Wrangler always eagerly awaits his weekly lessons! When things are predictable and are not “drilled,” your equine will look forward to his time with you. I always try to keep lessons short (30-40 minutes), done in a logical order and consistent in the task executions. For instance, we always walk the same way, with the lead in my left hand, with a loose connection to his head to encourage self-carriage, repeated verbal commands and I walk with my feet in sync with his front legs. The gates are always executed the same way. He is rewarded with crimped oats from my fanny pack when halted and waits patiently while I close and latch the gate. Even though Chasity is tied outside of the Round Pen, Wrangler’s attention is 100% on me. Minimizing distractions by being consistent with the way we do things will create a solid base of habitually good behavior.
Wrangler continues to stand quietly while I make sure his saddle is centered in the middle of his back and the tension on the crupper is adequate, but not too tight. He should be able to relax his tail. I check both girths to make sure they are snug but not too tight (the front girth tighter than the rear girth), adjust the tension on the “Elbow Pull” and make sure the fleece at the poll is centered to prevent undue chafing when he has to “lean” on the “Elbow Pull.” The “Elbow Pull” will not tie his head down, but it will prevent him from raising his head so high that he inverts his neck and spine. It will assure that he is in a good balanced equine posture during his workout.
I first ask Wrangler to walk for five rotations before asking him to trot. Occasionally, he will be so full of energy that he offers the trot first. If he trots, I just adjust and let him do five rounds of trot first and let him walk five rotation afterwards. To start, I only asked for walk and trot until Wrangler began to break into canter by himself. I then added one rotation at canter after the five rotations at trot before allowing him to walk.
I will add one more rotation at canter in each of the upcoming lessons. Then his warm-ups will consist of five rotations of each…walk, trot, canter, walk…then a reverse, and the same progression in the opposite direction before mounting him. He should always slow to a walk before executing the reverse so it is done in good postural balance.
This will begin to improve his balance and build his bulk muscle symmetrically.
After checking both girths one more time, Wrangler stands stock still as I mount him. I offer his oats on both sides as I did in our first mounting session in the Tack Barn. This is to make sure I keep his attention on ME! The oats are taken politely. He fully understands that these are NOT treats, only REWARDS for good behavior.
Once mounted and and seated in balance, I ask Wrangler for a rein back with a few more steps than he had done in his previous lesson. He responds nicely to the squeeze/release motion of my lttle fingers.
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I keep a very light contact with the bit as we proceed forward. We add circles at random points along the rail to add variety to the workout and keep it interesting. We work on staying erect while he bends to the arc of the circles through his rib cage.
Wrangler’s “Elbow Pull” remains consistently loose as he walks leisurely along the rail and executes the “S” turns for changes in direction.
Wrangler gives Chasity a wink as he passes the spot where she is tied along the rail. She is proud of how well her “beau” is doing and watches intently! Wrangler is soft, flexible and elastic in the bridle. This is exactly what I want from him. We will be able to graduate to a larger area next week!
Wrangler spotted a jogger coming toward us along the road and didn’t quite finish his square halt, but halted nevertheless. I prudently waited for the jogger to go by before I asked him for a rein back and he complied easily.
I think too many of us get in too much of a hurry to RIDE and forget that our equine athletes need the same consideration from us that human athletes get from their coaches. They need to do exercises that prepare their bodies for the “game.” When they are adquately prepared, their skeleton is symmetrically supported, joints are able to operate as intended and do not develop arthritis from uneven wear of the cartilage, and the internal organs can function in good health at maximum capacity. When we are patient and take the time to prepare our equines properly, there is much to be gained…a happy and willing equine companion that is capable of performing to their optimum ability. Training really CAN be safe and resistance-free! Being herdbound is not an issue because they really enjoy being with YOU as much as, if not more than, they enjoy being with their equine friends!
After a brief session with an assistant at his head, your equine will have more confidence and will be more willing to go forward without the assistant.
On this last day of World Animal Remembrance Month, we could think of no better way to close things out than by sharing the story of a Nevada mare all of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign fondly remember, Oriana — or who we liked to call: the Queen of the Virginia Range.
Oriana was a mare that embodied everything we continue to fight for. She lived trulywild. Wary of humans, she was quick to move away from those who would approach. She was fast, strong, and incredibly beautiful — her long blonde mane a testament to her majestic nature.
Photo by Deb Sutherland
While we were devastated when Oriana passed in 2020, we took solace in knowing she died free, never to experience a lifetime of holding facilities — or worse.
For over 3 years, we’ve managed our PZP program on the Virginia Range. This program is the first of its kind, and in those 3 years, it’s helped us reduce foaling rates by 62% — proving to the public, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Congress that there is a more humane AND more cost-effective way to manage wild horses than brutal helicopter roundups and removals.
Wild horses like Oriana thrive in their natural habitats where they can run wild as they’re meant to. And our fertility control program makes that possible. As we pay homage to Oriana’s memory, let us also remember that there are nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros stuck in confinement at BLM holding facilities right now — more than ever before — and thousands more are targeted for removal this upcoming year. There’s a better way to manage wild horses than this cruel cycle, and Meredith, our work in Nevada is proving just that.
