One Woman’s Process for Obtaining and Training Wild Mustangs, Part 2
By Adrienne Devoe
Note: The author is providing information based on her knowledge and experience. In no way does she profess to have all the answers. She encourages the reader to do their research for the most complete information.
Once you get home with your wild mustang and unload it, you’re ready to begin the journey of taming your horse. Wild mustangs differ from domestic horses in that they have had little to no human interaction for most of their life.
Your mustang, especially if born in the wild (as opposed to being born in the holding corrals) will have very refined social herd dynamics and a heightened sensitivity to noise and body movement. This can work in your favor when you start working with him, but it can also prove challenging if you are not careful with your timing.
If you have never worked with a wild mustang before, it’s very important that you do some preparation beforehand by reading, watching videos, or talking to experienced mustang trainers such as ones who have participated in events like the Teens and Oregon Mustangs Competition (www.teensandoregonmustangs.org).
The first few interactions with your mustang are critical for establishing a bond of trust. That first touch with your mustang is magical. This can happen quickly, take several days or an even longer time depending on the horse and your approach. Be aware that there is no right amount of time other than the time it takes to do the best job you can. Always work with your safety and the well-being of your mustang in mind.
There are many methods to working with a wild horse, some more successful than others. But with perseverance and the humility to ask for help when stuck, your mustang will get tamed. When you start, make sure you have a big enough pen that your mustang doesn’t feel cornered. A cornered mustang can be a dangerous one! Also make sure your pen is sturdy and strong enough to withstand 1000 pounds being thrown against it. Your pen will need to be attached to your mustang’s living space as you will not be able to lead him anywhere, even if he has a halter and lead.
One method I like to use in the beginning is the bamboo pole. The pole acts as an extension of your hand; after time spent touching the mustang with the pole, you eventually move in closer and closer until you can replace the touch of the pole with your hand. The best place for that first touch is usually on the neck, an area of the mustang’s body that causes the least defensive reaction.
When you first physically touch your mustang, make sure you rub or gently scratch, similar to what another horse would do (with the use of its lips or teeth). Keep the interaction short and be the one that pulls away first. This will cause the mustang to seek interaction with you rather than draw away from over-stimulation. Keep these sessions short and frequent, slowly increasing the amount of time rubbing and expanding the areas where you make the contact, such as the face and head, shoulders, and back until you feel your mustang is relaxed with this contact.
If your mustang came with a halter and lead, work on pressure and release concepts to get the mustang to turn toward you and start leading. Always break training sessions down into simple steps of short duration as to not overwhelm your mustang and to allow it to grow accustomed to your handling. If your mustang did not come with a halter or has rubbed it off, you will need to start getting it used to having both of your hands up around its head and face so that eventually you can slip a halter on it while rubbing.
Wait until your mustang is comfortable with your presence and repeated touching before working on the chest, feet and hindquarters as these areas can elicit defensive reactions. And with any handling of your mustang, always proceed with caution yet confidence, and break things down into simple steps.
Once you can touch your mustang all over its body (without it being tense or apprehensive) and you are able to confidently walk up to your mustang without him turning in fear, and are able to apply pressure and release using a halter, your mustang is now similar to an un-started domestic horse. Just keep in mind that a mustang has a very heightened sense of self preservation and fight or flight instinct. If some tactic you’re trying doesn’t seem to be working, reach out for help or do more research.
If all has gone well up to this point in your mustang’s taming, you are ready to start basic ground work training that will eventually lead to a nice saddle horse.
Adrienne Devoe is a website developer who has a passion for working with horses. She grew up on the East Coast doing pony club and since that time has owned and trained many horses and has thousands of riding hours under her belt in arenas and on the trails. Later in life she developed a strong interest in dressage and has pursued it with dogged determination, showing up to third level on her Irish Sport Horse and aiming for Grand Prix competitions.
Recently she inadvertently discovered mustang training while building a website for the Teens and Oregon Mustangs (TOM) program. Now, besides dressage, she is working with her own wild mustang with the TOM program as a competitor. The year before, she adopted two beautiful mustangs from the TOM program that have stolen her heart and turned her into an advocate of the versatility, resilience, strength and ability of the American Wild Mustang.
My mustang did that too. I mostly worked on being in the pen with her till she was used to my presence, and talking to her, almost like she’s a human, telling her about everything that happened that day. I would also work on walking close to her. Don’t walk up like normal, turn to the side, and reach out your hand just a little bit, it less stressful on her than you walking up to her like normal. And I would keep working on being in the pen. And if she’s used to you being in a pen maybe try running her for a minute or two, and reward her when she moves by giving her a treat, if she’ll let you.
also when she comes ready to kick, sometimes it is ok to meet physical force with physical force, that does not mean do it all the time but when she runs at you pop a whip or, I know it sounds mean but only sometimes when it bad when she runs at you it is ok to pop her, just not all the time because then she will look at you as an enemy, but it is how horses would do in the wild so when she does that don’t back down unless you feel you need to, but she will find out your scared if you do, so just do as another wild horse would.
Forgot to add but if she runs at you pop a hip or pop her (not hard) but just do as another wild horse would do, but don’t do it all the time because it could be a fight or flight situation. If she’s scared and attacks you do not pop her, just get out, if you pop her she will be more scared therefore become more aggressive. But if she does it just to be doing it then you can meet physical force with physical force. I hope my suggestions helped you!
Adrienne, are you still available for questions? I was able to touch/rub my mustang two days after getting her home. However, I is something to make her distrust me when I tried to get her to move her feet. She does NOT like to be told to move, she bucks and lunges toward me to rear up. She also tries to bite when I try to rub her neck or forehead. Now she’s very skittish. I’ve watched several mustang trainers, and Camille’s skittish mustang videos seem to be closest to mine but when she misbehaves, she just will not move when asked without bucking/rearing. When she stops and faces me and remove pressure by walking away from her, she quickly walks toward me to bite or rear up. She also tries to turn around quickly to kick. I’m at a stand still right now and just don’t want to make it worse. Any suggestions would be appreciated.