Iroquois is a 5 yo BLM mustang gelding. He stands approximately 14.1 hands and is a Buckskin Dun. He was captured from Nevada as a 2 year old from the Granite Range HMA in Nevada. We picked him up from the Ridgecrest Holding Facility on March 28, 2013. Iroquois is being gentled as part of Mustang Heritage Foundations Trainer Incentive Program. Iroquois is not broke to ride although with training she should make a very nice riding horse.
March 13, 2015
Here is a picture BLM was able to provide us of Iroqouis in the wild. Sadly his adoption did not work out with his adopter and he is back at the BLM facility. He is definitely a project horse. He shows signs of having been previously abused and will need a very experienced adopter to bring him along to be a saddle horse.
Day 117 – 07/16/2013
Day 43 of Training
Iroquois was cleared to go home today and so we reviewed some of the stuff he’s learned since he’s been here. We practiced lunging, grooming, picking up all four feet, haltering and finally trailer loading. He did very well and has a great start for his new owner. This is his trailer loading review lesson. This is only the second time we’ve worked with him on the trailer. He needed a little bit of encouragement at first but he got it and was no problem to load for his trailer ride home!
Day 116 – 07/15/2013
Day 42 of Training
Review work with the plastic bag at the end of the stick. He hadn’t seen a plastic bag in quite a while and was VERY wary of it. More review on his feet and grooming.
Day 93 – 06/27/2013
Day 39 of Training
More work with Iroquois on foot handling and grooming tonight. He’s ok with having his front feet picked out but we’re still gradually increasing the amount of time he’ll allow us to hold his rear feet. Eventually we need to be able to ask him to hold them back behind instead of forward so that we can get in a position to clean his hooves. Slowly but surely!
Day 91 – 06/25/2013
Day 38 of Training
Nice improvement today for Iroquois. I have started teaching him a verbal command to pick up his foot and that has really helped him understand whether I want him to stand for grooming vs. pick up the foot. Just a couple lessons and he is really getting it. We also made him a miniature water obstacle to cross!
Day 90 – 06/24/2013
Day 37 of Training
In this training session I’m working with Iroquois on picking up his back left foot. This is the side he was most comfortable with. While he’s picked up his feet for us before, he started using moving away as an evasion so we needed to retrain him to stand still when we ask to pick up his feet. He also needed to learn that we weren’t going to ask him to pick up his foot EVERY time we went towards his back legs. Sometimes we just want to rub (or brush) them!
This video shows pretty much how I work with all of the horses on picking up their feet. I’ve not yet had a horse that didn’t do very well with this method. Once they have the trust to let you groom the feet I ask them to pick up their foot and they are rewarded for the slightest movement towards that goal, even if they just tip the foot up onto the toe. Gradually we ask for more and get more as you can see in the video for Training Day 38!
Day 86 – 06/20/2013
Day 36 of Training
Good review session for Iroquois this morning. He was worried about his right side or it would have been great. Check out this video which shows start to finish this mornings review of yesterdays lesson. We’ll work again.
Day 85 – 06/19/2013
Day 35 of Training
Great progress with Iroquois. I felt like the last two sessions we had made no progress and he just wasn’t standing still. Today I took a different approach. If he moved I helped him and asked him to lunge a couple laps. Let him come back in, he’d lick his lips and we’d start again with grooming. It took about 15 – 20 min to get both sides handled but now we are back to where we were…Iroquois standing nice and still for grooming all over his body including his hind legs. More reinforcement next lesson and I’ll start working on his back feet! Very happy with today!
Day 81 – 06/15/2013
Day 33 of Training
Lots of review sessions with Iroquois in preparation for him going home. Although Joe has been able to get his back feet Iroquois has only let me pick them up once. He’s not mean but moves away in avoidance. We’ve gone back to working on lots of grooming and I found that at some point I lost the “stand still” part of grooming his hind end…which is why I can’t get him to stand still to pick up his hind feet. With Joe having sustained a broken thumb in a roping accident its up to me and Iroquois to get it figured out. Hes come such a long way from where he started and I’m confident we’ll figure this out soon!
