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[RC] pros and cons of wild horses - Mary Ann Spencer

Ed,
Always great to hear good news stories about the BLM horses.  Down in TX, it also takes a Veterinarian inspection of your property.  I can guess that someone in past was only pretending to 'use' the horses for riding.   TIME is a 4 letter word and in scarce supply.  Horses DO take a lot of time.  I can see some value about the no human experiences before.  But then, what happens when the horse is herded into a pen by humans, etc???  If was young and as experienced as I am now, it would be a possible option.  Unfortunately, ANY horse can put you in the hospital.  Goal should be to avoid all that.  It is important to remind newbies that the world of horses is not 'easy street'.  I always recommend getting some lessons from a reputable trainer.  Doesn't mean one is heading for the Olympics, just improving one's ability to sit a horse.   Last weekend my gelding acted very unlike himself.  I lunged him until he started listening to me--we were at a place he had not been before.  In past he did not waste any energy.  But this time, I took his pasture mate so the filly would not be home alone.  Filly did fine.  Gelding acted up and bucked for the first time ever.  Some guys at the party made the comment that they couldn't believe I stayed on that dinky saddle for the bucks.  I am riding in an old Passier all purpose.  The old lessons paid off.  Too often people ride and never get another 'opinion' about their riding.   Even instructors have lessons from those who ride at their level or higher.  We have a tendency to think we are fine as long as we don't fall off.  There is always room for improvement.  Wish I could be like Parelli.   But my  English mother would say:  If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.   Stay safe, play it safe.
                          
                                    Happy Trails to all, Mary Ann
who doesn't have time to condition for endurance until after the next trip to Iraq
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yes, sandy, you are so right.  mustangs are not for beginners!  but then
neither is any untrained horse.  it does take lots of time, patience and
work to get a wild horse that has never been handled by human beans ready
for trail and endurance riding.  i dont recommend it for just anyone.  one
of the pros, though, is you get a horse that is a clean slate, no bad
habits, not spoiled by too much human contact/domestication.  i have
trained some spoiled rotten horses that were much more trouble than the
mustangs i have worked with.
     mary anne, i thought you might find it rather interesting that i have
gentled/trained four wild horses and havent torn down any fences, havent
destroyed any tack,  havent had any injuries, and get this, NONE OF THEM
BUCKED!  thats not to say that the next one wont, but then, in the wrong
hands, all of the things you mentioned are quite common with domestic
horses too.
as for extra costs,  when you adopt a mustang colt or stallion,  you get a
gelding voucher that is redeemable for $50 toward the cost of gelding your
animal.
     but again, i heartily agree that wild horses are not for everyone, but
if you have good horse sense and the time to work with one, you might be
surprised at how well it turns out.