Timing will be a bit fun, but I took a deep breath and entered! Waiting to find out if my application was accepted. :-)
THE MOUNTAIN VALLEY EXTREME MUSTANG MAKEOVER - NOVEMBER 7th, 2009: For *$10,000 in prize money. The Extreme Mustang Makeover goes buckaroo as it travels to Heber City, Utah, for the 15th annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair, November 7th. Only 40 trainers will be accepted to compete for an estimated purse of *$10,000. *Prize money amount to be determined by number of trainers entered. Applications must be postmarked or fax dated by July 1st, 2009. Trainers will be selected and notified shortly after. Selected trainers will pick up their Mustang August 7-8 at the Salt Lake Wild Horse and Burro Facility in Salt Lake City, UT.
More information about the Heber City Cowboy Poetry Gathering click here.
For more information regarding the Mountain Valley Extreme Mustang Makeover, please contact Kali Sublett at kalimullins@yahoo.com or (254) 947-5530.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Valentine
Here goes, Valentine is in Colorado, in the care of BLM. If anyone is interested in adopting her, please contact them.
I am offering 2 months of additional training for Val FREE starting in September.
Thanks
Michelle
I am offering 2 months of additional training for Val FREE starting in September.
Thanks
Michelle
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sad News
Do to a family death I am dropping out of the Norco Extreme Mustang Challenge.
Hoping to enter a new mustang challenge in the fall.
Thank You everyone for your support during this difficult time.
Michelle
Hoping to enter a new mustang challenge in the fall.
Thank You everyone for your support during this difficult time.
Michelle
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Valentine and how she got her name
The weather was perfect for my day to pickup the mustang. My mustang was ready, a 3 yr old black filly. They put her in the shoot and asked if I would like a halter and lead rope on her, I said sure, the nice little filly didn't even try to bite when the BLM person put the halter. I enjoyed the opportunity to run my hands down her neck and back. She was like what is going on, not very afraid of being touched at all.
So in the trailer she went. On the drive back to Colorado she startled me the first time she moved her nose to touch my hand. But she got pretty relaxed with the idea of the trailer and me poking my head in.
We arrived at Los Pinos Equestrian Center in good time. By closing some openings we where able to let her move from the trailer to her new pen in a calm easy manner. The gals at the barn where instrumental in giving Val her new name. As we stood around admiring the nice looking beauty we tossed around names. We quickly settled on Valentine. The next 2 days where all about letting her settle into her new area.
Day 3, was all about convincing Valentine to let me touch her. We worked for several hours before she decided to allow me to touch her all over her left side. Then later I got an email from Marlene,
Valentine has mostly startled away when I've fed and would tentatively turn back while I stand there. But tonight, she was totally different – almost started taking the hay out of my hands before I dropped it and she stood right there and started eating while I watched. So your work today had a big impact!
Marlene Moss
Wahoo! we are on our way.
So in the trailer she went. On the drive back to Colorado she startled me the first time she moved her nose to touch my hand. But she got pretty relaxed with the idea of the trailer and me poking my head in.
We arrived at Los Pinos Equestrian Center in good time. By closing some openings we where able to let her move from the trailer to her new pen in a calm easy manner. The gals at the barn where instrumental in giving Val her new name. As we stood around admiring the nice looking beauty we tossed around names. We quickly settled on Valentine. The next 2 days where all about letting her settle into her new area.
Day 3, was all about convincing Valentine to let me touch her. We worked for several hours before she decided to allow me to touch her all over her left side. Then later I got an email from Marlene,
Valentine has mostly startled away when I've fed and would tentatively turn back while I stand there. But tonight, she was totally different – almost started taking the hay out of my hands before I dropped it and she stood right there and started eating while I watched. So your work today had a big impact!
Marlene Moss
Wahoo! we are on our way.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Make your plans early to come meet Valentine & Michelle Myers!
Norco Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge contenders
Los Piños Equestrian Center is proud to host trainer Michelle Myers and her BLM Mustang Valentine for their 90 days of training in preparation to compete at the Norco Extreme Mustang Challenge!
Visit www.LosPinos-CO.com(http://www.lospinos-co.com) for directions to the barn.
Following is a series of demonstration clinics Michelle is offering to the public so people can watch her work with Valentine. Questions welcomed!
Time: 1PM-3PM
March 1 (Sun) - How to catch your horse 101
Going over the basics of how to enter and approach a reluctant horse.
March 7 (Sat) - Despooking 101.
How to introduce your horse to scary items.
March 15 (Sun) – Trailering 101
Teach your horse to trailer.
March 21 (Sat) – Despooking 102.
