Heart Horse Training

01/05/2025

12/13/2024

Twilight has now been in training for 291 days. She's been the slowest, but I know it's worth it.

We Just Can’t Do It Anymore😔

~The evolution of wild mustang competitions~

A hundred wild mustangs in a 100 days with 100 trainers.

It was a brilliant idea🧐. Innovative, creative, exciting and challenging. Plus, the added bonus of showing the world just how trainable and amazing the American Mustang is.
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And it was amazing. It worked great for about the first 10 or so years. See back in the beginning you were a huge success if you got your horse around the courses. They were not too complicated. You could win your freestyle if you carried a tarp around and taught them to lay down.

Then the trainers got better.

The competitions got harder 😳and what we expected of the horses got to be monumental. In order to stay competitive you had to work your horse every.single.day. A lot of top trainers worked their horses all day. I know of some who didn’t take outside horses when they did the makeover so they could just concentrate on that one makeover horse.

🏆Winning was everything and we lost sight of the goal.

Horses were auctioned off who were dangerous but promised to be “solid, broke horse for anyone”. Some ended up in kill pens, some went from home to home to home. We lost sight of the why. The why we are doing this in the first place.

When horses are trained to win at a freestyle, many essential pieces are missing for a good transition to domestic life and a new home. They still need those holes filled.

A lot of wonderful trainers 🤠did all they could to encourage buyers to keep the horse in training and give them more time before taking them home. Many tried buying their horse back to keep training and have a say in placing them in the right home. This can be quite costly and let’s face it, mustang trainers aren’t exactly bringing in tons of money 💰training mustangs.

Good trainers got burnt out🥵. Good trainers heart’s 💔couldn’t take the grind and what was necessary to be competitive. Made no sense to put all that money into getting to the show if you couldn’t at least be competitive. Most do not have the bank accounts to be purely philanthropic yet got shamed by the public to simply want to survive financially.

A change was needed.

🥳A change is here.

The powers that be have taken notice. The new competitions offer more time ⏱. One of the reasons I have always loved the Magic. It gave 120 days rather than just 100 and those extra 20 days were huge.

But it still isn’t enough for most mustangs.

That is only enough time for a select few who can handle the stress of rapid training. Most mustangs are not like that and even then you are asking too much. They are generous and forgiving creatures, but it is too much 😞.

We are headed to the time of the majority of the competitions offering from 6mths to almost a year. This is incredible 🤩and the essential evolution of the mustang competition. It is more in-line with the rest of the equestrian show world as well. Check out what Mustang Heritage Foundation and Mustang Champions are doing breaking new ground and making huge changes.

These competitions are also allowing trainers the option to select the homes the mustangs they train go to. This helps the trainer as well as gives the mustang the best possible chance to not change homes or end up at a kill pen somewhere. That level of training, time invested, money invested and control of the person who knows the horse best (the trainer) helps push everything towards the best possible outcome for the horse.🐴

There is this domestic horse formula meme floating around FB right now:
📍Takes 1 year to get them broke
📍Takes 2 years to train one to a discipline
📍3-5yrs to season one
📍10yrs to truly finish one

Expecting wild mustangs to rise to a different time line is unfair and breeds for some rather unsavory 😬practices to result.
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We feel it takes 1-2yrs to get them even domesticated, then they can truly START on the timeline above. Sometimes they can do it concurrently.

We expect too much of them and then throw them away 🗑when they don’t meet that accredited timeline.

They deserve better from us. Let's treat them at least the same as we do domestic horses.

Give them time.

I recently pulled Sandia from the Mustang Magic - Ft Worth 2025 competition. She is a lovely mare but was not handling the stress of this timeline well. Her last video and why we pulled her from the competition was just posted to our YouTube channel.
Link in the comments.

Edited to add: To all those new to us. Isidro doesn’t do any of our social media. It’s me, the other half of IEH - Amber 🙂 though we do share sentiments and point of views on what’s posted here.

10/30/2024

Day 255
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

Twilights first show is officially in the books!

Twilight went in there and trusted me through our first class in the 2024 National Mountain Trail Championship show. This is a huge class.

I am looking forward to our next class on Saturday.

PC 📷: Andrea - thank you!

**tstarting

10/29/2024

Day 254
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

I have been so busy lately I haven't posted any videos.

