Training Feature
Training Tips from the Wild Side The Extreme Mustang
Makeover is a wild horse training challenge that was developed by the Mustang Heritage Foundation to showcase the talents of America’s Mustangs. Ex- treme Mustang Makeover’s trainers and Facebook fans were asked to share their training tips. The following tips apply not only to Mus- tangs but all horses. Ready to take the Mus-
tang training challenge? To learn more, visit
www.mustangheritagefoundation.org. • The horse can see our thoughts as visual
images in their minds. The Mustang is so pure in their vision because they have learned from their herd-mates to be incredibly in tune to those thoughts. I try to visualize in my mind what it is I want my horse to do, and it is amaz- ing at how well they can then recreate that image with their actions. – Mary Miller Jor- dan
• Learning to communicate with your
horse through pressure and release is the foun- dation of most wild horse training. Once you have earned the horse's trust and loyalty, they are ready to be trained just like any domestic horse. And just like any horse, the better the training, the better the horse. – Halie Strong • Twenty minutes four times a day does
more than one long session. – Margaret Roe- mer
• Take the time to enjoy your morning cof-
fee with your Mustang while he/she eats grain. Don’t train. Just be. Breathe and appreciate the little things that make life sweet. Mustangs need to know they can relax with you. – Meghan Flanagan • Pressure and release. Always end on a
good note. Positive experiences: As we should always strive for anyway, but things can hap- pen out of our power unfortunately. I’ve tried to make everything positive for her, and never corner her in a situation. – Brianna Hood • Keep an open mind when working with
your horse – Mustang or not. If what you are doing doesn't work, try a different method as some horses respond better to different tech- niques. There is no "fool proof" horse training method. – Lacie Pipher
• More patience. And more patience. And
don't use force. Trust them so they can trust you. Once they trust you, they will do anything you ask. – Elizabeth Brix • Don’t break their spirits. Use patience
and gentle hands. They know your next move before you do. – Felisha Davis • I have a lot of admiration for good all-
around horsemen who will know what type of personality his horse has and what type of training will make the horse the best it can be. Some horses benefit from getting chased around, others benefit from approach and re- treat, and others from completely different techniques. I'm all about opening your mind to learning new things! – Morgan Ilic • Dave Minteer gave me the following ad-
vice: “If you take the time it takes, it takes less time! Going SLOW is always the faster way to go! If you’re having trouble in one area, go back to something you and your horse know well. Work on that and rebuild your confi- dence.” These tips came in handy when I was- n’t making a whole lot of progress with my Mustang Chinks. We are now making huge steps every day. – Emma Minteer • Always trust – in yourself and your
horse. A horse will not work with you if the trust and respect only goes one way. You have to give as well as receive. When you learn that, the bond grows stronger every day, and they'll never hesitate to trust in you. – Cara Jansen • Be gentle and firm with your horse, but
not aggressive. You want him to respect you as a leader, but not fear you. – Lacie Pipher • Be polite and passively persistent while
in the proper position. Have feel and timing in your hands. – Zach Rios w
July 2012 SouthWest Horse Trader 13
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