The success of our PZP program is critical to the future of our cherished wild herds, and in fact, we’re working to expand our lifesaving program to other herd areas across the West right now.
At the beginning of this year, you recommitted your support to stand alongside us in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros. A lot has happened since then, so as the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) roundup season comes to a close and the FY23 roundup season is set to begin, we wanted to share our incredible accomplishments so far — and all the work that still needs to be done. >>
Together we’ve achieved:
This year, we celebrated the 3 year anniversary of AWHC’s PZP fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This is a groundbreaking program that has reduced foaling rates by over 61% and continues to prove to the public and to Congress that fertility control works — all without the removal of a single horse or burro! The success of this program shows that it can be expanded to other wild horse areas in the West, and in fact, we’re doing just that! So be sure to stay tuned, more updates to come on this soon!
AWHC’s Government Relations team and allies on Capitol Hill for the first time ever secured language in the final FY22 Appropriations bill that re-allocated $11 million of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding away from helicopter roundups and towards humane fertility control.
And, finally, this summer, we launched a public awareness campaign in Colorado demanding an end to the brutal roundup occurring in the Piceance Basin. As a result of these ads, 188,000 Coloradans were made aware of the tragedies happening to wild horses right in their backyard, and over 20,000 wild horse advocates joined us in calling for an immediate end to the roundup. The BLM ended the roundup early, saving 700 horses from losing their freedom.And now we’re expanding this campaign to a national level with TV ads, mobile billboards, and so much more!
How we’re continuing our fight:
Despite what we’ve achieved this year, the BLM still removed over 19,000 wild horses and burros from our public lands. What’s more, there are nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros stuck in crowded BLM holding facilities right now — the most in history — where they are at risk of deadly viruses and mistreatment. We’re continuing our fight to pass the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act through Congress, a bill that would end the inhumane use of helicopters to chase down innocent mustangs and burros to remove them from the wild.
In the coming Fiscal Year, the BLM plans to roundup and remove another 18-20,000 wild horses and burros from their homes in the wild. Just like we did this year, we’re continuing our work on Capitol Hill to ensure the FY23 Appropriations bill includes similar language that allocates $11 million to continue funding humane fertility control vaccines as an alternative to brutal helicopter roundups.
And finally, we’re fighting to end the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) in its current form by demanding the elimination of the cash incentives. Since AWHC’s investigation into the AIP in November 2020, over 1,020 wild horses and burros have been identified in kill pens. This slaughter pipeline won’t stop until the cash incentives do. We’re continuing our fight through our investigations, through our lawsuit against the implementation of the AIP, and on Capitol Hill to end this disastrous program as we know it.
The evacuation warning was lifted for our area on Sunday, and we moved all of the horses back to Pilot Hill on Tuesday, what a marathon! Since Wednesday, we’ve been reorganizing feed, supplies and equipment in Pilot Hill to get us back in order. We have a bit more equipment to dismantle and supplies to load in El Dorado Hills and return to Pilot Hill. Thankfully, we’re closing the gap to done.
Thank you to everyone for your support and assistance over the past few weeks, and a big shout-out to all of the volunteers that came to the rescue to transport horses, gather and transport feed, equipment and supplies, those who picked up extra feed, everyone that cared for horses in both locations, and those that helped with all the other details! It was definitely a team effort that made this happen.
Our hearts go out to those in our community that lost home and structures, and those that were impacted in other ways. We also have immense gratitude for our firefighters, law enforcement, and their teams that have been working so hard battling this fire and keeping everyone safe! Recent information from Watch Duty indicates the Mosquito Fire is 60% contained, and all evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted, thank goodness. Praying for complete containment and extinguishing the rest of the fire goes quickly and smoothly!
ANOTHER ELL UPDATE!
Due to the fire evacuation warning, Ell remained at Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center for about a week or so after his surgery.
We are happy to announce that Ell is back at AAE, and we are so happy this sweet guy is back home. He has a large surgical site, but he is healing well.
Best of all, when he urinates, urine flows freely and is no longer “trapped” in his sheath. He has at least a few weeks of healing ahead, and once the healing is done, we’ll revisit the search for a testicle or two. Until then, we’re all hoping for quick healing and a speedy recovery. Oh, and we’ve changed his name just a tad, he’s now Elliott! Thank you to everyone that assisted with these efforts for Ell. He is beyond grateful for your donations and support, and so are we!!
Due to his extended stay at LBEMC during the Mosquito Fire, Ell has additional care costs that we were not anticipating. If you’d like to help with those costs, please consider making a donation on his behalf if you can.
Today is National Public Lands Day, celebrating the magnificent landscape that is home to our nation’s beloved wild horses and burros.
The conservation of our public lands — and the wildlife that inhabit them — is a proud statement of what Americans care about and our desire to protect what’s wild, free … and vulnerable.
A century and a half ago, the U.S. supported almost two billion acres of public lands.
