The Wild Mustang Chronicles

REVISITING THE MUSTANGS OF THE SANDWASH BASIN JULY 28,2011

2011-08-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

REVISITING THE WILD MUSTANG HORSES OF THE SANDWASH BASIN

It’s been three years since I last visited the wild mustang herd of the Sandwash Basin in northwestern Colorado. I had the good fortune of taking two photographers, Marianne Martin of Boulder (www.reallifeportraits.com) , and Alex Kendall of Breckenridge (www.alexkendallphotography.com), out on the Sandwash Herd Management Area to photograph the mustangs.

ALL OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS ON THIS BLOG POST WERE TAKEN BY MARIANNE MARTIN. THANK-YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE YOUR TALENT ON MY BLOG, MARIANNE!!!

We stopped by the Bureau of Land Management office in Craig, where the staff was very helpful and gave us directions of where to go to see the horses. After driving for about an hour through the basin, we encountered a gathering of several “bands”, or family units standing together. Marianne and Alex were able to walk amongst the different bands and photograph them until sunset.

All in all, the mustangs were very calm and comfortable with our presence. They were just doing what mustangs do.

Stallions were posturing.

And rearing up to establish dominance.

Foals were nursing.

Horses from the different bands would walk over and visit with a neighboring band.

It’s a very colorful herd. Years ago a paint breeder and a morgan breeder kept their herds on this land with the mustangs, and the bloodlines mixed.

The first thing horses do when they meet is to smell each other’s breath. That is how they identify each other.

Some horses played.

Some horses ran.

And ran.

This handsome stallion is standing guard over his band of mares and foals.

He’s a looker.

These horse are grooming each other, a form of affection and care. They scratch places on their partner where they couldn’t reach themselves. Notice the leg stripes and dorsal stripe on the horse on the right. These are markings from the past when horses needed camouflaged coat.

The beauty of their movement sometimes feels choreographed.

Their coloring is fantastic.

This finely boned mare has ringlets in her mane.

Here she is with her foal.

Prairie dred locks.

There is an inherent value in these mustangs that live in 10 states across the Western United States.

Their beauty heals us.

Their complex social structure teaches us.

Their presence living in the wild frees us.

I encourage you to learn more and get involved in supporting wise management and protection of our wild mustangs so that they will continue to thrive.

Ashe!

Deborah Stringfellow

THE COMPLEXITIES OF EFFECTIVELY MANAGING OUR WILD MUSTANG HERDS

2011-08-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

The task of managing our wild mustangs that live in ten western states is a complicated matter. Back in 1971, when the Wild Horse and Burro Act was enacted the Bureau of Land Management, (BLM), was designated as the governmental agency to be in charge of managing the wild mustangs who freely roamed the land. “Herd Management Areas” (HMA’s) were created and fenced where the mustangs were living; laws were put into place to protect the horses. There were approximately 25,000 mustangs at that time. The herds flourished.

Today, there are an estimated 71,000 mustangs; 37,000 of which are living on the HMA’s, another 34,000 are living in government-run corrals and pastures, and over 100,000 wild mustangs have been adopted to date. Why are those 34,000 mustangs living in corrals rather than out on the range, you ask? Good question. Let me explain.

Mustangs reproduce at a rate of 25% per year, so they double their herd size every four years. The BLM land they live on is used for many purposes; livestock, hunting, camping, four wheeling, etc. Most of the HMA’s are located in the West where the vegetation is sparse. In order to maintain “Appropriate Management Levels”, (AMLs – i.e. a designated number of mustangs that the land can support), the BLM conducts “gathers” where they run the herds into holding areas, vet the horses, and then remove a certain percentage of the horses, and release the rest back onto the HMA. The horses that are removed can either be adopted depending on their age and health, or placed in the government-run corrals and pastures. To date, the adoption rate of wild mustangs has not been able to keep up with the number of horses that are removed from the range.

The BLM is in a tight spot. Population increases have increased their budget from $38.8 million in 2007 to $63.9 million in 2010. In 2009, the holding costs for the horses living in long and short-term corrals was $29 million; about 70% of their total budget. What to do?

