So You Want to Ride A Wild Pony? Before You Adopt
So you think you would like to try to ride a wild pony? We can share our experiences and lessons learned (and learning!) with our wild Kigers. Before, no make that BEFORE, you go out and bid on, adopt or buy a wild horse, do your homework. You need to learn about wild horses, team up with someone with experience, and find out what you are getting into. Otherwise you are setting yourself and the horse up for failure and possibly harm.
What horse? Not all wild mustangs are even the same breed. There are grade horses that have gone ferile, and then there are horses of Spanish lineage that continue to show that lineage in the phenotype and DNA. Generally, those Spanish horses are kept in separate herds by the BLM, such as the Kigers, the Sulphers, and several herds of Colonial Spanish Horses.
Along this line, you MUST learn basic horse communication. Horses have a specific set of behaviors and gestures that you absolutely must know in order to work with a horse, but especially with a wild horse. Once you learn to speak that language you can speak to your horse without touch and use that conversation to get to touching, grooming, tacking and riding. You must gain their trust fully. Bonding and trust can sometimes happen just through the course of interactions but Monty Roberts outlines his specific techniques of Join-Up in his website www.montyroberts.com. His books and DVDs which are available through his website.
Be Prepared. Your facilities may work for a domestic horse but not a wild one. A wild horse in flight will take down or go over the average fence or stall. It's best to keep a horse confined to a smaller space made of corral panels that are extra tall (6') and extra large tube (2") until it is safe to turn them out in larger paddocks and pasture. These panels can serve to enforce a stall or paddock and create a round pen to work with your horse. If you adopt from the BLM, they outline approved materials, sizes and make recommendations for stalls and paddocks.
Professional Support. Don't assume that every vet or farrier has experience with or is willing to work with a wild horse. You may need to get referrals and/or do some interviewing before you find the right vet and farrier.
What horse? Not all wild mustangs are even the same breed. There are grade horses that have gone ferile, and then there are horses of Spanish lineage that continue to show that lineage in the phenotype and DNA. Generally, those Spanish horses are kept in separate herds by the BLM, such as the Kigers, the Sulphers, and several herds of Colonial Spanish Horses.
Ask for Help. Unless you have much horse training experience and/or experience with wild horses, find a trainer who can help you through the process. If you adopt through the BLM they can usually help to pair you with a mentor. Don't forget to do your homework as well. There are some great books and websites out there, like those by Monty Roberts and Pat Parelli, that can help you throughout your journey of gentling the wild horse.
Along this line, you MUST learn basic horse communication. Horses have a specific set of behaviors and gestures that you absolutely must know in order to work with a horse, but especially with a wild horse. Once you learn to speak that language you can speak to your horse without touch and use that conversation to get to touching, grooming, tacking and riding. You must gain their trust fully. Bonding and trust can sometimes happen just through the course of interactions but Monty Roberts outlines his specific techniques of Join-Up in his website www.montyroberts.com. His books and DVDs which are available through his website.
Be Prepared. Your facilities may work for a domestic horse but not a wild one. A wild horse in flight will take down or go over the average fence or stall. It's best to keep a horse confined to a smaller space made of corral panels that are extra tall (6') and extra large tube (2") until it is safe to turn them out in larger paddocks and pasture. These panels can serve to enforce a stall or paddock and create a round pen to work with your horse. If you adopt from the BLM, they outline approved materials, sizes and make recommendations for stalls and paddocks.
Professional Support. Don't assume that every vet or farrier has experience with or is willing to work with a wild horse. You may need to get referrals and/or do some interviewing before you find the right vet and farrier.
Consider building a squeeze chute out of heavy lumber. It's possible you may never need it, but when you do, it's invaluable. There are plans for squeeze chutes in many books and all over the web. The purpose of the squeeze chute is to safely contain a wild horse when handling is necessary, such as emergency vetting or farrier work. Some people also find them useful for desensitizing horses for grooming. They are NOT meant as a gentling or breaking mechanism.
Trailering. Do you have a sturdy trailer that can get beat up? To haul from any BLM facility, you require and open box (e.g., no divider) and a step up trailer (no ramps).
If you decide adopting a wild pony is for you, good luck and please share your stories!
Posted by Jolynn at 12/6/2009 9:51 PM 
Categories: Ride a Wild Pony,Training
Tags: Horse Training Kiger Mustangs Horse Gentling Mustangs
Categories: Ride a Wild Pony,Training
Tags: Horse Training Kiger Mustangs Horse Gentling Mustangs
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