Revolver & Renegades Journey to the 2009 Midwest Mustang Makeover Challenge

Midwest Extreme Mustang Makeover

2009-04-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

The girls did great at the Midwest Horse Fair!

Our in hand course was stressful for both of them, they didn't handle the crowd very well, but we at least attempted and got credit for every obstacle.

Both girls did great in the riding course. That part really bumped up our scores, and Rennie finished 20th overall and Reva finished 22nd.

The auction was stressful, Reva went first and she was pretty tired and cranky after the long weekend. The coliseum was pretty scary, with lots of people and commotion over the bidding. She started rearing, so I dismounted and tried to calm both her and myself down. Tommy Garland, one of the three judges, got on the microphone and told the crowd that "he'd trained horses for 7 or 8 months that reacted the same way in this kind of environment. Give this young girl a round of applause, because she is the future of horse training." I feel so honored for this compliment! After that the bidding actually went up to $850.

Rennie went in next, and she handled the crowd a lot better. The same couple that bought Reva bought Rennie, she sold for $550. Congratulations to Rosemary and Howie-and thank you for providing a wonderful home for both of the girls.

I had a wonderful time, and I am so grateful that I got to meet the mustang trainers. You guys really did become more like family members over the weekend, and I am so glad that I tried the mustang challenge-it was worth it just to meet all of you!

Special thanks to:

My friend, room mate and business partner Becky-who pushed me to take on two mares. Without you the girls would have never made it home or to the fair, or made the progress that they did. Thank you for helping at the fair as a supportive friend and groom-Rennie's clip job was awesome. You are the best.

Cathy, my friend and business partner. Thanks for helping with the entire training process with the girls. I wouldn't have even applied if it wasn't for you.

Brian Pogue-I am so glad I met you! Thanks for all the help throughout the weekend, and for making me smile on sunday when all I wanted to do was cry.

Debbie Vandevelde, Kristina Ellis, Bobbie Coulter, Wess Hicks, Dennis Auslam, and all the other trainers. I am so happy that I met all of you!

Mustang Preview Tomorrow Night

2009-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

We are having a Preview tomorrow night from 6-8pm at the ranch. If you are around and don't have anything better to do, stop by and wish the girls and I good luck! We leave for Midwest Thursday morning. There will be refreshments and door prizes.

The girls have been working hard the past two weeks. They got their feet done last monday, baths this weekend, and lots of riding! Both mares have been out on the trails, they love it! I also bought a horse ball, and they love playing soccer. I've spent lots of time trailer loading too, they both jump in when I point at the trailer.

The mares are all ready to go, the question is am I? Only 2 days left!

Renegade Video

2009-03-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

As Promised:

Rennie's Road Trip

2009-03-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I loaded Rennie up and took her to the University for a Steve DeFrang Reining Clinic. She did great! She loaded ok into the trailer, unloaded nicely and stood tied to the trailer quietly to be saddled. She settled into the arena just fine, and didn't even blink at the people on the bleachers or the loudspeakers.

We obviously are not advanced enough to work on the reining maneuvers, but I got quite a few good pointers on colt starting. Everyone there was amazed at how nice and quiet she was.

Youtube is down right now, but I promise I'll upload video from the clinic!

Reva is doing good, we are trotting and cantering. She prefers the left lead, and unfortunately will take it 9 times out of 10. Just more things to work on. I will also get photos of Reva, I know, I have been terrible about getting photos of her.

Photos of Rennie

2009-03-19T13:13:00.001-07:00

I'll add photos of Reva later

Update-28 Days Left

2009-03-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Both mares are doing great.

Rennie went for her first trail ride last weekend, she led the way the whole ride. She also got a hair cut-I roached her mane, and is also doing great for baths-its been warm the past few days so she has been enjoying getting hosed down after her workouts.

Reva is doing much better, she is walking, trotting and cantering under saddle. She still doesn't enjoy her head and feet being touched, but she is getting a lot better.

Midwest is in only 4 weeks!

I'll add photos and maybe video this weekend.

Quick Update

2009-03-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

Rennie rode great last night, the arena was busier than normal with 3 other people riding around. She didn't care at all. I also bridled her for the first time and let her carry the bit for awhile. I'll probably keep riding her in the rope halter hackamore though, since she is doing so well with it.

