Rock isn’t really a mule and Lacy isn’t actually as microscopic as she looks next to him. It’s meant to be a cute play on the Beauty and the Beast, and they certainly are that.

Summer is a fast-paced, dusty, sweaty, exhausting, fleeting and wonderful time.

Wildflowers and hummingbirds, green grass and afternoon rain, friends, horses and long days spent outside.

I’m going to try to share more raw content because I’m outside too much and too tired when I’m not moving to edit and write for hours.

Anyway, we loaded up the trailer with WY Mustangs (Salt Wells – Tiny, Divide Basin – Lacy and Antelope Hills – Rock) yesterday afternoon and went riding. Almost all of the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs. Spur stayed home with Firefly who is only so excited about her new “shadow”

My idea of a happy (maybe not so) little afternoon ride: Water and views, loping and looking, rock scrambling and a little bit of “that was close”, making memories with friends, bird song and golden light.

We had two young horses with us who got to do some real work and did great with some normal green horse moments. Horses are so good about keeping us learning and improving. The older ones too

#BLMmustang#horses#summer#mountains#joy

#adventure#makingmountainmustangmemories

Before anyone asks, the answer is no. I tried too . His adopters love him and he’s not going anywhere.

Gus is a 2yo NV Mustang gelding adopted from the IA who had apparently decided that gentling was for losers. He made that known in some less than diplomatic ways.

His free-spirited self expression and refusal to be haltered or consistently allow touch is what brought him to Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy to see if we could help him.

I was surprised to hear from previous adopters with not only a happy update on the handsome, goofy gelding they adopted from us, but also the request to work with their new boy Gus.

A few days ago they dropped him off for summer school. So far he’s doing great and a fan favorite.

Gus is handsome, brave and a smart boy who can occasionally get a little big for his britches.

Here are photos from the first 3 sessions in reverse order.

We’re leading and lungeing now, he got fly sprayed, is learning to back up and respect my space. Halterung wasn’t a big deal after breaking it down and I can touch him most anywhere.

It all still needs solidifying and refining, but I’m happy with his progress.

I’m also really grateful to his adopters for reaching out for help when he wasn’t progressing like they had hoped, and for being up front about what behaviors he’s exhibited that caused them to decide to send him off for gentling.

Most of the time we don’t get client Mustangs sent to us because they’re doing so well at home. I get that. Still, knowing what to expect, what has been tried and what the outcome was, makes all the difference for keeping us and the horse safe, and for making a plan to set them up for success.

There’s nothing wrong with needing help. Not having the tools to help a specific horse doesn’t take away from the skills adopters do have. It’s in everyone’s best interest to seek help sooner rather than later.

Once Mustangs develop evasive or even aggressive behaviors, become pushy or destructive, it takes much longer for them to unlearn that and learn more desirable behaviors than if bad habits hadn’t been allowed to form in the first place.

As for Gus, I’m very optimistic that he’ll turn out to be a wonderful mountain adventure buddy for his adopters when the time comes. He’s certainly bold and stout enough to do just about anything they might want to try.

#BLMmustang#horse#training#learning#progress#bettertogether#makingmountainmustangmemories

You know what ruffles mine? When a horse is tied to a trailer or a tree, staring at the sky, while riders are stuffing their faces.

Hobbling lets horses eat where there’s no fence. Therefore hobbling helps prevent ulcers. Ulcer-free horses are happier, healthier and safer to be around.

Which in turn keeps riders and handlers safer AND saves us money.

Hobbling helps prevent injuries because hobble trained horses are less likely to panic if they get a leg stuck or tangled up.

Hobble training is a process. When done properly there’s minimal risk and maximum benefit.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

This was Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustang Rock’s 1st time hobbled “in the wild” after practicing in the round pen. He did great. He’s 4yo, from Little Colorado, WY.

He’s on the right, Lacy (Divide Basin, WY) in the middle, Tiny (Salt Wells, WY) on the left. Lacy and Tiny are seasoned backcountry travelers. All ride and pack.

All 3 are hobbled. Lacy is in 3 leg hobbles, the geldings only on their front legs. On a pack trip all would be in 3 leg hobbles.

