I’m calling this “double dun ponying”. I mean look, the only way I know which one to ride is by the halter color 
This was last night, ponying Fiadh off of Lacy for the first time. Practicing going both directions, following at my knee (that took a bit of negotiating), and then sharing space.
For those of you who have the patience to watch the entire video, I’d encourage you to pay close attention to their body language and how much Fiadh feeds off of Lacy, even down to licking and chewing right after Lacy does it.
Also how close they are standing and how much interaction there is between two mares who have never interacted without a 7 1/2ft tall fence between them.
That takes some doing because Lacy needs to be kept in check or else she’ll treat the horses I’m working like cows and bite them, not helpful. But with Lacy knowing what’s expected of her, she gives Fiadh peace and confidence.
Ponying is an excellent training tool for various reasons, and working Mustangs from horseback is something I’m working on getting even more effective with this year.
Having Lacy back under saddle (or under my butt anyway because no saddle here) has been such a wonderful gift. She’s small and not anywhere near strong enough to drag one, but in most cases there’s no need for that.
I encourage them forward and she’s nimble enough to spin around on a dime should a horse jump or run behind or in front of her.
All I need to do is steer, stay on and keep track of both horses and the buggy whip I’m using to help guide the newbie. Easy peasy, most of the time.
There’s nothing like being one with your horse, getting a job done together and enjoying it. And then resting together to absorb it all. Fiadh was the third and last wildie I ponied off of the princess last night. First were Buddy and Gus. I finally took her halter off and sent her on her way at 9.15pm. Long day and a good one.
I’m looking forward to more adventures and quiet time with the double duns.
In the meantime, Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy has several super cool Mustangs available and coming available for adoption (the 7 new DGs are coming on Saturday 
), check them out on w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h . o r g
We gentle Mustangs for clients who want help getting their wild one to the point of being easy to handle and ready to start under saddle if they’re old enough.
We also offer coaching calls if you’re doing the training yourself and would like some pointers.
Finally, we offer private Mustang gentling clinics and demos at your facility or ours.
PM or email us if you’re interested/needing help.
Training halters and ropes: Rowdy’s Ropes
