To All Interested Buyers:
It's time to get Pre-Approved to adopt a Mustang at the Midwest Mustang Challenge or Midwest Horse Fair. To get approved go to
BLM website and meet all requirements and come get the already started mustang of your choice. Below is a schedule of mustang events:
Event ScheduleFriday, April 18
11:30 - 2:30 p.m. Nutrena Arena In-hand Competition
Saturday, April 19
12:30 - 3:00 p.m. John Deere/Purina Coliseum
Horse Course & Free Style competition
5:00 - 6:30 Top 10 Finalist Freestyle Performance
7:30 pm Winners announced during the
Evening Entertainment
Sunday, April 20
1:00 pm Adoption
Hi, I'm Cory Houtakker and I'm one of over 50 trainers selected to complete in the Midwest Mustang Challenge. Feel free to leave any comments here. Thank you for visiting!!!!
What is the Extreme Mustang Makeover?
The Extreme Mustang Makeover is a competition created by the
Mustang Heritage Foundation to promote and improve the lives of Mustangs. This competition gives a select number of horse trainers, from around the country, 100 days to take a virtually untouched mustang from wild to a safe, reliable riding partner. The competion has four phases which are the horses condition score, in hand contest, riding contest, and then if your one of the lucky 15, with the highest score, you go on to the final round, which gives you the chance to ride a freestyle routine with specified menuevers to be completed. The competition is then concluded with an auction, where the public gets the chance to purchase the mustangs they've supporting throughout the competition.
SCROLL WAY DOWN FOR HORSES FOR SALE
Vacation ( March 26, 2008)
Monna and I had a pretty good 4-day vacation. We did a little bit of trail riding and Monna got a lot of turn out time. My cousin Emily got to ride her on her first trail ride, up home, because it was the first time out, this year, for the other two horses we were riding, and the one that was suppose to be broke was being a butt, so we had to make a horse switch. I think Monna really enjoyed getting out and going somewhere. She led the rides and didn't really care where the other horses where. She can really cover some ground, just at the walk, we had a hard time keeping up with her with the other horses. We never did make it down to the river like I was hoping, but we did make it to town a couple of times. She was fine with everything there. Nothing real scary, but she took her time going threw it at times. She did get alot of turnout alone and with other new horses. She was fine meeting all other new horses mares or geldings. They would sniff noses let out one of those scretchy winnies and went on there way. I had video of this, but it was on a different camera and I forgot to get the chip before I came home. I did post a new video of our vacation. Check it out above. Sorry about bouncy video, I was riding another while taking it, which made it hard to tape.
Problem Solved!!! (March 17,2008)
We have finally solved our bit problem, kind of. I found a bosel that fit Monna, and it was like riding a new horse. The first time I used it on her I could tell the difference right away. It felt like all her attention was on me and not that thing in her mouth and she started really understanding and consistantly doing what I ask of her. The only problem I have is using a bosel is unfamilar territory for both of use. I've never really used one, so we are both learning how to use it at the same time. The biggest problem I have with it right now is Monna tries to push threw it once in a while, but it's getting less and less often. I've added a new video, but it's not very good. I had one of the chore people take the video, but she was pressed for time and couldn't take very much.
March 12, 2008
Monna and I finally got to ride outside, today. We worked in the arena first, just working on the basics, then decided to go outside since the temperature was in the mid 40's (it was like a heat wave around here). I haven't been able to go out before because there was ice and belly high snow everywhere and it was to dangerous to try and ride in. Monna was extremely excited about this idea. She loves going outside and was only able to go out when I took her on walks because of the ice and like I said above, if we went offroading we would end up in snow up to our belly's.
She was great outside. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy to go somewhere. I took her all over the farm and out to the hay field, where we trotted some circles. There were a few vehicle that pulled in passed her and she was fine with them. She didn't spook at all, not even at the extemely loud barking dogs. The only problem with this new adventure is going to be trying to ride her in the arena again, which isn't her favorite thing anyway.
March 10, 2008
Monna's been coming along really well, lately. She is getting extremely light in moving off my legs and seat and has a lot of bend. We have really been working alot on getting her light on on the bit. She is still having alot of problems with accepting it. She gives to it easily, but it doesn't matter how busy i keep her, what gait we are in or what bit i use she is constantly mouthing on it and trying to spit it out. I tried to put my bosel on her today, but since her head is a little bigger that a regular quarter horse it was a to snug to use on her. I've never liked using cavisans, but i think i'm going to go and buy one for her tommorrow. She is just wasting to much mental energy worrying about the bit and not what i'm trying to teach her. I'm getting a little frustrated with this problem because i've never had a horse mouth on the bit for this long and i am open to any suggestion anyone might have.
