Tennessee Mustang Makeover 2010

Results!

2010-10-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Madeleine LeClerc and Eyebrow Cat for placing first in the Legend's division of the TN Extreme Mustang Makeover!!! And a big congrats to Robert Carlson and Rock'n'rolla for placing second!! It's a R&M Performance Horse sweep!!

Week 12

2010-10-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

This week Robert and I have both been sick (of course a week before the show!) and both the horses have had a little less riding than we would have liked, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes a few days off can really give the horse time to think and process what he has been learning. I have been continuing to work with Wildcat on the obstacles we have here at the house. He is doing very well with all of them. The big test will be if he remembers these lessons when he is under the stress of the competition. He is still having difficulty with his left lead depart and so I have pretty much decided to let it be. Hopefully we will get a pattern with a right lead departure, but if we do have to depart left we will just pick up the right lead and flying change to the left a stride or two later. When I really push for the left lead departure Wildcat becomes stressed and nervous and it is simply too late in the game to risk his mindset.

Robert and Rock have been working on gaining more refinement in the arena. Rock tends to be easily distracted and ornery in the beginning and Robert has found that if he mounts up and lopes a few laps right off the bat he is more prepared to learn. Rock has really been showing us what a talented stopper he is! He has also been very smart with his leads and has nice simple changes and circles at the lope. He isn't the most talented turn-around horse, so hopefully his other skills will make up for it in the competition.

We are planning on leaving Wednesday morning so posts will be limited next week. I will do my best to be on the ball keeping you all updated but no promises :) Things will be very busy!

Wish us luck!!

Week 11

2010-10-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well things have been pretty busy here the last two weeks so I am going to have to do some catching up! During the 11th week we took RockNRolla and Wildcat to a Ranch Sorting Practice in Poolville. Rock started out pretty nervous but settled down and Robert rode him in his first round of the day. Rock just seemed to say "Cows? No Problem!". Wildcat also did well. He started out a little cautious but as soon as he realized that the cows were afraid of him he picked it right up.
We have also been working with both horses on more preparation for bridleless riding. So far Rock is better at complete rein-less riding (hasn't taken the actual bridle off yet) but Wildcat does great with a neck rope as a little helper for when he gets confused.
About mid-week in preparation for Project Cowboy Robert and I put together a whole bunch of new obstacles so both horses have started learning about the carwash, rope gate, picking items off barrels, log drag, jump, and more.
Two days before Project Cowboy Arty was pulling up sore and so I made the decision to take Wildcat instead! We went in knowing that we wouldn't win anything but I was very impressed when out of nearly 200 horses Wildcat came in 101st in the Reining! He got a bit spooked with me in the groundwork portion (the crinkly number on my back was SCARY!) but the rest of the weekend went well. Rock came along for the ride and spent most of the weekend hanging out in his stall watching the world go by. Friday and Saturday nights we were able to take both horses into the big arena and practice. It was a great experience for them both!
I have pictures from the event but I will have to get them posted later.

Week 10

2010-09-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

Week 10 has held a lot more of the same for Wildcat. Left lead departures are better, but still touch-and-go. His flying lead changes are coming along great! He is very smart about getting his entire lead and not just half (a very common problem with most green horses).

RockNRolla has had some serious issues with his teeth and as a result has just not been able to relax in the snaffle bit. It took us a while to narrow it down to the bit and we wasted a lot of time messing with saddle fit, hooves, etc. looking for the reason for all his head tossing and random abrupt stops. Finally we figured it out and Robert put him in the Bosal this week. Voila! Rock has been much happier ever since. Of course Robert has had to re-teach almost all his aides and rein cues since the Bosal applies such different pressure than the snaffle bit.

On Sunday we took both horses to a local schooling show hosted by Susar Farm Arabians. Susan was very excited about the Mustangs and not only sponsored our entries for the event, but also made sure to announce all about them over the loudspeakers. We had a lot of fun, the classes were a blast, the judge was very kind and supportive, and overall it was a wonderful experience for the horses. I was very pleased that everyone there seemed very excited to hear about the Mustangs and were glad to see them there! We will be attending more Susar Schooling Shows in the future and urge you to join us! Check out her website at www.susarinc.com

Week 9

2010-09-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Wildcat has had a great week this week. We have been trailering out a lot to different arenas. He has gotten to the point where he jumps right in to the trailer and auto pilots into his stall.

We are still having trouble picking up the left lead out of the walk or trot but if I pick up the right lead then he will flying change onto the left. He is progressing nicely in his lateral work, stops, backing, turn arounds, guiding, flying lead changes, etc. Early in the week I had some trouble picking up his feet (he just planted and wouldn't pick them up) but we worked through it and with lots of repetition he is now picking them up great. Trotting in-hand is also touch and go so we do have a lot more ground to cover before the competition, but I feel like we are making progress in the right direction.

