Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

hi karen,  i sure agree with you.  a lot of people just arent equipped to deal with these horses.   and for someone who is not an experienced horse person, but is interested in doing endurance should look for a well trained, easy to handle horse, in the breed of their choice.   i am getting another mustang soon and will get him ready for endurance riding.  not sure how long it will take because i might get a 2 year old.  i probably wouldnt get a yearling because you cant really tell how big they will get.  there are some nice 4 and 5 year olds available too. while the vast majority of endurance horses are arabs,  there are some of us out here who just want to do it with a different breed.  heck, we cant let you arab people have all the fun!   ed

 Sullivan <greymare@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Thanks Ed,

 

I want to make it clear that I believe it is possible to give good homes, and/or make good useful riding animals out of this program. 

The two adopted-off-the-range mustangs that were in my neck of the woods were very well trained.....but always had a tendency to be spooky, reactive and even explosive under certain circumstances.  The mare i had that was out of a BLM range mare, by an Arab stallion was just a delightful, sound, smooth and fun horse.  I just believe the qualifications for adopting these animals be much, much more stringent.

 

However, if I was seriously looking for an endurance prospect.....and I had the choice of a yearling off-the-range mustang, versus a well-bred Arab (regular worming and good nutrition); and looking at 2-3 years worming, feeding and care before even thinking of riding this animal.....obviously, the Arab is a better bet. 

 

Of course I am intruiged by the mustangs that have been promoted and ridden endurance.  However, the ones that have done well, have come through some very, very experienced people.

Karen

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed Kilpatrick

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 6:11 AM

Subject: [RC] easter mustang adoption

very well put, karen.   it is unfortunate what happens to lots of adopted mustangs, even when taken by well intentioned(though ill prepared) people.  it does take an experienced hand to get these horses and do a good job of gentling and training. i have worked with two adopted mustangs and had great success, but i do lots of horse training and have the space and facilities for it.  the first one i got was captured when he was a five year old stallion and i was told he came from utah, but i think that it was actually nevada.   anyway, the original adopters used him for breeding for a couple of years, then gelded him and tried to "break" him.  he was sold at a regular horse auction some time later because the owner said, "he was tired of getting bucked off!"  the guy who bought him at auction hired me to train the horse because he was afraid to get on him.   i started over with him, did 10 days of ground work, then started riding him.  he has never bucked with me.  the gu y who bought him at auction was still afraid of him, so i talked him into selling the horse to me.   well,   long story-short, that was just a little over two years ago, kathi and i have ridden him in countless pleasure trail rides, five ctrs,  four lds, and five fifty mile endurance rides. in the nine aerc rides, he has finished top ten four times.  we call him gorgeous george.  he is 14.3 hands, 1050 lbs.  earlier i mentioned that i think he came from nevada.  i would like to take him back there someday, maybe to redrock in the fall!