Monna had an eventful day on Saturday. There was alot going on at the barn. Well, first of all Monna has been in heat all week, but it hasn't seemed to affect her demeaner at all, accept for her teasing the stallions in the barn. Then they are working on building a new tack room, so there was a lot of power tools, radio blarring and pounding going on while we were working. And at the same time 3-day eventing trainer Sarah Housechild was in the arena testing out one of the warmblood stallions to see if she wanted to take him into training. Monna was handling all these distractions really well, so I get the bright idea to try and ride her double. So my friend jumps on the back and away we go. There were a few ify moments at first, but then Monna got use to having us on her and was fine.
March 2, 2008
Not a whole lot to report. The vet came out on Thursday and worked on Monna teeth. We got them floated, 3 caps pulled, and removed 1 wolf tooth. She was pretty good threw the whole ordeal.
On Friday, really put time into teaching her to pick up her feet, lightly. I've picked them up before, but always kind of forced them or she would try and take them away on her own accord. That day I used a rope so she couldn't take them back and I squeezed the chestnut until she picked them up by herself. By the end of the lesson I could pick up all four feet, by touching the chestnut and do what ever I wanted to do with them, without her leaning on me or trying to take them away.
Yesterday, I spent about 3 hours with Monna, just refreshing and refining everything we've worked on. We worked on tuning our groundwork skills, by using obstacles. I then decided to try and ride her with the bit again to see if fixing her teeth helped her mouthing the bit problem, but she still mouthed it the same as before. Usually when I work Monna, we are the only ones in the arena, but also yesterday there were several other horses working at the same time. She was pretty good about it, but she was a little distracted.
February 28, 2008
Monna and I had a great day, today. It was like everything we've been working on in the last couple weeks came together. Now that she is moving forward a lot better I've started asking for more vertical flexion, straight lines, and leg yeilds off of a straigt line(we had a little trouble with this one). Today she was extremely light and consistant about everything I asked of her. We rode some really nice collected circles in walk, trot, and canter. She picked up her gaits on the first cue and came down off my seat. One good thing about Monna is she naturally just about always picks up the right lead, which make my job a lot easier. The only thing that bugs me yet is she still mouths the bit alot and doesn't seem to be getting use to in even though she's been carrying it for about 3 weeks. The vet is coming out tommorrow to look at another horse I will also have her check out Monna's teeth.
February 23, 2008
Well, not much to report. Monna and I have just been working on the basics, like moving hind and forquarters, leg yeilding, bending, and giving to the bit. We are still doing alot of passenger lessons because she still gets a little attitude, once in a while, when asked to go forward. She's getting better though.
AND WERE OFF!!!! (2/14/08)
Finally, Monna offered to lope off, today. We have hit kind of a stubborn, lazy streak since the snow days last week. I have been doing trotting passenger lessons for the last week, just to get her moving out better, which hasn't been her idea of fun. And today she finally really freed up her feet and really moved out, making it easy for me to ask for the lope. We also practiced loading on the trailer, since we will be going to a large open show at Kirkwood Community College, for the weekend. I'm planning on maybe showing her in showmanship or some halter classes. I probably won't show her under saddle, accept for maybe the trail class just for fun. Mainly, just taking her for the experience and I will be showing one of my other horses. Check back for pictures!!!
The Vet(2/13/08)
Well, Monna met the vet today, but it wasn't by either of our choice. She was acting very colicy. I turned her out in the arena and all she wanted to do was lay down and look at her stomach. We decided better safe than sorry and called the vet out. The vet got there about half an hour later and checked heart rate, temp., and gut sounds, which all seemed to be normal. She then palpated her just to be safe, and that turned out all right, too. In the end, we determined it was just a case of gas colic. Monna handled all the poking and proding from a new person really well, even though she wasn't feeling very good. She walked into the stalks with no arguement and was really good about getting a shot. The vet was laughing because Monna is a lightweight when it comes to sedation. She said she only gave her 2cc's of zilazine, which in her experience a lot of mustang's just laughed at. Monna was just about falling over.
February 7, 2008
The last two day have been snowy. The snow around here is getting irritating, I couldn't make it to the barn yesterday or today. Yesterday, our lane was filled with 4' drifts and today I tried to go to the barn and spent the next 3 1/2 hours digging myself out of the driveway before the plow guy arrived. Anyway, Monna and I had an exciting day on Tuesday. We rode, she is getting really good at picking up the trot cue, turning and softening. I have started tying my rope around to have two reins and Monna has started carrying a bit in her mouth, which she finds irritated, as well. I'm sure Monna will be full of herself tommorrow, and maybe we will ask for a canter. We'll See, Stay Tuned ......