Robert has has a tough week with RockNRolla. Rock is just super sensitive and a bit anxious. He tends to be really temperamental. He has enormous athletic ability and tons of talent, Robert is just faced with the more difficult task of "training the brain". Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of Rock this week since Robert was working with Ruger and his owner Becky. For those of you who followed the Colorado blog, Becky adopted Ruger long-distance (from Virginia) and has left him here for us to train until December. This weekend was the first time she has actually gotten to meet Ruger in person! They got along great and we are super excited to hear about their Calvary re-enactment adventures next year!

Week 8

2010-09-13T09:21:00.001-07:00

Week 8 has been another big one for both RockNRolla and Wildcat. We have been hauling both horses to as many different arenas as possible. Wildcat has been loping nicely for me to the right but still has a hard time picking up the left lead. After a couple tries he usually gets it though so it is just a matter of time and practice before he can pick it up reliably.
RockNRolla went on his first trail ride under-saddle early in the week but towards the end he started to shake his head around viciously whenever Robert would touch the bit so he took a trip to see Matt Lampe (www.dfwabsoluteequine.com) yesterday. Matt found that he had a couple of wolf teeth and a bunch of caps that were pushing into his cheek creating a sore and causing pain when the bit applied pressure. Robert will have to ride in a hackamore for a few days but then he will be good as new. Rock has really been progressing quickly under saddle. He has an awesome stop! Wildcat has been doing well too. His lateral work is beautiful! He is still a little nervous about people on the ground but I think we have almost worked past it.
We took both boys to a practice shoot on Saturday and they did great with all the gunfire, horses, and people running around.
Wildcat is very pleased with the latest change in his life! I have been turning him out in the pasture with the other 2 and 3 year olds and he is loving it!

Week 7

2010-09-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

We've had a huge week this week! I got Wildcat leading reliably, we got our first few strides of lope, and had our first ride outside of the round pen! RockNRolla has been rode several times without someone on the ground and has been doing great! At the end of the week we took both horses on an overnight camping trip at the LBJ Grasslands in Decatur. We used Artista (EMM '08) and Ruger (EMM CO '10) to pony Rock and Wildcat all over the grasslands on Sunday and after a nice long pony I felt comfortable mounting up on Wildcat and riding him around the campsite!

Week 6

2010-08-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

We started the week off with a bang this week when I got kicked in the leg by Wildcat while trying to work on lunging and leading. In hindsight it was mostly my own fault. I put a lot more pressure on him than I have in the past and lost my patience with him. In the end he reminded me that the most important thing is not to get so caught up in the time frame of the competition, but to make a safe and well-adjusted horse for a future adopter.

The kick left me laid up for a few days and so Robert did some ground work with Wildcat for me to keep him tuned up. He did a ton of yielding the hindquarters and shoulders. After about 4 days I got back in the saddle and Wildcat did surprisingly well considering he'd had a week of not riding. The second day back under saddle we set up a makeshift flag and Eye Brow Cat got his first "cutting" lesson. He did really well with it and at the end he actually initiated a turn with the flag before I cued him so I let him quit there.

Robert has gotten about 3 more rides on RockNRolla this week using the 2 man method. Otherwise they have still been working on a lot of ground work. Rock is great at leading, tying, etc. however he will still occasionally show aggression towards people when he feels pressure. We have been working with both horses on being better around strangers and we have been having almost every person who comes to the ranch do a little "meet and greet" with them. This is more difficult for Wildcat but he is coming around.

I haven't gotten the pictures of RockNRolla from this week yet but I will get them up asap. Meanwhile there are a few of Wildcat for you to enjoy.

Week 5

2010-08-19T11:45:00.001-07:00

Well we have had an exciting week! I have been riding Wildcat in the round pen working on turn-arounds, walk-trot transitions, stops, sidepassing, backing, etc. He has loaded up into the horse trailer a couple of times but we haven't driven anywhere yet. He is leading and tying ok but still drags on the halter quite a bit.

Robert spent the first half of the week doing more ground work and preparation for riding. Mid week he mounted up for the first time and RockNRolla walked off nice as can be, trotted a few strides, walked some more, picked up the trot, came to a sliding stop and went broncing straight up into the air! Robert hung on for a few bucks, but this guy could be a rodeo star! He came off pretty hard and Rock went running and bucking around the round pen. After that Robert strung a long lead rope around his flanks and made him buck until he was just about begging to never buck again! The next day Robert had a friend come out and help him. They did the two man approach where one person lunges the horse while the other person rides. The theory is that the person on the ground can chase the horse around and keep them more worried about the person on the ground than the one on their back. The person on the ground can also jerk their head around if they go to doing something stupid. This technique worked very well for Rock. They took it very slow but eventually got all the way on and had a successful ride!

Week 4

2010-08-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well week 4 has come to a close. Both Mustangs have graduated out of the round pen in-hand at least and so far so good! Both have learned how to tie, and are standing patiently.

