[Cara]

Mustangs........ I really like them, and have considered getting one. I thought I didn't have the correct facilities, but I checked and it turns out, I do!I have known many mustangs, and I have loved them, but they were already trained and such.

I know some people here have trained mustangs, so I was just wondering what some of the pro's and con's were of purchasing an untamed mustang, and what the differances are between training a mustang, as apposed to training a horse that has been in contact with humans. I suppose it would just take longer and with more patience?

Any imput would be great! Thanks

[mustang_dodger]

i have a mustang cross that i love. you need the horse to trust you, so you need to build trust. they learn quick. but if you don't know what your doing they can be the wrong kind of horse for you. they are nice small horses, for if your not a big person. that's one thing i like about mine. you also have to take things slow with them. you can't make fast moves cause it scares them.

[wyldterv]

Let's see... well each Mustang is a bit different, just like in domestic horses (I have the KING of I wanna stay a Wild Mustangs, LOL... he truly has not been typical in training, much tougher then most to gain trust with but we're getting there).

First, if I were to do this again for the first time (and I did adopt Poncho from the BLM at an Adoption Auction May 22, 2004), I'd try to find someone who had trained SEVERAL Mustangs to spend some time with and make certain that I had some money set aside for training help if I needed it and that they were willing TO help if needed.

The problem with the Mustangs is they've had NO Positive contact with humans. What little contact that they have had with the Wranglers was when they were rounded up, so to them that's NOT positive contact! They only see humans as predator. You have to spend however much time it takes to build up a trust relationship prior to getting into true work. It might take you two hours, two days, two weeks, two months! Each horse is different. Poncho is getting better and better with his degree of trust, but still has issues of wanting to fight or flight when he thinks something is dangerous. Their reactions of fight or flight TEND to be alot stronger and extreme then a domestic horse... When a Mustang wants to leave the area, they will jump a 5' fence, crash through it, etc...Yes domestic horses kick and strike but very seldome with the true intent to KILL like the mustang... When the Mustang does these things it is NOT out of lack of respect or meanness, it is purely 100% instinctive self preservation mode so you have to handle it very different then you would with a domesticated horse.

For Example... If Poncho gets nervous with he can cow kick out at the thing he's nervous of like NOBODY'S business... Now this HAS quited down considerably, because we've flat out IGNORED it... Hard to NOT want to get in there and correct for kicking but SO far any time he's kicked it's been out of self preservation, NOT out of lack of respect. Like a mule, you do NOT Push and shove a Mustang into what you want, you earn trust and gain respect through your behavior and actions and you really need asolid understanding of the principles of pressure and release to show a horse what you want out of them.

Now, I have an Appy Mare who was kicking and striking out of 100% lack of respect when I got her... With HER I would DEFINATELY get after her physically AND get her moving ... I had to gain her respect, not so much her trust... a very different approach needed to be used. If I'd whapped Poncho everytime he kicked, I'd probably be dead because he'd REALLY have blown up and turned and fought even harder. His kicks have been generated out of fear... he goes into self preservation mode, not having much room for flight, he will choose to turn and fight and fight to the end if you push it.

Now not all Mustangs seem as explosive as Poncho has been BUT something else that I've observed in person and talking to people who've trained several is that sometimes its' the ones that go along quietly and calmly that can be even MORE dangerous in the long run because they always do reach a point that they get to Mustang Mental overload and when the quiet ones blow up on you, many times you're not expecting it because they've been so calm and quiet seeming so you tend to let off your guard more readily then with a horse like Poncho.

So you need a plan, you need to fully understand that while highly trainable, working with a Mustang is VERY different initially then working with a domestic horse and are much more like working with a Mule... VERY VERY intelligent but not going to handle FORCING them to do something, you have to let them figure it out for themselves by proper application of pressure and release training methods. You also need alot of time to just hang with your Mustang. I am up at the barn all the time, I mean probably 30 times a day seriously... 5 mins here, 30 mins there all through out the day just so that Poncho gets more and more used to different things going on. Plus so he'll gain a stronger bond to myself and when Roger's home he's doing the same thing, 5 mins here, 2 mins there, 30 mines here just petting on Poncho, giving him a carrot, walking into his stall and petting on his neck, etc.

I would not trade the experience I've had to date... it is makeing a better horsewoman of me and even though I can get frustrated at set backs with Poncho, I can see how great he is going to be eventually. After we've got him going pretty reliably, we WILL be adopting another one to gentle and train for 12 ms and then sell to a good home. I'd like to end up training one a year. It makes the Mustang more likely to end up in a good home if it's gentled and at least fully ground broke and it keeps my training skills sharpened to take on that type of a project.

[SunBun]

If I were to get a mustang, I would definitley do join up with him so that you can earn his trust. That's #1 to me, earning a horse's trust.