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Bella and Me |
In 1994, while searching for a way to find re-mounts for our unit, we came across an ad in a national magazine talking about mustangs. Believing mustangs might be our answer, we made contact with the Colorado Wild Horse Inmate Program in Canon City, Colorado. The inmate program is operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Colorado Department of Corrections. The program uses inmates to gentle and train wild horses.
In October 1994, we were told that they had picked two sorrel geldings and had begun their training. In April 1995, we were invited to come to the facility in Canon City and work with our mustangs. We spent a week at the facility working with our wild horses, helping the crew separate new horses for training and acting as out-riders for the new mustangs as they were taken on trail rides. Once you experience this, there is no going back. I watched wild horses gentled by inmates in the morning, and in the afternoon, they were riding them on our daily trail rides around the facility. The ability of these horses to learn and react to humans in such a positive manner is unbelievable. Later that week, we were taught how to track humans via horseback by the Department of Corrections crew. My mount excelled in this. The inmates that worked with our horses had named them the Cop Horses; Morgan, for Morgan Earp, and Doc, for Doc Holiday. Usually inmates and Law Enforcement personnel don't get along with each other, but these mustangs threw that away. We were treated like part of the crew and were more than happy to reciprocate. Upon returning home to California, we began to train with both horses, but due to an on-the-job injury, I was forced to stay down for almost a year. A year later, Morgan was one of the first mustangs to go through the California Mounted Officers basic Mounted Police Course. As usual, he excelled at training, loved chasing people and a large plastic ball that he was able to push around with his nose. Unfortunately, later that week, I was forced to retire from the Police Department with a medical retirement. To stay active, I joined a local mounted posse organization and used Morgan to provide security at rodeos, color guard in local parades, and search-and-rescue duties. During this time, I became a real believer in these horses and began to preach to everybody I knew about them. I began training horses for Law Enforcement and the general public. To do this, I would travel to local adoptions around southern California, and got to be known as the “Mustang Man,” as I would adopt anything with a freeze brand. I started going to Texas to purchase horses. The majority of these were mustangs from wild herds in New Mexico. I had very good luck with these horses, as they loved being pampered and taken care of and made excellent trail horses. This brought us Homer, a 14.3 grulla mustang that we Every new horse brought home for trail training was taken out on the street with Homer, and people all over Norco, CA could see Homer in the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant or standing outside a bank while his rider was inside doing business. My neighbors began to see what these mustangs were all about, and I often volunteered to go to the Ridgecrest Corrals and help pick out mustangs for new adopters. I started taking my mustangs on the Posse's annual Mojave Trail Ride, which goes about 155 miles in six days. It was during these rides that people would look at my mustang and see how well he adapted to these rides. During one of these rides, I took along an extra mustang for the drag rider. He was purchased after the trip by a lady on the trail ride that rode an Arab. Since that day, she has only ridden Kiowa, and became a true believer in mustangs. Morgan, my first Mustang, was sold to my partner on the Mounted Unit, and was used as a Mounted Police horse after that. We still have Homer, who at 21 years old, made the Mojave trail ride as the drag horse, and worked harder than any of his counterparts on the trip. Homer is still used as my Mounted Posse Horse. In November 2004, I adopted another trained mustang from Colorado. Dot made the Mojave Trail ride at four years of age and served as a representative of his breed on that ride. He did so well, that my best friend purchased a mustang out of Nevada to use on the trail ride as well. All I can say to anybody that adopts one, once you do, you will have the most loyal, and best friend that you will ever have. As for me, I am going to continue to promote these mustangs as much as I can. They are truly America's Horse. Top of page |
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Official Newsletter of the National Wild Horse and Burro Program
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We spoke with the coordinator of the program, and he agreed to select two matching geldings to gentle and train them for our use. These horses had to be saddle trained and be able to handle large crowds, firearms, and had to be gentle for anybody to ride. Once our criteria were given to them, they began searching for our horses.
purchased from a rancher in Texas. Homer is a wild horse and was used to train work horses. Homer was sold to a posse member, who later had to sell him due to physical ailments. Since then Homer has been the mainstay at our ranch.