Today, that number has been reduced to 640 million acres. Along with this dwindling of the public landscape is the systematic elimination of space for America’s wild horses and burros, which now inhabit less than 27 million acres of public lands in ten Western states. Worse, the federal government is determined to shrink wild horse and burro habitats and population numbers further, while giving 97% of those lands — your lands — to the commercial livestock industry for cattle and sheep grazing that we, the taxpayers, subsidize.
In short, with 64,000 wild horses removed from those lands and held in captivity — at a cost to taxpayers that could approach $1 billion dollars over 5 years — America’s wild horses and burros are in crisis.
Thereis a better way to manage our nation’s wild horses and burros on public lands where they belong: www.keepwildhorseswild.com. We are deeply grateful for the support we receive every day to speak for and act on their behalf, and to advocate for real solutions to maintain thriving wild horse and burro populations in the West.
Far from prying eyes, nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros are being held in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding pens across America. After being rounded up, forcefully separated from their families, and removed from the public lands they call home, it is in these facilities that wild horses and burros face further mistreatment.
In many cases, they don’t receive critical vaccines in a timely manner. Some don’t have constant access to food and water. Too many are in poor body condition. The facilities are not maintained in working order. And this takes a toll: Just this year, hundreds of wild horses contracted fatal and preventable diseases and many tragically passed away in these facilities.
The answer to this growing crisis — which the BLM aims to only accelerate in the coming years — is to stop the problem before it starts. Fertility control allows us to humanely and safely manage populations of wild horses and burros in the wild, shielding them from BLM roundups.
Our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range is doing just that — proving with science, that the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to manage these cherished animals is in the wild where they belong.
Helicopter roundups are dangerous and expensive operations that result in horses being traumatized, separated from their families, and injured or killed. But the cruelty doesn’t end with helicopter roundups — once captured, wild horses are corralled in overburdened Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding facilities, where they face even more inhumane treatment.
The BLM has guidelines for holding facilities that are part of its Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP). These guidelines include ensuring captured animals receive basic care such as access to food and water, vaccinations, and well-constructed facilities to minimize injuries.
Our Investigations Team has long had concerns about the BLM’s care of wild horses and burros in these holding pens, and unfortunately, our concerns were validated when the BLM finally began to evaluate its facilities using CAWP standards this year.
Here’s what it found: Vaccinations were not given in a timely manner, facilities were understaffed, not all animals had simultaneous access to food and water, facility maintenance and upkeep had fallen by the wayside, horses were found in poor body condition, and little attention was paid to proper biosecurity measures.
These findings are incredibly concerning with nearly 64,000 animals confined in facilities across the country. Even worse, 2022 saw the deadliest disease outbreak in BLM history in its Cañon City holding pens, which claimed the lives of nearly 150 unvaccinated wild horses who had been in the “care” of the agency for 9 months.
This system is at a breaking point, which is why we’re calling on you to take action and demand that the Department of the Interior address these CAWP violations and commit to keeping captured wild horses and burros safe.Will you take action now, and speak up for these innocent animals?
Thousands of wild horses and burros are locked up in these overburdened and unsafe facilities right now → and American taxpayers are footing the bill.This is an outdated and expensive cycle that desperately needs enhanced accountability measures and stronger enforcement from the BLM.
As the roundups continue, more and more wild horses and burros are going to be piled into this network of overcrowded and under-resourced holding facilities. It’s a crisis that’s only going to worsen as time goes on — unless we choose to act here and now and demand that the BLM rigorously and consistently enforce its own CAWP standards.
LIFE AND DEATH FOR THIS MARE and the ponies. I honestly don’t know if she will survive.
BEYOND STARVED, horribly abused with rotten, maggot infested injuries open to the bone.
I NEED YOUR HELP NOW!! She will obviously need to see Doc, and our funds are the lowest since I began.
We have saved so many, PLEASE HELP ME GIVE HER and the ponies a chance,
URGENT, URGENT, URGENT NEED FOR HELP!
I am here by myself and need to hire some help to get the horses moved home before winter and get things winterized here.
Mercedes has STILL NOT had her little baby. She is making us a bit crazy. Doc has been checking on her and is extremely happy with her over all health. She has improved so much since y’all saved her.
We have a big vet bill and still need to get Tarzan gelded and a couple more horses vetted for Coggins and health Certs.
Sadly Kayvee had to be euthanized by Doc when I was in NV. She came in with so many injuries and the septic joints were her death sentence.
Thank you to the Angel who paid a chunk of the old vet bill. You are amazing.! Sadly there have been more expenses since then, and more to come.
Her baby Kaitlyn is gorgeous and ready to be adopted. PLEASE HELP if you can. With so many lives saved, diesel prices still ridiculous and hay prices so high, it is imperative we cash in on this deal for hay before it goes away.
I so appreciate y’all. We saved these lives, now let’s take good care of them and get as many placed as possible.
THANK YOU! I am in a serious bind and cannot do this without you! I need to pay for the hay so we don’t lose this deal.
I know everyone is tired of the 911’s and emergencies. So am I! But they are not my emergencies. They belong to the life of each and every horse you help save!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN HELPING SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
The BOD of SYA was shocked to learn that we have lost our non-profit status. This has happened due to the fact that our FORMER treasurer had not been filing paperwork properly or in a timely manner.