The Senate Appropriations Committee has deemed that the current path of the Wild Horse and Burro program is not sustainable. Ken Salazar, our Secretary of the Interior, has proposed a new plan.

Here is the link to his new proposal: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/october/salazar_seeks_congressional.html

Currently the bill is being signed off by the different governmental agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Land Management before it is presented to Congress. Our Wild Horse and Burro program is at a critical crossroad.

PLEASE READ THE NEXT POST TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET INVOLVED!!

KEN SALAZAR’S NEW PLAN FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WILD MUSTANGS

2011-08-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

In response to a directive by the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Government Accountability Committee to control the BLM Wild Horse and Burro program costs, and to find a more sustainable way to manage our wild mustangs, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior had proposed a new plan: *http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/october/salazar_seeks_congressional.html

His plan includes:

- Establishing a new set of wild horse preserves on land acquired by the BLM and/or partners in the Midwest and the East that would be home to non-reproducing herds of wild mustangs. These wild horse preserves would be managed by the BLM or through cooperative agreements between the BLM and private non-profit organizations or other partners, to reduce existing off-range holding costs and harnessing the energy of enthusiastic horse supporters. *

-To showcase the unique herds on public lands in the West which deserve special recognition, with Secretarial or Congressional designations, which would generate ecotourism for the nearby rural communities. *

- To slow population growth rates of wild horses on Western public rangelands through aggressive use of fertility control, sex ratio management, and possibly the introduction of non-reproducing herds in some existing herd management areas in order to balance population growth rates with adoption demand. *

-To enhance the BLM wild mustang adoption procedure by making it more flexible so that more animals will be placed into good homes. *

These proposals are subject to Congressional approval and appropriations. A copy of Ken Salazar’s letter to The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate can be viewed here: http://nevada.sierraclub.org/Reports/SalazarLettertoHarryReidonWHB.pdf

NOW IS THE TIME TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! LET OUR LEGISLATORS KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF OUR WILD MUSTANG HERDS!

WRITE A LETTER OR AN EMAIL TO YOUR SENATOR (To find the contact address for your senator please click here, and select your state) IN SUPPORT OF WISE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WILD MUSTANGS!!

SEND A LETTER OR AN EMAIL TO BOB ABBEY, DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT!!

Snail Mail:

Mr. Bob Abbey

BLM Washington Office

1849 C Street, NW, Room 5665

Washington DC 20240

Email: Director@blm.gov

MUD AND RAINBOWS

2009-07-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

My second visit with the Spring Creek mustangs was just as magical as the first. Upon our arrival on Friday night, we drove directly to the herd management area and proceeded to immediately get stuck in the mud! I filmed the whole, dirty affair.

If you ever desire to visit one of the 200 herds of wild mustangs that are tucked away in all sorts of remote areas across the western United States, it is always a good idea to contact the local Bureau of Land Management office to check on the road conditions and weather - www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro.html.

The roads that traverse the Spring Creek Herd Management Area in the Disappointment Valley of southern Colorado consist of clay that becomes dangerously slippery when wet. One should not venture out into the valley if a storm is pending. On this visit, we arrived just after a storm and took our chances in driving on those slippery roads. There is no cell service, and no civilization for miles, so we almost had to spend the night with the horses in the back of my car!

Slideshow of my visit with the Spring Creek Wild Mustangs, June 2009

2009-07-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from my second visit with the mustangs in the Disappointment Valley, which was just as wonderful as the first visit. More videos and photos to come!

TJ HOLMES AND THE MUSTANGS OF THE SPRING CREEK BASIN

2009-05-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Kathleen and I were making good time on our drive from Boulder to the Disappointment Valley until we decided to take Highway 90 between Montrose and Naturita. It was already dark, and we didn’t think to check the legend on the map, which clearly indicated that this was an unpaved road. Even though our instincts told us to turn back, we continued on. As the road degraded into a snowy, muddy one lane trail, it felt as if we had entered an enchanted forest

where the trees were warning us to turn back as they closed in on the road.

