Thursday, March 26, 2009
More to come
Just wanted to say, there will be pictures getting posted soon of the Mustang Challenge. My "tech guy" (Tyrell) went to California for Spring Break with some friends and he has the pictures. We'll get them on soon. Check back in!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Saturday at the Northwest Mustang Challenge was slightly disappointing, but still a good time. Destiny and Matt were 2nd place overall for the two events. For the finals performance the slate was wiped clean and the Top 10 trainers compete with his/her four minute freestyle. Matt had ridden Destiny earlier that morning and she did great. However, when the finals performance came there was a bigger crowd than there had been all week. Destiny did well with sidepassing and the cans but when they were at a lope she decided to head toward the gate. She wanted out of there! So with her getting out of control and missing a stop, the duo received 6th place in the Top 10 Finals Performance. Matt was disappointed because he knew she could have done better than that.
After his disappointment, he had some exciting news... as he was selling Destiny in the auction and they announced that he had received the TOP PROFESSIONAL TRAINER AWARD. This is such an honor! The award was voted on by the other mustang challenge trainers. He also won this award at the Western States Mustang Challenge last summer. How exciting!
Dynamite's Destiny was the last mustang to be auctioned off, since her hip number was #33. She sold for $1,500 to a nice young woman in Sisters, Oregon. She plans to use her as a trail horse and I have no doubt she'll have a nice home. Matt usually does not get very attached to horses he knows are going to be with him temporarily, but he has really been missing Destiny because she was really attached to Matt. They had a huge bond and it will be one horse he will always talk about.
After his disappointment, he had some exciting news... as he was selling Destiny in the auction and they announced that he had received the TOP PROFESSIONAL TRAINER AWARD. This is such an honor! The award was voted on by the other mustang challenge trainers. He also won this award at the Western States Mustang Challenge last summer. How exciting!
Dynamite's Destiny was the last mustang to be auctioned off, since her hip number was #33. She sold for $1,500 to a nice young woman in Sisters, Oregon. She plans to use her as a trail horse and I have no doubt she'll have a nice home. Matt usually does not get very attached to horses he knows are going to be with him temporarily, but he has really been missing Destiny because she was really attached to Matt. They had a huge bond and it will be one horse he will always talk about.
I would like to thank several people for all the help during the mustang's time here and also at the Northwest mustang challenge.
*I would like to thank Wayne Maggard for all the horsemanship advice that he has given me during the training process and everyone at the Rocking A ranch for all the encouragement.
*My wife for all the behind the scenes help, the blog, the organizing before leaving and all support
*Tyrell Phelps and Jerel Bowen for the help when I was at the competition in Albany. they were my set up crew and also Tyrell was my blogger while we were in Albany. Jerel helped a lot with the long drive. Both of them made sure I was where I was supposed to be during the challenge, because I have a tendency to talk a lot and lose track of time.
*Jaci Weishaar for all the help with the primping and grooming on Destiny.
*Thanks to Diana Clark for helping us come up with a name for Dynamite's Destiny
*Also thanks to all the other trainers at the challenge. I have always had an open mind to learning new things and I learned several things by watching everyone compete.
*Thanks to all my family, they are always calling to check in on the progress and Dad would find the Internet where he could to check the Blog.
*Thanks for all the neighbors, friends, and Junior high basketball boys that I coach, for coming over and helping me desensitize Dynamites Destiny to people. Special thanks to Jen Nielson & Tyrell for getting my music ready. My mother-in-law & father-in-law for helping with the chores while I was gone. Thanks to my mother-in-law, Patti, for helping me get ready to leave for the challenge.
*Thanks to all the people who work for the BLM and also for the Mustang Heritage Foundation employees (you all make the mustang challenge events a fun thing to participate in)
*And thanks to all my Blog followers, I know several of you have been keeping up regularly.
*I would like to thank Wayne Maggard for all the horsemanship advice that he has given me during the training process and everyone at the Rocking A ranch for all the encouragement.
*My wife for all the behind the scenes help, the blog, the organizing before leaving and all support
*Tyrell Phelps and Jerel Bowen for the help when I was at the competition in Albany. they were my set up crew and also Tyrell was my blogger while we were in Albany. Jerel helped a lot with the long drive. Both of them made sure I was where I was supposed to be during the challenge, because I have a tendency to talk a lot and lose track of time.
*Jaci Weishaar for all the help with the primping and grooming on Destiny.
*Thanks to Diana Clark for helping us come up with a name for Dynamite's Destiny
*Also thanks to all the other trainers at the challenge. I have always had an open mind to learning new things and I learned several things by watching everyone compete.
*Thanks to all my family, they are always calling to check in on the progress and Dad would find the Internet where he could to check the Blog.
*Thanks for all the neighbors, friends, and Junior high basketball boys that I coach, for coming over and helping me desensitize Dynamites Destiny to people. Special thanks to Jen Nielson & Tyrell for getting my music ready. My mother-in-law & father-in-law for helping with the chores while I was gone. Thanks to my mother-in-law, Patti, for helping me get ready to leave for the challenge.
*Thanks to all the people who work for the BLM and also for the Mustang Heritage Foundation employees (you all make the mustang challenge events a fun thing to participate in)
*And thanks to all my Blog followers, I know several of you have been keeping up regularly.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Success at Albany
Today has been a successful day as Matt participated in the riding course at the Northwest Horse Expo. He placed 4th in the riding course and that landed him a second place finish for the overall competition. He is a point and a half behind the first place position. During the course, Destiny did several nice things. She traveled over the bridge and the poles fairly well. She backed into the pattern well. The great things that she did were the nice stops and a great flying lead change between the figure eight. All in all there are several great trainers at the challenge, and he is thrilled that his mare is doing so well. He has had some great help from a great friend by the name of Wayne Maggard, who is as he likes to call it "fine tuning him." Thanks Wayne!!!! 
