To make up for the slow saddling video, here's an oopsie. I had this gut feeling that it wasn't the right time. But I couldn't decide why. I'd done the usual prep, so I pushed it. Whether my gut was right, or I was giving off a nervous vibe that set her off, I still can't decide. There's a lot of 2-way trust with Revna now, but getting on her just hasn't clicked yet. The rest of them at some point just had a, 'yup, I'm getting on now' moment that hasn't come with her. Half my Mustang break through steps seems to be some instinctual 'just do it' moment. I seem to make more progress with no real goals in mind. There's another lesson in this mare for me somewhere, I just haven't figured it out yet. That's the best part of wild Mustangs - they are really teaching me.
I decided on my Mustang training farm motto. "Vires en fiducia" is Latin for 'Strength in Confidence'. This post gets long, so read it or don't. The video is a little long, and probably boring, for most people. I'm 99% sure this is actually the first time I put a saddle on Revna, because you can see I'm giving her lots of opportunities to react before committing to really cinching her in. I'm building confidence and trust through nonchalance. For me, this is one of the most exciting kinds of firsts. Not the blow-up bucking, run around loony ones. Those videos can be fun to watch, sure, but this video shows me I did a good job prepping and earning her trust. We've both got some 'vires en fiducia' going on here. So, I'll end with this life lesson from the Mustangs: You always have to prepare and be ready for anything. It happens FAST sometimes - a reaction, life. There is strength in confidence, and confidence gives you strength. The Mustangs have taught me it doesn't matter which you have first, strength or confidence. Whichever you have first let it feed the other. Alright, I'll digress from the mustang/life philosophy. "Vires en fiducia!"
This is October or so, but a little update on what baby mustang Arion, Chad and I have been up to. Before the ground decided to winter up to some real mess lately we'd stepped up to no assistant bows. I'm sure once we can get back to it, he'll be bowing on request in no time.
One of Revna's very first lunging sessions. Learning the ropes 😆 listen for that snorting noise. That's her expressing her nervous tension.
Jumping back in time some. First hose for Revna. She's a freeze up when tense type horse, so not moving didn't surprise me... sticking her head in the water did!
So im scheduling some mustang drops. Ive been lax in posting over the last few months. Sorry! These will not be well organized 🤪All 3 of us struggling to reach the treats lol. Revna's first pony session. I was pleasantly surprised by how this didn't seem to bother her at all.