I stopped the car in order to think through our choices. Here we were, two women out in the middle of the Uncompahgre National Forest during hunting season, trying to get to Naturita in order to visit the wild mustangs in the Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area. Since we had already been driving down Highway 90 for forty five minutes, we were more than halfway to our destination. But, would this road get us there safely? If we turned around it would take us at least three hours to return to Montrose and take the other route. We chose the latter, and didn’t arrive at the National 9 Motel in Dove Creek until well after midnight. However, we made the right choice; Highway 90 does not go all the way through. If you’re headed to Naturita, TAKE THE LONG ROAD!

Awakened before dawn by the anxious yelps of hunting dogs, diesel fumes filled the room from trucks that sat idling outside the door warming up for the hunt on this cold November morning. After preparing a breakfast of tea, bagels, cream cheese, tomatoes and avocado, we packed up and headed north towards the Disappointment Valley. I felt like one of those retrievers as my excitement mounted at the prospect of spending time with the wild mustangs.

Colorful red rock formations line highway 141 towards Gypsum Gap which ascends to the top of Disappointment Valley. Rugged, mountainous country of pinion-juniper woodland surrounds the rim. The scenery is spectacular as the road winds its way to the top of the basin. In many ways, it resembles the Grand Canyon. On the descent into the Disappointment Valley, the landscape changes to rolling hills and dramatic buttes, sparsely vegetated with rabbit brush, black sage, Indian rice grass, winterfat and galletta grass.

TJ Holmes, who offered to be our guide, met us at the entrance of the Spring Creek Herd Management Area, donned in her signature visor and Oakley sunglasses. We followed her into the valley where she spends nearly every weekend sleeping in her Jeep,
photographing and documenting this herd of 50 mustangs, which she posts on her blog – springcreekwild.wordpress.com.

From her first-hand experience out in the field and through collaboration with other avid mustang observers, TJ supports some exciting new ideas on how we could improve our methods of gathering the mustangs. She promotes the premise that close documentation of the herd, and gathering the mustangs by bands are two vital, yet simple elements that would greatly reduce the stress on the horses, and the amount of time they need to be restrained.

She watches over this herd as if they were her children, taking note of the well-being and whereabouts of the 10 bands of mustangs as they move around on the 22,000 acres of this herd management area. She has named all of the horses, and closely follows their social interaction, documenting when mares have been stolen by a stallion and have moved from one band to another; when foals are born, and to which sire and dam. She celebrates the initiation of the bachelor stallions acquiring their own mares, thus creating a band of their own; her heart aches at the thought of the peril of death from sickness and injury.

TJ proudly describes herself as a country girl. She grew up in the saddle. As a baby, her parents carried her along on many trail rides, and she would cry in frustration when it was time to dismount. Until recently, she has always owned horses; now they don’t fit into her work schedule and budget. Her interest in the Spring Creek mustangs was ignited when she wrote a story about this herd for The Durango Herald in 2002. She visited the herd intermittently for the next five years. After witnessing the gather in August 2007, TJ committed herself to precise documentation of this herd for its future well-being.

That first morning, TJ took us for a tour of the herd management area. First we drove to the water tank where she had spotted Traveler and his band earlier that morning. This water tank, which is monitored by the National Mustang Association, is very important due to the fact that it is the only fresh water supply for the horses. Since this terrain is a salt desert shrub ecosystem, the natural water sources are extremely alkaline and below the level considered acceptable for livestock.

We drove along until we came upon a large band of mustangs sunning themselves on the hillside. We unloaded our gear, set up our tripods, and started filming. After photographing for a while, I offered to intuitively check in with this family of mustangs. TJ agreed, and wanted to know if the horses were happy and feeling good. Closing my eyes in order to tune in to the horses, I kept feeling TJ’s energy. Opening my eyes to find out why, I saw that TJ was crying. Turning my intuitive eye on her, we searched for the source of this emotion.

TJ shared that experiencing the gather of 2007 left a deep wound in her psyche. The certainty of more gathers and the uncertainty of the future for these horses caused her to suffer. As I listened, and observed the herd, I was so puzzled. These horses were content, resting in the sun, many of them lying down and napping. Animals don’t worry; they live in the moment. There was such a contrast between the animals’ happiness and TJ’s angst.