Day 78 – 06/13/2013
Day 32 of Training
Lots of grooming today and then Iroquois practiced standing tied. Our focus until he goes home is just reinforcing everything he knows! Hes a good horse and the repetition of his basic lessons help to reinforce his confidence in humans!
Day 74 – 06/09/2013
Day 31 of Training
We worked with Iroquois today on reinforcing grooming, picking up his feet. The video shows the first time we have ever used the hoof pick on his feet. As you can see he wasn’t quite sure he liked that new sensation but quickly figured out we weren’t hurting him so it might be OK.
Day 61 – 05/28/2013
Day 29 of Training
Record high winds today..made the news it was so bad. That being considered I was pretty happy with Iroquois training session today. We started off with haltering and picking up front feet and proceeded to desensitization to touch and grooming. He’s doing great. He was really jumpy with grooming on his right hindquarter area today. Didn’t move just flinchy. Normally he’s great with that side so I’m not sure if it was weather related. No big deal we’ll keep working on it!
Day 60 – 05/27/2013
Day 28 of Training
This week got away from us as far as working with Iroquois. I went to halter him today and he did very well. Disengaged his hindquarters and looking at me as I crossed over each side of him. I played some friendly game with him, desensitizing him to the halter until he relaxed and then haltered him with no trouble. I led him out of his stall and asked for both front feet which he gave willingly. Being that he has not been out for a week I lunged him to get some of the excess energy out. Iroquois thought that was great! I then started working on his back feet. First desensitizing to touch, then finally asking him to give. He did great. He wasn’t sure about it but by the end of the lesson he was giving his back feet without issue. We’d work on feet then go to grooming, work on feet some more. All in all a positive lesson for him and I am hoping to have a video grapher available to film the next lesson. I am really happy with the progress he is making and he is continuing to gain confidence in people which is a good thing!
Day 52 – 05/19/2013
Day 27 of Training
This has been one busy week for us. This is the first followup session with Iroquois in four days. The video shows the first few minutes of his training session unedited where I work with him on his feet again. The first time I approach him he turns his but towards me. That is not acceptable so I encourage him to leave. I then take some time to use approach and retreat. I want to make sure he is listening to me by asking him to disengage his hindquarters. He has two options when I do that, he can take the opening and shoot forward or off to the other side, or he can disengage. Once he disengages both sides I’m ready to start haltering him. Any time I notice any apprehension I’ll use approach and retreat to get him more comfortable. Once I had him haltered I wanted to review picking up his feet. This is the first time I have ever asked him for his feet. It has always been Joe to work with his feet. He knows he’s supposed to pick them up but isn’t really comfortable with me in that position. I stay calm and continue to ask him and he eventually relaxes some to where I can pick up both front feet. You can see how he starts off worried and slowly gains confidence. He has been getting better and better each session and we will start using a hoof pick on his front feet soon.
Iroquois and Joe worked for about another 20 – 30 minutes with the back feet. First starting off by reinforcing desensitization to the rope being flicked around his rear cannons. Then by slipping the rope around the rear fetlock and asking him to pick up the foot. Iroquois got very good at that and never did kick out but became worried when Joe would ask for the foot with his hand. Instead of continuing to concentrate on picking up the rear feet, Joe brushed Iroquois on both sides of his hind end and legs all the way to the fetlock until he relaxed and put him away on a good note. All in all a lot of progress was made.
Day 48 – 05/15/2013
Day 26 of Training
Iroquois is getting much better at being haltered. Today we just reinforced haltering with him as well as picking up his feet and brushing. He has both Joe and I haltering him to help get him desensitized to the way different people will approach haltering with different techniques.
Day 47 – 05/14/2013
Day 25 of Training
Really good reinforcing lesson for Iroquois. We haltered him in the 12 x 16 pen and he did a lot better. There was less room for him to move around. He was worried about the smaller space but didn’t react negatively at all. He stood much more quietly for the halter to be applied. After being haltered Iroquois received another review lesson on grooming and picking up his feet. After a couple of days off he did need a reminder with his front feet. He remembered very quickly and is picking both up and holding them nicely until you are ready to put them down. A very easy session for him today but very good review as well.