I also stepped in the stirrup and leaned over the saddle with Reva, she was unsure and moved her feet around in a circle. It will probably take a few days of repeating this to convince her that its not the end of the world.

Rennie Under Saddle Photos

2009-02-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

Photos from today's ride-our first without being ponied or led/lunged by a helper. She did wonderful! We weaved some poles, and walked over some ground poles too.

48 Days Left...

2009-02-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

Reva is doing great! I saddled her last night, and hopefully will be getting on her soon.

Rennie has been progressing wonderfully, she doesn't seem to care that I am on her back at all. I've spent the past week working on her off side, and she is getting much better. She is stiff to bending however, so I haven't rode her without being ponied or led. She is getting much softer, and tonight was bringing her head around to the stirrup with a light touch of the rein. I've been working her in a rope halter with a mecate rein. Our biggest breakthrough of the day was she finally let me touch her ears! Yay!

I can believe there is only 48 days left...ahhh! So much to do!

Breakthrough with Reva!

2009-02-23T18:47:00.001-08:00

Reva and I have been going one step forward, two steps back lately. Today we finally had a breakthrough! We have been chipping away at the issue of touching her belly and legs, and today I took the lunge line and looped it around her girth and pulled on it. She finally stood still to accept it, rather than kick like crazy. I put the pad, surcingle and buoys on, and she didn't buck or anything. YAY PROGRESS!

Rennie is doing amazing. She is the sweetest horse ever, she waits at the gate for me to come out and feed in the mornings, and she comes up to me when I call her. She stands perfect to be saddled, and today I put a rope halter hackamore with reins on-which meant I had to take off her halter. She was a little resistant to putting the hackamore on, but we got it done. She did great for her ride today too, Cathy and her trusty horse Cash ponied us. Our big thing to work on right now is mounting/dismounting on the off side, she doesn't stand still for the off side, but is perfect for the left side.

Both mares are loving life outside with the herd, and have a new set of buddies, which is helping with the buddy sour issues between the two of them. Reva still needs to be bribed to be caught (just a taste of grain).

I just wish it was warmer!

Rennies First Ride

2009-02-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

Rennie's first ride!

I got on and off a few times, then we were led around (thanks Cathy!)

She did just great ;)

Its cold again :(

2009-02-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

All of 4 degrees when I went out to do chores this morning-yuck!

Yesterday I saddled Rennie up, ponied her from Marquita, and leaned over the saddle. I haven't swung a leg over yet, but I plan to tonight when I have a helper to pony us. The two have been way to attached, and are both having buddy sour problems, so I separated them. Rennie is out in the big paddock with most of our other horses, and she is settling into the bigger herd great. She also comes up to the gate whenever she sees me.

Reva seems to take one step forward and then two steps back. Some days I can touch her legs with the carrot stick, others she kicks out. I can put a saddle pad on her back, and she even has a winter blanket on now, but she just isn't accepting anything down her legs or around her girth. I changed her halter from the nylon web one to a rope halter, which is helping a little when she decides that she doesn't want to lead anymore. She is also much easier to catch out in her little paddock. I ponied her again last night too.

I'll update tonight again after I work with Rennie!

Update

2009-02-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry its been awhile since I've updated the blog. We've had a mix of some nice weather, some cold weather, and with classes starting again I've been busy!

The girls are now outside in our small turnout pen, and they are much happier! Reva needs to be bribed with some grain to be caught, but other than that they are both wonderful. Rennie has been saddled since my last post. Reva went backwards for a little while, she had decided that she was no longer halter broke, and didn't want to be led around, so I ponied her from my trusty palomino mare, Marquita, and that seemed to remind her that she does indeed know how to lead.

I'll post more Wednesday night.

Some photos:

Standing Tied

2009-02-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

Both mares spent some time standing tied with the blocker tie ring. (Can you tell I absolutely love them? Best training tool ever!)

Reva was even better today about letting me touch her legs and even her belly with the carrot stick-no kicking! Yay!

I put a saddle pad on Rennie under the surcingle, and attached the buoys again. Tomorrow I am going to try my western saddle, since I am reasonably certain that she won't destroy it, seeing as she hasn't reacted to anything else.