In an effort to ease TJ’s pain, I explained to her that I intuited that the mustangs were happy. Even though they never forget anything they have experienced, they don’t agonize over the past or worry about the future. They are extremely adaptable, as evidenced by their ability to survive all these years on land that is sparsely vegetated with native bushes and shrubs and very little green grass in extreme temperatures that can fall below zero in the winter, and rise above 100 degrees in the summer. I cautioned her that they feel what we feel, and if she is grieving for them, they feel her grief. If, on the other hand, if she focuses on the blessing of their presence, the joy they bring her, and the love she has for them, they feel her joy and love.

After getting our fill of photographing this herd, we drove on until we came upon Traveler and his band. During her visits with the mustangs between 2002 and 2007, TJ became attached to this handsome grey stallion. Until the gather of 2005, Traveler was the most powerful stud in this herd, having the largest band of 19 mares, foals and stud colts.

When it came time for the gather in the fall of 2007, Traveler was among the horses chosen to remain on the range due to his desirable genetics. His foals possessed good conformation and temperaments, and there was a high success rate in those that had been adopted. However, when the horses were released after the herd was culled, Traveler was confused with another grey stallion and was shipped to Canon City to either be sold or to go to a long-term holding facility.
When TJ found out that her wild friend had been taken away, she was devastated. Pati Temple, who is on the board of the National Mustang Association, worked with Fran Ackley, leader of the Wild Horse and Burro Program for the BLM in Colorado, to arrange for Traveler’s return. Pati and TJ drove to Canon City to identify Traveler from amongst the stallions taken from Spring Creek Basin, and then hauled him to Pati’s ranch where he was quarantined for three weeks. Under the care of Pati and her husband, David, Traveler fared well. After the quarantine had been satisfied, TJ had the joyous experience of watching the proud stallion re-enter his homeland.

Since the family units of the mustangs are permanently divided during the gather, Traveler spent six months with a bachelor band waiting for the right moment to steal some mares and foals to rebuild his band. Much to TJ’s surprise, over the course of just a few days, TRAVELER, THE WEEKEND WARRIOR, (to see the UTube, click here: http://3.gvt0.com/vi/x51Qie93AMc/default.jpg), stole a mare, her foal, and an orphaned foal from another band.

Traveler and his family were very comfortable with our presence, allowing us to come quite close. As TJ and Kathleen were photographing, I sat down and did an intuitive animal communication session with this stallion (Link to AC session with Traveler). We had a luxuriously long visit with these animals, and when they finally headed down the ridge into the valley, we hiked up to the top of Round Top where we had a 360 degree view of the herd management area. This lookout was a great spot to use our binoculars and locate the different bands of mustangs. We decided to head northeast and search for a small band that TJ had not yet seen this weekend. We didn’t find them, but as we circled back toward the herd area entrance, we came upon a large group of mustangs. As the sun set and the temperatures dropped, we filled our memory cards with photos of the horses playing against a backdrop of pink tinted hillsides.

The next morning we rejoined TJ and located the three new mares that had recently been shipped from the Sand Wash Basin mustang herd after their gather in October. We found them on the north side, where the landscape changes to pinion pine forest. They were a little skittish, and had not yet mingled with any of the other mustang bands. However, they looked healthy, their coats shining in the sun, revealing their new freeze brands. After photographing “the girls”, it was time for us to head back to Boulder.

A few weeks later, I received an email from TJ saying that Kreacher, one of the more timid stallions, had joined the 3 mares. “This is what kept me going back all year.” TJ said, “So much more to find out after every visit!!”

Many thanks to TJ for a wonderful weekend!

INTUITIVE ANIMAL COMMUNICATION SESSION WITH TRAVELER

2009-05-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

Traveler grazed on a clump of winterfat with his eyes closed. I approached him slowly, feeling for that invisible line that if crossed will cause a mustang to turn and run. Cautious not to make any quick moves, I lowered myself down onto the parched earth. I prayed, offered gratitude to the Ancestors of the land, and settled in for an intuitive communication session with this handsome grey stallion.