#mountains#mustang#horses#adventure#nature#joy#peaceful#makingmountainmustangmemories

Is she not the cutest, most expressive little lady? Her paperwork says buckskin, and Tay Martin swears she’s dunskin, as she has a dorsal stripe trying to appear beneath her fading winter fuzz. In either case, she’s beautiful.

Dragonfly 4yo, facility born to a Stewart Creek WY Mustang mare. She currently measures 14.1hh and string tests to 14.2hh.

Dragonfly is SA and can travel. She is located in Guffey, CO. We’re happy to help arrange hauling.

The deets:

She is petite and would be perfect for a smaller adult or handy youth.

We gentled her at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy and while she is sensitive (the good kind), I’d consider her on the easier side and suitable as a first Mustang albeit not a first horse.

With fair and appropriate training, she will be a joy to start and bring along under saddle or in harness.

Dragonfly tries very hard to do well and figure out what the human is asking. She’s a quick learner and retains well.

She’s had her first trim (photos were taken pre-trim) and did fabulous for Taylor and Cassie Krzeczowski

Dragonfly is a lovely and effortless mover, brave over obstacles (leading and sending), ties well, loads and loves going on walks with me and the dogs. She leads, lunges, backs, moves hips and shoulders. She’s just starting to wear tack and with the warmer weather we’re introducing fly spray to everyone. She’s been ponied and did well.

Two caveats about this lovely lady:

If you have kids or are planning to board somewhere with kids, good luck to you. This pretty girl makes fart noises with her tongue – this is a first for us and unfortunately the best way to describe the sound she produces – and even we struggle to keep a straight face when it happens.

Dragonfly is clubby on the left front. She moves sound and with proper, skilled maintenance has no limitations.

The last two pics are personality pics. I love our Mustangs’ little quirks and big personalities. That’s a big part of what makes them so unique.

If you’re interested in adopting, send a PM or contact us at i n f o @ w i l d h o r se o u t r e a c h . o r g or 719-377-8587 .

Please engage with this post – comment, like and share – to help get the word out about Dragonfly so the person who is meant to bring home a picture perfect lovely buckskin lady as their new equine partner will see her.

Thank you to Rowdy’s Ropes for the beautiful halter & lead rope and Karyn Miller for the Knotty Horse products!

#BLMmustang#horses#mountains#adopt#adoptme

#friend#nonprofit#makingmountainmustangmemories

… is llama ears, an unruly mane, fogged up glasses and awkward kisses.

The biggest of boys (16+hh and counting) is living his best life with the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustang herd, enjoys meeting people and receives age appropriate training.

I’m of the opinion that a 4yo is still developing and maturing, both mentally and physically.

I feel very fortunate to not depend on Rock (4yo from Little Colorado WY) and Spur (4yo range-conceived and facility born to a Stewart Creek WY Mustang mare) needing to be on the payroll.

Instead I’m able to focus on laying a solid foundation while their bodies develop and Lacy and Tiny are showing them the ropes, both in a mixed herd setting and on the trail.

Tonight we worked on bending, softness and becoming more responsive to leg cues for moving shoulders, hindquarters and leg yields.

And on after work cuddles evidently.

I like a friendly, trusting and respectful horse. Trust needs to go both ways, as does respect. We work a lot on setting and maintaining boundaries and clear expectations.

They get invited into our personal space, they don’t live there. They also understand how to get and stay out of our bubble.

Boundaries create safety, for all involved. When we feel safe, everyone can have more fun. Win win.

#BLMmustang#horses#mountains#learning#happy

#trust#respect#makingmountainmustangmemories

Amber & Ruby

They came here together. They found wonderful adopters who reached out to us before we officially posted these mares within weeks of each other.

Now they will be going on to their respective new chapters within weeks of one another.

Amber is an adorable 6yo buckskin Mustang mare from Meadow Valley Mountains, NV. She has the longest ears and the cutest ear hair.

Ruby is a beautiful 4yo sorrel rabicano Mustang mare from Little Colorado, WY. She’s brave, sassy and kind.

I was holding off on posting them because they both have their quirks. Many Mustangs do, and these two especially.

Amber is wicked smart and despite being potato shaped she’s quick and athletic. She’s also the most ear shy horse we’ve ever had. I’ve got dozens of hours, a round of pain meds and a chiropractor visit into working with her on that. She’s doing much better.