To say we are shocked as well as devastated does not come close to describing our feelings.
We are making this public because as always we want our business to remain transparent to all of our supporters.
We are in the process of having our status reinstated as an honorable and trustworthy 501-c 3.
We WILL regain our non-profit status. This temporary setback will not impact our donors who have donated or continue to donate to SYA.
We understand that we will probably lose some of our valued supporters due to this unfortunate business. This could not have come at a worse time as donations are at an all-time low and it is the time of year when many folks need to surrender their animals.
We will keep you informed as things progress, and will continue with our normal updates on the farm.
Thank you in advance for your understanding, and for sticking with us through thick and thin.
Ann Firestone
Our website will be out of date until further notice for our website to be updated and remodeled into the 21st century!
If you have any questions or would like to know who is available for adoption please visit our Instagram or our Facebook pages where we regularly post who is available. Or if you have any other questions please contact me (Hannah) by email: SYALER@icloud.com
or by phone Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm at 603-762-2073 (call or text).
As most of you know the rescue is going through big changes. Ann is in the process of retiring after running and housing the rescue on her and her husbands property for close to 20 years, and Hannah Allen is continuing to take over and continue Ann’s amazing work of rescuing long ears after learning from Ann for the past 7 years.
In addition to this the rescue will be looking for a new location, and we have started a savings account to buy the rescue it’s own home. Ann and Jeff are staying on their current property, they are not moving.
The goal is for Hannah and her husband to buy a piece of property to live and house the rescue. You can still order merchandise through our merch page, if you have any problems doing so please reach out to the contact info listed above.
If you would like to follow us on social media, see our Amazon wish list or want to check out our website and testimonials, please click the link below that will take you to our Linktree.
It is important to know the differences among rewards, treats, coaxing and bribing in order to correctly employ the reward system of training called Behavior Modification.
Rule Number One: Treats and bribery should never be used during training. However, the appropriate dispensing of rewards and coaxing will produce the correct behaviors.
In order to reward your equine correctly for performing tasks, it is important to know the difference between a reward and a treat, and between coaxing and bribing. Let’s begin with some basic definitions of these terms:
Reward: something desirable given for a completed task
Treat: an unexpected gift given simply because it will be enjoyed
Coax: to gently persuade without dispensing the reward
Bribe: to persuade the animal by indiscriminately dispensing treats
Remember to give your equine a reward only after a specific task you’ve asked for has been performed—or even an assimilation of that task, which means the taking of baby steps toward completing the task. The reward should be given immediately upon completion of the task and then your equine should be allowed time to enjoy his reward before moving on to the next task. If your equine is given a food reward for only good behaviors, he will be more likely to continue to repeat only those behaviors for which he is rewarded and you can begin to “shape” his behavior in a positive way.
Treats, on the other hand, are a food that your equine especially likes, which are given randomly and without purpose. Giving random treats during training can result in crossed signals and confusion in your animal. Treats such as peppermints and even “horse treats” are generally an inappropriate food source for equines and when dispensed too freely, have actually been known to cause equine health problems, so forego treats of any kind during the training process.
Coaxing and bribing can seem like the same thing, but they are not. Bribery suggests the actual dispensing of a reward before the task has been completed. Bribery is the indiscriminate dispensing of treats and is not the way to clearly communicate to your equine which is truly a positive behavior and which is not. Rewards and coaxing are often confused with bribery, but rewards are dispensed for a task only when it has been completed, and coaxing using the promise of a reward can often be used to help your equine to stop balking and attempt to perform the task you have requested. Then the reward is given only when he has completed the task.
As an example of coaxing, you can extend a handful of crimped oats to lure your equine closer to an obstacle, but he should not receive the handful of oats until he completes the required task or travels enough distance toward the obstacle to deserve a reward. If your equine just won’t come all the way to an obstacle, even to get a reward, you can modify the task by asking your equine to just come closer to the obstacle and then halt (but without backing up). Then the reward can be dispensed for the partial approach and halt, because these actions still qualify as an assimilation of the bigger task that is to be completed. If he backs away at all, he should not be rewarded and you will have to go back to the beginning of the task and try again.
A kind word or a pat on the head may be enjoyable for your equine, but it doesn’t necessarily insure that the desired behavior will be repeated. However, a food reward insures that desirable behaviors will be repeated, because food is a solid, tangible reward. The food reward will back up the petting, (the petting is something that you probably do all the time anyway). When you visit your equine, you most likely pat him on the nose or head and say hello, but there are no real demands for any particular task being asked of your equine—you and your equine are simply interacting. You’re getting him used to touch, discovering how he likes to be touched and learning about his responses, which is actually part of imprinting.
The problem with carrots, apples and other foods people use for treats is that they’re not something for which the equine will continue to work and are not healthy choices for your animal in large quantities. After a limited amount of time, equines can easily become satiated on most treats. It’s like a kid with a bunch of candy bars. Once they become full they don’t want any more candy and they’ll stop working for the treat. Many foods used as treats, when given too freely, may also cause your animal to become tense or hyperactive. However, it’s been my experience that an equine will continue to work for crimped oats as long as you dole them out. Crimped oats are healthy for the body and they don’t cause an equine to become tense and difficult to handle.