Day 44 – 05/11/2013
Day 24 of Training
Iroquois had 2 days off but still did relatively well with haltering. Spent a lot of time with him working on picking up his front feet. Started by reinforcing that he stand still when we rub his leg with our hand. From there we progressed to looping a lead rope around his leg and getting him comfortable with the feel of the rope all up and down his legs. Once he was comfortable with the rope we began using it to pick up his feet. Finally, once he was comfortable with us asking for and standing with his foot up we transitioned him to picking up the foot with just our hand. All in all a great session for him today and a lot of progress was made. We’ll continue to reinforce picking up his front feet and start to work towards being able to pick up his back.
Day 41 – 05/08/2013
Day 23 of Training
More haltering work today. The video shows Joe haltering him after his first night / day with no halter on. They both could have gotten it done a lot more gracefully but it’s a learning process on all sides. I worked with Iroquois some on yielding his head to the rope and accepting our hands on both sides of his neck at the same time.
Day 40 – 05/07/2013
Day 22 of Training
AM Training session focused on reviewing saddling from yesterday as well as his daily grooming routine. This evening we worked with him on haltering and giving to pressure on the side of his neck. He was very willing for both training sessions. He tries really hard to understand what is being asked of him, and that’s all we can really ask for in a horse. It is our job to make the lesson clear and accept the slightest try.
Day 39 – 05/06/2013
Day 21 of Training
Easy day for Iroquois today. He was saddled about 20 times from each side in his stall so that he can continue to get used to the saddle swinging up over his back. He still flinches but he’s getting better! Also worked with him on grooming below the knees which he is getting much better at. We ended today’s lesson with review on disengaging the forequarters and hind end in hand. All in all a good evening session for him.
Day 36 – 05/03/2013
Day 20 of Training
Today Iroquois was saddled for the first time. He’s had a lot of prep work with saddle blankets, slickers, grooming, brushing, cinching, bareback pad etc. and saddling was the next logical step for him today. Quite a bit of time was taken to get him used to the saddle being placed on his back. Repetition, repetition, repetition. He was very wary at first but soon accepted the saddling from the left side (we didn’t do the right side at all today). As with the bareback pad, cinching was no issue. We were, however, surprised with his reaction to being asked to move out.
We don’t mind if a horse get’s to bucking its first time being saddled. That’s normal and its OK with me I just wasn’t expecting him to after how nicely he took the bareback pad. Joe just enforced to him that he needed to move on out and pretty soon he settled into a nice trot and quit worrying about the saddle. We did adjust it a few times, tighten the cinch, etc but he did very well lunging in both directions. He was put away on a good note and we’ll continue to reinforce saddling with him. Iroquois still needs to learn to pick up all of his feet and be haltered before he can go home. He’s getting better and better about being groomed below the hock and knees. We feel that continuing to desensitize him to things like the slicker and introducing something like the tarp, will help to get him more comfortable with having his lower legs touched. Be sure to check back often to see how he progresses.
Day 35 – 05/02/2013
Day 19 of Training
Worked with grooming and then reinforcement with the rain slicker. We hope to build his confidence in us and objects by continuing to sack him out. He was very good!
Day 34 – 05/01/2013
Day 18 of Training
Today Joe continued to work with Iroquois on desensitization to touch and also continued work with the saddle slicker. Also started draping a hand over Iroquois neck in preparation for halter training.
Day 33 – 04/30/2013
Day 17 of Training
Worked on grooming today and more desensitization. Was able to gain his confidence enough to brush all the way down his left front leg without him trying to leave. Also just stood and threw the lead rope back and forth over his back a few hundred times. He’s OK with the saddle blanket, getting used to the slicker, and fine on the obstacle course but any time a human gets close to him, he stands and quivers. We need to keep working with him to gain his confidence in people. He’s never been hurt here so learning routine and that nobody is going to do anything bad to him is going to be our focus!
