Training Goals:
Day 10: Crossed the step bridge. Saddled him up and he had a few bucking episodes. Feeling a little spritely after the weekend, I guess. Lunged him with noisy jug and fitted him with the bit.
Day 15: Lunge, surcingle, saddle, weight in stirrup. Practiced putting on the bridle several times. Got him to canter with the saddle on, which takes serious work on my part. He will literally keep trotting faster and faster unless you chase after him. He bucked for a couple of laps when he first broke into the canter. Stood well for saddling.
- Start under saddle
- Think before reacting
Whiskey is somewhere between 15-18 years old, American Mustang. It was obvious that someone had put some some solid training into him, but the extent was unknown. He had been bounced around to several homes before his current owner took him in.
She had started working with him again and had even saddled him and sat on his back once before, but decided she needed a little help to make sure his start into the riding world was done right.
*Note: This is not an exhaustive list of everything that I did each day but an overview of the main things worked on and his response.
Day 1: As always, I started with ground work. Whiskey was pretty responsive and definitely had done a lot of the exercises before.
Day 2: Reviewed the groundwork exercises. Introduced my favorite training tool: the plastic bag on the whip. He was not so much a fan of that. Desensitized to the saddle pad.
Day 3: Brought out the surcingle. He stood nicely while I put it on and adjusted it so it was snug. Then, all of the sudden, he exploded and bolted off, bucking like a bronc for quite some time. As quickly as the episode began, it stopped and he lunged nicely for the reminder of the session.
Day 4: Today I was prepared for the bucking and it occurred exactly the same as yesterday. Once he was done bucking though he was quite the stinker to catch.
Day 5: Suited him up in the surcingle, but no bucking today! He lunged nicely.
Day 6: Whiskey's owner visited today to see her favorite guy. Of course, today he decided to be impossible to catch. Once caught, we reviewed the groundwork exercises so his owner could see them. Worked again with the plastic bag and he did so much better. Accepted the surcingle without an issue. Introduced him to the noisy plastic jug.
"When I arrived, he was alone in a pasture, quietly enjoying his own company. No pacing the fence line or calling to other horses. This was one of the first times I've ever seen him comfortable alone. His separation anxiety has been the most difficult challenge to overcome. and here he was minding his own business. This was a big step in the right direction.
"His desensitization work is coming along beautifully and he is facing new and scary things everyday. Its easy to forget that horses don't come preconditioned. They aren't born with the desire to have something wrapped around their head, waved in their face, or strapped to their backs. Someone had to put in the time and work. It's not easy and often it's not safe. I am so grateful for the work @sandycreekhorsetraining has put into my little trash pony so far. The foundation she's helping him build will open a world of opportunities for him and I."
Day 7: Lunged, accepted surcingle, reviewed plastic bag, desensitized to whip and worked on standing still. Placed saddle on back and desensitized to pulling girth underneath.
Day 8: Saddled him up and lunged him with no bucking!
Day 9: Saddled and lunged. He had a short bucking episode in the middle for no apparent reason. Tied the plastic jug to the saddle and surprisingly he did very well with it.
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| Lunging with the Noisy Rock Jug |
Day 11: Using the surcingle today so that I can easily attach the side reins. He was not into standing still for some reason. Once the surcingle was secure, I lunged him with the side reins and bit.
Day 12: Started with the surcingle again and he stood better than yesterday but not great. He was resistant to putting the bridle on, despite molasses rubbed on the mouthpiece. He stood well for the saddle.
Day 13: Moving around a lot again today. Took the surcingle on and off several times until he stopped reacting to it and relaxed. Very difficult to bridle today and would toss his head up and back away anytime the bridle came near his nose. Stood nicely for saddling.
Day 14: Saddled, bridle, practiced standing still while weight was applied in the stirrup
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| Crossing the Step Bridge |
Day 16: Surcingle, saddle, stood well, lunge. No bucking!! Tied noisy jug at shoulder while lunging. Stood briefly in the stirrup. Practiced bridling several times and was much better than yesterday.
Day 17: Saddle, again stood well. lunge, took the bit pretty well, stood in stirrup briefly on both sides.
Day 18: It was very windy today and Whiskey was feeling a bit edgy. Saddled him up like usual and he took off bucking before I had even finished securing it. Once he calmed down and I finished securing the saddle, I lunged him and he did not buck. Tied the jug at his flank which caused a big spook and sent him bolting and bucking around the round pen, even when it was no longer attached to him. After he again calmed down, I re-attached it and he lunged without issue. He took the bridle the best he has so far.
Day 19: On the chilly side for late May. Put the surcingle on and he proceeded to buck quite a bit. Once saddled, he did not buck at all. This guy is a conundrum! Tied the plastic bag onto the saddle. He was fine with it on his left side but was less sure about it on his right side. He bolted on and off for awhile before learning that it was harmless on that side too.
Day 20: Lunge, surcingle, saddle, stood pretty well and no bucking, took the bridle well after very brief resistance. Stood in the stirrup on both sides. At one point, he spooked a little when I stepped up in the stirrup and reared up briefly.
Day 21: Surcingle, saddle, lunge, no bucking, plastic bag on both sides, practiced with the bit.
Day 22: Surcingle, saddle (stood well!), lunge, no bucking, plastic bag on each side and off horn, wanted to walk and only spooked briefly a couple times, stood all the way in stirrup on both sides several seconds without him getting nervous.
Day 23: Vet visit. Whiskey got his vaccinations and his teeth floated. Since he's been a little challenging with the bit I wanted to rule out any possible issues in his mouth. Vet said his teeth looked healthy and there were no issues. Vet aged him at 18.
The vet was very concerned about me getting injured when trying to ride Whiskey, due to his age and being a Mustang. I was thinking that he was just about ready for his first ride and then the vet totally made me rethink that 😂
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Whiskey's journey!
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