Twilight received her first full trim today! She was 100% at liberty in her stall. I'm so proud of her!

We also signed up for the 2024 National Mountain Trail Championship show.

We will be going tomorrow and Saturday in the Logan arena at Oregon Horse Center. Our back number is 362.

Wish us luck!

**tstarting

10/20/2024

How to be a great lesson parent!
1.) WATCH YOUR KID RIDE! I can’t believe how many dads (sorry, but in my experience it’s always the dads) sit in the car and don’t watch EVER. Your kid absolutely wants to know that you are watching. Please make your child feel important and come sit ring side.
2.) Do NOT coach! Are you an accomplished equestrian? No? Shush. Yes? Then you give the lesson.
3.) Take video. It’s helpful. A few barns have rules against video but most love when you not only video, but send us instructors good clips!
4.) If you see something, say something TO THE INSTRUCTOR. Is your kid’s outside foot the whole way deep into the stirrup and the instructor is on the inside of their circle and can’t see it? It’s okay to tattle. 🤣 But if you talk to your child directly it’s distracting. (if nothing else, it’s hard to take instructions from two people at the same time.) occasionally a parent will point something out to me, and I’ll say, “Yep, good eye. But I’m not worried about that right now.”  sometimes we have to let something slide while we work on something else. But we’re also not perfect and we do miss things occasionally.
5.) Understand that giving the same instruction over and over is normal. It happens with adults too.  If I tell them to step into their right stirrup a little more, I’m usually happy if they maintain it for 30 seconds on their own… seriously. Unless the entire exercise is about fixing one body part, it’s very common for riders to make a fix, just for it to slide back out of place almost immediately.
I bring this up because I see parents sometimes get embarrassed or frustrated when I have to tell their kids to put their hands down on repeat. The parent looks ready to jump up and down screaming, “Just Keep your Freaking Hands Down Already!!!!!” I promise you it’s not that easy!
6.) Politely discourage your child from talking to you. If twice during a lesson, your child looks over and asks you to video or if they ask you to hand them a water bottle during a break, that stuff is totally fine. But if your child’s interaction with you is constant or if they clearly have more attention on you than the instructor, just say, “Pease pay attention to Miss Danee and not me.”
7.) If your child is anxiously attached to you, use this opportunity to wean them off of you slowly, and not traumatically. Don’t just dump them off at the lesson and hop in your car and leave, but maybe tell them you are going to walk outside and make a phone call while they tack up/ warm up, but that you’ll be back in time to watch the majority of the lesson. Or if the lesson is in an outdoor arena, just pull your chair a little further away instead of sitting right next to the arena. 

Basically it all comes down to middle ground- show interest in your kid’s progress, but also encourage independence.
The barn is a great place to develop secure attachment styles, independence, and a love for learning!
Allow us riding instructors to work our magic, but also be around to witness it, and praise your child for their progress.

Wanna make it even better? On the drive home ask your kid what their favorite part was, or what they thought they did well, and which parts were hard or easy. Don’t grill them about it, but show interest and get them thinking about their progress.


10/17/2024

it’s not important that you never make a mistake, that’s unrealistic and damaging to growth. The most important part is how you recover : you commit to yourself to regroup and start over, because you deserve it. And you commit to the horse to regroup and start over, because they deserve it. You’re teaching them too that it’s ok to make mistakes, and how to rebalance.

Mistakes are life. Go forward, and rebalance.

10/14/2024

Day 238
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

Twilight is getting better at domestic life each day. Today, I groomed her, fly sprayed her and saddled her up. She has always been good for saddling and she has never offered to buck.

I sat on her from the fence multiple times today. I am trying to get her as prepped as I can, because the first ride is almost here!

**tstarting

10/01/2024

Day 225
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

Today I took Twilight to the paddock to start the introduction of hot wire. She was not bothered too much by the highway traffic, but she wouldn't wander away from me. I kept her on a lunge line just in case she felt the need to flee through the tape. She walked around with me while I poo picked.

Later, I took out the tarp and showed it to her for the first time. Here you can see her working through actually crossing it for the first time.

I will post the video of her first attempt in the comments due to facebook's page limits.

**tstarting

09/30/2024

Horses are a lot like 4th graders.

