Swedish journalists go wild, P.8

KBR Wild Horse and Burro News

Living the book that they will publish

SWEDISH JOURNALISTS GO WILD
Part Eight

More fun with Rusty (Thursday, Sept. 24)

It has now been just over a week since Willy and Torsten started their gentling project with Rusty. They had about three hours of free time Wednesday morning so Willy haltered Rusty, and after walking about for a few minutes, brought him over to the round pen.

After reviewing the previous steps to ensure that Rusty was still on track, we decided that the time was right to move forward with getting Rusty comfortable with saddle work. We started by putting on a circingle. Rusty had no problem with the circingle, however Willy walked Rusty around the stables for several minutes so that the circingle was just part of the "background."

We next attached a couple of rubber boat bumpers to the circingle, one on each side. The bulk and movement of the boat bumpers worried Rusty at first and he really "hugged" Willy for a while, but he soon got used to them. Willy took Rusty back to the obstacle course so he could concentrate on the obstacles and not worry about the boat bumpers.

It was time to try out the saddle. First we got Rusty used to the fleece pad, which didn't take long. Then we placed the saddle on Rusty and removed it repeatedly until he didn't brace under it, and we would "rest" the saddle on Rusty's back for increasing periods of time.

Saddling, repeating until the horse is relaxed.

Now it was time to tighten the cinch and Rusty was just fine wearing the saddle. After walking about in the round pen and closed areas of the stable to make sure that Rusty wouldn't startle and bolt, Willy took him out to the obstacle course.

After giving Rusty about a ten minute break to graze some grass, it was time for the day's finale. After laying across the saddle a couple of times, Willis mounted and dismounted Rusty a half dozen times until Rusty didn't brace while being mounted, then he would mount and sit on Rusty for short periods.

Willis mounting Rusty.

At first Rusty needed the support of Willy nearby quietly observing the situation and reassuring him. In about ten minutes Rusty was brave enough to be mounted "on his own."

Not a bad result.

Reno wild horses

The afternoon was spent being guided around southeast Reno by Don Charlton of the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund and observing the horses that visit the outskirts of town and viewing the Fund's activities and projects designed to keep horses off of city streets.