Despooking Continued. Introduce your horse to more spooky items.
March 29 (Sun) – Problem Solving
How to influence how your horse thinks.
May TBD - Graduation party for Valentine.
Demo of arena routine. Carrot Cake and Pop.
Interested in seeing the daily sessions? email: auroraequine@yahoo.com
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wahoo!!! The Narco Extreme Mustang Makeover has accepted my application.........
I will be picking up my mustang on Valentines day, February 14 in Ridgecrest, California. I'll head back to the mustangs new home at Los Pinos for 90 days of training for the big event in Norco, California May 14th.
Thank You, Marlene, Stace, and Joan of Los-Pinos Equestrian Center (http://www.lospinos-co.com/).
Their sponsorship made my dreams come true. Marlene's positive upbeat attitude helped keep me centered and positive as I waited to hear if I was accepted.
The Los Pinos owners are big fans of mustangs, having owned, bred and boarded several.
Thank You, Marlene, Stace, and Joan of Los-Pinos Equestrian Center (http://www.lospinos-co.com/).
Their sponsorship made my dreams come true. Marlene's positive upbeat attitude helped keep me centered and positive as I waited to hear if I was accepted.
The Los Pinos owners are big fans of mustangs, having owned, bred and boarded several.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Barn Sour and how changing a reward system can make a difference
Barn Sour, what is with that, and why do my horses not seem to pick up the habit?
Was standing around chatting and wouldn't you know the subject of barn sour horses came up and I opened my mouth and said 'non of mine have been barn sour'. So later was thinking about WHY non of my horses have gotten the barn sour attitude and decided to use the subject for this blog.
When starting my horses, I like to get them leading, giving, saddling, and going for walks. When taking the horses on their first walks I really work on having a happy upbeat attitude that says isn't this fun! I project a strong feeling of confidence that says everything is normal and nothing is a big deal. When I am talking of walks, image yourself taking a big dog for a walk, yep leading the horse on a walk.
Going to take a second and point out that I start with learning sessions (how to lead, how to give, how to behave, etc). When the horse is ready I change our learning sessions tin include first going for a walk (think of it as a warm up time) and when we get back from our walk we continue our learning session in the arena.
Take a moment and thing about it. When you exercise you need to warm up, and a nice walk makes for a pleasant warm up. After your warm up, you move to the more intensive workout. Then cool down. Use a little psychology here. If you warm-up at the barn, do your work out at the barn and do a walk as a cool down, then come back to the barn and put the horse away, you are creating a reward system that says as soon as we get back to the barn you get to relax with your buddies.
Move it around a little. Maybe do a brief warm up (not everyone likes to walk a fresh horse), take the horse for a walk, come back to the barn and do your arena session. Do a nice cool down and put the horse away. Now you have changed the reward system to when you come back to the barn the work begins.
Are you ready to take you horse for a walk? If you are asking that question it is probably best to do a few more learning sessions. How long before I walk/ride on the trail, really depends on the horse and on how much session work the horse has had.
Was standing around chatting and wouldn't you know the subject of barn sour horses came up and I opened my mouth and said 'non of mine have been barn sour'. So later was thinking about WHY non of my horses have gotten the barn sour attitude and decided to use the subject for this blog.
When starting my horses, I like to get them leading, giving, saddling, and going for walks. When taking the horses on their first walks I really work on having a happy upbeat attitude that says isn't this fun! I project a strong feeling of confidence that says everything is normal and nothing is a big deal. When I am talking of walks, image yourself taking a big dog for a walk, yep leading the horse on a walk.
Going to take a second and point out that I start with learning sessions (how to lead, how to give, how to behave, etc). When the horse is ready I change our learning sessions tin include first going for a walk (think of it as a warm up time) and when we get back from our walk we continue our learning session in the arena.
Take a moment and thing about it. When you exercise you need to warm up, and a nice walk makes for a pleasant warm up. After your warm up, you move to the more intensive workout. Then cool down. Use a little psychology here. If you warm-up at the barn, do your work out at the barn and do a walk as a cool down, then come back to the barn and put the horse away, you are creating a reward system that says as soon as we get back to the barn you get to relax with your buddies.
Move it around a little. Maybe do a brief warm up (not everyone likes to walk a fresh horse), take the horse for a walk, come back to the barn and do your arena session. Do a nice cool down and put the horse away. Now you have changed the reward system to when you come back to the barn the work begins.
Are you ready to take you horse for a walk? If you are asking that question it is probably best to do a few more learning sessions. How long before I walk/ride on the trail, really depends on the horse and on how much session work the horse has had.