Melissa Bigler Horse Training LLC

Melissa Bigler Horse Training LLC Horse Trainer with a focus on working with the horse and creating a happy, willing partner.

3 week update:All I had to do was post that we were making millimeter progress to have a huge jump ahead yesterday and t...
11/04/2024

3 week update:

All I had to do was post that we were making millimeter progress to have a huge jump ahead yesterday and today. Everything up until yesterday was Juniper tolerating some contact, but not really participating. Acceptance, but just barely.

Yesterday started with Juniper acting especially feral and ended with curiosity and engagement! I believe this was likely one of many "extinction bursts" that she'll have. The short explanation of an extinction burst is when you are trying to change a behavior you get a burst of the undesirable behavior before it goes away or significantly lessens.

Today, she started off right where we ended yesterday and she ended today with a huge difference in her attitude, draw, and attention. Her uncomfortable personal space bubble shrunk significantly. I tried so hard not to push it because she was trying really hard and clearly had some huge mental breakthroughs. 🤎🤎🤎

We're going to have some wintery weather this week, so we'll see how that affects her willingness. 🤞

🍑She is built! Juniper is not the easiest Mustang to gain trust with but, we are still making progress every single day,...
11/01/2024

🍑She is built!

Juniper is not the easiest Mustang to gain trust with but, we are still making progress every single day, so can't be upset by that. I still wholly believe once I can get a halter on her she will start making progress in miles instead of millimeters. The journey to get a halter on her is just taking longer than I anticipated.

I still walk up to her and pet her muzzle, but I'm shifting my focus a little bit to get her more used to humans being weird humans and that the things us weird humans do should mean nothing to her. She is getting more comfortable with me being all around her, swinging the stick around, walking around her on all sides and behind, approach and retreat on her whole body, etc.

10/28/2024

Juniper was so good today. We worked on getting her used to me spending more time on her left side as she heavily prefers to keep me in her right eye. Every time she did things right, she got a break to have a few bites of alfalfa mash. You can really see her long lashes in this video. She has Disney Princess eyes!

Alfalfa mash is lip smacking good. 🤎💋
10/27/2024

Alfalfa mash is lip smacking good. 🤎💋

10/23/2024

Some clips and photos from Juniper's adoption day. 🤎🐎

Don't get greedy! In the first 5 minutes of our session today, Juniper let me walk up to her and rub her nose 5 separate...
10/23/2024

Don't get greedy! In the first 5 minutes of our session today, Juniper let me walk up to her and rub her nose 5 separate times and for a longer duration than yesterday. It's easy to want to ask for more and more, especially when you get more than yesterday in the first few minutes! Sometimes it's best to just let them simmer. So, Junie worked for 5 minutes today and then I hung out with her while she ate.
Quitting while you're ahead is how you keep a willing horse willing!

10/22/2024

"Wait, wait, wait... that's all you wanted? Ooohhhh..." - Juniper

Day 10, finally got first touch! After I rubbed her nose she processed for a minute and then decided I was cool and followed me over to the camera and then out of the roundpen. 🥰

Juniper is making me work hard for every millimeter. Patience , skill, and focus.This might look like first touch, but i...
10/20/2024

Juniper is making me work hard for every millimeter. Patience , skill, and focus.
This might look like first touch, but it is not. I could feel her breath on my hand and was grazing her whiskers. Any closer and she said "Absolutely not!✋️".
I don't think she is necessarily terrified of people, but all she has known of people is that when they're around she is supposed to move. So, we're working on a bit of reprogramming. She is smart, but fighting her instinct and prior knowledge to run.

10/18/2024

Yesterday, I was able to rub Juniper's face with the stick. Today was cold and windy with a cold front coming through. I think it put her a little on edge. Just happy we didn't lose progress.

So, so close to touching with the stick.
10/16/2024

So, so close to touching with the stick.

Closer and closer. Junie B is super cool. She is unfazed by just about everything going on around her. She's just curiou...
10/16/2024

Closer and closer. Junie B is super cool. She is unfazed by just about everything going on around her. She's just curious about it all. I really think once I can touch her, and get a halter on her, progress will skyrocket. 🤞🤞 Hopefully soon, but I'm taking it at her pace. Slow steady progress.

10/14/2024

✨️Official Name Introduction✨️

I'd like to officially introduce you to Juniper, AKA "Junie B". 🤩 Her sponsor, Maggie Lambert, met her this morning and named her. I love it. I think it suits her perfectly.

Also, check out her trot! 😍

Introducting tag 9439, still no name, but that will have to change soon because referring to her as "the mustang" just i...
10/14/2024

Introducting tag 9439, still no name, but that will have to change soon because referring to her as "the mustang" just isnt cutting it. 🤣 She has had a good first full day at home. She's is a 6 year old mare from the Piceance-East Douglas HMA in Colorado. She spent 2 years in holding and I picked her up at her very first adoption event.

So cute. I cant wait to get closer photos of her eyes. Her eyelashes are amazing and she just looks like a big cuddly teddy bear. She seems very chill and interested in her surroundings. She's also notably shocked by the other horses actively looking for human interaction and you can see the puzzlement on her face. While still very unsure of me, we are making our way toward first touch. I've gotten 5 solid steps toward me and have spent time with her eating next to me while I sit on the ground by her gate.

She will be my 2025 Mustang Classic horse. Super excited to see what this next year brings. 🤎

I also have a ton of pictures and video from adoption day, I just need to find the time to sit down and edit it together.

Bringing home my 2025 Mustang Classic mare today! More updates later!
10/12/2024

Bringing home my 2025 Mustang Classic mare today! More updates later!

✨️Mustang Preparation Journey✨️I'm approved to adopt! I have 2 adoption events in mind this month. One is in Colorado an...
10/02/2024

✨️Mustang Preparation Journey✨️

I'm approved to adopt! I have 2 adoption events in mind this month. One is in Colorado and one in Wyoming.

Still building the Mustang pen and herding all the ducks in a row.

Really looking forward to competing next year at the Mustang Classic event and seeing everything this mustang and I can learn from each other over the next year.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mustangs-help-build-their-safe-spaces

Address

Fort Collins, CO

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Melissa Bigler Horse Training LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Melissa Bigler Horse Training LLC:

Videos

Juniper was so good today. We worked on getting her used to me spending more time on her left side as she heavily prefers to keep me in her right eye. Every time she did things right, she got a break to have a few bites of alfalfa mash. You can really see her long lashes in this video. She has Disney Princess eyes!

Some clips and photos from Juniper's adoption day. 🤎🐎

"Wait, wait, wait... that's all you wanted? Ooohhhh..." - Juniper Day 10, finally got first touch! After I rubbed her nose she processed for a minute and then decided I was cool and followed me over to the camera and then out of the roundpen. 🥰

Yesterday, I was able to rub Juniper's face with the stick. Today was cold and windy with a cold front coming through. I think it put her a little on edge. Just happy we didn't lose progress.

✨️Official Name Introduction✨️ I'd like to officially introduce you to Juniper, AKA "Junie B". 🤩 Her sponsor, Maggie Lambert, met her this morning and named her. I love it. I think it suits her perfectly. Also, check out her trot! 😍

Take the time to ride bareback and giggle like a little kid. 😉😃

Thursday night lessons, the best nights!

Getting ready for our obstacle challenge this weekend by testing out the new teeter totter one of the fellow boarders built!

How awesome! Yesterday, Denver's mom hopped up there and had her first trots on her since I started Denver undersaddle. She's a great mare. 😍

Shortcuts

Share

Category