Fallon and Maverik: Pick-Up Day

Wow, I just got back home in La Grande from my excursion to Reno, Nevada to pick up my 2 yearling mustangs. It was pretty much a first come first serve. When we got to the BLM grounds we were handed a paper with the #8 on it. So there were 7 in front of us to get mustangs. After "checking in" we lined up the trailers and loaded up 1 by 1. They would bring 6 at a time into a small pen that led into a chute. They then would take a whip and swing it above them to get them to move towards the chute, (quietly) then when 1 would go in, they'd close the back of the chute. they'd put the persons halter on the yearling, then open the front of the chute into a V shaped area that was completed by the trailer. They would go into the trailer, and head back over the the office, get the remaining documents, then head to wherever they were going. I got a blood bay filly with a star, QH build and a dark/seal bay gelding with a Anglo-Arab build with 2 white socks.

We got out of the BLM facility at 10am and headed towards Adrian, OR where my cousin, her husband and their 2 little girls live. He trains horses so had the perfect facilities for me to work with them that night and this morning. I unloaded them into the round pen at around 6:30pm (8 1/2hrs on the road) and let them rest for a few minutes, then I round penned them, found that the filly, now named Fallon (Fal-in), was quick to pick up on the cues and would turn in every time. I finally recruited my cousin to help me split the two up and put the Gelding into the arena, now named Maverik. Once seperated, she was roped so I could get close enough to grab her lead rope (that the wranglers put on). Once I got the lead, I was able to rub her all over and swing my rope around her back etc... she was really calm considering.

(Pics: Fallon At Trailer, Maverik in Round Pen)

This morning it wasn't too hard to catch Fallon and once I did I was able to get her to lead with some coaxing from behind her, and get her in and out of the trailer calmly. I then tied to her to the trailer and set out to get Maverik. Mav put his head right next to the fence and I was able to grab his lead through the fence and so there was no need to rope him. He fought pretty good though. He threw himself down a few times and would kick and strike and rear straight up. I just kinda waited him out and hung on to him. After a bit of coaxing I got him leading as good as I could and worked on getting him in and out of the trailer. Once I got him ok there, I tied him in the trailer, grabbed Fallon, put her in next, closed the gate and then grabbed my other 2 trained horses that were hanging out there too and made the 3hr drive home from there.

Fallon resting happily tied to my cousins trailer

Maverik fighting the Halter (this was the best version after 30 minutes of fight)

20 minutes After previous Picture

Once home I put them in my round pen, and put my yearling Auzzie in with them. I figure they can teach eachother a lot. Auzzie is real friendly so while I was scratching him, they were watching inquisitively. I was able to slowly walk up to Fallon and grab her lead under her head and rub her all over and work some more of giving to the pressure of the halter to lead. She still is cautious and weary but isn't real jumpy or spooky. It is 91 degree's so I will work with them both tomorrow morning for the first "dedicated and dictated" lesson. I can already tell that Fallon will be a puppy dog in a week following me around and being an "in your pocket" kind of horse where Mav will be more cautious and less trusting for a while and will still look at the world through "arab" eyes.