Ronan was a wild born mustang until he was 2 years old, when our idiots at BLM rounded him and his family up and put him up for adoption.  Unlike the 30,000+ still warehoused at huge taxpayer expense to protect the special interests who actually control the BLM, Ronan was lucky. He was adopted by a woman who had little experience with horses, but put him with a good trainer.  Unfortunately, as sometimes happens, there was a training accident that caused a knee injury in Ronan.  The owner was angry, and proceeded to make two big mistakes in placing Ronan with trainers whose sole qualification was their own inflated opinion of their abilities.  One trainer tried to ride Ronan (who was not at that point in his training when injured), but put a huge western saddle which had a broken tree in it on his back.  When he plopped his 200 pounds into that saddle, of course it stabbed Ronan in the back, who of course bucked the 'trainer' off.  One more try, with of course the same results, and the 'trainer' pronounced Ronan an incorrigible bucker. 

Then Ronan was sent to an "expert" in Idaho.  A few days after his arrival, the "expert" put a saddle on Ronan's back, apparently got it cinched up, but then claimed that Ronan commenced bucking wildly for 30 minutes.  O yeah. He stated that he could not work with a horse like this.  OK.  Then, Ronan was dumped here.  For one year, his former owner donated $50 a month toward his care and then disappeared.

After a while to gentle him and let bad memories fade, I put a saddle on Ronan, no problem.  Then a small rider, no problem on leadline.  Then a larger rider, no problem, leadline and loose.  But really, Ronan has not had the training he needs.  He's lazy, friendly, and far more likely to balk than bolt, but capable of both.  Recently (2009) I've been thrilled to have a volunteer, Sierra, who has the knowledge and kindness and toughness to start this young horse on the road to being a riding horse.  Here are some photos of the two of them at work, and I hope to update this page with more pics as training continues.

It all starts with lunging in the round pen.  I didn't get pictures, but Sierra has set up standards and driven Ronan thru them; over tarps and cross-rails on the ground and worked on his speeds doing each task.

 

Here's Ronan in surcingle and reins

He has to work, and set his head, and doesn't like it much!

He looks a little embarrased to me...

He resists turning with long reins - terrified of the white rein so we switch sides with it each session...

Driving nicely here....

Reluctantly turning...

But Sierra is good at insisting and little by little Ronan finds out that giving in doesn't actually hurt.....!