glance or movement of her ears. No kicking or squealing for these two, thank goodness. She lets him eat hay side-by-side with her, and they enjoy just hanging out together or strolling around the arena.<br />
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Pretty dog-gone cute together, aren't they? Maybe I could teach Woody to pick up Belle's rope and bring her to me....and we could add Mustang Tamer to his resume.</div>
<br />Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-3622269483444066982011-12-20T23:59:00.000-08:002011-12-23T23:39:14.640-08:00Slow and SteadyIf slow and steady wins the race, Belle and I must be on our way to winning a really big trophy. We are <i>slow</i>. And steady! I never meant for Belle's training to progress so slowly. I work with her every day, but each mustang is different, and they can only be pushed so far without backsliding, so here we are. I'm not complaining, mind you. Each day, Belle gives me little tidbits of hope that soon she will be ready to accept the friendship that I am offering her. She approaches the rails of her pen when she sees me coming with her hay, and she beats me to the gate when it's time for her turnout in the arena. She backs away when I get there, but the fact that she anticipates me doing something for her, and lets me see that she's happy about it, is a good thing.<br />
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Belle isn't a horse that is motivated by food. In fact, she rarely cleans up her hay, even the lovely alfalfa that I purchase just for her. Mustangs are supposed to be thrifty, so I'm not quite sure why Belle is prone to wasting her feed, but she is healthy and maintains her weight, so I guess it's okay. Except that it isn't okay, because it makes it darn-tootin' difficult to bribe her with food and treats! Lately, though, I've made a show out of bringing Belle a handful of fresh-picked green grass and a couple of dry maple leaves. Sounds yummy, doesn't it? Lucky for Belle, the edges of the manure pile are bordered in luscious, thick, juicy, summer-like blades of green grass. Every afternoon at the same time, Belle can watch me pick this lovely treat and she has begun to anticipate it. The green grass smells so good, and when I bring it to her I can see how much she wants it. I wait for her to take a couple of steps towards me, then I set it on a barrel for her, tell her how wonderful she is, and walk away. As soon as I'm in the barn, Belle gobbles her treat. Eventually, hopefully, she'll get closer and closer to me, and someday she'll take the treat from my hand.<br />
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Belle had me excited for a moment tonight. It was feeding time, and I went into the arena with the intention of moving her into her pen for the night. I was standing in the middle of the arena, and Belle was in a corner. She moved towards me at a brisk walk, and for just a second I thought she was going to walk right up to me. I know my pulse went up, and maybe she heard my heart thudding in my chest, because when she was about twelve feet away she suddenly came to her senses and stopped. I praised her richly for her bravery, and turned away so that she might feel compelled to come closer. She didn't, so I started walking towards her pen in hopes that she would follow me. She decided to turn and go the other way, and she got to her pen before me. She went in, then turned to face me, and we gazed into each others eyes for a few moments. She is very good about facing up to me, and loves to make and keep eye contact with me. Her body language is never challenging, which I certainly appreciate. When will this sweet mare give it up? When will she admit that life would better with a gentle, loving, generous leader? Soon, I hope, and when she does, she and I will both know it's been a race worth the running.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-40653233079884612652011-12-06T22:28:00.001-08:002011-12-07T08:39:10.051-08:00A Horse For RachelA few weeks ago, we had some visitors from the Southwestern corner of our state. They are in love with wild mustangs, and wanted to meet a few gentle ones. They were looking to add a horse to their life, and eagerly made the eight hour round trip drive from their home to Rick's barn. Rachel and her husband, Matt, are newlyweds. Rachel owned an Icelandic gelding for many years, but recently made the decision to donate him to a therapeutic riding center. Her dilemma was, should she replace her gelding with another Icelandic, or should she follow her heart and adopt a mustang? Well, since she asked me, I gave her some input....mustangs are the stuff dreams are made of.<br />
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Rachel wasn't sure if she was looking to buy a titled, well-broke mustang, or adopt a newly-gentled and just-started under saddle one. A friend of mine, a fellow mustang trainer, had a gelding for sale, so she hauled him here and Rachel rode enjoyed a ride on him. She also rode River, my big McCullough Peaks mustang mare. Rachel liked both of them, even though they are very different types of horses. Rachel and Matt also wanted to meet Capri, to get a feel for what a horse at her training level was like, so they brushed her and Rachel played with her a bit in the round pen.<br />