Blocker Tie Ring + Reva's Progress

2009-02-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

Well, Reva and I have been hitting a road block about touching her legs, so today I decided that we needed to try something new. I had been working with her from the end of a 25 foot long line, but she would just move away constantly and our sessions would usually end up with me trying to untangle 25 feet of rope, and yet stay out of kicking range, which is not easy.

So today I tied her lead up using the blocker tie ring-which is an amazingly useful tool. Since she had learned to move forward off of pressure from our leading practice, she quickly figured out that if she just stood still it was easier than pulling. Once she stood quietly, I was able to work on touching with the string of the carrot stick all over her body. She did great, and after about 20 minutes of desensitizing she stood quietly while I touched her all over with the stick. Yay progress!

Buoys!

2009-02-04T09:59:00.001-08:00

I attached two buoys to Rennie's surcingle, and she was just fine with them bumping her sides when I lunged her. She just keeps on progressing by leaps and bounds!

I'm getting really attached to her, and she seems to be getting attached to me. I give both the mustangs "turnout time" in the indoor, and she trots up to me whenever I stop in the arena to check on her.

Weekend Progress

2009-02-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

The weather was awesome-nice and warm and sunny! I had a lot of nice quality working time with the mustangs, and we made quite a bit of progress!

Rennie moved forward by leaps and bounds-we made our goal of getting the surcingle on! Sorry about the fuzzy photo-I took it with my cell phone. She didn't care at all about the surcingle being cinched up, and she didn't even seem to notice it was on her-she didn't buck or anything when I made her move around with it on. I've also been working with her, and I can touch her all over with the stick-even up and down her legs. I've gotten most of the mud off her belly, some of it was really stuck on!

Reva made more baby steps-we worked on leading and "following a feel", she tends to want to set back and just lean against any pressure on the lead rope. I now feel confident leading her from her stall in the barn to the indoor arena after our practice this weekend. She still really, really, really dislikes anything touching her legs-she strikes or kicks out. I've been using my stick and string so I can stay out of kicking range yet keep touching her sensitive areas. At least we made progress on our goals! All in all, I thought it was an awesome weekend!

Brushing Rennie

End of Week Update

2009-01-30T20:06:00.000-08:00

Rennie is doing great. Her round pen work is near flawless-she changes direction on cue, picks up each gait when asked, stops and faces in, and will move her haunches and her forehand-all at liberty. She leads wonderfully, and we are now working on more desensitizing. My goal with Rennie is to get the surcingle on her this weekend. I have a plain surcingle, and I have two marine buoys that I can attach to each side, that way the mustang will get used to things bouncing off her sides. Also she can buck, rear, whatever she wants, and I won't need to worry about her ruining my good rough out training saddle.

Reva and I have hit a wall, but we are making small baby steps of progress each day. She is still really, really, flighty. I can touch her with the stick on her neck, withers and back, but she still strikes out or kicks if anything touches her legs or belly. Her round pen work is ok, but she still won't hook on. Most of the time I still need a lariat to catch her. She is spending the next couple of days with my quiet two year old, Winnie. Nothing bothers Winnie. I'm hoping that being with a calmer horse will help relax a bit. I've also borrowed a Spook Less CD, (Thanks Karen!) so once I get the cd player in the barn working I will be playing that for her to get used to. My goal with Reva this weekend is just to keep working on catching her without using a lariat, and working on being able to touch her legs and belly. I can't even think of putting the surcingle on until I can touch her all over.

I've been finding that mustangs, unlike the domestic horses that I am used to training, do not progress in a steady linear pattern. Rather, there are days that they progress greatly, then days where it seems like we are back on square one all over again. Still, its amazing to think that only 20 days ago I picked up two wild, frightened mustangs that I couldn't even touch!

Day 15

2009-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

Last night we got Rennie haltered...with the help of a lariat.

Today she let me walk up to her and touch her after a little bit of round pen work. After some leading practice she has figured out how to stop and even back up off of lead rope pressure. I'll try to get some pictures or video tomorrow.

Reva has settled into her stall, and is getting better about being touched with the carrot stick all over. She DOES NOT LIKE her hocks being touched, or her belly, she kicks in protest. Just more steps in the process :)

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Reva's New Digs

2009-01-22T08:03:00.001-08:00

Well, one down one to go!

Reva is now wearing her pretty green and black halter (I think she looks great in green). After some practice leading in the round pen, then in the arena we walked outside and then into the barn. She is now moved into her own cozy stall. She stands still to let me rub her back and neck, and she seems to enjoy scratches on her withers.

