Need some tips for my mustang filly!

LBJ · 04-25-2006, 12:06 PM

Ok Guys/Gals have come to my horsetopia family to get your advice!

I am getting my soon to be 2 year old mustang filly (cheyenne) ready to be saddle broke, Will not happen until after Jan due to she is to young and also in foal due to previous adopter not seperating her from a stud colt!

Here is the deal I can put a bit in her mouth and she gives no problems I can put a blanket on her back and walk her around with both things with no problems,,but when I go to just show her the saddle she goes to spinning wanting nothing to do with it, we have been doing this 3-4 times a week for the last 3 weeks or more....frankly I am getting dizzy from the circles, so throw me any of your training suggestions out there and lets see what I can do!

Thanks ya'll!! Hope to hear from ya soon!

Hicktown Horsegirl · 04-25-2006, 12:40 PM

Heres what I would do. Lunge her to get out her excess energy. Then if you have a helper have them hold her against a fence so she cant spin, and you start bring the saddle towards her, make a little movement with it, flap the fenders or something. When she starts to get nervous about it and looks like shes going to move off, stop before she moves. Just continue your moving the saddle, let her look at it from there until she starts licking her lips or holding her head lower or basically shows shes not quite as nervous. Then take another step. Again dont get so close as to make her move off, but get just close enough that you can see shes uncomfortable with it and is thinking of moving off. Stay there until she again calms, take another step. Dont have your helper praise her or comfort her with pats when she is nervous. They would only be rewarding her fear response. If you dont have a helper, tie her safely somewhere, and you can do it yourself. Sacking her out with gradually larger and noisier things will help too, if you havent done that. I am sure there are plenty of other ways to do it. THis is just my opinion. I like to take things slow.

Hicktown Horsegirl · 04-25-2006, 12:45 PM

Also I dont know how far along in her pregnancy she is, but I dont know that I would cinch it up. If shes never had that feeling around her she coulud take to bucking, and I am not sure that would be good to have a preggo mare wildly bucking. Just setting it on her wont hurt her though. Just dont let it fall off and scare her or anything!

eieio · 04-25-2006, 12:48 PM

I might be sitting that saddle next to her or on the stall gate at feeding time. Then the saddle become part of a great experience!

LBJ · 04-25-2006, 12:49 PM

I have no intentions of cinching it doe to her being in foal just want to get her ready for the process!

Please everyone keep in mind that this is a WILD MUSTANG!

**beth55051** · 04-25-2006, 12:50 PM

Do you ask her to stand still? Before you can saddle her she needs to understand WHOA. Make sure she understands this without the saddle involved. Whoa doesn't mean take a step or two, it means whoa NOW. Show her the saddle, let her move if she needs to then WHOA her. Show her the saddle, doing it over and over until she quits. At first she will probably need to do a few circles but it should get to the point where it's only a step or even just a leaning. Only when she is comfortable being shown the saddle would you start to put it on her. The first time you set it on her back it will probably go flying so be ready or be quicker then her about removing it. She needs to understand that it will come off of her she is not stuck with it forever. Similar to the first time you ever mount a horse, the very next thing you do immediatly is get off. Once she is quiet and calm about it sitting on her begin working on the girth. Do not actually run the latigo through on the on side until you are ready to tighten it for real. Practice pulling it tight against her until she is comfortable about that. Then the real work begins but that's another chapter.

**QuarterCowGirl** · 04-25-2006, 12:51 PM

Could you try a bareback pad? It's not as daunting as a saddle, but similar...

LBJ · 04-25-2006, 12:51 PM

There is a saddle kept on the stall 24/7

She will even stand next to me while I am saddling the other horses, but you take it near her and it's another story!

snickers · 04-25-2006, 12:52 PM

The key here is she is a year and half old, bred and due within the next few months.

I dont think holding her against the fence is in the best interest of the mare right now.

I know this filly, and if cornered and stressed, she will hurt herself to get away.

On this part of the training, I would wait until after she foaled and the foal is weaned.

I would hang the saddle on the fence and feed her next to it, so she can get use to it that way without stressing her to much this late in her pregnancy.

Saddle training can be stressful enough on any horse, much less a young mustang filly, that by the ignorance of the previous adopter, let her get bred, and recently gentled.

**divinemisselle** · 04-25-2006, 01:20 PM

I agree with Snickers. Wait. But then....

Is this a western saddle? For some reason, I'd be scared of it, too! Especially considering that most western saddles weigh more than I do! How about an old English Saddle? Or an exercise saddle? Lightweight, they are almost nothing. After the baby you could cinch it only tight enough so that it won't come off and let her meander a little.