I got my first real ride in on Wildcat early in the week and did about 3 rides bareback at the walk and trot before riding him in the saddle. I haven't been able to get him to lope so for the last few days I haven't even tried. My hope is to build up enough confidence at the walk and trot that after some more time it will come easily. Perhaps next week I will be able to haul him out to a larger round pen/cutting pen and see if that helps. He is still extremely afraid of everyone but me which can make things difficult. On Saturday I led him out to the mini obstacle course we have out back and he was super. He went over the platform/bridge, through the brush, over the logs, through the ditch, and over the tarp all with little to no hesitations. He also let Amy approach him very slowly while I held the rope and pet him on the face, neck, and shoulder! For him that is big progress!

RockNRolla has been having a rough week. He is very brave but tends to air on the side of aggression when he feels like he is under too much pressure. This week he has reared and struck out at Robert several times. We have tried laying him down (over and over) but for him it doesn't have the same affect as it did for Wildcat and he will even try to bite or kick you on the ground. Towards the end of the week Robert got him tacked up and bitted him up with the reins hoping to teach him to give as well as to humble him. I think for Rock this was much more effective than laying down. Boy oh boy was he mad! He got very aggressive for a while, rearing, striking, and bucking and kicking up over the roundpen but then it was like he just gave up the fight. He calmed down, started letting Robert approach him and pet him much easier, and ponied around the property behind Robert's gelding Tanto. The next time he went out to work with him he was much better and since then he hasn't struck or reared at Robert at all (fingers crossed it holds!!). He allowed Robert to start jumping up and down pulling on the saddle on both sides (even allowing Robert on his sides has been a big accomplishment this week) to prepare for mounting. He has been so explosive under pressure so far that Robert hasn't felt ready to ride him yet, but we will see what the next week brings.

Unfortunately things were very this weekend with the Supreme Extreme Makeover so we didn't get any photos. I just have a few from one of my early rides with Wildcat.

Week 3

2010-08-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well week 3 has been a lot of fun! Early on in the week we worked some more on Ground Driving and getting used to carrying the bit. Then about mid-week we layed both Mustangs down on the ground and were able to rub them all over from head to toe. For Wildcat it has made a world of difference. The terrified basket case is nearly gone! I can now groom him from head to toe, I was able to take his halter off, and I spent the next three days jumping all over him and sacking him out with my body bareback. By tonight (Saturday) he felt so calm that I started pulling his head around each side and asking him to yield his hindquarters. When he handled that perfectly then we moved on to walking around the round pen with lots of changes of direction. He behaved himself like a perfect gentleman. I wish I had pictures because I never thought I would be writing here that we had our first ride bareback! These mustangs never fail to surprise you.
RockNRolla has been doing well too. While he is much braver and less reactive than Wildcat, he is also much more reserved when it comes to humans and it is more difficult to gain his trust. He had a little spat of aggression this week, biting and striking at Robert when he applied a more pressure than Rock approved of. Robert layed him down that night and since then he has been doing better. Today they have been working on leading with less and less pressure and Robert thinks he will take Rock out for a walk around the field next week. Wildcat on the other hand still only leads about 40% of the time so we will be keeping things in the round pen for a while longer.

Week 2

2010-08-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

This week has been a lot more of the same. We are getting both horses used to being brushed, saddled, cinched, and led. Robert's mustang is still pretty cautious of people, but very accepting of new things. He is really starting to lead nicely and follow on a loose rope. Wildcat is still pretty wild :) we are having pretty big issues with leading and giving to pressure. Part of the problem is that I am so light that he just drags me around until I can't hold on anymore. Several times this week I have had to enlist Robert's help in getting him to give to the halter and lead. I am able to saddle him pretty easily now and we have been working all week on getting him to let me onto his right side.

Week 1

2010-08-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

The mustangs have arrived! Both of them are much wilder than our previous two mustangs for Colorado. A little more like Artista (www.robertandartista.blogspot.com) Robert's mustang from 2008.
Throughout week 1 both Robert and kept things very simple. Teaching both of our horses the first few steps towards trust and acceptance. We have done a lot of de-spooking by tossing saddle pads, rain slickers, and bouncy balls around the round pen.
Robert's mustang "RockNRolla" has picked up leading very well and he and Robert have been working on yeilding the hindquarters, accepting Robert's touch on both sides, depart and approach, etc. RockNRolla has proved to be an extremely brave horse. So far he hasn't been afraid of anything (except humans of course :) .
My mustang on the other hand has been pretty spooky and flighty. Every day we have to start completely over from square one. Once he allows me to touch his neck he will calm down quite a bit and he let me comb out his dreadlocks. So far he hasn't allowed me to touch his face or let me onto his right side. When something scares him (like his tail swishing) he loses his control for a bit and runs around the round pen crashing into panels like a suicide dummy. He is progressing, it is just in very small steps. This has earned him the nickname "Wildcat" but his official name is "Eye Brow Cat" named after the way he sits in the corner of his pen and cuts me like a cow when I try to approach him.