January 30,2008
The last couple of days has brought some ups and downs in Monna's training. With the warmer weather, not having a lot of regular turnout, and Monna naturally being a high energy type horse she has been feeling a little bit full of her self. In my opinion, this is kind of a good thing because it has helped me really identify any problems in her ground training, that i've been neglecting. For example, throwing the lead rope over her back and around her head. I knew she was just tolorating it, but I was letting it go figuring she get over it eventually as I threw scarier thing around her. But the last couple days just magnified the problem forcing me to work out the kinks in order to move on to something new. By the end of these sessions she was a lot more relaxed and I was able to start stepping up in the stirrups, and we also started working on getting her to trot next to me(not her favorite thing in the world but she is starting to get the hang of it). I want to get a video of our first ride, but can't get anyone around to video until Saturday, so we are waiting til then. check back soon.
January 27, 2008
Monna and I had an easy day, today. We just reviewed the groundwork we've been working on like ground drive lunging(basically practicing bending, softening face, and rolling hindquarters), friendly game, and did some more sacking out with flag. We also worked on the exercise Clinton Anderson teaches. The one where he jumps all over the horse. She was really relaxed about it. I even laid flat out on her back(whither to tail) and she walk around relaxed and confident like she didn't even care. Definately going to start riding her in the next couple days.
16 comments:
Hey Cory! So glad you're blogging about your experience! I can't wait for more posts, see you at the Midwest Horse Fair!!
Looks like things going well for you, Cory. Glad you found Jessie's blog so that I could find your's! I'll add you to my list of makeover blogs :)
We are all hanging out at Grandma and grandpa's house this Sunday and we are very impressed with your site.
Nathan wants to know why your horse is sooooo fat?
Hey Cory
Just looked at your site the horse looks great I,m so proud of you love the site keep up the good job
love Aunt Pat
Hi Cory, Your Mom just sent us your website. We'll be eagerly following your training. Since we didn't know about "Mustang Makeover" we are really interested in seeing how you progress. Will be checking the website often. This makes us long for the days we had horses to enjoy. Al's folks.
Just watched the videos, you're doing excellent! Monna looks great! Can't wait to see more.
Grandpa said it looks like you are doing a good job. Make it as good as Thunder Grandma and Grandpa
Do you think I could get that good looking strangers number?
Hey Cory your new video is pretty good. we tried to give it five stars but it would let us.
Mom said she wants to come back up in two weeks.
Lyndsay
Good job on the video and music! I can't believe you've come so far already. You should be really proud of yourself. Will be waiting for more updates. Al's folks.
Congrats on the loping!! That is something I hope to accomplish this weekend when I trailer to a larger indoor. Good luck at the show and be sure to take lots of photos!!
good job cory, i never realized that this was such a big thing for you!! So proud to have a sister like you!!!
~Sammy~
Hey Cory, Monna is coming along so nicely! It looks like she is a pretty big mare. Remington was the biggest mustang at our "Play day". I think we must have some of the biggest horses in the competition and Remington is only about 14.3!
I have to thank you for posting your videos, it's so great to see other trainers because it gives me so many more ideas! I had never even thought to drag stuff from the ground until I saw you doing it, and I was just like "why didn't I think of that??" Just simple stuff that you forget you can do. So thanks again!
Hey Jessie, Your right Monna is a pretty big mare. I haven't measured how tall she is, but when people look at her and I ride her trot she kind of reminds me of a draft horse. My biggest problem with her size is she came extremely overweight and it doesn't seem to me that she is losing any, even though she only gets feed grass hay, but that might be cause i see her everyday.
I also know what you mean about posting videos and learning from other trainers. I've picked up quite a few new things from watching them, especially from yours. I've noticed you add a lot of creative spins onto the regular old groundwork exercises.
Cory,
Sounds like your mare is doing great. Mine has not shown any signs of heat yet, but I have read about a few of the other mares having some loss on focus because of their heat.
I also have read lots of other comments about the bit acceptance. My mare constantly chews the bit, all the time. I have put a full check, Copper mouth D, and loose ring french link, fixed O ring, and finally settled on a loose ring happy mounth. I also ride her in a hunt bridle with a cavesson, no flash (yet). I think the happy mouth is just more quiet so I don't notice it as much. I also sometimes still ride her in my western headstall with the copper D. I think she carries both the same. I do think it is something that will just take time for them to get accustomed to carrying the bit? Let me know if you have any questions, I am always willing to share.
I look forward to meeting you both next month.
Hi Cory,
My Mustang is also mouthing the bit like crazy! I put one of those thick flat mikmar bits on him and he does keep his tongue under it, but still opens his mouth. I feel I don't have as much lateral flexion though (even though I have it on the "snaffle ring")so I've put him back in the french link hoping he has learned to keep his tongue under- he hasn't!!!
I don't think we will have the only horses their with the same issue though!
Good luck and if you find any solutions, let me know!!!!!
Danee Rudy
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