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How much round pen training a day?

By
Home Inspector with Callahan's Home Inspections

We got our first horse late last summer. She is a three year old wild mustang named Rosie. At this point she is unridable but we have hopes that maybe one day .......... The people we got her from had her in a coral with another horse and 4 goats. When we first got her you could walk up to her and do just about everything except ride (pet, brush, clean feet, etc). About a month after bringing her to our place where she is in a coral that is just under 1 acre, she decided to flex her attitude and became untouchable. During the winter we put up a 50 foot round pen and now that the weather is finally pretty nice here we decided that enough was enough and that it was time to get Rosie back in line.

Since neither my wife or I have had any experience with training a horse we have had 3 different trainers over to evaluate Rosie. One admitted that she has never worked with mustangs before and she was afraid that Rosie might be to much horse for her. The other two guys told us that since the price of horses is so low right now why not buy a "good" horse and not waste our time or money with Rosie.

Those comments kind of pissed me off and since my wife is really nervous about getting into the round pen with Rosie, I decided on monday to take over Rosies training and get her to the point of being saddle broke. After only two days (about 3 hours total) I have Rosie to the point that all I have to do is point in a direction and she will go, she will now yeild her hindquarters without hesitation, and I now can rub and pat just about anywhere on her body and head.

Sorry that I have rambled on so much to get to my question. How much round pen training would you do in any one day? Now that the days are longer and we are progressing so nicely I want to keep going out to do more training.  

Comments (5)

Kym Wright
Prudential California Realty - Olivenhain, CA

Hi Dan -  It has been awhile since I have worked with young or wild type horses, however I think the more attention you can give her the better solid foundation you will have with her.  Remember it does not have to be all work.  You could even bring projects out to her area (clean tack etc) so that she is just "around" the family.  Not unlike dogs horses are extremely social animals.  The get skittish only because they are not socialized enough and become withdrawn.  Can you put a halter on her at all?  I could not tell what you had done at this point.  If she can be led around you could walk her around, let her graze... this may sound weird but talk on your cell phone.  Horses love the sound of voices, especially soothing voices.  I used to do a lot of work from my barn and I discovered after a lengthy phone call my horse was completely relaxed as I had been grooming him.  He had just loved the sound of my voice as I brushed him.  I made sure I chatted with him after that.  Not sure how much this will help, but socialization is a huge piece for your mare I think!

Mar 21, 2009 08:58 AM
Dan Callahan
Callahan's Home Inspections - Casper, WY

Hi Kymberly,

Thanks for the ideas. Rosey does have a halter on. Our neighbors gave her to us about 9 months ago. She use to be in a small corral with an older horse and 4 goats. At that time you could brush, hug, pet, everything but ride. The goats kept getting in the way of her training so we fenced in about 3/4 of an acre and broght her over to our house. About a month after that is when she became untouchable. Flexing her new found freedom I guess. We put up a round pen and starting with her. After 3 days we can approach her and pet her.

Mar 21, 2009 11:24 AM
Marian Gregor-Ann
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor area Real Estate

Hey Dan, Check out my other comment. I've been studying natural horsemanship for the past 12 years.  Read, watch (DVDs) anything by the master horseman, Tom Dorrence. This will help with the basic principles. Also, Ray Hunt, Terry Church, Peter Campbell, Bryan Neubert and Buck Branamen. Peter is in your area. All 5 learned from Tom.  First, you need respect from Rosie. This is exactly like what is given to the 'lead mare' in a herd. The horse should not come into your 'space'. It is a matter of feeling each other as a living being. She'll respect you & you'll respect her 'tho you must be the leader. You see, she is a herd animal & needs to look to you as the herd leader. The one who will protect her.  Do not use force. Few people who call themselves trainers actually know these principles. They use force to try to make a horse do something.  It's so much better to have the horse as a partner. That's much more fun!  It's good to do round pen work. As you get the smallest 'try' -as in trying to give you what you are asking of her- whether it's a yield of her hindquarters (which is the engine of the horse) or her 'facing up' to you when your body language asks her to- anyway, reward the smallest try. It will take a while for Rosie to figure out what you are asking her to do. Feel free to contact me for more... I have rehabbed many tough, hard horses.  My husband now brags that all of our horses are sweet as kittens!

Mar 29, 2009 05:20 PM
Dan Callahan
Callahan's Home Inspections - Casper, WY

Hi Marion,

We have been following the training advice of Clinton Anderson. We have a bunch of his videos and my wife went to a weekend clinic he did i Fort Collins, Colorado. I will be looking up Peter Campbell, thanks for that information. Rosie is a tough nut but we have made great strides with her over the past couple of weeks. Our weather right now is preventing us from doing any ground work but we do go out and give her attention everyday.

Mar 29, 2009 11:44 PM
Marian Gregor-Ann
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor area Real Estate

Hi Dan, That is good news.   I know that Clinton Anderson is very popular, I just have not seen him so I can't give an opinion.  It's all about the horse being 'comfortable in her own skin'. You want her to be relaxed and comfortable. You want her to be a willing partner & want to be with you. You have to give her a reason to want to be with you. Never, ever hurt her. She would never forget about it! Help her to figure out what you are asking of her. Reward the very smallest try. Get her to think that a certain movement that you ask for (ie, yeilding her hindquarters) was her idea! Remember the old saying, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man"  Good luck my friend. ~ Marian the Horse Girl.

Mar 30, 2009 08:48 AM