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Rick and I enjoyed the visit very much, and were excited to have met wonderful people who were considering joining the mustang community. We chatted for a long time about Rachel's wants and needs in a horse, and what kind of home she would provide. It was clear to us that any horse who went home with them would be lucky indeed.<br />
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Rachel and I stayed in touch, and pretty soon she decided that adopting a TIP horse gentled by me was the way to go. She was ready to choose a fresh one from the corrals in Oregon, but I had to be honest and tell her that having two wild ones at the same time in addition to the other horses that I train and care for would be too much for me right now. I like to be able to really focus on a wild horse, so that I can put my whole heart into gentling it and giving it a firm foundation.<br />
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Rachel understood that, and wondered if maybe Capri would be available for reassignment. Hmmm...well...I suppose we could consider that. After all, it was the original intention to find her a wonderful home where she would receive continued training and be treasured forever, right? Rick was critical to the decision-making process, since at this point he was her official adopter. Reassignment can take place in the first year of adoption, before the title is issued, and is subject to the same paperwork and process as other BLM adoptions.<br />
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Our initial response was yes, contingent on more visits here with Capri, to be sure that they were a good fit. At this point, I hadn't put the first ride on Capri yet, so we set an open-ended timetable for reassignment, thinking that sometime early next spring would work well for everyone. Obviously, we didn't know Rachel very well yet. She's a go-getter, and tenacious, and she wanted a certain chocolate pony. One with three white socks, a star, and a melt-your-heart expression on her perfectly chiseled face. Who am I to stand in the way of a woman on a mustang mission?<br />
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By the time I had put three rides on Capri, Rachel was wondering if we could shoot for the first of January for a reassignment date. After the fourth ride, she was wondering if the first week of December would work. Her previous trainer and good friend, a wonderful gal from Iceland, had a rare opening in her barn, and would we please consider letting Capri go now? Well, we'd consider it, but Rachel still needed to have a second visit with Capri. So, the newlyweds made the long trek again. We had another good visit, and Rachel rode Capri. She felt calm and relaxed on her, even though it was only Capri's fifth ride and Rachel hasn't had much experience on barely-green-broke horses. They even enjoyed a nice trot together.<br />
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So, Rick and I agreed it would work out fine, and Rachel put her paperwork into the Oregon BLM. She was approved, and she made arrangements for her trainer to pick up Capri on Sunday, December fourth. Rachel and Matt would be out of state on a family vacation, and Capri would have a week to bond with her new trainer before Rachel returned.<br />
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What could be harder than saying goodbye to Capri? Having to say goodbye to her twice. That sweet, beautiful mare found a special place in my heart and soul. I guess the flip side is that I got to say hello to her twice, too. What a blessing it was to first gentle her, then train her to ride. I am very proud of her accomplishments, and I'll be excited to hear news of her future progress.<br />
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Capri handled the four hour drive to her new home with no problem. She is settling in happily, and her new trainer is already impressed with her calm demeanor, her beauty, her curious nature, and her kind eye. One day soon, when Capri is ready, Rick and I will haul a couple of horses down there and we can all go for a trail ride together.<br />
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Capri is the horse of new beginnings. She's had a handful of them this year, and she's taken each one in stride. Cheers to Rachel and Capri. May all of Rachel's dreams come true, with a lifetime of mustang love and adventures.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-23543476671721341202011-12-04T22:50:00.001-08:002011-12-04T23:42:18.372-08:00Damascus RoadBelle had an epiphany today. She's been holding back her trust; building a wall between herself and me, and even though she seemed to recognize that I had some leadership potential, she's been unwilling to acknowledge that she needs my leadership. I've been scratching my head, wondering if I should crank things up a notch in the round pen, or if I should give her more time to come around. Well, I was in the mood for some honky-tonk today, so crank it up I did. I needed to send Belle some of my energy, and I needed to see her really dig down and move. <br />