When you’re using rewards, always start with lavish rewards for all new behaviors. This means that, every time you teach something new, you’re going to give lavish rewards for even the slightest assimilation toward the correct behavior. For instance, if your foal is tied to the fence and upon your approach, he quits pulling, it’s time to try to walk away from the fence with him and see if he will follow you. In this first leading lesson, you’ll untie him and ask him to take a step toward you. If he does, lavishly reward that step toward you, wait for him to finish chewing his oats and then ask him to take another step forward and toward you. If he complies and takes another step forward, lavishly reward that step too. During the first lesson, you will be rewarding every single step he takes toward you. Remember to keep the lesson short (about 15 minutes) and ask for only as many steps as he willingly gives you.
Between lessons, let your equine have a day off in order to rest. When you return for the second lesson, tie him to the fence and review with him your last lesson from the very beginning. He should remember the previous lessons and be willing to follow you right away in order to be rewarded. If he seems willing to follow your lead, untie him and ask him to take a step forward just as he did before, but this time, instead of dispensing the food reward when he takes the first step forward, simply say, “Good boy” and ask him for a second step forward before you reward him with the oats. You will now be progressing from one step forward before you reward to two steps forward before you reward.
If he won’t take the second step forward, then give the reward for the first step, wait for him to finish chewing and ask again for two steps before rewarding him again. If he complies, you can then reward him every two steps during that lesson and quit after fifteen minutes. Give him another day between lessons and then proceed in the same manner, beginning with a review of the previous lesson, then a reward for the first step, and then for every two steps. During this lesson, you can now ask for three steps, and you can continue asking for three or more steps during this lesson, provided that he takes these steps willingly and then stops obediently on his own to receive his reward. You no longer need to count the steps as long as he is offering more steps between rewards each time. If, because of his enthusiasm, he begins to charge ahead, stop him and immediately reward him for halting. This will insure that he keeps his attention on you and the task at hand. This methodical, deliberate process is setting the stage for a positive and healthy working relationship with your equine.
This is how you begin with leading training, and also how you should proceed with all the new things that you will be teaching your equine. In the beginning of leading training, he gets rewarded for even an assimilation of what you’re asking. For example, when you get to negotiating obstacles, your goal may be to cross over a bridge, but when your equine sees the bridge ahead, he may stop or start backing up. At this point, allow him to back until he stops. Go back and repeat the steps you did prior to approaching the obstacle. Then, asking for only one step at a time, proceed as you did during his flatwork leading training toward the bridge, rewarding each step he takes. Tell him verbally how brave he is and continue to reward any steps he takes toward the obstacle before proceeding forward. Remember to stop at any interval where he becomes tense, ask for one more step to be rewarded, and then allow him to settle and refocus before asking any more from him.
Once he goes to the bridge without a problem, you no longer have to reward him all the way up to the bridge. Just reward him when he actually gets to the bridge. Next, step up onto the bridge and ask him to take a step up onto the bridge with his two front feet, which is another new task. If he puts one foot on the bridge or even tries to lift up a foot and put it on the bridge, make sure you reward that behavior. Once he has a foot firmly placed on the bridge, keep tension on the lead rope and ask for his other front foot to come up onto the bridge. If he places his second foot on the bridge, you can then reward him for having both front feet on the bridge. Next, you’re going to continue forward and just walk over the bridge to the other side, pause and reward. Then quit this lesson. In his next lesson, if needed, repeat the approach the same way if he starts to balk. If not, ask him to step both front feet up onto the bridge, stop, make sure he is standing squarely, and reward that behavior.
Now you no longer need to reward for one foot on the bridge. This is called “fading or phasing out” the reward for a previous behavior (one step), while introducing the new behavior of walking to the bridge, halting and then putting two front feet up on the bridge. Wait for a moment for him to chew his reward and then ask him to continue onto the bridge, stop and square up with four feet on the bridge and reward. If he does not comply and won’t stop on the bridge, just go back to the beginning, approach the bridge as described and try again until he stops to be rewarded with all four feet placed squarely on the bridge
Then you ask him, to place his two front feet on the ground while leaving his two back feet on the bridge. Then have him stop and square up to be rewarded. This is a difficult position and if he cannot succeed by the third attempt, you may have to step in front and aid in his balance, then reward him when he settles in this position.
The last step over the bridge is to bring the hind feet off the bridge, stop and square up one more time before he gets rewarded. This does two things. It causes your equine to be attentive to the number of steps you are asking and it puts him in good posture at each stage so that his body will develop properly. In future lessons, the steps in the approach to the bridge no longer need to be rewarded and as he becomes more attentive, he will learn to stop any time you ask and wait for your cue to proceed. After several months of this meticulous attention to these detailed steps, he will not necessarily need to be rewarded with the food reward each time—a pat on the neck and kind words of support should be sufficient. Rewards can then be given for whole “blocks” of steps when he successfully completes them.
