I’ve been fortunate enough to be around a lot of horses over the past 30 years and I appreciate how much preferences vary as to who likes what in a horse and why.

I determine whether I have a keeper or not by how badly I want to work with them and how far out of my way I’m willing to go to spend time with them.

It’s like that with people too, isn’t it? We tend to make time for the ones who really matter to us and whose presence in our lives makes us happy, and excuses for the others.

I’ve had horses that have made me want to dust instead of ride. That’s a red flag in my book. The joke is that I don’t dust until the horse sculpture in my window grows a wooly winter coat. It’s not THAT bad. It’s not that far from the truth either.

These 3 – and strangely, Gus too – make me want to be out there at all random hours of the day and night. In the dark, when it’s windy or cold, after a long day, before and during a stressful one, even in the face of plenty of other things I could be doing.

Afterwards I feel happy, light and refreshed. It’s not all unicorns and rainbows, sometimes there are tough and even scary moments, and I know for a fact that these guys aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

But they’re right for me, our communication styles and personalities mesh well and we come back stronger and clearer from what disagreements we do have, and we don’t usually have to revisit an issue much more than once.

It’s kind of like that with the “right” people too I think. Iron may sharpen iron but a constant battle is no bueno. Finding 2 and 4 legged companions who accept us for who we are tend to inspire and encourage us to want to grow into our best selves. That goes both ways.

I hope you give yourself permission to find and cherish the horse that’s right for you, and to become the human that horse deserves.

Happy, crunchy hooves-on-snow sounds for the win during yesterday’s ride with Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs Lacy, DG Cedar and DG Griffin, and Shepherds Denali and Ranger.

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Yesterday was Lorena’s – 2yo Twin Peaks, CA Mustang filly, adopted – first time in hobbles. It was a non-event.

She’s comfortable with leading by a foot, having her feet handled and she’s been trimmed.

When I put the hobbles on towards the end of our session and rewarded her for putting up with it, nothing happened. So far so good.

I asked her to take a step, and she realized her front feet weren’t able to move normally. She shifted her weight around trying to figure it out.

Lorena balanced herself, yawned and looked at me like “Was that ok?” Another reward and another ask to move.

She tried to hop, that didn’t work all that well, so next she shuffled forward. That’s it. Another reward.

We hung out for another few minutes before I took the hobbles off and ended the session. Well done little lady.

People feel all sorts of different ways about hobbles. I feel some kind of way about hungry horses tied to trees staring at the sky while riders enjoy their lunch break out on a ride.

The horse that carried them there is built to graze almost around the clock. They are 1000lbs power houses sustaining their bodies and receiving their energy essentially from salad.

Most of us could skip a meal or 3 and still be ok, because our diet and metabolism are vastly different.

To me, hobble training means taking better care of my horses while out day riding or fixing fence, it means being able to graze areas that maybe aren’t fenced for horses otherwise, and it means no hungry ponies on backcountry trips.

It means having my horse not blow up if their foot catches a hose, wire or string hidden under grass, lawn darting me and potentially cutting up a leg.

It means teaching my horses not to struggle when a leg is caught someplace it shouldn’t be, in a fence, a feeder or on the trailer. Cedar did that recently and quietly let me free her because she’d had plenty of rope practice around her legs.

I personally three leg hobble in the backcountry and I don’t leave them hobbled unsupervised. There’s a story or 3 to go with that.

Meanwhile I’m excited for the home this girl has found, and for another trip “to prison” (literally) tomorrow and grateful for the opportunity to give several more wild ones a chance at a wonderful domestic life through our nonprofit organization Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy

Contact us if you’re looking to adopt or would like to support our efforts to help Mustangs successfully transition from holding pens to loving homes. We can only do what we do because of you, whether you’re volunteering, donating, buying merch, adopting, attending clinics or spreading the word about what we do.

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Lacy, my first branded Mustang, first TIP horse, first gaited horse I’ve ever owned, and the best horse I’ve had in my life yet, turned 9 on Sunday.

We know that because she was born in holding in Cañon City to a Divide Basin, WY Mustang mare.

I’m not the kind to bring my animals gifts or bake them a cake on their birthday. But still, this birthday was special. I may or may not have told everyone at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo that the princess had a birthday coming up.

Lacy injured herself in early 2023 and was lame with an unclear outcome for months. A serious eye injury in the fall – she was still not sound – added to the concerns for her future. It took a village to keep her going and I’m so grateful to all who showed up for Lacy and me during that time.

I spent months in suspense, wondering if a quality of life call needed to be made, and whether I would need to let her go even before Blanca who crossed the rainbow bridge on the last warm day of fall this past year.

Lacy didn’t understand why she never got picked to go on a ride and snuck through every open trailer door she could find, hoping to go, and I had to ask her to get out. You can’t venture into the backcountry or move cattle if you can barely walk.

Spending her birthday weekend with her, loping in the indoor arena while ponying a youngster, watching her be a patient, friendly Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustang, meeting people and packing a friend’s kid around was a gift I didn’t think I’d see most of last year.

