Every year, about this time, I start getting "the itch". You know, the one to be back on horseback. Hell with horseback, I just need some horse time. (Mom's feeling the itch, too. Their horses are on property that Mom and Bill can't access without crossing private property.)
Since Audubon didn't take, my back-up plan is to adopt a mustang. I was hoping that we'd have an early summer Extreme Mustang Makeover that I could adopt from, but there isn't one in Colorado this year. I met an amazing mustang trainer while filming Horse Master last July and have been watching her progress. She's only about forty miles from me (if that) and has been doing very well in the mustang competitions. I love her calm, quiet nature around the horses; she communicates very clearly with them and gets good results. My hope was to be able to adopt one of her mustangs from EMM.
With no competition here this year, and my reluctance to bid long-distance and have to pay to have a horse hauled back here from where ever the competition is held (the next one is in Norco, CA), I had to go back to the drawing board.
And then I realized: if Audubon had taken, I'd be starting a colt from the beginning. Well, if I believe I can start a colt, then I should be able to start a 'stang. Hey, I didn't say my logic was flawless, but Mom and Bill have successfully started and finished their mustangs. And Pony Peak Stangmanship is not far from here. So, hypothetically, I have some support if I need it.
Elli, the darling woman who gave Estes her apartment, has asked when we'd be getting a new horse and has offered up her place again, so I've got a "home" close by to work with a new horse. I just have to check out a few things at her place, take measurements and such, before I submit an application.
After my application is approved, I'll start making trips down to Canyon City to check out their horses. I might even take a trip up to Rock Springs, WY to look at theirs. Currently, the Rock Springs holding facility is closed to the public as they allow the horses from their last round up to settle in. They are anticipating opening in the spring, which is about the time I'm going to start looking.
It's a bit early to start getting excited, but I'm all sorts of excited to get started on this next adventure.
4 comments:
Oooh, this is gonna be fun!
Exciting! :)
Just so you know, Canon City has a WHIP program that sells started geldings (I have seen a more or two over the years), and halter broke horses.....just sayin'! I think the saddle broke horses are right at $1000 and halter broke are around $300. Not too bad, they seem to do a good solid job with the horses in this program. There are many prisons that do it, but some seem to be run by interesting people. And can I go with you when you go down there?!?! I also would be happy to help as much as I can over email or what not! I'm so excited for you!
Becky, that's awesome. I know about the WHIP program. I've looked at their halter-broke horses, but I'd rather a range-born mustang instead of a facility-born mustang and the two halter-broke ones they have are both facility babies. I think it's going to take a couple of trips down to look at what's available before I adopt. I won't be even considering going down until April or May, once my 9HealthFair craziness slows down. Thanks for the offer to help! Please shoot me an email: tel835 at hotmail dot com.
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