# What is your veiw on Mustangs?



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I think they would be just like any other breed of horse. I don't own one or even been around one, I have only read about them.

I heard the were pretty versitile and very hardy.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I love Mustangs, I have 2 at this moment. One of them is my main riding/using horse. IMHO, they are just like any other breed, with the proper training, they can do pretty much anything you want to. On the other hand, they are generally more of a 'jack of all trades, master of none' type horse. They can do pretty much anything in the lower levels but if you are looking to go far in some event, then you would likely have better luck with a horse bred for it.

This is Dobe, my main guy. I got him as an unhandled 3 year old stud and while it took a lot of time and work to get him to the point he's at now, I can do almost anything on him. He has a heart the size of Texas and will kill himself before he quits me. He's pulled cattle that weighed more than he did and tries his best to be a cutting horse though he isn't terribly quick on his feet. He is one of the smoothest traveling horses I have ever ridden and he's very smart and loyal.

This was just a couple of days after we brought him home. He was about as wild as a rabid coyote and almost as vicious. When I got him, he was this fugly little scrawny blown out thing that looked as though he could barely hold himself up, let alone carry a rider.










He was about 4 in this picture. He had put on about 100 pounds of weight when this picture was taken.










And this is what he looks like now after almost 6 years under saddle.









Then I have my other boy Koda. He's a nice enough horse but we just don't seem to click and one of these days I will give him a refresher and get him a new home. He was a 4 year old when we got him but since neither my Dad nor I had time, he got turned out to pasture until he was 5. That's when I decided to bring him up and break him to ride. He had been handled enough that he wasn't really scared of people but he still didn't know anything, not even how to lead. About an hour after getting him up out of the pasture, I was trotting circles on him in the round pen and he's never offered to buck. I haven't ridden him in a long time just because I don't have time.

This was the 3rd time he ever had a saddle on.









And this was after the last time I rode him.









Whether or not they would make a good family horse depends entirely on the individual personality of the horse. I really don't believe that Dobe will ever be kid safe. It's not that he isn't well trained or very broke, because he is. But he has a more reactive personality and is very quick to respond to even the slightest cue, but he also spooks sometimes. Koda would make a very nice family horse with a couple more years of riding and a few more million miles. He's got a nice temperament, but he is still what I would call green broke and isn't always entirely reliable because of that.

To answer your other questions, yes, they can show and be just as calm (or calmer) than any stock horse. I carry the flag on Dobe every year in the parade here in town. In my experience, they don't care what kind of horses they are with. Both of mine share a pasture with different horses ranging from a 34" tall mini-burro to a 17 hand mule to an 18 hand percheron and they get along great. Dobe is the herd alpha and can be rather aggressive if someone challenges him but Koda is right about in the middle of the pecking order.


----------



## Fourpaws (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks both of you for posting. I know some of my questions are really stupid but still. Thanks again and Smrobs both your mustangs are gorgeous.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I own a BLM Mustang and he is the BEST horse I have ever owned. No kidding!

I can't claim any credit for him though, because I bought him already trained. He was a rope horse (heel horse) and he is just an all-around AWESOME trail horse, which is what I use him for. He must have had a ton of good training, because he has the best brain and common sense of any horse I have had.

For instance, it's pretty typical for a horse to get excited if another horse runs past you on a group ride, or the group takes off ahead of you and you want to hang back for some reason, but John totally listens to ME, and ignores the other horses. It's really amazing, and I have never had a horse like that before. Listen to the rider and doesn't care if the world is chaos around him! 

The only thing that I think makes him a little different from "regular" horses I have owned, is that he really reads your body language, more so than a regular horse. For instance, if you march right up to him, he can be intimidated and turn away. But if you go up to him sort of indirectly, with your eyes down, you can go up to him no problem. In other words, he is really in tune to your mood and body language. But maybe that's just him. He's the only Mustang I've owned, so I can't say for sure. But I always figured that was more of trait he got from being in the wild. 

But John can take me anywhere, with top-bred QH's that cost more than I can fathom, and I NEVER feel outclassed. Because he behaves the best of any horse in the group! I really can't say enough good things about him!

And I forgot to mention- he is barefoot, sound, and built like a small Belgian! He's the perfect size for me- 14.3, so he's easy to get on, but strong enough to carry me, which large bone and feet. Just the way I like them! Yes, I'm very smitten.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

PS. One of the other things you have to remember with Mustangs, is that they ARE from domestic stock. 

They are simply domestic horses whose ancestors have gone feral. So they come from the same great gene pool as many of our other great American breeds, such as QH's, draft, Morgan, gaited horses, Spanish horses, etc. 

So you are getting horses from the same genetic pool as our other American breeds, just without papers and exact ancestry known. Some have draft type, some have spanish type, some are QH type, a few might be gaited, etc. As long as the horse is built well and has a good mind, I don't see a thing wrong with that.