I cherish every day with the princess, knowing how quickly things can change. She has adopted the 2 Devil’s Garden babies we kept last year. Watching them play, eat and sleep together makes my heart happy and I think she’s happy too.

I just recently started working training horses off of her again. Lacy enjoys work as much as she enjoys food and butt scratches. She’s gotten cuddlier with age but no less spicy and I love that about her.

PC for the first photo: Photographer Linnea Helander . She and Tay Martin sneakily took that last year when we didn’t know if she’d make it and just recently shared it with me

Many thanks for the other two pics to Amanda and Maya . Yes, DG Cedar crosses her hind legs and does all sorts of other goofy things when baby brain kicks in and she’s done standing still.

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There’s always been more than one meaning to the word ‘unpacking’ and our time at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo certainly has left me with a lot to unpack, more than just training tools, winter boots and clothes.

The mares (DG Cedar went instead of Griffin at the last minute), Shepherds and I left for Denver a day early to beat the worst of the storm.

Traffic was nuts even in just rain, for a while it snowed literal snowballs and visibility was terrible in some spots. We had already made it to I-70 when another driver cut me off and I hit the brakes so we wouldn’t all have a really bad day. I heard the commotion in the trailer and hoped for the best. That incident left Lacy with a bloody forehead and me with a knot in my stomach.

We eventually made it to the stalls, and 2 hours of unloading everything in the rain and sleet later, the mares were in their stalls with shavings, hay and water and all the rest of our stuff organized in an additional stall.

They had never been stalled for more than 2 hours (at the vet), never slept indoors or with the lights on. While Cedar went straight to her hay, Lacy was not happy. 2 days of handfeeding her mash later she finally accepted the situation.

Between that and navigating care for the horses at home in the face of an unexpected nearly 3ft (so much for 18in) of ridiculously heavy snow and everyone having every manner of vehicle stuck in it, I was beyond stressed and exhausted.

By Friday I was convinced I’d never do that again, not to myself and not to my horses either. By Saturday Lacy and Cedar were much more comfortable, happily cruising around the warm up arena with me (neither one had been in an indoor arena before), the Expo was busy and the sun was out.

By Sunday we were tired but content, with 3 presentations on a mix of backcountry riding and packing and teaching the audience steps from gentled to riding under our belt.

The mares never missed a beat going in and out of buildings, greeting people and being good Ambassadors for Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy and Mustangs in general.

Lacy celebrated her 9th birthday on Sunday and I’m grateful for her and for so many familiar as well as new friendly faces, engaged audiences, things learned and connections made.

The Shepherds had a fun time in the city and kept me and the truck safe. They’re the best travel buddies and so easy going.

We will be back in 2025 if they’ll have us, hopefully with 2 presentations each day.

We couldn’t have done this without our volunteers, friends and neighbors, both at home and in town. Thank you, you know who you are!

Coming home (to a plowed driveway!), we were all so tired that instead of unloading the entire back of the trailer to get the horses out, I unloaded both mares through the escape door, in the dark. They thought nothing of it, happily stretched their legs, enjoying their freedom and the sounds of nature, before turning to their hay bags.

I was reminded that I can do hard things, that people are generally good and willing to help (I just need to remember to ask and sometimes think outside the box), and that I have pretty amazing animals and a wonderful support network. I remembered how much I love teaching, public speaking, and sharing our Mustangs with the public. Here’s to more of that going forward!

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The Shepherds and I made it home midday yesterday from our little adventure. We came back to a winter wonderland and more snow still falling. I got some work done and a ride in before dark, that’s what you see here.

In other news, we finally decided who’s going to The Mustang Summit at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo with me (something could always change because these are horses we’re talking about): Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs Lacy and DG Griffin. The beauty and the beast, you can decide who’s who.

We also went back and forth for the longest time on what I should be covering in our presentations, and it looks like we have a plan: How to take your Mustang from gentled to riding. Working title, but it’s something.

I see a lot of wildies get hung up in the gentled stage. So long as someone is happy to just pet and feed them, and is hopefully providing them with friends, space and basic hoof and vet care, all is well.

However, companion type horses are often the first to go and the hardest to place if there’s a change of circumstances. The reality is, not everyone can afford or is willing to feed and care for a horse that’s not working and never has for 25+ years.

Training means safety, for both (wild) horse and handler. With what I do, I could die any day. All of us could. My goal is that if I keel over for good, my horses are safe because they’re pleasant enough to be around and have sufficient training that they’re going to be worth something to the next person.

This isn’t fluffy or romantic but an important thing to consider. If I’m gone or not capable of caring for them, will they likely thrive in someone else’s life?

Macabre thoughts aside, training is life insurance for horses. If we want to grow the Mustang community, which we need to if we want to continue finding great homes for once wild horses, we need to show the trainability and versatility of Mustangs as working partners. That means furthering their education to help them reach their potential and in turn inspiring others to do the same.