Is the saddle in her stall on the floor? Or on the rail? Proximity might be a factor here. Ground level is not nearly as threatening, too it isn't where the saddle will end up. How about raising it up some?

Poor thing, pregnant so young. I hope she has no complications.

LBJ · 04-25-2006, 01:34 PM

It is a childs saddle very small I took everything off of it minus the stirrups,,,it is on the rail of the stall.

and yes poor girl being bred so early,,,I could stragle the other adopters!

snickers · 04-25-2006, 01:59 PM

Lori,
I posted pics you sent me. Hope you dont mind.

These are pics of the filly taken over a month ago.
This filly is like her Dam, extremly flighty and skittish.
She would rather hurt or kill herself trying to get away from something she dont like or understand.

Lori has done amazing with her, but the filly still has her moments.
If you can find a english saddle as Divine suggested, try and see how she reacts to that, but I still say, if she does not accept it, for her sake, wait til she foals and the foal is weaned.
You still have plenty of time to get her saddled.

LBJ · 04-25-2006, 02:07 PM

Don't mind at all Kim!!

Poor baby is bigger than that now, but to no avail she is not bagging up yet,,,sometimes I wonder if she aint just FAT!!!

My poor baby!! I swear if something happens I will go take it out on the other adopters being that they only live about 5 miles from me!!!

mglpony · 04-25-2006, 03:09 PM

Her pregnancy will definitely limit what you can do with her especially with such a strong fight/flight instinct. Don't know if this will be helpful at all but I was just reviewing a Parelli DVD on saddling...The horse was a mare and flighty. The saddle was placed in the center of the roundpen and the mare lightly lunged by it, moving closer each time until she trotted by with the saddle between her and the handler. The reward was to stop by the saddle. The handler picked up the saddle pad and since the mare was spooky about it the handler walked off with the pad and the mare following (she was haltered of course with the 12ft lead). The handler remained very ho-hum and eventually the horse got very curious about the pad, lipping it etc as the handler continued walking and casually swinging the pad from side to side. A similar technique was repeated with the saddle. Try not to come at the mare right off the bat with the saddle as that will only send her skittering. Sorry, my description is so poor but this particular mare responded very well to this indirect approach. If nothing else it might give you some ideas for later when baby is weaned.

irishmusic · 04-26-2006, 12:30 PM

I agree with Snickers, save the saddling for later. I would work on ground manners and total handling acceptance by this mare. Hang the saddle where it becomes an everyday object, pick it up carry it around her, but hold the saddling until after the foal arrives. Groom her, get her to stand for her feet to be messed with, fuss over her, etc. - this will help when the foal is on the ground.

BTW due to this mares young age, I would be supplementing her food to the max. She needs the added nutrients for herself and her baby.

LBJ · 04-26-2006, 12:40 PM

Her ground manners are excellent! She stands to be groomed has had hooves trimmed several times now! Very well mannered girl until she sees someone coming with the saddle, Now I can move all around her with saddle as I am saddling the other horses but not to attempt to put it on her.

As far as feed she is feed very well.

Ferronsgranny · 04-28-2006, 02:24 AM

This is what I did with JC trying to teach about the saddle blanket and now doing with the saddle. I put him in the round pin, take my stool and a old blanket and just sat there with it until he could not stand it and came over to investigate. Once he checked it out, I just left it on the stool and went to go get him a treat. When I came back, he was stand by the stool sniffing the blanket, I gave him his treat and walked off leaving everything there. As I was putting a blanket on another horse, he was watching, then I went back in and tried the same with him but he backed up, so I picked up the stool and blanket and left. I did the same the next day but without the treat and he chewed on the blanket and would let me rub it on him but not put it on. On the 3rd day after I put everything out in the round pen with him, he was trying to put the blanket on by himself. The stableowner and I laughed so hard we started crying. Now he wants the blanket on.

Now I am doing the same with a old broken saddle. At first he would not go anywhere near it and would stand as far away as he could shivering. The next day I took out the saddle and the blanket. He wanted that blanket but the bad saddle was under it and he kept circling until he got close enough to grab the blanket and ran off. Today he grabbed the blanket but stopped to sniff the saddle. Small steps.