Here is a question a lot of people ask: “This is fine while my animal and I are still working from the ground, but what happens when I finally get on to ride? Do I keep rewarding every new behavior when I ride?” The answer to that question is, “No, you don’t.” If you do your ground work correctly, it will address all the things that you’ll be doing while you’re riding before you actually even get on. Your equine has been lavishly rewarded for stopping when you pull on the reins and the drive lines, and he’s been rewarded for turning and backing and everything else he needs to learn before you actually get on him, so the only thing left to get used to would be exposure to your legs on his sides. He will soon learn that your legs push him in the direction of the turn you are indicating with your reins. For this action, he does not need to be rewarded.
In the natural progression of correct training—including during mounting training—your equine should also be getting rewarded when you’re first getting him used to your being on-board. Give him the oats reward for standing still while you attempt to mount (i.e., walking toward him, holding the left rein and reaching for the saddle horn), and then when you hang from each side of his body with a foot in the stirrup (first on one side and then on the other side), and, finally, from each side of his body while you sit on his back. When you ask him to turn his head to take the oats from your hand, you can be sure his attention will be on you because this action will force him to look at you in order to receive his oats. Then reward him again for standing still as you dismount. Consequently, by the time you actually get to the point of riding in an open arena, he’s been rewarded for having you on his back and for behaving well through all the exercises demanded from him during round pen training.
You may first want to lunge your equine when you move into the open arena. Lunge him on the lunge line and reward him during that part of your arena workout. When you are ready to mount in the open arena, have a few oats in your pockets to offer him when you mount on each side the first few times. This will ensure that his attention stays focused on you. Once he is used to being ridden, you will no longer have to reward him in the middle of riding lessons. If he does not keep his attention on his work in the open arena, this signifies that not enough time has been spent on the ground work and you should back up your training regimen to the point that he is maintaining attentiveness and performing correctly, even if it means going back to the round pen or leading work. If, in the ground work stages, you give plenty of food rewards in the correct manner, by the time you groom and tack up, your equine should have been sufficiently rewarded and will not require another reward until after your workout when you return to the work station and un-tack him. This is called delayed gratification. When you un-tack him and do your last minute grooming before putting him away, again be generous with the crimped oats and praise your equine for a job well done. Rewards are dispensed very specifically and pave the road to a solid foundation of trust and friendship.
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Advocates like you and I have known about the plight of our cherished wild horses and burros for years, but millions of Americans are still unaware of the tragedies happening to these innocent animals across the West.
But we are changing that. Since Monday, when we launched our largest national campaign ever, we’ve seen a huge outpouring of support. In less than a week, our TV and online ads have gained a LOT of traction, playing across major news networks, because one thing is clear: Once Americans learn about the brutal practices the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) uses to “manage” our wild horses and burros, they’re shocked, they’re angry, and they are ready to take action.
But spreading awareness isn’t all it takes to protect the future of our wild herds. And that’s why broadcasting our new ads nationwide is just the first step. Now, the next leg of our national campaign to protect wild horses and burros is in motion — literally:
Over the course of the next week, mobile billboards broadcasting our commercial will circle the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Department of the Interior to encourage our federal leaders to use their power to stand up for wild horses and burros.
Between the public support we’ve received thus far, and bringing our message directly to decisionmakers in Washington, we’re confident in the success of this campaign. People are more engaged than ever to be the voice of our beloved wild equines. So we won’t let up — we’re doubling down to increase awareness and pressure for change in the states where roundups are happening this month — Nevada, California, Oregon and Utah.
The work we are doing is critical to ending the suffering of thousands of wild horses and burros across the West. Right now, the BLM and U.S. Forest Service are conducting helicopter roundups that will forever rob 2,700 of these innocent animals of their freedom and families.
If every American knew that their tax dollars are funding this cruel and inhumane practice, they would be outraged! That’s why it’s so important that we not only keep our national campaign going but expand our ads to reach even more people in states where BLM roundups are happening this fall.
Horses and mules will require a different kind of correction when bucking in order to get the best results from each of them. Meredith explains the difference and what to do.
Hi y’all, It is CRUNCH TIME! 40 Horses need feed and care!
I want to thank you for helping save so many lives. However, we are now sitting on 40 horses between Camp Chilly Pepper and at home.
We NEED to purchase hay immediately, and have an amazing opportunity to stock up for winter at a big discount. However, we need approximately $8500 to secure hay for the next few months and to get part of it hauled to NV.
It is so hard to get any kind of deals on hay, so I definitely do not want to lose this one!
We currently have 3 PREGNANT MARES, & 2 starvation cases and they need lots of good feed and groceries.
I am here by myself and need to hire some help to get the horses moved home before winter and get things winterized here.
Mercedes has STILL NOT had her little baby. She is making us a bit crazy. Doc has been checking on her and is extremely happy with her over all health. She has improved so much since y’all saved her.
We have a big vet bill and still need to get Tarzan gelded and a couple more horses vetted for Coggins and health Certs.
Sadly Kayvee had to be euthanized by Doc when I was in NV. She came in with so many injuries and the septic joints were her death sentence.