If you’re coming to the Expo, come see us. We’ll cover exercises – including ground driving, leading by a foot, ponying etc – that are helpful in preparing for an uneventful transition to riding. I’m not particularly brave or sticky but I aim to be thorough so the courage and stickiness I do possess will suffice when it comes time to ride. And I mean really ride.

Through the mountains in the snow in the dark with dogs underfoot and another horse getting ponied. I get out of a pen as soon as I can when I’m starting a youngster, because riding circles in a confined space bores me to tears, that’s just me. My wildies seem to like having some place to go too.

Riding and practically living surrounded by wild horses and Mustang lovers has brought so much joy and purpose to my life. I’d love to inspire and empower others to have similar experiences if that’s what they want for themselves.

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#makingmountainmustangmemories

I was going to post a video this morning, that was before I got snowed in while having dinner at my friends’ house. We went from no snow before it got dark to 6+in when we looked outside a few hours later, some miles into narrow windy mountain dirt roads that don’t get plowed by the county.

So here are some pictures of the not-so-new-anymore Mustangs instead while I’m on slower internet and nervously watching it continue to snow. I have the dogs with me, many thanks to Tay Martin for taking care of the wild ones at home where there’s less snow. I’m just a few miles away as the crow flies and a few 100ft higher. That can make all the difference in weather out here.

These 4, Deets, Woodrow, Gus and Lorena, have been a joy to get to know and work with these past few weeks.

Lorena (buckskin) is pending adoption and already doing lots of grown up things with ease. She’s getting her first “big girl” trim next week, is tying, leading sending, crossing obstacles and wearing tack. She’s building confidence loading when asked (loads fine when not asked and then won’t come out of the trailer until I insist that she does) and is supposed to embark on a road trip to start her new life soon.

Gus (bay) is the kindest giant boy and is learning all the big kid things like loading and picking up feet. That was scary for him at first. He insists on being caught, loves people, crosses obstacles, finally figured out lungeing and thought it was the greatest thing ever when I put a saddle and bridle on him for the first time yesterday. Standing still while tied is very boring, but he’s getting better. Gus is the best weirdo ever. Not available for adoption at the moment, will update when that changes.

Deets (appy) and Woodrow (silver bay) are good, level headed geldings with fairly easy going personalities. They lead and tie, stand for grooming, will lunge, send and cross obstacles. They don’t have much stranger danger. Both are working on picking up feet and loading. They are potentially spoken for, will update if that changes.

All 4 have learned and are practicing body control, i.e. yielding hindquarters and shoulders, as well as backing in addition to just leading and going around me on a circle. That’s important for many things down the road.

To all who have submitted adoption applications, thank you. I will reach out to people with approved applications over the next couple of days. If the horse you asked for is spoken for or we don’t yet have the perfect Mustang for you, we’re happy to work with you and help you find a great match.

Until some sort of incentive program comes back, our nonprofit organization Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy is funding all of this on its own. We appreciate your support in helping wild horses transition from holding pens to loving homes now more than ever. Thank you! If you want to help, please check bio for how to do so or reach out to us directly.

Training halters and leads Rowdy’s Ropes

First 3 photos: Photographer Linnea Helander

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#makingmountainmustangmemories

I recently read somewhere on social media – and I wish I could remember where – that the best way to fix a bad habit in a horse is to not let it develop on the first place.

That’s so simple, yet at the same time so profound. I’ve seen so many horses revert back to undesirable behavior that’s worked for them in the past, or take so much longer to unlearn dangerous things and become solid in good ones.

Barn and buddy sourness are pretty high up on the list of common, pesky and problematic things people deal with in their horses, Mustangs and domestics alike. Having a buddy or barn sour horse can sure take the joy out of riding, make it unsafe or plain impossible.

Anymore I like starting my own horses, from scratch. Gentling Mustangs for a living, that’s pretty easy to do. That way for the most part whether they’re barn or buddy sour or not is in my hands.

Some people are sticky and don’t mind a ‘good’ fight with a horse that’s dancing and rearing and hopping and spinning or running backwards. I’m not one of those people.

Ground driving is probably the number one tool I use to develop a horse that confidently goes wherever you point them, no buddy needed, and goes back home at the same pace.

Here’s Devil’s Garden Mustang mare Petrie who’s good enough now that I can put the driving bridle and lines on, no surcingle, saddle or harness, and off we go. I wouldn’t recommend that, at all, if you’re just starting out.

We’re drunk walking a bit here because I had the phone in one hand and lines and whip – yes, I always carry a whip because it’s a needed communication device when (ground) driving – in the other while dodging holes and brush.

Ground driving, like many other things, is simple but not necessarily easy if you haven’t done it before, and needs to be taught step by step for it to work as desired.

At Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy we’re happy to teach you/your horse this skill if you’d like. More on how to work with us on our website.

Would anyone be interested in some video based instructions on ground driving that would be available online? Anything else? Let us know in the comments or via PM/email.

Music: Colter Wall : Prairie Evening/Sagebrush Walz

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