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Actually, there is one type of mustang that has no domestic horses in it. It's supposed to be the pure-est of all wild horses. But all of the other mustangs have domestic horses in them.


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Ray MacDonald said:


> Actually, there is one type of mustang that has no domestic horses in it. It's supposed to be the pure-est of all wild horses. But all of the other mustangs have domestic horses in them.


Przewalski's Horse.


----------



## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

i own a mustang but i bought my girl already people friendly. her mom was brought in from captivity pregnant. and she gave birth with the new owners. long story short they didn't take care of them and they almost died. and then the lady i got her from siezed them and healthed them up. my girl was just a pasture puff and had only been ridden once as a 5 yr old when i bought her. as because my girl was born in captivity she doesn't have the brand. my girl is SUPER fast but not as fast as my moms QhXTb she's has sme of the smoothest gaits besides her little Indian shuffle(it WILL beat your bottom!). she's the kindest and friendlist horse. and she makes a great kids horse. she is a bit head strong and the kids know they have to make her listen or she will just stop and eat lol. i have been teaching her jumping and she can jump about 3" and could easily go higher. but she's just wonderful! and she makes me a wonderfl trail horse. she's super sturdy. but she does have crappy endurance and can't lope for long periods of time. we do keep her barefoot as her feet are so hard she does great barefoot. however i've heard they do have a higher flight so they are probably more prone to bolt or run away when they get scared. and thats all seen in my girl. when she gets REALLY scared you really have to one rein stop or she'll take off with you.


----------



## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

I have a 12 yr old BLM mustang and she is hands down the best horse I have ever owned. We are currently conditioning for our first 30 mile LD endurance race in the spring. The people I bought her from let her set at a boarding facility for over a year with no love or attention. Her feet were in crappy condition and she was under weight when I purchased her five months ago. She is now the happiest most loved horse up at her boarding facility. Prior to her being very neglected she was adopted from the BLM and then trained for team sorting and penning. I have ridden her at gymkhana and she runs AA times in all of the events. She prefers trotting on the trails above anything else which is why I decided to start doing LD races on her. 

To answer your questions...
Do they make good family horse? Yes
Can the show or does it just freak them out? Cammy loves going to shows.
Do they prefer to be with other mustangs over differant breeds of horse? My mare is an alpha mare and does better by herself. Every great once in a while we meet a horse that she loves being around. One thing that I absolutely love about her is that she isn't buddy sour.

Oooooo before I forget I want to share something funny that she does... There is 300 acres behind the boarding facility with cattle on it. When I turn her out she will herd cows into a smaller pasture and sort them. She moves them one at a time from corner to corner in the pasture. It is really funny watching a self sorting cow horse lol.

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=71738#ixzz16sKpXpvl


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

WildJessie said:


> Przewalski's Horse.


Yes, Przewalkski's Horse is the _only_ true wild horse left in existence, and they're_ not_ mustangs. They live in Mongolia.

They look more like solid colored zebras than actual horses.


----------



## loveBradforever (Oct 6, 2010)

I hear Mustangs are hard to train or ride, but I probably know thats not true. But the people who own a Mustang, did you train them your selfs?


----------



## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

I did not train my mustang myself. I have been retraining and refreshing her but that's all. I met the man that trained her and he is a very tough cowboy. He said she was fairly easy to train but that he had to use a firm hand on her. When I purchased her she had been sitting for a year and I haven't had to be firm with her. I would never in my life handle her the way that cowboy did.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I did train both of mine myself but it was a very different experience with both of them. Koda was as easy as any stock horse I have ever trained. Dobe, on the other hand, was extremely reactive and had a very high flight reflex. For the first year I rode him, I had to be very aware and careful at all times because if he saw something that scared him even a little, he would spin and bolt. Not to the point where he wouldn't stop, I could get him shut down immediately, but that was always his first instinct, to turn and run. I can imagine that most mustangs are just like most stock horses, there are some that take to training like it's the easiest thing in the world and there are some that are challenging as all get-out.


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Nope, it wasn't Przewalkski's Horse. It was a mustang.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I have to agree with SR. No mustang is a 'wild' horse, they are feral. Every one of them is descended from domesticated stock.

The only true 'wild' equids left in the world are the Przewalski Horse, the Onager, and the wild ***. Though the Onager and Wild *** are technically donkey types, not horses.

Onager









Wild ***


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Ray MacDonald said:


> Nope, it wasn't Przewalkski's Horse. It was a mustang.


No mustang is a true wild horse, they are descended from domesticated horses. 

Otherwise, do you have a picture of the horse you are thinking of?


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I read about them in a magazine.. It said that they never had domesticated horses let loose around the area. I'll find the magazine.


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Ray MacDonald said:


> I read about them in a magazine.. It said that they never had domesticated horses let loose around the area. I'll find the magazine.


