The Mustangs of Extreme Mustang Makeover

WILD TO MILD in 100 Days
By Lin Sutherland

Mustangs of every color rushed into the pens at Paul's Valley, Oklahoma-- they rammed the stock panels, kicked, cowered and ran. Their only encounter with humans had been terrifying-- rounded up off their range in Nevada, run into trailers and pens, put with other mustangs they didn't know, out of their homeland, out of their comfort zone.

They were the mustangs who were randomly selected for 200 trainers who had volunteered for Extreme Mustang Makeover, the wildly popular brainchild of the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Its sole purpose is to get mustangs good homes, and that means marketing them to the public. What they've found is that a mustang with 100 days of training is a different horse and one people want a lot more than a wild one. While BLM auctions of the untouched ones are declining, the ones who go through EMM have a 100% adoption rate. That's good news to everyone who loves these beautiful, poetry-in-motion symbols of the America West. It's especially good news to the mustangs too, since the BLM is looking into euthanasia as an alternative to adoption.

It is the hope of most of the lovers of these horses that the BLM will get behind the Mustang Heritage Foundation because, after only one year, they have a proven track record that is soaring with each new Makeover Event. On Sept 20th the audience at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth was astonished and inspired by what the trainers had taught their horses in 100 days. Frankly, they pulled out all the stops. There was bridleless riding, dressage, jumping, sliding stops and reining, mounted shooting and leaping through rings of fire. The trainers and horses had worked hard and it showed.

In addition, the EMM horses were in top muscled condition, which was scored as well as technical abilility and artistry. In the Top Ten Finals, Mark Lyon, from Nebraska won First, showing perfect reining, shooting, jumping through fire, and then, halfway through his performance and at a full gallop, his cinch loosened, his saddle slipped sideways and he went off! Yet his mustang stopped and turned back to him and didn't move until he got up and fixed it. Then, he got back on and finished his run. The judges were impressed, because they said for a horse that only had 100 days to stop and stand like that rather than run off like a bucking bronco, the horse had to be well broke. John Lyons, who was one of the judges and an ever gentle, knowledgeable presence, got to the nut of it as usual when he said, "The horse did exactly what he was supposed to do." Mark Lyon won the top prize of $25,000, in spite of that bump in the road. He took that horse home with him.

There were many excellent trainers from Texas. Dan Keen from Round Top wowed the audience with his high energy show of riding his horse Troubador up into the back of a moving pickup, and then showing the gentle brokeness of that horse by having him led out of the arena by his little towheaded four year old daughter, Ally. This mustang, untouched by human hands 100 days before, lowered his head and followed her out. There were many moments like that that made your heart swell for these fine horses and their humans. They had come so far, from wild to mild, in only 100 days. Keen and Troubador took a well-deserved 3rd place in the Legends division.

At the auction sale of the horses, which raises the money to continue the Foundation's work, there was high emotion. Most of the trainers said they had learned greatly from their horses and bonded closely with them. One blond 19 year old had tears in her eyes as she rode her horse into the arena bareback. The audience was supportive and didn't bid on the ones that the trainers wanted to take home with them. They applauded. Patti Colbert, head of the MHF, made sure that one went back with its trainer. Trainers ranged wide in experience and age, from 8 to 64. But it seemed everyone had been moved by their Mustang. Their comments and emotions belied great respect for these horses.

"This horse can do anything," said Dan Keen. "They're amazing."

Another put it like this: "Six weeks ago, I was ready to give up on this horse. I was going to take it back to Pauls Valley. The horse was crazy and couldn't be trained. Then I got to thinking, nobody ever gave up on me, I'm not gonna give up on him. A few days later it was like a lightbulb went on for both of us. I am sure glad I didn't give up." He went on to be one of the Top Ten in the highest level of competition.

It was the kids with the yearlings that got to you, though. With their big guileless eyes and pretty faces, those kids and colts and fillies were heartstring tuggers. The kids were proud of them: brushing them, Sho-sheening them, lunging them, hugging them, decorating them, kissing them on the nose. You could see the mutual attachment. Many of those yearlings went home with their pint size trainers.

The real transformation is not what happens the wild horses -- it's what happens to the wild horse trainers; love, admiration, respect, learning.

I just need to know one thing for next year when I go, who's in charge of the Kleenex?

For more information and to apply for 2009 EMM, go to http://mustangheritagefoundation.com