Extreme Mustang Makeover Youth - Melia Gore and Disco: Day 17-18

Yesterday we got to the ranch around 6:00 but my mom and brother had to leave cause Micah had a SMASH meeting ( it's a RC airplane club, SMASH stands for Small Model Aircraft Society of Harlingen). After they left me and my dad gave Disco his food then went straight to work. First we did the logs then moved on over to the trailer and loaded and unloaded him a few times. When we where done we desensitized him then walked him up to the front to wash him. We first started walking around him with the hose like we where just watering the grass. When he got calm and relaxed we let him play with the hose for a bit then took it away, we did approach and retreat for quite some time then finally moved along and started to spray him withers and back. He didn't react all that bad, he just slowly walked around for a while then stood still and relaxed. We didn't bother messing with his head cause it wasn't really nessiccary yet. We did this mostly just to prepare for Tick Spray which was the next day... When we where done we went back over to the arena and my dad worked him for awhile before he realized that he had gotten carried away. :) But really how could you not? This little guy is a quick learner and likes to have a job to do. When my dad was done I hopped in the arena and desensitized him then started doing his first real lesson of Circle Driving. He wasn't doing great at first but he caught on pretty quick (considering how long we did that lesson for). In Circle Driving what you do is walk in a tight circle, hold your string a sticks length away from the snap, put your stick on the top of his neck, have him go in a circle around you trotting, when you are ready to change directions you just walk straight through his hind end and not go around it. To change directions you change hands step through his hind end and bring his front end through but never stop walking the whole time! We did this exercise for at least 45 minutes and it was already pitch black when we stopped (and we don't have any arena lights yet). When I was done I walked him out of the arena then backed him from the roundpen into his corral. He was so good when we finished and just wanted to stay with you the you the whole time!

Circle driving.

Can you guess what exercise this is?

Today we got to the ranch at about 11:30 and gave Disco his food then went and got Comanche. After we had them both haltered up we loaded Comanche into the trailer then went ahead and put Disco in with him, they where both fine with being in there with each other so we took Disco out then my dad drove the trailer (With manche in it) up to the front. I was doing C pattern up to the front gate with Disco, he did great and it was my first time doing it with him! When we where up at the front I gave Disco to my dad so he could wash him while I turned on the generator to simulate the noises that would be at Tick Spray. He didn't care at all about the noise and never moved a mussel while my dad washed him. When we finished we walked Comanche to the roundpen and put him in there (had to put him in the roundpen cause we where going to take Disco and Comanche together and didn't want manch to go crazy out in the pasture and try to jump the fence or something) then put Disco into his corral. We walked back up to the front then loaded Texas, Lucky, and Starbuck so we could go to Tick Spray with them first since we don't have room for them all. They did great at Tick Spray and we where out of there in no time at all! When we got back to the ranch we lot those horses go then brought Disco and Comanche back up to the front and desensitized Disco again to the hose and as much noise as we could. When we finished we loaded them up and where on our way for Discos big day! We got there about 35 minutes later, unloaded them and started desensitizing Disco to all the new stuff and did some light work with him. Another person got there at the same time so we let them go first to give Disco time to relax and get used to everything. It didn't take them long to finish the 3 horses that the other people had so we had Comanche go first. Manch acted good so when he was done we tied him up (We always use Clintons aussie tie rings when ever we tie our horses up no matter what) to the other side of the fence so Disco would be calmer. I got Disco and asked him to lead up onto the concrete wash rack that was there, we didn't think he would go up on there cause he has never been on concrete and we don't have any at our ranch to work with. But as usual he just walked right up and didn't care a bit about it. When we had him all hooked up I stepped back and the person who works there came up with the hose and started to spray the ground with it first then went ahead and sprayed him. Disco only pulled back once at the very beginning but the rest of the time he was fine. The people who work there even said he was better than most of the horses they get. We added Disco to our list and got him a pass then loaded back up and headed home! When we got back I put him in his corral and let him take a little break before we started working him. Disco has now graduated from being a mustang! After our break I got Disco, took him to the arena and started doing some turn and draw, flexing, and desensitizing. We got out my new banner that I just received the other day from MHF (Mustang Heritage Foundation) and hung it on the arena fence. Disco wasn't to sure about it at first but he soon figured it out and was fine. To get him used to it I did sending in front of it to get his mind off it and on me. when I quit him he couldn't care less about the banner and just wanted to stick with me. When I was done with that I moved on and did some Circle Driving with him. He protested at first but it didn't last long (only about 2 seconds on each side then he was over it). While I was doing Circle Driving my brother was flying his new R/C Airplane (Albatross D.va) and desensitizing Disco to it. When we where done I put him up, gave him a scoop of feed, half a scoop of alfalfa pellets, a few alfalfa cubes, 3 treats, and 2 flakes of alfalfa. He was so happy but half asleep when he was eating. My dad also did some ponying and rode Texas for awhile. My dad said Texas was running so fast that he reminded him of the SpaceX Dragon abort test liftoff!