I highly doubt they are true wild horses. Are you thinking of the horse off the the East Coast of the US? Because they are descended from domesticated horses too.


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yup, the ponies of Assateague Island came not only from Spanish galleons that sank hundreds of years ago, but they've also infused more recent domestic ponies into the herds to add more diversity to the bloodlines.

The only _true_ wild equids to be found do not live on the North American continent. Anything here in the U.S. is feral, not truly wild.


----------



## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

SR IS correct in. and not all magazines and reports and books are correct. they are no longer any _True _wild horses left. just Feral(undomesticated) horses. wouldn't it be awesome to find like an Arabian mustang!? or at least half Arabian. since they are mixed and such.

and on topic. mustangs are great family horses once they are officially broke. and once you gain a mustang's trust you'll have a GREAT bond between you 2. as that horse has never been in contact with other people. so they'll trust you more then anyone else. and it makes for a great team and bond i think. and they really are gentle creatures at heart.


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Yeah it might not be true.. I didn't find it yet tho lol


----------



## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

I own a half mustang, i love him to death, he's the sweetest horse i've ever met. He tries so hard to please and is more like a dog than a horse really. Under saddle he's not great, has some hip issues which make him fairly uncomfortable to ride and for him to be ridden. Plus he's the hardest horse to keep weight off, he's a tubby boy. He gets very excited very quickly and is incredibly spooky for some reason. I wouldn't change him for the world.

















The only experience i've had with a blm mustang is with my horses mother. I believe she was a few months old when she was adopted. I rode her when she was 10 and she was a great little horse. Brilliant on the trail, never once spooked when i rode her, having said that i wasn't around for her training and i've heard from people who knew her before she was trained that she was crazy. She broke someones collar bone and fractured someone else's hip. I can't really comment on that behaviour as i never saw it. I wish when i'd bought my boy that they'd let me have sally too, loved that horse.


----------



## Opendoorequine (Nov 29, 2010)

My mare Dixie is a Mustang. She is more Spanish typed, she is amazing, intense, super smart (probably smarter than me), she learns FAST, intensely watches body language, has a huge personality, is big on eye contact, and will give people a hard time if they don't "Ask" first. That could be a mare thing though. I would describe her personality as "average horse horse on steroids". She's like one of those "life of the party" people that you just know when they walk into a room. I've met several Mustangs and they are different.

I would say they are for advanced horse people and work better for people willing to be more horse-like. If you come at them expecting them to bend to your will, you would be frustrated with them. I have a friend who has a son with asperger's syndrome. When he is around her the 2 of them connect intensely. She will focus on him as if he is the only thing in the world to her and he will stand there, laugh and talk to her. That's pretty cool.

Like the others, she will react bigger than a people breed horse but she's smart about it too. She wont run away when she spooks but when she does it's a bigger feel when a person is in saddle or on the ground. I get the tingly finger tips harder when she spooks than when my other mares spook. She is definitely more in tune to weather and gets more pent up before a lightening strike, then will calm immediately after it hits. 

In all if you are in tune with the environment, horses in general and like the challenge of being taught a thing or two about yourself then they are a good fit. I would say that a person who is interested in owning one should spend some time with a few different ones before they jump in though because they are really different than a person breed horse and do take some getting used to. They really are very loyal, and would do anything for a person that they connect with.


----------



## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

"In all if you are in tune with the environment, horses in general and like the challenge of being taught a thing or two about yourself then they are a good fit. I would say that a person who is interested in owning one should spend some time with a few different ones before they jump in though because they are really different than a person breed horse and do take some getting used to. They really are very loyal, and would do anything for a person that they connect with."

That is so very true! I did a four month lease before I bought my BLM mustang.


----------



## justinebee (Jul 21, 2010)

i take care of a mustang at the ranch i work at, and i love her! she's really good with people, and has tons of personality. other horses on the other hand... haha well she always wants to mate with them....  but she is really great to work with. she's very in tune with body language, and if you know horse language fairly well, she's easy. a lot of mustangs are like that, though, i've heard. she's a doll to lunge, you don't need any equipment, just her and you. riding her is good too, just don't be pushy AT ALL. she has weird quirks, though. like when she gets nervous or scared she does a little tap dance and moves her feet repeatedly and puts her head down. its kinda funny haha.

what i find interesting is that she never ever spooks, which i don't hear a lot of with mustangs. if i walk up to something new like its no big deal and have her stand next to it, she'll do her dance, then finally stop, and ever do it again. so she'll do her dance every once in a while, but never an actual spook.


----------



## Opendoorequine (Nov 29, 2010)

Justinebee, I have seen that dance with my mare too! Weird, I didn't know what to call it. it's kind of like "spooking" in place. She also does the typical spook though. Her movement is a little different than people breed horses, she jumps back and to the side a bit to get a good bifocal view of the scary thing but quiet too.

My big Quarter mare will jump so that she is facing the scary thing with her front legs spread while she is snorting. Not quite the same as the Mustang mare.


