Lynda & Andy Mattix MT Mustang TIP Challenge Horses

**Update: Rocky has been adopted and will be going to live with an amazing family in South Dakota** Rocky now has a scheduled meet and greet with a family who may want to adopt him. We’re still taking back up inquiries and meet and greet sessions for now. We’re continuing to work with both geldings till they find new homes. Tonight I chose to work with Rocky instead of Red. It was a few more firsts for Rocky Boy. First time ever: - Cinching lesson (including front, back and flank cinch positions) - Bareback pad - Saddle And - rope around butt and under tail (ie like a crouper would be) Rocky did amazing for his first lesson. He’s holding to his Pokey Joe nickname and still likes to take things at his pace speed wise but he didn’t is truly not a very reactive young gelding and took everything in stride tonight. A little bunching on the back and a few kicking out sessions when the rope around his but hit certain spots but nothing terrible at all and absolutely to be expected for first time ever having these things done. The video is very long because it’s not edited at all and is our whole session. Feel free to fast forward to different parts.

Andy and Rocky Musical Freestyle.

Andy and Rocky Trail Class.

Andy and Rocky Handling and Conditioning Class.

Red and myself Musical Freestyle.

Red and myself Trail Class.

Red and myself Handling and Conditioning Class.

Rocky now goes through the cowboy curtain and the pool noodle alley. He’s coming along well. Rocky will be available for adoption at the MT Mustang TIP Challenge on Saturday August 27th at Big Sky Horse Park in Missoula, MT. Challenge starts at 8 am and available horse meet and greet scheduled to happen around the lunch break time ish.

Red is progressing nicely. This last session was an exercise in new things and how coordinated we could be (or rather I could be - have to say that there’s kinks that need to be worked out still. Lol. ). Red jumped barrels for the first time, did a couple barrel patterns while lunging (this is the part where need more coordination on my part - lol), side passed and bowed. I’m constantly amazed with Red’s willingness to try anything for whomever is working with him. He’s one amazing animal and will be available after the challenge.

Andy got Rocky to not only go into the trailer but also to back out, which means that Rocky now has met all the TIP requirements (finally- smile). Rocky has been a bit of a stubborn one but things seem to have finally clicked in the last couple sessions and now he’s doing great. Guess he was just one of those late bloomers. Smile. Rocky is a 2 year old gelding from Fish Creek Nevada and will be available after the Challenge.

Are we absolutely certain that Red was a truly wild horse and not instead a trained domestic horse that happened to be caught in the gather? Red continues to amaze me every time I work with him. Today he not only ignored all the highway traffic (I-90 is across the street and about 200 feet from the end of our front pasture) on our first walk along the road (although bicycles seemed to be something to watch pass by very intently- smile) but he also didn’t care at all about the first time encounter with a tarp and did exactly what I asked him to when I queued him to side pass towards me (and today is the first time even starting to teach him to do that). He’s sure going to make someone an amazing partner. He’s so willing, easy going and easy to work with.

Red had his first experience with cinch training, being sacked out with a saddle blanket, wearing a bare back pad, and starting to bow. In true Red fashion, he tries all I asked and did very well with everything. He’ll be available after the challenge. If interested in this amazing young gelding before the Challenge, please feel free to PM me.

Here’s part 2 of 3 of the highlights video of working with Red after about 3 weeks off. Again, there were honestly no low points in this almost hour long training session. He truly did absolutely amazing. Anyone wanting to be his new forever home after the MT Mustang TIP Challenge on August 27th, please feel free to PM me and put your name on him now. I’ll hold him. If you want to meet him, that can be arranged too. Or come see Red and other horses at the TIP Challenge August 27th at the Big Sky Horse Park in Missoula, MT.

I posted the video highlights part 3 of working with Red after about 3 weeks off last night. Here’s part 1 of that. There were honestly no low points in this almost hour long training session. He did absolutely amazing. Anyone wanting to be his new forever home after the MT Mustang TIP Challenge on August 27th, please feel free to PM me and put your name on him now. I’ll hold him. If you want to meet him, that can be arranged too. Or come see Red and other horses at the TIP Challenge August 27th at the Big Sky Horse Park in Missoula, MT.

After about three weeks off due to summer storms and a now ongoing construction project involving tearing down and rebuilding the roof over our hay area, Red acted like he hadn't had any time off at all. He did everything he already knew like a champ and surprised me by even doing things we'd never tried before (ie walk-trot transitions while lunging, yielding his head both directions, side passing, the sending exercise to get ready for being sent through gates, trailer loading, and the first time ever going for a walk around the property outside of the round pen). He really is an amazing young gelding. Red will be available for reassignment and adoption after the Challenge in August. Anyone interested can message me and I will hold him for that new forever home till the MT TIP Challenge is over.

Well…Andy has finally named his gelding. Meet Rocky Boy. It’s been kind of a rocky start. Weather not cooperating and Andy being unsure as he’s brand new to horse training. We’ve decided that tag teaming is probably what’s in the best interest of both Andy and Rocky. Andy gets to learn training while training Rocky and Rocky gets two trainers at once. 😊 Anyway. Have made some progress. Rocky has started leading, is desensitized to the rope, got his first brushing, started picking up all 4 feet, and has been haltered for the first time. Rocky will be available after the TIP Challenge. Anyone who would like to claim this gelding ahead of time, please feel free to message me.

Strider (aka Red) training session highlights on 6/2/22

Know I haven’t posted in a little while. Weather and work had me having to hold off some. But Strider (aka Red) is doing well. Going to make someone an amazing companion after the challenge. He constantly amazes me with how quickly he picks up new things and retains what he’s learned even after days off. If anyone wants to claim him before the challenge in August, please message me. I’ll definitely hold him for his new forever home. BLM approved application will be needed after the challenge before he could go to his new home (which could be done ahead of time). So far, he either knows or is getting better at: Haltering and being caught (in pen only at this time) -Yielding hind quarters -Leading (still working on it and will be leading out of round pen and in pasture very soon) -Yielding forequarters (still work in progress) -Brushing -Picking up all 4 feet -Desensitized to ropes, person on the ground putting jacket on and off, flag and pool noodles -Lunging (still some fine tuning here but quickly getting there) - Backing up when on a line and asked (work in progress but just learned and improving quickly) -Has started working on walking behind him (still a work in progress but no bad reactions, just slowly dancing circles and then turning to face me when I do walk behind him). - And has started walking over objects on the ground (used pool noodles so mixed results here due to the noodles being light and moving easily but was walking over them mostly) Anyway, here’s the highlights video of our last session. Sorry it’s so long but Facebook will only allow me one video at a time.

Wasn’t all fun and games yesterday. I just posted the highlights video. We’ll, here’s the low times. Have to see the bad with the good right?

Tag 5843 now officially named Strider (still nicknamed Red). Had a wonderful session yesterday. Now leading very well, has had halter on and off several times, has had some desensitization to ropes and has let me take his neck tag off.