Now here's a really neat place to visit if you are on vacation and LOVE horses. I'll just give you the link to their web site . See for yourself.

In any case, I was there to explain some quiet methods that nearly anyone can use to gentle Wild Horses. In their case, they have about 400 Mustangs and a few stallions. Thus they have an annual number of foals born to the mustang group who need to be rounded up, gentled and sold. The latter greatly helps the sanctuary to provide for the care of the static herd.

I took on some of their most difficult cases. None were aggressive. They just had an extreme aversion to being touched, handled or otherwise controlled by humans. Some had been this way for two or three years. Others, like my "Yearling Filly Friends" were wild, but NOT. That is, they became playful and curious like we'd expect of them once we spoke to them in their language. These were mixed. Some were even Grand Daughters of Northern Dancer, the famous race horse.

The Sanctuary also maintains a herd of Registered Paints, Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. Their offspring are also used to finance the care of the Mustang herds. From what I saw, anyone looking for talented horses should keep an eye out for the annual sales.

Now, down to business. I used Clicker Training For Horses, as designed by Alexandra Kurland. Realize though that one couldn't just run up an touch these critters! And they certainly wouldn't take anything as a treat.

So I broke things down into minute steps. The first goal was to be able to touch them easily so I could begin the use of a special treat used when I would "Click" their response to my request.

We'll start with "Phantom", a 5 year old gorgeous mare. Phantom had escaped the sanctuary with a small band. She remained elusive for two years on another range. She had a special aversion to being approached. And she really disliked a human with anything whatsoever in his or her hands! Now figure that one out! Once I got in the pen and she wasn't real interested in leaping out, I had to then start all over when it was me and a twenty foot long, soft-braid rope. And so it went with each new item. The "Carrot Stick" was completely out of the question until the last moments. Thus, I couldn't use that to "reach out" and touch her gently. I had to convince her, in the old fashion way, to come to me and touch me first then let me touch her.