----------



## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

My horse was born in captivity, but she is full mustang. She is a very gentle and quiet/independent horse. Though she can be reactive when something spooks her. I did not initially train her, So I don't know how well she did to start. But I trained her to drive and she took to it like a duck to water. Also, When I'm trying new things with her, she Really _tries_ to "get" it. 

I think my mustang is definitely a one person horse though. It took me a Long time to build a bond with her, but now.. I am the ONLY person she will "come" to. However,.. once you have/catch her, anyone can do anything with her. She has perfect ground manners.

She is tough as nails! barefoot. never 'complains.'

She likes to be with Any horse that is nice. (no pushy/mouthy horses)
but, she is Not herd bound!
She is independent. 

I would never trust her to be a kid/beginner horse though. Like someone else said; 'not because she is not well trained or very broke, but because she can be reactive and quick to respond.'
She has Never bucked or rared or intentionally tried to lose a rider.. but if she spooks, she might take off. If you're not ready for it, then you might fall off. but that's your fault!  She'll always take care of you, If you can hang on. =)

There are times she frustrates me. But I look at so many other horses and then look at what my mustang has done for me, and I know I wouldn't trade her for a million dollar horse.


----------



## Soul (Nov 23, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> Yes, Przewalkski's Horse is the _only_ true wild horse left in existence, and they're_ not_ mustangs. They live in Mongolia.
> 
> They look more like solid colored zebras than actual horses.


 From what I have read, these horses are untrainable and can't be ridden.
Yikes though, that is one homely looking horse :shock:!


----------



## Soul (Nov 23, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> Yes, Przewalkski's Horse is the _only_ true wild horse left in existence, and they're_ not_ mustangs. They live in Mongolia.
> 
> They look more like solid colored zebras than actual horses.


I read that these horses can't be trained and can't be ridden because their brain works differently than domesticated horses or something like that. Yikes though, that is one homely looking horse :shock:!


----------



## Opendoorequine (Nov 29, 2010)

Here is a neat article about them Przewalski Horse:  The Last True Wild Horse


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

I would like to own one, but only to let him wander around freely in large pastures. But thats just fantasy land talk.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Ray MacDonald said:


> I read about them in a magazine.. It said that they never had domesticated horses let loose around the area. I'll find the magazine.


What you might be thinking of are the Kiger mustangs. Like all mustangs, they are descended from previously domesticated breeds but this particular herd has been genetically tested and found to be more similar to the original old Spanish breeds than other herds which include a broader smattering of breeds. So... in terms of being "pure" wild horses, they are thought to be more "pure" than other mustangs in terms of how closely they are related to the very original horses who became our idea of a "mustang".

You can read more about them here: 
Kiger Mustang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kiger Mesteno Association - Content


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

WildJessie said:


> I would like to own one, but only to let him wander around freely in large pastures. But thats just fantasy land talk.


Why is this? I think that just about any horse is better off with a job... and the regular attentions we humans can give them. There's so much that we do to make life hundreds of times easier for our equine companions. Why is it that everyone thinks it's so terrible when puppies and kittens are homeless, but not when horses are homeless? Mustangs are stray horses just like we have stray dogs and cats, but for some reason we have romanticized the idea to make it okay and even desirable.

((The following images came from a dedicated mustang trainer and advocate's blog. You can read more about her experiences with mustangs here: Mustang Diaries))

It's not all flowers and butterflies on the range. Here's a mare that was recently brought in off the range because there wasn't enough forage out there to sustain the number of horses:










This stud got into a spat and is paying a high price. Without treatment, his wound could easily become infected and ultimately kill him... not to mention it may slow him down and will take much longer to resolve itself.










Fortunately the stud's wound was looking better a few months later despite a lack of any treatment or attention. You will notice however that the horse in the picture with him is missing part of an ear. This is somewhat common among the mustangs, and is the result of frostbite.


----------



## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

^^ I have to agree with that. Horses are domesticated animals. They are not meant to roam "free" like wild animals.

I'm pretty lazy, so I don't work my horse very hard, but she is happier when I DO work her. She has a much better attitude all around. - I think horses Like having a job.


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Eolith said:


> Why is this? I think that just about any horse is better off with a job... and the regular attentions we humans can give them. There's so much that we do to make life hundreds of times easier for our equine companions. Why is it that everyone thinks it's so terrible when puppies and kittens are homeless, but not when horses are homeless? Mustangs are stray horses just like we have stray dogs and cats, but for some reason we have romanticized the idea to make it okay and even desirable.
> 
> ((The following images came from a dedicated mustang trainer and advocate's blog. You can read more about her experiences with mustangs here: Mustang Diaries))
> 
> ...