Northwest Mustang Challenge
Here are some photo's from the last few days at the Northwest Mustang Challenge, in Albany,OR.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Northwest Mustang Challege Day 1
Destiny & Matt took
1st place
in the In-Hand Competition on Thursday!!
Last night the competitors had the in-hand portion of the Mustang Challenge. During the "In-hand," trainers are judged on their ability to handle the horse "in hand" through a series of maneuvers like picking up the horse’s feet, maneuvering it through obstacles, and loading it into a trailer. Matt & Destiny did very well, placing 1st! They also had a portion of the competition where trainers are evaluated on the body type & condition of their mustangs. They placed 16th in that part. (Destiny is on the smaller size of life! ha!) Overall, this put them in a tie for 2nd/3rd. What a great start!
*Posted by Kelsey (Matt's wife) who doesn't get to watch the competition this year because of parent-teacher conferences and scoring state writing assessments on weekends! Although she is very disappointed, she does get to have lots of phone conversations with him! :)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Northwest Mustang Challenge
And.....we're off! The Northwest Mustang Challenge will be happening this weekend. Wednesday we'll start traveling half way, Thursday is the in-hand classes, Friday evening is the riding portion, and Saturday is the adoption & the Finals. We'll keep you all posted. Thank you to everyone that helped out & supported me. And thanks to everyone for reading the blog posts!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
You "CAN" never desensitize too much!
You "CAN" never desensitze a mustang too much! Thanks for the cinematography, Stacy! Also thanks to the Stan, Sandy, Penny, John, Stacy, Patti, Rod, Mark, Tyrell, and Blake for helping desensitizing Destiny to people sounds around the arena. It was a windy day, but wind doesn't have anything on good company and burnt hot dogs!
We had a week of being around people. The neighbors came over to hang out on, around, and in the arena while Destiny was working. There is nothing like a bunch of girls yellin' and pony rides going on. I also took Destiny to a horse show this week just to be around action and she did perfect. Then I had the jr. high basketball team work on noise desensitization with her. She did well and only spooked maybe twice, but I would spook too if 5 eighth graders came running at me. Today we had some friends and family out to see how she was doing before I leave on Wednesday. I'm really pleased at how well she's done and how far she's come in the last couple of weeks. I really like this little mare. She's so athletic, level headed, trusting, and fun to ride. I hope she finds the perfect home.
It looks like Destiny was tracking Banjo but she was just packing her head low. He just always seems to be in the way.
A nice pet from the guys.
Cruisin' along.
A pat for a job well done.
It looks like Destiny was tracking Banjo but she was just packing her head low. He just always seems to be in the way.
A nice pet from the guys.
Cruisin' along.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Some Snapshots
Only 10 days left before Destiny and I leave for Albany. Here are some snapshots of today.
Completely relaxed on the box:
Opening a gate:
Coming to me at a whistle and then following me in the arena:
Getting her legs trimmed with some clippers:
Completely relaxed on the box:
Sidepassing:
Opening a gate:
Coming to me at a whistle and then following me in the arena:
Getting her legs trimmed with some clippers:
The Northwest Mustang Makeover Information
Some of you have been asking about what will be happening over the Northwest Mustang Makeover so here is some information for you:
Mustang Makeover trainers will gather March 19 to 21, 2009 at the LinnCounty Fair and Expo Center in Albany as one of the opening events for theAnnual Northwest Horse Show and Expo.
· On March 19 at 6:00 p.m., the Oregon mustangs will be on competitive display. Trainers are evaluated on the body condition of their mustangs,as well as their ability to handle the horse "in hand" through a series ofmaneuvers including picking up the horse’s feet, maneuvering it throughobstacles and loading it into a trailer.
· On Friday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. trainers mount their animals andcomplete a "horse course" that includes a series of obstacles and requiresthe trainer to demonstrate the level of competency the horse hasaccomplished.
· The top ten finalists compete in a freestyle event on Saturday, March21 at 10:00 a.m -- just one hour before the awards presentation andcompetitive bid adoption for the trained mustangs.
For more information on the Northwest Extreme Mustang Makeover, call theBurns District BLM Office at (541) 573-4400. Additional information aboutthe Wild Horse program is also available online at:www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/wildhorse/index.php
Mustang Makeover trainers will gather March 19 to 21, 2009 at the LinnCounty Fair and Expo Center in Albany as one of the opening events for theAnnual Northwest Horse Show and Expo.
· On March 19 at 6:00 p.m., the Oregon mustangs will be on competitive display. Trainers are evaluated on the body condition of their mustangs,as well as their ability to handle the horse "in hand" through a series ofmaneuvers including picking up the horse’s feet, maneuvering it throughobstacles and loading it into a trailer.
· On Friday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. trainers mount their animals andcomplete a "horse course" that includes a series of obstacles and requiresthe trainer to demonstrate the level of competency the horse hasaccomplished.
· The top ten finalists compete in a freestyle event on Saturday, March21 at 10:00 a.m -- just one hour before the awards presentation andcompetitive bid adoption for the trained mustangs.
For more information on the Northwest Extreme Mustang Makeover, call theBurns District BLM Office at (541) 573-4400. Additional information aboutthe Wild Horse program is also available online at:www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/wildhorse/index.php
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