Rennie is still in the round pen in the arena, but now that they are out of sight of each other working them should be easier. My goal is still to get Rennie haltered this week.

Day 9

2009-01-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

Did a little more round pen work with the mustangs, since it was so nice out today.

Reva is getting friendlier, she is the more cautious of the two. Today she stood to let me rub her with the stick and string. While she was trotting around I flipped the string so it layed over her back as she moved, she didn't really seem to care.

Rennie is still pushy and the herd boss, but she at least is NOT running through me anymore in the round pen. She is the first one to the gate when I bring their feed, and will take offered feed from anyone. My boyfriend was helping me water and feed them today, and she let him rub her face and even pet her neck while she was drinking.

Below is Rennie drinking from a bucket at my feet.

My goal for next week is to halter both the mares, and they need to be separated. Our indoor and stalls are not attached, so its been easier to keep them in a round pen set up in the indoor instead of trying to herd them from the barn to the indoor to be worked. Once they are halter broke enough to be led from Point A to Point B I'd like to get them in stalls, so that I can stop feeding hay in the arena. I hate ruining our nice sand footing like that.

I looked back today on the past week. I feel like I'm behind schedule, but at least I can see that some progress has been made. Hopefully the weather stays warmer so that I can get more done.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

Off Topic-Bloggers Who Show Great Attitude/Gratitude

2009-01-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

Froglander at Mustang Dressage passed along this little lemonade award for bloggers who show Great Attitude/Gratitude.

I guess I better show that I have Gratitude, so here are the instructions.

1. Post the picture (isn't it cute?)
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link this post to the person from who you received your award.

Here are my 10 Blogs

1. Kristina Ellis, GSPH & Sierra 2009 Midwest Mustang Makeover Challenge
2. Fugly Horse of the Day
3. Jessie, Two Appaloosas and a Mustang
4. Juli Thorson's Horse Talk
5. Andrea at Mustang Saga
6. Kara, Must Love Mustangs
7. Adventures of a Horse Crazed
Mind
8. Natarojo at Just Horsin' Around
9. BrownEyed Cowgirls
10. Tracey, Mustang Diaries

I'm off to go play with the Mustangs now! Its 24 degrees, and even though its snowing and windy, it feels warm!

Day 7

2009-01-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Its been cold, so the past few days I haven't gotten much done besides feeding, watering and cleaning their pen. Yesterday morning was -27, and today wasn't much warmer.

All of our water buckets have been freezing solid, so I started watering the mustangs by hand. They were a little unsure at first, but they both drink from the buckets I hold for them. I also started them on grain with a daily dewormer.

To save on our arena sand, and prevent hay from mixing with it so much, I started feeding their hay from an old water tank and I layed a tarp underneath it. I wish I had a video camera, Rennie picked up the tarp. She spooked herself when it touched her side, and she ran about half a lap around the round pen before she realized that if she opened her mouth and dropped it that it couldn't touch her. Good thing that the mustangs are curious, I was afraid she'd be terrified of tarps forever. They both walk over the tarps now to get their food.

I'm getting tired of this cold weather, I feel like I'm falling behind and its a little depressing. I can't exactly throw a cooler on a sweaty wild mustang and walk it out! This weekend is supposed to be warmer-isn't it sad that I think anything about zero is warm now? Hopefully I'll be able to spend more time with the mustangs then.

Stay warm!

Reva Playing

2009-01-12T21:36:00.000-08:00

Today I spent some more time with Rennie in the round pen. She was a little more pushy, and even tried to charge at me once, so I spent time making her move out of my space and respond to my body language. She must have been a pretty dominant mare in her wild herd! By the end of the session, she was licking and chewing with her head down, and even eating grain out of our hands.

Right before dinner time I got this cute video of Reva playing in the round pen. I thought she looked majestic, and yes, wild, rearing up in her pen.

Tomorrow is supposed to be -15 before wind chill, and its supposed to be around 0 for the rest of the week. I don't know how much work I will get done, especially when I have 20 other horses to care for too!

I hate Wisconsin winters.

Round Pen Work

2009-01-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

I spent today working in the round pen with Reva and Rennie. Both mares now move forward, stop and change direction just off of body language. I actually found that the mustangs are much more responsive to body language than domestic horses!