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Until now, when working Belle in a circle, the only changes of direction I've gotten from her have been outside turns, where her head goes away from me and her butt points towards me. Those kinds of turns aren't all bad, because they cause the horse to see me from first one eye, then the other. But in order to get the connection that I'm working towards with Belle, she needs to give me inside turns, where the head turns towards me and the butt turns away. How exactly does one teach a wild mustang working at liberty to turn towards the handler? With energy and movement. Lots of it, in Belle's case. I used what Parelli calls a "carrot stick," which is a four-foot hollow fiberglass rod that has a four-foot cord attached to the end. It is used to motivate a horse, and also to desensitize them to touch. Today, motivation was the key, and just holding it away from my body and occasionally swinging it or snapping the end of the cord was enough to send Belle through the roof.<br />
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Galloping at full-tilt, bouncing off the round pen rails, Belle is a sight to behold. I admit I felt a little bit sorry for her. I guess you could call it tough love. Nothing will ever change for the better without some exercise, right? After several fast laps, and outside turns to change direction, I was ready to ask for some inside turns. It all has to do with my body language, my position in relation to the horse, the "feel" between us, and finally the "draw," which is where she actually responds to me and turns inward.<br />
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The look on Belle's face when she came face to face with me was priceless. It was one of those WOW moments for both of us. Her eyes were bright and her ears were impossibly far forward, and if horses were capable of dropping their jaw, hers would've been on the ground. That was her moment of epiphany. I repeated the exercise over and over, and each time she responded correctly she was rewarded with a moment to stand still and look at me. Each time she didn't respond correctly, she was made to keep working. Belle took lots more steps towards me. She didn't come up to me, so the connection isn't complete yet, but with another session like that one she will. She believes me now. I will be her leader, her trainer, and her master. Before, I was the maid. Oh, the changes that will take place soon. I can hardly wait!Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-30867505840494772032011-12-02T21:55:00.001-08:002011-12-02T22:32:18.756-08:00ClockwiseMoving Belle into the round pen today was a step in the right direction. Literally, the right direction. Her phobia of moving to the right, or clockwise, disappeared in the large, round space. Rick and I set the round pen up just outside of the gentling pen, with two panels left wide open to form a chute, and with the help of a new friend who was visiting the mustangs today, it was easy to move Belle into it and close the panels behind her.<br />
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I gave Belle a few minutes to enjoy the view from her new position, then went in with her and put her to work. Belle is still wearing her drag rope, but I haven't felt compelled to pick it up lately, since working at liberty is more rewarding at this stage of training. Belle is very responsive to body language, so directing her movement was easy and a lot of fun. Just slapping my arm against my thigh gets her going; no rope swinging or whip snapping is necessary for this girl. For a full thirty minutes, Belle went round and round at a snappy, robust trot. She's built like a hot rod, and watching that amazing body move was a real treat. When changing directions, she hunkers down on her hindquarters and rolls the other way. She's got some moves, that's for sure. To the left, to the right, to the left again, back to the right, then whoa. Look at me, Belle. Good girl. Look she did, but she could only muster the courage to take a couple of steps towards me. I'm working hard to get a connection, to have her "hook up" or "join up" or whatever you want to call it. She needs to want to be with me, to acknowledge me as her leader, so that I have her trust and respect. Each time she looked away and withdrew into herself, I put her back to work doing circles. The exercise gets tedious after a while, so I found a good note to quit on and stepped out of the round pen.<br />
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Belle watched me as I exited, and I noticed that she was tracking me with her whole body as I walked outside the pen, so I walked a couple of laps around it. She stood in the middle, turned on her forehand, and kept her full face towards me as I moved. It was a role-reversal, with her in the middle and me doing circles. Not a good thing, but it was interesting. After two laps, she figured out that she could just bend her neck around to keep one eye at a time on me. I turned my back on her then and left her.<br />