Ruby is lovely and a favorite around here. She needs boundaries. She’s bold and has big feelings, sometimes about the strangest things. She has disagreements with the highline that hangs in her pen. Sometimes with a tree she’s tied to. She’s teething and she’s not a fan of that either.

Both mares found adopters willing to embrace them as who they are, and to put in the time, resources and effort to help them become the best they can be.

Ruby is staying in Colorado. Amber is headed to saddle training before she leaves the US.

We’re so excited for them and their new humans.

And so grateful to our supporters near and far,

because you’re the reason we’re able to do this work:

To give scared wild horses the time they need,

quirky ones the opportunity to find just the right human,

plain ones the chance to find someone who finds them beautiful,

and flashy ones the luxury of finding the best fit for them too, because they’re at an almost bigger risk than the less exciting looking ones.

Might sound weird but it’s true. Happy to elaborate if someone is curious.

Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy , a 501c3 #nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Mustangs and adopters be safe and happy, long-term, has other gentled wildies currently looking for amazing homes and a few that are taking their sweet time. Your support is always needed and appreciated.

It’s time I update our wishlists again. In the meantime, if you’d like to help us feed and care for the Mustangs still waiting to find their person, you can do so via the donate button on our website w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h . o r g , on Facebook or IG, or via the l¡nks in the comments.

#BLMmustang#horses#adopted#newbeginnings#bettertogether#makingmountainmustangmemories

When you combine well trained horses and dogs, determination to get out and ride, respect for wildlife,

and you’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, you may get treated to experiences like this.

I enjoyed some wildlife watching magic with Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs Lacy and Rock, and the best boys Denali and Ranger.

What’s been your favorite encounter or experience on the trail so far? What’s something you’re hoping to experience, do or see in the future?

#BLMmustang#horses#wildlife#sunset#mountains#adventure#joy#makingmountainmustangmemories

When I got this guy home, I said to Tay Martin “Gosh, he sure looks a lot like River!”

I pulled this big sorrel boy with soft eyes out of a pen full of young Twin Peaks Mustang geldings, thinking he was one of them.

It wasn’t until the evening after the adoption event that I realized he’s from Antelope Hills, WY, the same HMA River and Gus were out of.

We gentled those two drafty, good minded giants at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy last year. They’ve since gone on to find the most amazing homes.

Lightning Bug combines the same trainability and friendliness with a sportier, yet durable build. He’s 3yo (looks to be a young 3yo) and already measures 15hh. He string tests to an impressive 16hh.

Lightning Bug is low drama, calm for his age, retains things well, and is the most uncomplicated, eager to please Mustang we have here right now.

He’s the kind of horse that the old style Morgan or the Warmbloods of my childhood were bred to be: Something grandpa can plow with, dad can drive into town, mom can joy ride and the kids can jump and ride double on.

He enjoys getting fussed over as much as having a job to do. Lightning Bug is like a smart dog: Most things you only need to show him once and he gets it.

He’s had all important ground work done and is easy to handle. He’s been saddled and bridled, ground driven and ponied. With appropriate and fair training, he will be lovely to start under saddle.

He is Sale Authority and can travel. Located in Guffey, CO.

It would mean the world to us if you engaged with – comment, like and share – this post to help him find the wonderful home he deserves.

WHOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our number one priority is setting the wild horses in our care up for long-term success by giving them a solid foundation and making sure they are a good match for their adopters.

We rely on adoption fees, training fees (we also gentle Mustangs for their adopters), teaching workshops/clinics, remote coaching, donations and you helping us spread the word to fulfill our mission:

Helping Mustangs be safe & happy by 1) carefully gentling & matching them with wonderful adopters, and 2) inspiring & guiding adopters to train their own.

Thank you for your continued support!

Please PM or email if you’re interested in adopting:

i n f o @ w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h . o r g

*His mane is chaos atm, it got chewed short in holding. It’s thick, colorful and just past the mohawk stage. I included a picture of it doing what it does in the wind, and one of how content he looks when Taylor tries to fix it*

Halter & lead: Rowdy’s Ropes makes the best!

Thank you Karyn Miller for helping us keep their manes and tails healthy and shiny with your amazing Knotty Horse products!