I think you completely mistook what I said. Someone recently said that the Przewalski's Horse can not be tamed. I said I would love own one, but when I said let them roam freely in large pastures, it did NOT mean I would neglect to give any medical care, feed or water or shelter to the horse. I would let it live semi wild, but still give any care it needed. I would NOT neglect the horse. If the horse can be tamed and be ridden, not saying it won't happen, they I would own the horse like I would any other horse. I would love the horse, care for it, and be there for it.

I know how mustangs live, I have read about them and continue to learn about them. 

Don't get into the dogs and cats being neglected either. I work at an animal shelter and work with cats and dogs that were abandoned by their owners. I never once said it was perfectly fine to just let a horse go without care, because I wouldn't let the horse live like that. I would keep the horse in a sanctuary, they do that for many mustangs, and I think they keep the Przewalski's Horse in sanctuaries too. The horses are well cared for, given any medical attention when needed, make sure the horse was give plenty of food and water and shelter from the bad weather. Hence there is a reason why the Przewalski's Horse is known as the last true wild horse.


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Reiterin said:


> ^^ I have to agree with that. Horses are domesticated animals. They are not meant to roam "free" like wild animals.
> 
> I'm pretty lazy, so I don't work my horse very hard, but she is happier when I DO work her. She has a much better attitude all around. - I think horses Like having a job.


Like I said previously, I would NOT neglect to care for the horse. I would tame the horse and ride if possible. But someone mentioned earlier that the Przewalski's Horse can't be tamed(I don't believe that.) They may be harder to train than other horses. I would love, care, feed, and shelter the horse just like any other horse. I would keep the horse probably in a sanctuary or as a companion. 

I did not mean that I would buy the horse and just let it roam and never care for it again.

I know horses like jobs, and would give it to them. 

On a side note: I don't even know if you can legally own a Przewalski's Horse, since they are endangered. If I can, I would do what I can to provide, care, train, and love the horse.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

WildJessie, I wasn't accusing you personally of neglecting animals or wanting to. I apologize if it came across that way. I was just pointing out something I felt relevant. It wasn't clear to me that you were referring to the Przewalski horses, and my personal opinion is that mustangs in the classical "American" sense are usually better off in domestication.


----------



## WildJessie (Oct 15, 2010)

Eolith said:


> WildJessie, I wasn't accusing you personally of neglecting animals or wanting to. I apologize if it came across that way. I was just pointing out something I felt relevant. It wasn't clear to me that you were referring to the Przewalski horses, and my personal opinion is that mustangs in the classical "American" sense are usually better off in domestication.


I would never in my whole never want to neglect an animal, anyone who does is crazy.

Yes, I agree. Even in the sanctuaries, they are domesticated, but mostly roam "freely" on fenced land that is for miles and miles, but are well cared for.


----------



## Gus (Oct 22, 2010)

Love mustangs I think of feral horses of N.A. I would looooooovvvvvvveeeee one and to train. I do believe if they are trained right, they are very reliable and very good with their feet.

I wish the blm wouldn't take so many off but many 'stangs go to the right home and become great horses


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Well the do it because they are injured or there is not enough food in the wild for them.


----------



## kcotti (Aug 12, 2010)

*Mustangs Rock!*

If you are dedicated to working a lot with your horse, then a Mustang is awesome for you! Once they trust you they can be the best horses. I've worked with 5 mustangs and all of them are great! They all have an attitude and are unpredictable, but they are so versitile! My old trainer had 4 mustangs:
1) Super experienced trail horse, amazing on the ground, would work for ever 
2)young green scrawny sweetheart! not broke, but just loved people
3) adorable, puppy-dog attitude! would jump in your lap if he could, stubborn but good beginner lesson horse, jumped up to 3' and could be a great hunter
4) My baby! 14.2 bay, 6 year old jumper pony. we have shown at local shows, and rated shows this year and we got reserve champion. Jumped 3'3'' in a jumper class, and schooled 3'6" at home. he has a pony attitude and he takes a intermediate rider but he's a great horse with a big heart!


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

My girl Wakiya









Her sire Rain Dancer:









Dam Snickers:









A Wilbur Cruce mare:









I have a Spanish Mustang which are different from BLMs. The breed is founded from old bloodlines that have gone extinct in the wild and the registry was founded before the BLM. Some of my horse's bloodlines can be traced to Native American tribes as far back as 1750. They are super smart, amazing feet, great self-preservation and endurance. They are very different than modern breeds. These horses are listed as critically endangered and need PRESERVATION! Some strains number less than 200 animals. There are a few Spanish type horses in the wild like Sulphurs and Cerbats, but a lot of those herds also have off-type and drafty animals.

One thing is for sure: Nothing slow or stupid survives in the wild. Mother nature is a great breeder and if you want a horse BLM horses can provide heights from around 13-16 hands all different types and conformation. If you want it you can find it. There are a few herds that produce draft horses that could be passed off as Clydes, some have Saddlebred influence, other you can see QH or TB and Arab influences as well. I love to look at each horse and try to guess which breeds make it up.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Ooh, I am still in love with Wakiya's coloring.