04-25-2006, 12:06 PM
LBJ Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: lake city, fla Posts: 610	Need some tips for my mustang filly! Ok Guys/Gals have come to my horsetopia family to get your advice! I am getting my soon to be 2 year old mustang filly (cheyenne) ready to be saddle broke, Will not happen until after Jan due to she is to young and also in foal due to previous adopter not seperating her from a stud colt! Here is the deal I can put a bit in her mouth and she gives no problems I can put a blanket on her back and walk her around with both things with no problems,,but when I go to just show her the saddle she goes to spinning wanting nothing to do with it, we have been doing this 3-4 times a week for the last 3 weeks or more....frankly I am getting dizzy from the circles, so throw me any of your training suggestions out there and lets see what I can do! Thanks ya'll!! Hope to hear from ya soon! __________________ http://www.horsegathering.com/

04-25-2006, 12:40 PM
Hicktown Horsegirl Halter broke Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 51	Heres what I would do. Lunge her to get out her excess energy. Then if you have a helper have them hold her against a fence so she cant spin, and you start bring the saddle towards her, make a little movement with it, flap the fenders or something. When she starts to get nervous about it and looks like shes going to move off, stop before she moves. Just continue your moving the saddle, let her look at it from there until she starts licking her lips or holding her head lower or basically shows shes not quite as nervous. Then take another step. Again dont get so close as to make her move off, but get just close enough that you can see shes uncomfortable with it and is thinking of moving off. Stay there until she again calms, take another step. Dont have your helper praise her or comfort her with pats when she is nervous. They would only be rewarding her fear response. If you dont have a helper, tie her safely somewhere, and you can do it yourself. Sacking her out with gradually larger and noisier things will help too, if you havent done that. I am sure there are plenty of other ways to do it. THis is just my opinion. I like to take things slow.

04-25-2006, 12:45 PM
Hicktown Horsegirl Halter broke Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 51	Also I dont know how far along in her pregnancy she is, but I dont know that I would cinch it up. If shes never had that feeling around her she coulud take to bucking, and I am not sure that would be good to have a preggo mare wildly bucking. Just setting it on her wont hurt her though. Just dont let it fall off and scare her or anything!

04-25-2006, 12:48 PM
eieio Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,138	I might be sitting that saddle next to her or on the stall gate at feeding time. Then the saddle become part of a great experience! __________________ There is no such thing as a always or never in the horse world. Say that one time and some horse some where will prove you wrong!. Visit us at www.woodfoxfarm.com

04-25-2006, 12:49 PM
LBJ Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: lake city, fla Posts: 610	I have no intentions of cinching it doe to her being in foal just want to get her ready for the process! Please everyone keep in mind that this is a WILD MUSTANG! __________________ http://www.horsegathering.com/

04-25-2006, 12:50 PM
beth55051 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: East Central Minnesota Posts: 4,870	Do you ask her to stand still? Before you can saddle her she needs to understand WHOA. Make sure she understands this without the saddle involved. Whoa doesn't mean take a step or two, it means whoa NOW. Show her the saddle, let her move if she needs to then WHOA her. Show her the saddle, doing it over and over until she quits. At first she will probably need to do a few circles but it should get to the point where it's only a step or even just a leaning. Only when she is comfortable being shown the saddle would you start to put it on her. The first time you set it on her back it will probably go flying so be ready or be quicker then her about removing it. She needs to understand that it will come off of her she is not stuck with it forever. Similar to the first time you ever mount a horse, the very next thing you do immediatly is get off. Once she is quiet and calm about it sitting on her begin working on the girth. Do not actually run the latigo through on the on side until you are ready to tighten it for real. Practice pulling it tight against her until she is comfortable about that. Then the real work begins but that's another chapter. __________________ Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.

04-25-2006, 12:51 PM
QuarterCowGirl Welcome and Introductions Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,754	Could you try a bareback pad? It's not as daunting as a saddle, but similar... __________________ I'm a farmer - I'll grow on you.

04-25-2006, 12:52 PM
snickers Bombproof Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Twilight Zone Posts: 8,989	The key here is she is a year and half old, bred and due within the next few months. I dont think holding her against the fence is in the best interest of the mare right now. I know this filly, and if cornered and stressed, she will hurt herself to get away. On this part of the training, I would wait until after she foaled and the foal is weaned. I would hang the saddle on the fence and feed her next to it, so she can get use to it that way without stressing her to much this late in her pregnancy. Saddle training can be stressful enough on any horse, much less a young mustang filly, that by the ignorance of the previous adopter, let her get bred, and recently gentled. __________________ " You cant fix stupid " Ron White Life is to short to argue with ignorant people.