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Belle blew her nose a few times, cocked a hip, and seemed quite content with herself. She watched my friend and I as we brushed Capri and chatted for a while, and she continued to watch while I did my chores. Later, Rick came out to the arena and asked how it went with Belle. I went back in with her and played with her again, so that Rick could see, then asked him if he wanted a turn with her. Well, of course he did! He did well too, and was impressed with the progress that was made. Tomorrow can only be better!Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-61577320298241641272011-11-29T23:26:00.001-08:002011-11-29T23:49:34.230-08:00The Wheelbarrow MethodOkay, most of us have heard of the bamboo pole method of gentling mustangs, right? Lay the pole on the horse's withers, wait until it stops having a hissy fit, then gently see-saw the pole back and forth to offer feel-good scratches, then touch the horse all over with the pole, then scoot yourself closer and touch the horse with your fingers. Pretty soon you have a gentle mustang. Or at least it's supposed to work like that.<br />
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Personally, I haven't had much luck with the pole. I don't feel like it facilitates trust-building between me and the horse, but rather escalates fear responses. Or maybe I just don't do it right. In any case, Belle and I came up with our own method this evening. I'd like to call it The Wheelbarrow Method. Do I give the wild mustang a ride in my wheelbarrow? No, I do not. Do I hitch the wild mustang to my wheelbarrow and ask it to give me a ride? No, of course not. Do I push the wheelbarrow at a reasonable distance behind the wild mustang and ask it to walk in a lovely circle ahead of me? Yes, I do! And guess which direction I asked Belle to walk in? Yes, to the right! And she did! Without blowing up! We must've looked rather silly walking laps around the pen, but nobody was looking, so that's alright.<br />
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After a couple of easy laps, she wanted to stop and check me out, so I stepped out from between the handlebars, stood in the middle of the pen, and invited her to come to me. She didn't come to me, but she looked at me with both eyes and held my gaze for several seconds. This was a big improvement over the usual quick, one-eyed glance that she has been giving me. When she lost interest in me and looked away, I put her back to work walking and trotting laps to the right, then when she was ready to check me out again I repeated my invitation for her to come to me. Twice, she took tiny steps towards me. That's the most I've gotten from her without holding the rope, so I was quite pleased.<br />
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Belle's eye was softer tonight, compared to the glassy-eyed stare that she usually has. She made happy, relaxed, nose-blowing snorts, which was the first I've heard from her. And, she let me stand very close to her outside of her pen while she ate her dinner, which was also a first.<br />
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Tomorrow, I'm going to get her in the round pen and put her to work. I think if I can work her to the left and right, with lots of changes of direction, then I can get her mind engaged and really make some progress. She's had two and a half weeks to get acclimated, and I think I've convinced her that I don't like the taste of horse meat, so let's get that girl busy, by golly.Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300267673458195418.post-50076990899255402702011-11-25T23:10:00.001-08:002011-11-25T23:40:51.002-08:00A Very Nice RideWith Belle's arrival, the finger-numbing cold, the soaking rains, and the Thanksgiving holiday, I've put Capri on the back burner in the last week. Tonight, however, I carved out enough time to do more that just brush her and play with her; I saddled her up and hopped on for her fourth ride. I started in the round pen, and she was great. We went round and round at the walk, changed directions many times, enjoyed her huge, springy trot to the left and the right, backed up, and turned on the forehand both ways. That could have been enough, but I knew she could do more, so we exited the round pen and I rode in the arena. I didn't ask for anything too challenging, but she stepped out nicely and walked a straight line for two laps in each direction. I kept her motivated to go past Belle's pen, and past the gate to her own paddock, and past the tie-up area, all with no problem. I turned her around the barrels for a minute or two, then quit while I was ahead. <br />
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Riding green horses is a lot of fun. I use the lightest aids possible, and give Capri a chance to interpret my cues. She gets it right most of the time, but on the occasion that I have to give a heavier aid and make my intent clear, I feel perfectly safe doing so. Using lots of leg, bending her head around, tickling her butt with the end of my reins; none of that bothers her a bit. Mounting and dismounting are effortless, and tonight I mounted without the block for the first time. What a treat!<br />
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Belle continues to make small bits of progress. Yesterday, I spent some quiet time with her in her pen, just slowly moving her around and talking to her. When I left her, and was about 50 feet away from her, she whinnied to me. I was surprised! That was the first time she'd done that, so I approached her pen again and spent more time talking to her from outside, being careful to keep my posture non-threatening. Today, she seriously considered taking alfalfa from my hand. She's not quite brave enough yet, but perhaps soon she will be. Perhaps tomorrow? Triciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10886081781230672859noreply@blogger.com0