The ground beneath me was soft and warm. To communicate across species, I simply imagine that the animal and I can speak to each other. Often, as soon as I do this, the animal does speak! In the case of Traveler, what I heard was not only clear, but a teaching.

He said:

“We are the healers; we do not need to be healed”

“We are not afraid to die. We will fight to the death with dignity for our freedom.”

“We love the land and we work with Mother Earth to bring balance and harmony.”

“Carry our strength within you.”

“There is nothing to fear. Life is good.”

“The Spirit of Horse can never be destroyed.”

I asked Traveler what we could do to help the herds. He replied, “Bring the children.”

HOW DID THE MUSTANGS GET THEIR NAME, ANYWAY?

2009-02-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what addle-headed cowpoke gave our wild horses the name mustangs? Well, I’m here to tell ya that the word “mustang” comes from the Spanish word, “mesteño”, which translates to mean “stray” or “feral”. We can blame the Spanish Conquistadors for this cockamamie word.

When those Spaniards came over here, sniffing around for more land and gold and the Fountain of Youth, they brought their horses with them. (I wish they would have found that Fountain of Youth cause I sure could use a mugful right about now!) After they got tired of botherin’ the Native Americans and spreadin’ disease, they went back to where they came from, but they left some of their horses behind.

Bein’ that horses are much smarter than humans, those abandoned horses settled in right nicely and started a family! Before long, we had herds of bangtails roamin’ all over this country. Since these horses came from strays, the name mesteño stuck, but as cowboys don’t care much about speaking Spanish, they put an Americanized twang on the word and changed it to “mustang”!

Tune in next time when I spin a yarn about how the Native Americans quickly learnt how to ride and breed those little Spanish horses!

Happy Trails,

"Pardner" (aka Debbie Stringfellow)

FIELD NOTES - MUSTANGS OF THE SANDWASH BASIN, AUGUST 29, 2008

2009-02-27T10:29:00.000-08:00

The pungent smell of sage brush drifts up to meet my nose as I walk out onto the Sandwash Basin toward the mustangs. This is the one and only band I have seen after driving for two hours. They’re quite a distance off the road; it’s hard to tell how far.

It’s beautiful out here – stark, hot and brutally dry. The fine white dusty soil is parched, and besides an abundance of sage, grease brush, and cheat grass, not a blade of green grass is evident within eyesight. “What do these horses live on?” I ask myself. I think of the abundance of green pasture, hay and grain my own horses are offered everyday.

Horses cannot live on sage brush. They eat it only as a last resort, and it doesn’t agree with their digestive system. In evaluating the quality of range available for forage, many people misunderstand that much of what is present is indigestible to the mustangs.

Now I can see the mustang’s tails swishing. I’m getting closer. My car has disappeared from sight and I am wishing I had bought that GPS yesterday. It all looks the same out here, making it easy to get turned around. But, I have a target, and it’s the herd of 6 wild mustangs directly in front of me.

Two of the mares have spotted me, their bodies standing erect, with their ears pointed towards me. You can tell where a horse’s focus is by the direction of their ears. When in the saddle, it’s a good thing if the horse’s ears points backwards towards the rider now and then, which indicates that they’re checking in with their mount.

Out of respect for their comfort level, I decide to stop and sit before I scare them off. Since horses are animals of flight, similar to a deer or an antelope, their first line of defense is to cut and run. Even though I fumble ineptly with my new REI stool, making noise pulling apart the Velcro strap, the mustangs stand firm. As I settle down to my writing, I notice that a couple of them seem agitated, trotting forward, and circling back. Thinking that perhaps my big, white cowboy hat is a distraction, I decide to take it off, which makes a difference.

The coloring of this particular band of mustangs consists of mostly bays. However, one mare has a striking mask that resembles the Phantom of the Opera. There are no foals; the stallion leading this herd is sorrel with a big white blaze. There is a young stud colt that has exactly the same markings, which tells me that this stallion is his sire, and that this band has been together for several years.