04-25-2006, 01:20 PM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,662	I agree with Snickers. Wait. But then.... Is this a western saddle? For some reason, I'd be scared of it, too! Especially considering that most western saddles weigh more than I do! How about an old English Saddle? Or an exercise saddle? Lightweight, they are almost nothing. After the baby you could cinch it only tight enough so that it won't come off and let her meander a little. Is the saddle in her stall on the floor? Or on the rail? Proximity might be a factor here. Ground level is not nearly as threatening, too it isn't where the saddle will end up. How about raising it up some? Poor thing, pregnant so young. I hope she has no complications. __________________ . If Everything Seems to Be Going Right... You Have Obviously Overlooked Something. ~Steven Wright

04-25-2006, 01:34 PM
LBJ Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: lake city, fla Posts: 610	It is a childs saddle very small I took everything off of it minus the stirrups,,,it is on the rail of the stall. and yes poor girl being bred so early,,,I could stragle the other adopters! __________________ http://www.horsegathering.com/

04-25-2006, 01:59 PM
snickers Bombproof Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Twilight Zone Posts: 8,989	Lori, I posted pics you sent me. Hope you dont mind. These are pics of the filly taken over a month ago. This filly is like her Dam, extremly flighty and skittish. She would rather hurt or kill herself trying to get away from something she dont like or understand. Lori has done amazing with her, but the filly still has her moments. If you can find a english saddle as Divine suggested, try and see how she reacts to that, but I still say, if she does not accept it, for her sake, wait til she foals and the foal is weaned. You still have plenty of time to get her saddled. __________________ " You cant fix stupid " Ron White Life is to short to argue with ignorant people.

04-25-2006, 02:07 PM
LBJ Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: lake city, fla Posts: 610	Don't mind at all Kim!! Poor baby is bigger than that now, but to no avail she is not bagging up yet,,,sometimes I wonder if she aint just FAT!!! My poor baby!! I swear if something happens I will go take it out on the other adopters being that they only live about 5 miles from me!!! __________________ http://www.horsegathering.com/

04-25-2006, 03:09 PM
mglpony Halter broke Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 139	Her pregnancy will definitely limit what you can do with her especially with such a strong fight/flight instinct. Don't know if this will be helpful at all but I was just reviewing a Parelli DVD on saddling...The horse was a mare and flighty. The saddle was placed in the center of the roundpen and the mare lightly lunged by it, moving closer each time until she trotted by with the saddle between her and the handler. The reward was to stop by the saddle. The handler picked up the saddle pad and since the mare was spooky about it the handler walked off with the pad and the mare following (she was haltered of course with the 12ft lead). The handler remained very ho-hum and eventually the horse got very curious about the pad, lipping it etc as the handler continued walking and casually swinging the pad from side to side. A similar technique was repeated with the saddle. Try not to come at the mare right off the bat with the saddle as that will only send her skittering. Sorry, my description is so poor but this particular mare responded very well to this indirect approach. If nothing else it might give you some ideas for later when baby is weaned.

04-26-2006, 12:30 PM
irishmusic Yearling Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 581	I agree with Snickers, save the saddling for later. I would work on ground manners and total handling acceptance by this mare. Hang the saddle where it becomes an everyday object, pick it up carry it around her, but hold the saddling until after the foal arrives. Groom her, get her to stand for her feet to be messed with, fuss over her, etc. - this will help when the foal is on the ground. BTW due to this mares young age, I would be supplementing her food to the max. She needs the added nutrients for herself and her baby. __________________ It seems that some creatures have the capacity to fill spaces you never knew were empty. Captain Jean Luc Picard

04-26-2006, 12:40 PM
LBJ Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: lake city, fla Posts: 610	Her ground manners are excellent! She stands to be groomed has had hooves trimmed several times now! Very well mannered girl until she sees someone coming with the saddle, Now I can move all around her with saddle as I am saddling the other horses but not to attempt to put it on her. As far as feed she is feed very well. __________________ http://www.horsegathering.com/

04-28-2006, 02:24 AM
Ferronsgranny Started Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Big Creek, MS Posts: 2,077	This is what I did with JC trying to teach about the saddle blanket and now doing with the saddle. I put him in the round pin, take my stool and a old blanket and just sat there with it until he could not stand it and came over to investigate. Once he checked it out, I just left it on the stool and went to go get him a treat. When I came back, he was stand by the stool sniffing the blanket, I gave him his treat and walked off leaving everything there. As I was putting a blanket on another horse, he was watching, then I went back in and tried the same with him but he backed up, so I picked up the stool and blanket and left. I did the same the next day but without the treat and he chewed on the blanket and would let me rub it on him but not put it on. On the 3rd day after I put everything out in the round pen with him, he was trying to put the blanket on by himself. The stableowner and I laughed so hard we started crying. Now he wants the blanket on. Now I am doing the same with a old broken saddle. At first he would not go anywhere near it and would stand as far away as he could shivering. The next day I took out the saddle and the blanket. He wanted that blanket but the bad saddle was under it and he kept circling until he got close enough to grab the blanket and ran off. Today he grabbed the blanket but stopped to sniff the saddle. Small steps. __________________ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.