The statement I hear most frequently about Cooper is "Wow, a Mustang. I don't think I could ever train a Mustang!" I was one of those individuals before my first Mustang.
Yes, gentling might not be the easiest thing in the world. I learn so much from each horse I work with and I enjoy the gentling process. That is part of why I gentle them. The other part is that they are fantastic horses and there might be the perfect person for Cooper that doesn't have the resources to gentle him. With my help, he might find his perfect match.
If you look at adopting Cooper from the standpoint of "what a great learning experience!", your chances of a successful relationship are much higher. You will need to learn with Cooper. There are so many wonderful Mustang trainers and there are many clinics and workshops you can attend with your horse. If you invest the time and resources in Cooper (or any horse for that matter), he will repay you tenfold with his trust and dedication. It has been an amazing journey that my first Mustang and I took together. I had (and am still having) an amazing experience with him because I found a trainer that works for us and I seek his guidance about more complex training techniques.
So if you invest the time and resources in Cooper, you will have a fantastic horse. I have had the opportunity to work with a few Mustangs and I still have a lot to learn. That is why I still seek out professional advice when needed.
I love working with Mustangs. They are such trusting and willing animals. You are guaranteed an experience of a lifetime when a Mustang enters your life.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Week 1
Cooper has been a busy boy this week! The day after he got his lead off, we changed his halter. We didn't realize we were picking up such a big boy from the BLM and we didn't bring a full size halter. His halter fit, but it was a bit tight and rubbed on him. He let me easily put a new halter on and remove his old one. What a good boy! He was so thankful for the face scratches he received after.
Cooper is becoming quite the people lover. He meets me every day and seems happy to have the attention. If I am working with one of the other horses, he is never far and is usually more than willing to get more attention.
Cooper and his new halter:
Cooper is becoming quite the people lover. He meets me every day and seems happy to have the attention. If I am working with one of the other horses, he is never far and is usually more than willing to get more attention.
Cooper and his new halter:
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Cooper Day 3
Today was a big day for Cooper! He got his lead off this morning. I made sure I could approach him and handle his halter without too much effort. He seemed happy to see me and let me scratch his face (his new favorite thing in the world). We worked on throwing the lead all around him and he couldn't care less. He had it over his head, around his legs and over his back without much concern from him. I unhooked his lead and attached it again many times until I left it off. I am sure he will be very happy to have it off.
This afternoon I approached him and was able to attach his lead without any trouble. We began working on desensitizing with ropes again. We worked on having the rope around his front legs and lifting his leg when pressure was applied. He handled it like a pro. I noticed the flies were bothering his eyes so I decided to try the fly mask. We took it slow and gave him time to adjust. He never got upset and it took about 5 minutes to get the mask on him.
I am sure we will continue to make improvements with every session. He has a great mind and it is amazing to see him work through the new challenges we encounter.
This afternoon I approached him and was able to attach his lead without any trouble. We began working on desensitizing with ropes again. We worked on having the rope around his front legs and lifting his leg when pressure was applied. He handled it like a pro. I noticed the flies were bothering his eyes so I decided to try the fly mask. We took it slow and gave him time to adjust. He never got upset and it took about 5 minutes to get the mask on him.
I am sure we will continue to make improvements with every session. He has a great mind and it is amazing to see him work through the new challenges we encounter.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Cooper Day 2
Well, Cooper has adjusted well to his new home. He is such a sweet boy and is so curious. He has the kindest face and the softest eye. He has been a joy to work with so far.
One Mustang I gentled had a lot of movement. He had so much in fact that I could not touch him for three weeks. One day I went out to start our routine and he walked up to me and allowed me to do anything to him. He has been the same steady horse since that day. Another Mustang I gentled was the opposite. He met me at the gate for our first lesson and let me immediately touch him. He was a dream to gentle but when something really bothered him, he wanted to run for cover. Cooper is a nice mix of the two. He is very gentle but still has some movement to him.
Our morning session consisted of picking up his line, giving to pressure and facing up. He did very well and I began rubbing him down with my carrot stick. He was okay with that and I ended our morning session. When I returned for our afternoon session, I found a horse that was VERY curious about me and had lost his fear about approaching me. He sniffed me once and I stepped away to give him a release. He perked his ears up and marched up to smell me again. Once he realized I was not going to eat him alive, he took his time inspecting me and letting me pet him. Definitely not an experience for the faint of heart!
I bought a fly mask for him today and my goal is to get it on him in the next few days. Cooper is going to make someone a fantastic horse. He has a very very kind personality.
One Mustang I gentled had a lot of movement. He had so much in fact that I could not touch him for three weeks. One day I went out to start our routine and he walked up to me and allowed me to do anything to him. He has been the same steady horse since that day. Another Mustang I gentled was the opposite. He met me at the gate for our first lesson and let me immediately touch him. He was a dream to gentle but when something really bothered him, he wanted to run for cover. Cooper is a nice mix of the two. He is very gentle but still has some movement to him.
Our morning session consisted of picking up his line, giving to pressure and facing up. He did very well and I began rubbing him down with my carrot stick. He was okay with that and I ended our morning session. When I returned for our afternoon session, I found a horse that was VERY curious about me and had lost his fear about approaching me. He sniffed me once and I stepped away to give him a release. He perked his ears up and marched up to smell me again. Once he realized I was not going to eat him alive, he took his time inspecting me and letting me pet him. Definitely not an experience for the faint of heart!
I bought a fly mask for him today and my goal is to get it on him in the next few days. Cooper is going to make someone a fantastic horse. He has a very very kind personality.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Cooper's Journey Home
Cooper's journey began today. We arrived at the Litchfield BLM corrals this morning and we knew that Cooper was our next project horse the moment we laid eyes on him. He has such a kind eye and approached us immediately to conduct a food inspection.
He got a hoof trim and a halter was placed on him before he was loaded in the trailer. He wasn't too sure about loading in the trailer but he went in calmly. He began approaching us and sniffing our hands before we even started the long drive home.
Speaking of the long drive home, it took about 5 hours to get from the Litchfield corrals to our home in Napa. We stopped frequently and checked on him. He ate calmly from our hands and was happy to see his new home and his new horsey friends.
Cooper already shows a lot of promise. He is a BIG horse and the first item of business will be to measure him. I say he is 14.3 or 15 hands. And he is only 2!
Cooper is a 2 year old gelding from the Red Rock Lake Herd Management Area. This is a small herd and they are known for their large size. Click here to find out more about the Red Rock Lake HMA.
Check back frequently to see Cooper's progress. We are certain he is going to a fantastic horse.
He got a hoof trim and a halter was placed on him before he was loaded in the trailer. He wasn't too sure about loading in the trailer but he went in calmly. He began approaching us and sniffing our hands before we even started the long drive home.
Speaking of the long drive home, it took about 5 hours to get from the Litchfield corrals to our home in Napa. We stopped frequently and checked on him. He ate calmly from our hands and was happy to see his new home and his new horsey friends.
Cooper already shows a lot of promise. He is a BIG horse and the first item of business will be to measure him. I say he is 14.3 or 15 hands. And he is only 2!
Cooper is a 2 year old gelding from the Red Rock Lake Herd Management Area. This is a small herd and they are known for their large size. Click here to find out more about the Red Rock Lake HMA.
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