In an effort to get some shots from a different angle, I slowly walk out and around their comfort zone. They watch curiously, then lose interest and walk out of sight down the canyon wall. As the last one disappears over the edge, I give thanks to them for their company. Now, if I could just remember where I left my stuff……

Mustangs of the Sandwash Basin

2008-10-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Sandwash Basin is the current home to approximately 380 wild mustangs, but that will change on October 17, 2008. Located in the northwestern corner of Colorado, just above the town of Maybell, this expansive terrain has been the home to the Little Snake Herd Management Area for almost 30 years. On the 17th ,the Bureau of Land Management will begin a ten day period of gathering this herd.

As part of their management program, the BLM determines the Appropriate Management Level, i.e., acceptable number of animals, for each herd. When the herd has reproduced above that level, the BLM gathers the herd, sorts the mustangs by sex and age, inoculates the horses and sometimes, as is the case with this herd, injects the mares with PZP, a contraceptive that lasts for 2 years. Afterwards, a certain number of animals deemed appropriate for the health of the range are released back on to the Herd Management Area.

All of the 360 horses in the Sandwash Basin will be gathered; 160 mustangs will be released after vetting, and 160 will be retained and trucked to Canon City for gentling by prison inmates, and then placed in an adoption program. The problem is that there are currently over 33,000 mustangs held in adoption holding pens across the United States. Horses are not in demand as work animals as they once were. In this day and time, it is a luxury to own a horse, not a necessity.

The BLM conducts the gathers by running the mustangs into a trap with a helicopter. Unfortunately, as the horses are gathered, their family units, or “bands” as they are called, are separated. During the culling process, there is no telling which mustangs were together in a band, and so their social order as they knew it is permanently dismembered.

Such are the problems we are dealing with in managing our mustangs. There are a huge number of mustangs whose only chance for a life outside of a holding facility is through adoption. There will be an on-site adoption auction for approximately 20 of the mustangs gathered from the Sandwash Basin in Craig, Colorado after the gather is complete.

These are beautiful animals. I have spent time on the Basin photographing and writing about them. An album of photographs of the Mustangs of the Sandwash Basin is posted on this site. If you know of anyone who is looking for a horse to buy, please ask them to consider the mustangs held in the BLM Adoption Facility in Canon City, Colorado, or any other adoption facility located across the United States.

For more information on the adoption of the mustangs of the Sandwash Basin to be held on Saturday, October 25, 2008 after the gather, please call the BLM Little Snake Field Office located in Craig, Colorado: 970/826-5000.

For more information on the BLM Canon City adoption facility, please call: 719/269-8500.

For more information on the BLM program and adoption facilities located across the U.S., please go to the BLM website: www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov

Mark Lyon and Christian

2008-10-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

During the Extreme Mustang Makeover, the competitions leading up to the finals are lengthy and extensive. As I watched the semi-finals of the Legends class of trainers and mustangs, I was spell-bound by the performances. So much talent in these animals, and buckets of hard work by their trainers!

There was one pair in particular that I was drawn to: Mark Lyon and Christian. They were so connected. Mark cracked a bull whip over his head, and shot balloons off of cones with a pistol while Christian kept his loping gait steady and smooth. But also what attracted me was Mark’s style. His handle bar mustache, straw hat held tight by a chin strap, brightly checked shirt and red boots made me smile. Not only was he an exceptional trainer, but he was having a good time!

After his run, I caught up with Mark in the barn, and we had a conversation. I asked him what it was like to train this mustang, and this was his reply: “Well, at first, we called him the Devil Horse because he was so aggressive, scared, and worried about things. Everything he did was BIG. He climbed up on my saddle horse and tried to bite him. Mustangs are bred to be agile and quick to run away from prey, but that means they’re also agile and quick enough to buck you off! After the first two weeks, things changed, and that’s when we changed his name to Christian.”

“Once I gained his trust, he was a different animal. He’s very athletic and tries so hard. As our training progressed, I realized what an exceptional horse he was. It’s like when you find a diamond in the rough. You don’t know what you’ve got until you knock the dirt off of it, and then you discover it’s the Hope Diamond! My plan was not to keep him. My goal was to be as tough and competitive as I could be and sell him. I thought he was a 6 or a 7; he turned out to be an 11!”