Thank you to the Angel who paid a chunk of the old vet bill. You are amazing.! Sadly there have been more expenses since then, and more to come.
Her baby Kaitlyn is gorgeous and ready to be adopted. PLEASE HELP if you can. With so many lives saved, diesel prices still ridiculous and hay prices so high, it is imperative we cash in on this deal for hay before it goes away.
I so appreciate y’all. We saved these lives, now let’s take good care of them and get as many placed as possible.
THANK YOU! I am in a serious bind and cannot do this without you! I need to pay for the hay so we don’t lose this deal.
I know everyone is tired of the 911’s and emergencies. So am I! But they are not my emergencies. They belong to the life of each and every horse you help save!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN HELPING SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
We wanted to share two critical opportunities for you to speak up on behalf of wild horses and burros, an in-depth look into the trajedies of the Ejaio trade and how we can stop it, and a spotlight on one of our awesome AWHC volunteers! Read on to learn more and speak up for our cherished wild herds. >>
The wild horses who call the Roberts Mountain Complex in Nevada home need your voice. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mount Lewis Field office is seeking public comments on its plan to reduce the population of mustangs to a mere 104 horses on 162,000 acres of public lands just northwest of Eureka, NV. The BLM plans to use helicopters to brutally round up and remove hundreds of wild horses, to achieve the unscientifically low appropriate management level (AML) of104 wild horses — this represents an average of just 1 horse per every 1,500+ acres!
There are concerns that American burros are being funneled into the ejiao trade – the brutal international donkey hide industry. There is no system in place to document whether America’s wild burros who are transported to slaughterhouses across the border are being killed for the purpose of ejiao. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Mark your calendars! The Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet in Phoenix on October 4-6, 2022. The public will have an opportunity to make a verbal statement to the Advisory Board in person and virtually via Zoom but you must register in advance.
In this month’s Pinto Post – a collaborative once-monthly newsletter highlighting the work on Nevada’s Virginia Range – we asked volunteer Cathy Cottrill a few questions about the many ways she volunteers her time for mustangs.
Cathy has served on the Board of Directors of the Wild Horse Preservation League, she is a certified darter for American Wild Horse Campaign, a certified responder for LRTC’s Technical Large Animal Rescue team, and also a volunteer with Wild Horse Connection. Who said retirement was boring?!
Apologies if this is the second time you are receiving this email, we just want to make sure you’ve received this important message. If you have already donated, thank you for your support!
Right now, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service helicopters are descending on wild horse herds in Oregon, Nevada, California, and Utah, chasing these innocent animals sometimesto the point of exhaustion with the ultimate goal of removing more than 2,700 before the month’s end. This will bring the total number of wild horses and burros captured this Fiscal Year close to a devastating 19,000.
We refuse to sit by as the BLM targets these cherished animals for removal — it’s why we’re fighting around the clock in courts, in the field, and on the Hill to defend the freedom of our beloved mustangs — and now, we’re taking the fight to TV screens across the country.
Earlier this year, we launched an ad campaign in Colorado demanding an end to the brutal roundups occurring in the Piceance Basin. The results were better than we could have expected — online, our ads received over 250K views reaching 1.5 million people, over 188K Coloradans were made aware of the tragedies happening to wild horses right in their backyard, and over 20K wild horse advocates joined us in calling for an immediate end to the roundup.
If we’re going to stop the BLM’s plan to slash wild horse and burro populations to near extinction levels, we need Americans across the country to stand up and speak out for our beloved herds. But first, we need to make every citizen aware of this fight, and that’s exactly what we’re planning to do — starting with our biggest national campaign on TVs everywhere.
Meredith: It’s time for American taxpayers across the West and across the nation to know exactly what their tax dollars are going to. There is a better way to manage our wild horses and burros to keep them safe, free, and in the wild — where they belong.
We wanted to give everyone an update on our situation with the Mosquito Fire. We would much rather be in a position to support our community right now, but instead, AAE’s Pilot Hill property is in the outer (southwesterly) edge of the evacuation warning area. When Cool went into Evacuation Warning late Thursday, that was our cue to go. Thanks to tremendous support from our volunteers and the community, we were able to quickly mobilize equipment, feed, and supplies to set-up an evacuation location at our old home in El Dorado Hills. We wrapped up about 2a Friday after setting up and transporting 18 horses. On Friday, we moved another 14 horses, along with some additional equipment and supplies. Our three minis are with our volunteer mini mom. We have 18 mustangs, three cows, two pigs, two cats, and our Speedy remaining in Pilot Hill. All are in confined areas and ready to go if there’s any shift in the fire in our direction.
We are a little bit below the blue dot in the photo above, about 13 miles from the edge of the fire and feel relatively safe, we made the decision to start moving horses on Thursday because of the time it would take to relocate 50+ animals in the event of a mandatory evacuation. We’d rather be safe than sorry!
The current challenge is staffing care shifts at two locations. If any of our experienced volunteers are able to help with feed and care of the horses, either at Pilot Hill or El Dorado Hills, we would appreciate the extra help. Please sign up here (VolunteerLocal).
