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With the suggestion that some of America’s excess mustangs be euthanized, the 
debate in this country about what to do with them is once again a hot topic. As 
usual, this Ridecamp hot topic has turned ugly.  Kill ‘em all, save ‘em all – 
everyone freely shares what they know, or think they know, about this topic.  
I’ve decided to take a turn and share my experiences…

I’m not an expert on mustangs, not by a longshot, but over the last few years, 
I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know some of these animals.  This year I’m 
participating as a trainer in the Extreme Mustang Makeover.  I was given a 
previously untouched mustang and 100 days to teach him what I can.  In 
September, I will go up against 199 other trainers and their mustangs in a 
competition.  After the competition, the mustangs will be auctioned off to new 
homes.  Based on my experiences with mustangs thus far, here’s what I know:

I know that I’ve become a permanent fan of the American mustang.  I adopted my 
first mustang, Ranger, in 2003.  I had previously ridden and trained Arabs for 
endurance.  I’d ridden at the front of the pack, in the back, and everywhere in 
between, and I’d crewed at a few high profile endurance events, but I found my 
endurance niche in my “imperfect” mustang.  Ranger and I have a less than 
stellar endurance record, but every mile we’ve ridden together has been a joy.  
Countless conversations that started with, “That’s not an Arab, is it?” led to 
new friendships on the trail.  We’ve seen some beautiful country together, and 
I’ve never worried about my safety or whether Ranger would run himself into the 
ground.

My Makeover horse, Eli Easy, has only strengthened my affection for mustangs.  
In one short month, he’s gone from a panicked, wild animal, attempting to climb 
6 ft. fences to escape human touch, to a mild mannered partner who I felt safe 
enough to trail ride on only his second time under saddle.  Could I have done 
this with another breed of horse?  Most likely, yes.  But these horses steal 
your heart in a way that I’ve never experienced with any “domestic” horse.  I’m 
reminded of a saying used to describe what is so special about being a Texas 
Aggie:  “From the inside, you can’t describe it, from the outside, you can’t 
understand it.”    

I know that mustangs have made me a better horseman, and a better person.  
Ranger taught me timing and how to put natural horsemanship to use, and Eli 
drove home a lesson in patience and the importance of not losing my cool when 
things get hot.  I now carry those lessons with me when relating to others of 
the human variety, and in parenting my toddler twins.

I know that I don’t want to see mustangs disappear from the range.  They are a 
piece of American history, and I think that they deserve to be protected.  As 
far as how to do that properly, I haven’t got the perfect solution.  But 
America is a land of innovators, and I’m sure that with some effort, we can 
figure out a satisfactory compromise.

What I don’t know is how I’m going to let Eli go on auction day.  I volunteered 
for this contest in order to help bring awareness to the mustangs’ cause, and 
to find a good home for one horse who might otherwise live out his life in a 
holding facility.  And while I’m always looking for my next endurance mount, I 
was not really looking to find him during this event.  But when it comes down 
to it, whether or not I end up with Eli at the end of this event is somewhat 
irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.  While the debate over the mustangs 
rages on, the creators of the Extreme Mustang Makeover, the Mustang Heritage 
Foundation, have stepped up and taken action to help right now, by highlighting 
the value of these horses and getting them in to good homes.  I’m 
extraordinarily proud to be a part of that effort. 

If you are interested in mustangs or want to follow my journey, please check 
out the following sites:

My blog:  http://karen-100miles.blogspot.com/
Mustangheritagefoundation.org
Extrememustangmakeover.com 

Karen Neuenschwander




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