“What do you think of the Extreme Mustang Makeover program?” I asked. “I think it’s great.” He replied. “This program allows people that want a mustang to have one without it trying to kill them! Most people don’t have the strength and the knowledge to be able to gentle these mustangs. Once an experienced trainer has put some hours on these horses, the success rate of adoption by the general public goes much higher.”

When asked what he thought of the mustang in comparison to other breeds of horses, Mark said, “They’re everything we like about a horse. They come from all different climates and geographical areas; they’re hardier and more adaptable than other breeds, and they don’t colic as easily. They’re tough and persistent. If Christian got mired in the mud, he would try really hard to free himself, where other domesticated horses would just give up.”

Mark and Christian went on to win the Legends competition in the finals. Their performance in this event was breathtaking. Mark and Christian started with a beautifully choreographed dance using a Garrocha, which is a fourteen foot long wooden pole used by Spanish vaqueros to sort, prod and herd cattle. Then they escalated to spins, sliding stops, and shooting balloons at top speed. At one point, Mark’s saddle slipped to the side, and he fell off! A tribute to Mark’s training, Christian stood absolutely still as Mark quickly righted his saddle, finished their routine by walking through a hoop of fire on a teeter totter, and won! I was swooning!

After much contemplation, Mark decided he should let Christian go at the auction. “It was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do.”, Mark said. He was pleased when Christian was sold for $4,000 to a much respected trainer and one of the judges for the competitions, John Lyons. To his surprise, John Lyons gave Christian back to him and told Mark that he needed to continue to train this horse and enter the Road to the Horse competition in March of 2009. John said he and Christian should stay together, and that if Mark wanted to keep him, they would work something out.

You can go to Mark’s website, www.marklyonhorsetraining.com, and watch his winning performance at the Extreme Mustang Makeover, (I get excited all over again when I watch it!).

The Extreme Mustang Makeover

2008-10-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Extreme Mustang Makeover takes place every September in Ft. Worth, Texas, where one hundred horse trainers from all over the United States volunteer to take on a wild mustang and train it for one hundred days. I had the pleasure of attending this year’s event, and I can’t remember the last time I have been in such good company. As I walked around the barn interviewing trainers about their experiences in working with the mustangs, I was humbled by the love and devotion these hard working folk felt for their animal.

Only three months and ten days after being introduced, the trainers and their mustangs congregate at the Will Rogers Memorial Center to compete and show what they have been able to teach this animal that had never been handled before. After the competition, there is an auction to sell the gentled mustangs, and all of the proceeds go back into the program. The trainers receive $500 and a wild mustang; all other expenses, and the time spent to train the mustang come out of their own hip pocket, and the goodness of their hearts. Many of them had hopes of buying their mustang back through the auction and returning home together. Most could not afford to do this.

There were three levels of competitors, the stars, idols and legends. Depending on the level of competition, the trainers led their mustang through a routine of required movements, such as walking, trotting, cantering, stopping and backing up. Many trainers had taught their mustang to lie down, bow, spin, and gallop across the arena doing flying lead changes and other fancy maneuvers.

In addition to the one hundred trainers taking on a mustang to train, another one hundred youth volunteered to take a mustang yearling to gentle and put up for adoption. Again, I was taken by the courage and love of horses these children possessed, and the boundless support their families had devoted to this cause.

The Mustang Heritage Foundation, www.mustangheritagefoundation.org , sponsors this event every year with the intention of raising awareness about wild mustangs and encouraging adoption. It is the responsibility of the Bureau of Land Management to care of the herds of wild mustangs that live in remote areas of fourteen states. As part of their management program, the BLM conducts gathers, taking a percentage of the herds every year. If the gathered mustangs are not adopted, they are shipped to holding facilities where they spend the rest of their lives. Currently, there are over 33,000 mustangs standing in holding facilities across the United States.

I will be posting the stories of the trainers and young people I had the pleasure of interviewing. This first of which is with Mark Lyons and his mustang, Christian, the winners of the Legends Class Finals! Don’t miss this one!

To view a collage of photographs from this wonderful event,
click here.