If you do not have substantial experience volunteering with AAE yet or you have been out of the loop for an extended period, please send an email to volunteer@allaboutequine.org prior to signing up. Unfortunately, reality is that trying to train new volunteers, or re-train volunteers, with limited support can be more difficult than helpful.
Our thoughts and hearts go out to all of those impacted by the fire, as well as all of our firefighters, law enforcement, and their families, as they work hard to keep us safe.
A huge THANK YOU to LEES’ FEED for delivering a much needed feed order to us in El Dorado Hills on short notice yesterday. We were running low, and none of our volunteers were available to transfer from PH, but Lees’ came through for us, big time. Our horses are content and adapting well to all of the changes.
ELL UPDATE!!
Ell is doing well after his surgery. He was supposed to come home to AAE on Friday, but due to the fire situation, he is getting an extended stay at Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center until we are better able to support his post-op care in light of our short staffing.
Due to his prolonged stay, Ell will have additional care costs that we were not anticipating. If you’d like to help with those costs, please consider making a donation on his behalf.
With the hectic schedule of spring and summer slowly tapering into fall, thoughts of cool, refreshing mountain streams, the sight of a massive bull elk, or the quiet majesty of the rugged mountain peaks on a relaxing trail ride, mountain hunt or pack trip begin to ease their way into our minds. What better time to share with your mule or donkey? What better place for him to show you what he was born to do? A mountain trail ride or pack trip are both perfect ways for you to get to really know your Longears and strengthen the bond between you.
Mules are remarkably strong and durable animals, making them excellent mountain partners. The cupped shape of their hooves allows them to track the rough mountain terrain with much more surefootedness than their counterpart, the horse. A mule’s superior intelligence and strong sense of survival help him to carefully negotiate the placement of his feet, insuring the safest ride possible. This is both important and comforting to know when heading for the mountains. The mule’s strength and endurance are sometimes unbelievable, but always dependable. On a hunting trip, he will take you through rough mountain terrain for days then pack out the “elk of your dreams” with the greatest of ease.
Around the campfire, he is wonderful company on those lonesome mountain nights. His blatant curiosity can make for some fun—and funny— situations, and his loving ways will win your heart. But first and foremost, he is a reliable companion when the going gets tough.
A few years ago, some close muleskinner friends of mine decided to take a hunting trip into the Rocky Mountains. Packing in, the weather was beautiful with warm temperatures, calm breezes, and not a cloud in the sky. After setting up camp and tending to their horses and mules, the hunters set off tracking elk. Hunting was good, but after a few days, the evening brought with it an unpredictable snowstorm of incredible intensity. The hunters crawled from their tents the next morning to discover their camp buried in more than four feet of snow!
With no chance of the storm lifting, the hunters packed up what they could on their horses and mules and quickly got under way. Since time was of the essence, tents and much of their gear had to be left behind. As they left the campsite, the snow deepened and the terrain underneath was steep, rocky and treacherous. They had gone only a short distance when the snow became so deep and the terrain so hazardous that the horses refused to go one step farther. Anxiety was high when the horses could not blaze a trail out. The hunters were worried they wouldn’t make it off the mountain alive.
In the face of this great danger, my friend asked his trusted mule, Goliath , to break trail for the others. With slow, careful, deliberate steps, this well-trained, loyal mule led them all down the mountain to safety. Once there, they freed their trucks and trailers, which were buried in snow, loaded them up, and made their way back to the lowlands to safety. The storms on the mountain worsened and it was spring before the hunters could return for the rest of their gear, but they were eternally grateful to Goliath the mule for leading them safely down the mountain!
There are many stories like this one, where mules and donkeys have emerged as heroes in precarious situations. However, if you prefer not to take risks like my hunter friends, there are other less daunting activities you can enjoy with your donkey or mule.
Why not take your longeared companion along to the mountains for a hike or a picnic? He would thoroughly love just being with you in those beautiful surroundings. While you walk the trails, enjoying the marvels of nature, your donkey or mule can carry the lunch essentials. While you enjoy the wildflowers or try your hand at fishing a mountain stream, you can be confident that your Longears will enjoy the peaceful solitude and be able to stay out of serious trouble at the same time.
If you question taking excursions such as these with your longears because of a lack of training, there are fellow Longears lovers who can help you. All over the United States, excellent mule trainers are available to help beginners. A Longears lover once told me that his love for burros and mules began years ago when he found Dusty , a three-month-old wild burro caught in a blizzard. He took her home and cared for her, and, a year later, he entered her in the National Western Fall Classic Donkey and Mule Show. He and Dusty were awarded the title of Reserve Champion Donkey of the Show! Ever since, he has sought to help others enjoy Longears and horses in any way he can. In addition to breaking and training wild mustangs at his Medicine Bow Stables, he has included free clinics for burro owners to teach them how to handle and care for their animals.
Getting proper training for your donkey or mule can only enhance your relationship with them and in turn, they will enrich your life. This fall, why not take the time to really get to know these remarkable animals by letting them share in the fun, be it hiking, hunting, packing, or picnicking. The life you enhance may be your own!
To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.