What a great day it is when I can get up in the morning, enjoy a cup of coffee and a morning hug from my daughter, and head off to the barn to spend the day training horses! I’m so very blessed to be in the position of making a living from what is truly my passion! Every day is a new adventure. Sometimes people ask me if I ever get sick of riding horses – I just smile and shake my head. “Are you kidding me?”…I think to myself, but then I respond simply by saying “never”.
And, I love the feeling I get when people come to visit their horses after being in training with us a short while. It is SO utterly rewarding to me to see the smiles on their faces and get their feedback, comments of pleasant surprise at the progress they see in their horses.  Again, I’m blessed –  to be in a position to help people. By improving their horse, we can improve people’s lives!
Today  we had many people stopping by the facility to visit with their horses. We had a chance to demonstrate the progress of several horses in training and chat with their owners. But this week is going to be full of busy days as we prepare to leave for the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, TX on Thursday. We’re leaving early for the event to give the horses we’ve been training, Viggo and Sparrow, time to adjust to the travel and new environment before our upcoming competition. The trip will be somewhat of a vacation for us, a getaway from everyday activities at NLHTM and a time to reunite with friends and colleagues in the industry, but not without its intensity as the countdown draws to a close on a very rigorous and challenging competition.
We’re ready though. Our mustangs have excellent training and we’ve prepared them for this event day in, and day out by giving them the consistency in their training program, exposure to as many different places and events as we could get them to during the time of their training, and giving them days off and frolic time when we knew they needed it most. We are ready and we are very excited to see these horses exemplify the versatility and trainability of all mustangs in this unique venue.
It’s amazing to look back now at how these horses started out. I remember the demonstration we held at NLHTM showcasing the gentling process, and I just watched a video of Viggo during his first rides under saddle. Amazing the transformation of this horse who several times, after charging me initially, tried to buck me off but, who now willingly guides effortlessly off the neck rein, performs spins and sliding stops, half passes and flying lead changes on command. In just under 4 months he has truly gone from Wild-to-Wow!
But, they are still mustangs, not far from the wild in the whole scheme of things, and they still have instincts that could take hold at the event and prevent them from performing to the best of their abilities. We’ll take measures to prevent this – our preparation continues right up to the starting gate…but when push comes to shove ultimately it will be they who will decide how they will proceed. Will they be guarded and unsure, cautious in every step…or, will they proceed throughout the event trusting and confident despite their natural instincts? Time will tell.
It truly is a great day when I spend time working with horses. And the last several months, though intensely busy, have been a whirlwind of planning and  intense training, not just on the mustangs, but other wonderful breeds we’ve been blessed to work with. In a few short days, on September 15-17th, five judges will decide who wins the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth. And, like any other competition, the winner will be decided by a few select criteria, but mostly by their professional and highly respected…opinions.
Regardless of who wins this challenge, we will have a wonderful time and relish in the notion that we have done the best by our mustangs to ensure they are prepared for what we’ve asked them to do and that they have a wonderful future with their new families. My hope is that Viggo and Sparrow exemplify their breed to the fullest. They are both so talented and such wonderful horses and I’m confident that all who are watching will know that without a doubt.