#BLMmustang#wildhorses#wildtowilling#adoptme#adoptalivinglegend#adoptamustang#bettertogether#nonprofit#makingmountainmustangmemories

I’d told myself I was going to ride in the sand this spring. Who can we keep our word with if not ourselves?

It’s been darn busy, we’ve got some cool wildies we’re working with at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy and there’s always stuff to do on the counseling side too.

We’re quickly running out of spring and I had this one day where I could go. I asked some friends if they wanted to come.

The deal was you needed to bring your own trailer because one Spur and one Lacy about fill mine since I’m still keeping him in front of the divider in the larger space.

And you had to require little to no babysitting because these two Mustangs and I have one favorite speed: Fast. Especially in the sand. They channel their inner Arabian horses.

No takers, not for lack of interest – who doesn’t want to ride the sand dunes? – but lack of schedule alignment.

I got up that morning and checked the weather. Ew. Asked friends again. Checked the weather again. Did some office work on what was supposed to be my day off. Procrastinating much? Oh, checked the weather forecast again.

If it hadn’t been for two of my favorite people insisting I get on with it, supporting the nagging little voice inside my head that was reminding me I had promised myself I’d go, I might have stayed home, worked and been sad.

Instead I packed – so much stuff, omg, but it was a great practice run to get back in the groove for bigger trips with the animals – loaded and went.

Stopped once for snacks and once for fuel. Got over the pass just fine. Got there just as the weather turned ugly.

Saddled in 30mph winds with the occasional heavy sideways rain drop.

Rode off by myself with two hotheads, one of them (Spur, isn’t it always Spur? ) very, very green.

We had an epic ride. 10mi in 2.5h. Those two can cover country and they love it. Spur handled the drive, sand, water, traffic, people, wind and deer like a pro.

Lacy hates shapes. Always has. Things become increasingly more shape-y in the late afternoon light.

She doesn’t do much but I sure feel like I’m riding a colt when she’s like a coiled spring and her head corkscrews itself into the air.

“Stop being a silly cow!” I grunted, leg-yielding her mind off of the imaginary beasts lurking behind stumps and sagebrush.

We had a fantastic time. I’m so glad we went and so proud of all of us for keeping it together under less than ideal conditions and without someone else to hold our hand.

#horses#mountains#adventure#joy#courage#travel

#solo#adventure#makingmountainmustangmemories

Someone on one of our platforms recently requested a video of catching a Mustang with the neck rope, so here it is for everyone.

Butterfly, a 5yo palomino Mustang mare from Twin Peaks, CA was a lovely demo horse. Thank you Tay Martin for filming.

Caveats:

I’ve done this “once or twice” before.

I’m in a 25ish ft round pen with 7 1/2ft fences.

I can read the room. If I have a horse that’s extra skittish or might want to kick or spin, I take several steps before this one to prepare them and keep us both safe.

The most pressure I want on this rope is the feel of a single use plastic grocery bag full of bananas. So we’re not talking sacks of concrete here. Most of the time the rope will be slack.

I have a hook on a 6ft stick to get the rope off if need be.

When and why:

I don’t catch all of the new Mustangs at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy this way but 80-90% of them I do.

If they don’t approach me or let me approach them within the first session or two, I will.

There’s no sense in first (accidentally) teaching a wild horse to walk away and then going back and teaching them they need to come or stand to be caught every time the human shows up. Double standards make frustrated horses.

This step turns into leading, into directional control, moving hips and shoulders and putting the temporary halter on. The sooner the horse (safely) learns the human is nothing to be afraid of, the better.

From what she’s doing, over a few sessions they stand and face me while I put the rope over their head (that’s where Annie Oakley is currently at). After that, I can walk up to them and put the neck rope on before I turn it into the temporary halter (that’s where Zin is at).

Pretty soon I can catch and halter them like a domestic horse. The process and timeframe looks a little different from one wildie to the next.

The goal is that if it wasn’t for the freezebrand, you’d never know the horse I’m handling or riding is a Mustang.

We’ve got a whole world to impress with these horses and we can best do that when they’re acting every bit as well trained if not more so than those that have been handled from birth.

#horses#mustang#learning#teaching#horsetraining#wild#nonprofit#makingmountainmustangmemories