I am starting to see differences in the two mares. Reva is a lot more sensitive to body language, she turns and faces me to change direction. Rennie is a little pushier, and almost always turns toward the fence to change direction.

Reva, being the more friendly one, would stop and face me, and lick her lips. However, every time that she would go to take a step toward me, Rennie would push her away. Being the Boss Mare of their little herd of two, I'm sure that she thinks that it is her responsibility to protect them.

So I separated them today. I just put up panels to divide the round pen in two, so that can still see each other and reach over and touch each other. I'll put up photos of their new set up tomorrow.

It still hasn't sunk in that I have two Nevada mustangs in my barn!

Loading Video

2009-01-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

I took video when Revolver and Renegade were being loaded into our trailer for their 14 hour trailer ride home!

Thought it would be neat to show how they load up the wild mustangs!

Eventful Trip

2009-01-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Renegade and Revolver are home safe! I'll tell you guys about the horses first, since I know everyone is dying to know more about them.

All of the trainers got mares, which I think is kinda neat, and it also levels the playing field a bit. I got two mares, Renegade and Revolver. Both are three year olds.

Renegade aka "Rennie" is the larger bay mare; her only white markings are a left hind pastern, and a tiny snip on her nose. She is from Ely, NV. Rennie is definitely the leader of the herd of two!

Revolver aka "Reva"" is smaller, with a large blaze and a left hind white pastern. She is listed as a bay, but she has a prominent dorsal stripe, so I consider her a dun. She was born in the Palomino Valley Center in Reno, NV. She seems to be more curious than Rennie, and not as fearful of people.

Ok, now onto the Eventful Trip!

Our trip started Thursday at 10:30pm. Three of us went, my roommate/business partner Becky, our friend Josh the owner of the truck we borrowed to pull Becky's stock trailer and me. We were about an hour and a half into our trip when the engine died and smoke came billowing out of the hood. We coasted to a stop, and a quick look under the hood revealed that somehow the engine block cracked. Yes, cracked, a huge hole just about big enough for me to stick my fist into.

So we called AAA to get a tow (for the truck and trailer) and after about an hour finally got hooked up and hauled back to Spring Valley. Yes, we sat in a dead, freezing car for an hour. We meet up with another friend, who loaned us a different truck, and we hooked up and started our journey over at 3:30am.

We were doing just fine until we got to Madison around 7am, when it started to snow. We slowed down to about 30 mph, and made our way south to IL. Somehow we missed our turn and stayed on 90 for way too long, and ended up in the Chicago suburbs. A few phone calls later we got directions to set us back on track.

We made it to the Holding Facility at around 4:45pm, and after signing the paperwrok the mustangs loaded easily. We pulled out of the Holding Facility in Ewing at 5pm.

Since our route down was so confusing, we decided to go across to St. Louis (which was cool actually, as I had never seen the Arch! It is really pretty all light up in the dark!) We went north through Missouri, then into Iowa. The snow hit again in Iowa, and we slowed down to 30 mph. Ugh! The snow finally stopped when we got north of Waterloo, and it was clear sailing home from there. We pulled into the farm around 7am this morning, and the unloading of the Mustangs was relatively uneventful. They are all snug in their round pen in the indoor, enjoying their hay. I feel bad that they had to endure a 14 hour trailer ride, but they seem to have handled it pretty well.

I will post more photos later, right now I am heading off for a nap since I have gotten about 6 hours of sleep since Thursday morning!

The Plan

2009-01-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

We have an official mustang plan!

Three of us are leaving around 10pm on Thursday, so that we arrive in Ewing IL around 8am. Then we are heading right back home, so we should be back around 8pm on Friday night. We are pulling a 4 horse goose neck aluminum stock trailer, so the two mustangs should be nice and cozy.

3 more days!

Two Mustangs

2009-01-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Little update:

I will be picking up two mustangs on the 10th! We have the extra space, and I have the time, so as long as we are driving 10 hours one way I may as well pick up two!

I'm getting excited!

2009 Midwest Mustang Challenge!

2008-12-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

I am so excited!

I have been selected as a trainer for the 2009 Midwest Mustang Challenge!

I go to pick up my new equine friend either January 9th or 10th.

I will be posting my mustang updates on this blog, so be sure to follow this one to keep up with our progress!