I know this because my wife, Bridget, is a school teacher, and over the years, I’ve gained a pretty good understanding of what it takes to make a great student-teacher relationship... and I’ve come to realize, in many ways, it’s not that much different from the horse-trainer relationship.

Horses, like students, may not always remember exactly what you taught them on a given day, but they remember how you made them feel.

They remember whether or not you encouraged them and made them feel confident about the things they have learned.

They remember if you took time to listen to them and to build a relationship with them.

They recognize our attitudes and behaviors, and they are easily influenced by the energy we put off—both positively and negatively.

Horses, like students, need space to make mistakes.

They don’t need to be micromanaged.

They don’t need to be harshly criticized when they get the wrong answer.

Instead, they need you to guide them in the right direction and be rewarded when they find the right answer.

Horses, like students, need us to take the time to help them develop their skills.

They need us to show patience and kindness.

They need us to have understanding and excellent communication.

They need us to be committed to their growth, no matter how slow or fast it may be.

Horses, like students, need us to understand that progress is not an overnight process, but rather a lifelong journey. And, while it may be a long journey, it sure is a rewarding one.

09/28/2024

6 months progress after pulling shoes and making frequent corrections.

09/24/2024

Day 219
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

Every day Twilight greets me with a whinny when I enter the barn.

Today I picked out all 4 feet! I have been working on a command to pick up her hoof. I run my hand down her leg and say "foot" and she's good about picking them up for me.

I saddled her up for the first time in a little while; we did some lunging, forehand and haunch turns. I tested her lateral flexion. Then I worked above her from the fence. I noticed she was much less worried and even took a step towards me. I eventually put my leg over her. She was calm. Then I slowly lowered myself over her. She stayed calm again, so I got up. I waited a minute and then again, slowly lowered myself onto her back. I had nearly all my weight in the saddle but I didn't let go of the fence. I will keep working at this part until she licks and chews or breathes a little more while I do it. She then will be ready for her first ride.

I know I have been saying for a while that she is almost ready, I've just known deep down she wasn't quite there. Now I feel all of it coming together.

She was not ready for bridling as she's very protective around her poll and mouth. We will get there though.

**tstarting

09/24/2024

Really proud of Gemma and her owner!

This was the first ride in an arena and they both handled themselves really well. This was Gemma's first time packing a snaffle during their ride. Her reins are attached to the halter.

By the end they were both super relaxed and appeared more confident.

09/20/2024

I was called out to help with this Warm Springs Reservation stud c**t from the Hisatake sale.

His owner has only been able to get within about 3 feet of him in 2 weeks. Yesterday, I was able to get him to touch my hand in an hour.

Once he isn't afraid, I have a feeling he's going to be really cool. He has a single whorl near the center of his forehead.

**t

09/16/2024

Fable and I had our 3rd ride and her 1st ride in a snaffle.

Overall I am really pleased with how much better she understood this time. We are keeping the rides short and positive for now.

I am still consistently working her on the ground to help with her losing some weight and gain some needed muscle.

She is a special mare and I am lucky to have her as part of our herd.

**tstarting

09/15/2024

Day 210
#8064
Twilight of the South Steens
~6 years old
Mare
15 hh
Black

Twilight and I have been working on so much but I've been too busy to post.

She let me come in her stall while she was lying down and touch her nose.

She's been getting small turn out times and has been sweetly socializing with the horses near her.

We have been working on mounting from a bucket (because the fence is too tall compared to her). She has been getting better each time. Now I can lean across her back, and put my leg on her back without her moving.

I can pick up all four feet more consistently but she is still timid with the back right. If you take your time, she will allow it.

I officially sticked her and she is an even 15 hands tall.

**tstarting

09/09/2024

You'll have to excuse the wind noise...

Pancho and I had so much fun trotting and cantering out today. We did some trot poles, went through the "water", and went up the bank and down the other side.

A couple of the poles we were trotting through, he definitely jumped them.

I can actually say we had so much fun and I am seeing jumping in our near future. 🤎

09/09/2024

My horses well-being is very important to me.

I wish I could offer more space, but until I buy property, I am grateful to be able to provide this.

I also put out 5, 2-string bales for these 3 horses every other day in their large nets.

They have freedom, forage and friends.

Eventually, once Twilight understands the hot wire, and has been introduced to my newest horse, she will join them.

09/06/2024

I guess I'm building a water box