----------



## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

I love mustangs i have one now that a guy gave to me casue he couldnt do anything with him. i have owned hime for 2 years now & he is the best riding horse. u have to remember that all horses have differnt personalties u could have a resgered horse u grew up with & if could be more wild then the mustang. you just have to spend lots of time with your horse & they will grow used to you & love you.


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Vikki, he's quite a looker.


----------



## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

THANK YOU! he may be 5 years old but hes my baby  i love him lots <3


----------



## Makoda (Jan 17, 2011)

*my second mustang*

She is a sulphur and actually is the only horse my 6 yr old daughter will ride. you can slide off and jump on her butt go between her legs. She is the best riding horse I've had. Not spooky. her only vice so far but is getting better is her ears. From my experience breaking (Broke 2 so far and my mare was 4 when I got her) they are like any other horse I've broke. Well I don't have a pic of her yet but will get one. Here is a pic of my first he was a 3 yr old gelding. Guy who bought him says out of 30 horses between he and his dad the mustang is there favorite. They trail ride and pack with him.


----------



## Makoda (Jan 17, 2011)

*Here is my sulphur mare*

Here she is 14.2 hh dunn standing with my 15.2 hh bay qh


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Those are some nice looking horses. I fully intend to adopt and train a mustang eventually.


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

I'd love to adopt a wild one someday, hopefully there will still be some Spanish types left then...


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

You can always find a mustang with clear Spanish characteristics among those for adoption. Whether or not they'll be clearly defined by other people or organizations as being "spanish" mustangs however is another matter. 

It's amazing to me how hung up people can get on the whole purity thing, even with horses that are most definitely not "pure". Mustangs are mutts. All of them come out a little different and some of them are real gems. Is it really that special if you can call your mustang a "spanish mutt" or just a mutt?


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

These are some of the mustangs being adopted that look very spanish to my eye, but are not necessarily registrable as being so.


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

Eolith said:


> You can always find a mustang with clear Spanish characteristics among those for adoption. Whether or not they'll be clearly defined by other people or organizations as being "spanish" mustangs however is another matter.
> 
> It's amazing to me how hung up people can get on the whole purity thing, even with horses that are most definitely not "pure". Mustangs are mutts. All of them come out a little different and some of them are real gems. Is it really that special if you can call your mustang a "spanish mutt" or just a mutt?


There are some horses that have spanish characteristics but there are also thos with old type Spanish conformation and blood typing confirms them as old Spanish, they can be registered. I have a mare already from old Spanish bloodlines (mostly Choctaw/Cherokee horses) and that is what I'm working on preserving there are less than 3000 left and less than 300 breeding mares. They are critically endangered and listed with the American Livestock Breed Conservancy and Equine Survival Trust. They aren't mutts. Even some non-Spanish mustangs have been breeding true long enough to be considered a type. It really depends on your definition of breed and type. 

The difference between some horses with Spanish characteristics is that they could be only part Spanish or they could have gotten those characteristics from a more recent source (like a Spanish horse that got loose). The difference is the type is not Old Spanish...there's some really good articles about type written by Dr. Philip Sponenberg:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~RanchoTamarisque/SponenbergFrame.htm


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yeah... that's what I don't get. If the mustang looks Spanish, why do we care how old or pure it's Spanish heritage is? They're mustangs for godsakes! Mutts. Some of the mutts came out pretty and unique, so we've decided to make a rare breed out of them? It just doesn't make sense to me personally. But don't let me burst your bubble. Go for it if it's what you're passionate about.


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

Some of the bloodlines go back to 1750, they are one of the only breeds left with no Arabian and TB blood (which is important for genetic diversity). They have no genetic diseases. They are great endurance, working cow, dressage, jumping and reining horses. They are important for conservation as a rare breed because they were the first horse in America, the horse of Native Americans, the pony express, etc. They are the foundation of most (if not all) American breeds.

I think I'm confusing you as the breed was founded before the BLM, most BLM horses are not the same, and the few pockets that were Spanish have mostly been corrupted because no one cared about Spanish type. These horses were being bred in captivity for the sake of preservation in the 1800's. Why? Because they're great horses, you have to meet one to understand they aren't the same as modern breeds. 

That's why some have stopped calling them mustangs because the word no longer means feral horse of Spanish origin, it just means feral horse (from the BLM...the horses that aren't on HMAs don't get to be mustangs). 

