Made me look like a pro.

Someone took a mare and stud and threw them out in a pasture for the past 7 years or so, as a result there are now 7, 2 mares and 5 studs ranging from 3 mo. and up. My cousin and his girlfriend who have zero horse experience are taking them (it was an all or none deal). The 5 younger ones have never been touched. And yes I realize this is a terrible situation. They apparently do have one person that supposedly has some experience, so atleast that's something. Anyway, that's the back story.

So anyway my mom let them use her stock trailer, yesterday was the first day, they got one! The oldest stud, who seems to have had some handling before being kicked out w/ this mare, he's atleast halter broke! Today they managed to get a second one, the younger mare (I'm guessing her around 4 years old), instead of taking her home they took her to the local arena and unloaded her, apparently they were told they needed to get a halter on her before taking her home, and thought they could put her in one of the bucking shoots and get her halter, which I guess they did, but instead of reloading and going home, they wanted to tramatize her alittle more and let some idiot that shouldn't even be aloud to look at a horse, much let touch one put a saddle on her and try to ride her, she promptly threw him off! This was all in the morning, they spent the rest of the day trying to get her back in the trailer. Don't know what all they did, but I know at one point she laid down and refused to get up. So about 9pm they asked my sister and me to come out and see her, and maybe give them some ideas how to get her back in the trailer.

It's already pretty dark when we got there, they had her in the arena w/ two halters and leads on her, she was pretty scared and just standing there refusing to move, she let us handle her all over! I showed them how I generally halter break them, but said I didn't see it being fast enough to help tonight. We (me and my sister) thought we'd try a butt rope, like she's a weanling, it didn't seem to be working, so we desided to go ahead and try teaching her to lead, she jumped forward (we had two lead ropes and kept her in the middle, so she wouldn't jump on us), it was forward, so progress! She got praised and we continued, she jumped forward a few more times before finally 'walking' forward! Major progress (I was really starting to like this mare)! I wasn't sure she'd want to go into the dark alley, but alittle proding and she walked right in! Had them close the first gate, got her alittle farther and had them close the second. We were now only about 10 ft. from being inside the trailer, wasn't sure how we'd talk her in, I couldn't see her just walking in, and wasn't sure we'd be able to do it w/out some cowboying, but I really hated to have to undo any trust we might have build. We desided to try talking her in anyway, and w/ alittle proding she leaped up w/ her front feet landing halfway in! Gave her a moment and praised her, then started again and she came right in! Just like that! We spent maybe 15 minutes total from the time we arrived until we had this previously untouched horse loaded in a trailer! Even after all the trama she'd experienced throughout the day! Of course we acted like we were just that good! Til we were alone and could really brag that girl up over how good she'd made us look!

They asked us to go home w/ them and help them unload her, they couldn't get up next to the barn they wanted her in, so she needed to be walked some, and that mare was equally as awsome! She hessitated abit getting off trailer, but once she did, she walked along w/ us (in the dark), and into a stall!

I have no idea what will happen to her now, they asked alot of questions and seemed to 'want' to learn, but I know they have been talking to atleast one idiot that they need to completely cut out of it (and I even think they know that, but yet they had him out there cowboying her). I'm staying out of it, but can't help after today hoping (well I was hoping anyway, but now I'm more invested) it works out and the ones they don't keep make into experienced homes.

 

I hope they learned something to, she wanted to do what we wanted and she has the temperment to be a good horse! But she's a clean slate and could just as easly be screwed up for life.

I said I was staying as far from the situation as much as possibly, but I can't help but help when asked, and I can't help but feel alittle invested in this one! If I could afford it I'd talk them out of the 'extras' (I think they want to keep four, and have promised another to someone that's helping, I 'hope' it's the guy that knows what he's doing, but I wasn't very clear on that, AND as far as I know the guy that knows what he's doing wasn't at the arena last night), the 5 younger ones are all full siblings and if they are all like this mare they'll have potential to be good ones! AND they aren't bad looking horses (the two I saw)! I got to meet the sire when I was there, he's a pretty nice looking boy (atleast what I could see in the dark) and I would bet he has APHA papers floating around somewhere.

 

They haven't gotten the others yet, but I heard they had some of them penned. There are I think 5 children also involved, and I'm most worried they are going to get one hurt. They seem to be open to learning and if they're smart they may be able to get through this. They're already having 'stud' problems though, when they brought him home he was the only one there, and had been really easy to work w/, but now they've got the mare home he's starting to act like a stud!