I hope I'm not coming off as hostile or something I just want to explain, because you're right I am passionate about it. And the reason they're a rare breed isn't because we've made them a rare breed its because they aren't really acknowledged and the word mustang makes people think BLM and they don't understand the difference, that and a lot of breeders have gotten older and the stock has been lost after they pass on


----------



## victorialicious7 (Jan 22, 2011)

hello! I just thought I would comment on my view on mustangs.. I think it really depends on the horse and if it gets properly trained.. I think they're great horses though. I was lucky enough to be able to ride on that my west coast trainer had during summer camp. Let me tell you this - that horse was one heck of a jumper! We did a jump line (jump after jump on the rail) and she got a bit feisty, but she loved it! We kept going higher depending on everyone's ability and I think when I finished (we were also doing this no stirrups/rains/both, not sure which with her cause she was overjumping haha) the last jump was around 3 feet! She overjumped a lot and got very excited but I think it was one of the funnest rides I had in a long time! I do hope in the future to bring one home and do some similar training but that'll be in a few more years, for sure!


----------



## petitepyromaniac (Oct 12, 2010)

I've had two mustangs. My first one was sassy but I loved her and I think she loved me too 

The second one I had I couldn't click with. She'd tolerate me working with her, but I could feel that she didn't like it. We never got a bond.

I'd like to try it one more time, and hopefully get one more like the first one. Hopefully third times a charm!


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

More about the Colonial Spanish horse and it's importance for conservation:

"Colonial Spanish Horses are of great historic importance in the New World, and are one of only a very few genetically unique horse breeds worldwide. They have both local and global importance for genetic conservation. They are sensible, capable mounts that have for too long been relegated a very peripheral role in North American horse breeding and horse using. The combination of great beauty, athletic ability, and historic importance makes this breed a very significant part of our heritage.

Colonial Spanish Horses are heritagely referred to by this name. The usual term that is used in North America is Spanish Mustang. The term "mustang" carries with it the unfortunate connotation of any feral horse, so that this term serves poorly in several regards. Many Colonial Spanish horses have never had a feral background, but are instead the result of centuries of careful breeding. Also, only a very small minority of feral horses (mustangs) in North America qualify as being Spanish in type and breeding.

The important part of the background of the Colonial Spanish Horses is that they are indeed Spanish. These are descendants of the horses that were brought to the New World by the Conquistadors, and include some feral, some rancher, some mission, and some native American strains. Colonial Spanish type is very heritage among modern feral mustangs, and the modern Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs should not be confused with Colonial Spanish horses, as the two are very distinct with only a few exceptions to this rule.

Colonial Spanish Horses descend from horses introduced from southern Spain, and possibly North Africa, during the period of the conquest of the New World. In the New World this colonial resource has become differentiated into a number of breeds, and the North American representatives are only one of many such breeds throughout the Americas. These horses are a direct remnant of the horses of the Golden Age of Spain, which type is now mostly or wholly extinct in Spain. The Colonial Spanish horses are therefore a treasure chest of genetic wealth from a time long gone. In addition, they are capable and durable mounts for a wide variety of equine pursuits in North America, and their abilities have been vastly undervalued for most of the last century. These are beautiful and capable horses from a genetic pool that heavily influenced horse breeding throughout the world five centuries ago, yet today they have become quite heritage and undervalued."

-Philip Sponenberg
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

im gonna have to agree with Eolith, mustangs are mustangs there a breed when in there selves. spanish or not! it dont matter they both come from the wild & have all sorts of diffrent breeds! mustang is just a nice way of saying mutt. i love my mustage Camanche hes a great horse & one of the best riding horses!


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

BLM mustangs make great horses, that's not what I'm saying. I really don't agree with how they are systematically removing them for asian cattle, I REALLY hate that. I LIKE them, I will probably will end up with one at some point. HOWEVER, there are 30,000 in holding pens (which is stupid since most of their rangeland is now abandoned) ALONE, plus the wild ones. They're not going extinct any time soon. The old genetics found in Colonial Spanish Horse could the population is probably less than 3000. Those genetics are unique, they are free of genetic diseases and are very different than modern breeds.

That being said nothing slow or stupid survives in the wild, mother nature is great breeder and that's why getting a mustang is so awesome, plus the experience of bonding with this feral critter. I'm not saying don't get a mustang, by all means get one or twenty, but they're not the same horses that the spanish brought over or that indians bred for generations, they aren't the pony express horses, this vaqueros mount, the first cow pony or the blood that helped shape every american breed. What they ARE is: intelligent, courageous, often friendly, capable and loyal mounts of varying type and ancestry. They're still awesome, just not the same horse. Two separate things that overlap. Spanish horses were the first mustangs they numbered in the millions, they were nearly wiped out to extinction. These new mustangs would also being wiped out slowly if no one cared.

Mustang today might be a nice way of saying mutt, which is true, but before it was an ownerless (not necessarily even feral) Spanish horse in a sea of old spanish horses. Mesteno was of pure origins.


----------



## wild horses (Feb 11, 2011)

Hi check out my wild horses and out i trained them 

www.wildhorseproject.blogspot.com

i love them and think they are the best and most versatile horse i have ever worked with! Im a full time rider who has worked in barns all over the world!

also mustangs are generally only american wild horses, brumbies are australlian and new zealand we have our kaimanawas they all descend from differant domestic stock


----------



## stsjade (Feb 12, 2011)

aww- beautiful horses


----------



## MelanieM (Feb 13, 2011)

You all have some gorgeous mustangs! I have one myself and I absolutely love him.

I have been involved with a horse rescue and volunteered when I could. Last year things changed and I began at first volunteering every other weekend and couldn't bear waiting til my weekend to go down. So, I started going every weekend. I started in May...

And that very first evening there, I met Milo.








I never believed in love at first sight until I laid my eyes on him. He's a BLM mustang and was donated to the rescue by his previous owner. He is 11 this year and has went through all the gentling and as far as training, a ton of ground work. And this spring, I'm finding a trainer to saddle train him. 

Long story hopefully short. I have a bombproof 26 year old mare at home. I'm used to riding my mare that I can do 'wrong' things with, but she does things right lol. I fell in love with Milo and wanted him badly, but with my lack of experience, I didn't feel that I was ready for something so green. And I sure didn't think the rescue would think I was either. So, Milo was a dream. Every weekend that I was down at the rescue, I would spend time with Milo. He knew my call. I got him to the point where he would hear my whistle and he would come out of nowhere in his stall and have his shoulder pressed to the gate waiting (demanding lol) for me to scratch his shoulder. We had some guys come down to work with and ride horses that needed updated on the website. It seems once someone sees pictures of a well broke horse actually being ridden, that horse is adopted in no time. One particular day, Milo was worked with. My heart was broken because I knew once someone seen him being worked with, interest would be drawn to him and he would be adopted I made the comment to the coordinator and she laughed and said, "You may as well adopt him then." She does her best to make sure the right horse goes to the right home. She would not joke about such a green horse going to a greenie like myself. And that particular day, I have to add...I had to hide from Milo. When Milo couldn't see me, he would join up with the guy, but if he heard or seen me, he was all about paying attention to me. Bond, yes? 

I started having nightmares of Milo being taken from me. I told the coordinator and we had a talk. Milo obviously had chosen me. I do have horse knowledge. My horse taught me a TON. Milo can teach me in other ways. Honey has shaped me and Milo can mold me. And alas, Milo was mine

Milo is just amazing. And that just doesn't come from me. Everyone loves him. I board him here and he's a star lol. We have had people inquire about horses and ask about him. Nope, sorry!

So, to the point of mustangs. I love watching Milo. He is domesticated, yet still has his wild instinct. For example, one afternoon a storm was brewing. We were outside doing something and knew we had to get it done quick. I watched the pastures. No horses were going into shelters. Milo was different. He was pacing the fence rows trying to herd the pasture next to his into their shelter. He would run into his and stand there and run back out and try to get his herd. We decided to listen to Milo and went to the office. No sooner than we got inside, it started to storm bad. I have seen weather changes and Milo reacts. It rained one day and was getting cold. The next thing we knew, Milo was running his pasture mates around the pasture. He is the boss and can be a punk, but this particular time, he was not chasing some horse to be bossy. He had a job to do. He was running his herd to dry them off and keep them warm because it was getting cold. Just like it would be in the wild. 

One thing I was asked to do was desensitize him when climbing up on a gate. He would shy away from it and we joked that he thought we were mountain lions. He was stalled the first time I tried and he shied to the back of his stall. He came back up and I started to scratch his favorite spot, climbed up on the gate, laid on it and he nuzzled me. "Scary" things will scare him, but one time only and he's so over it. 

I just can't wait to find a trainer and get him saddle trained so I can begin our next chapter 

Some pictures..

















(Milo misses nothing that happens at the farm lol)


----------



## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Milo is soo cute!


----------



## MelanieM (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks Ray! He is such a cool horse. And most days, he knows it too LOL

He has been worked with by two different people with two different methods. What works best for Milo is small slow steps. He has to investigate everything being done to him. Go too fast and he's not cool with it. The first time he was saddled up, it wasn't done in baby steps and Milo wasn't absorbing it. He was a bucking fella once he had the saddle on. A different guy worked with him a few months later and was able to get on him bareback...mount from the gate (go me for the desenitizing!) and sat on him for quite some time while we chatted. Milo didn't mind at all. Next step was the saddle and it was the same thing all over. When the guy first started working with Milo, he told me to just do ground work and desensitizing...no getting on him. By the end of the lesson, he told me..there is no reason why you can't try working with getting on him. Milo started off being nervous and wondering what was going on to being so cool with everything going on. I really do think it will be easy to saddle train him...as long as it is done in steps and that Milo can absorb everything before going to the next. People looked at pictures of both sessions and couldn't believe it was the same horse.


----------



## Miakoda (Jan 28, 2011)

I love all the pics! All of y'all are making me want a mustang. Well, I've always wanted one, but life keeps getting in the way.


----------