Day 31 – 04/28/2013
Day 16 of Training
This first video is a compilation of about an hours work of work with Iroquois today. I will be uploading more detailed individual videos as well but this gives a brief overview of each of the steps we took to get him to where he was wearing a bareback pad for the first time. As always we started off by grooming. I’m still working towards gaining his trust to be able to groom his hindquarters whereas Joe already regularly does that. I did start working on his lower front legs today with the brush. He was wary but never panicked and I was sure to use lots of approach and retreat. I also did some more saddle blanket desensitization with him but didn’t get a chance to reinforce the saddle slicker. You will see clips on the video of the rest of his training session where we practiced disengaging the hindquarters and forehand, desensitization to pressure around the girth, desensitization to the bareback pad, cinched up for the first time and lunged with a bareback pad. All in all a great day for Iroquois.
The following link will take you to a YouTube Playlist that goes through, in order, the 5 longer videos that were used to compile the above summary video. (Opens in a new tab) Iroquois First Cinching Playlist
Day 28 – 04/25/2013
Day 15 of Training
We groom Iroquois every day, he is feeling much more comfortable with having his hindquarters and belly brushed but still needs some work. He’ll get there! This evening we reviewed the morning session and also introduced him to the slicker. Video to come soon!
Day 28 – 04/24/2013
Day 14 of Training
Continued desensitization to the saddle blanket this morning. More progress which is always a good thing! He’s still worried but tries to be very brave!
Day 27 – 04/23/2013
Day 13 of Training
Good session for Iroquois today. Continued yesterdays lesson with desensitization to the saddle blanket. Also asked him to back into his stall for the first time, a difficult task for even domestic horses as they have to get over worrying about what is behind them.
Day 26 – 04/22/2013
Day 12 of Training
Worked with Iroquois some more on grooming. He is getting braver each day. He is still not sure about having his hind end touched but we’ll get there. Also started desensitization to the saddle blanket.
Day 24 – 04/20/2013
Day 10 of Training
2nd Session –Worked very briefly with approach and retreat. Video below. He finally allowed himself to be pet, several times, without trying to leave. We’ve been practicing lots of approach and retreat and he’s getting better and better.
1st Session – Very happy with the progress we made today. Started by teaching Iroquois the basics of lunging in the big 50 x 50 pen. He picked that up very easily and was able to expend some excess energy. Followed up with another rinse off and then let him do what all horses LOVE to do, roll in the sand after a bath. Left him turned out for 30 – 40 minutes and he bucked and played and had a good time. We left the halter on and he was easy to catch. We were able to walk right up to him.
Day 21 – 04/17/2013
Day 8 of Training
Lots of work today with desensitization to the brush on Iroquois right and left side . He’s getting better but is still showing fear with the anticipation of touch. We need to get him over that to make sure he is safe for his adopter. He gets better each session and I’m hoping to find the time to work with him a couple times a day to get him over this little hump. He is a good boy and tries super hard!
Day 18 – 04/14/2013
Day 7 of Training
Continuing to work with Iroquois on desensitization and approach and retreat. Today was super windy so he was more jumpy than normal. We can’t use wind as an excuse for no training or we would never get anything done so we worked on reinforcing yielding hindquarters and forequarters. Today was also Iroquois first time learning to load in the trailer. He did very well! He’s a funny guy and needs to figure out he CAN get in the trailer one foot at a time. The video shows his first time loading and we continued to practice with him.
Day 7 – 04/01/2013
Spent about 10 min with Iroquois just rubbing on his face and feeding him carrots. Worked my way to be able to pet both sides of his face and the right side of his neck. He wasn’t sure but stood for me even when I didn’t have any more carrots!
Day 4 – 03/31/2013
Day 3 of Training
Iroquois has a lot of confidence when it comes to the obstacle course, stepping over objects and leading. He lacks confidence in close proximity to people. Coming up for a carrot is about all he is comfortable with so the next few lessons will focus on keeping him relaxed while being touched with various objects with the end goal to have him relaxed with a human petting and then grooming him. In today’s session we worked with desensitization to the stick and string.
Day 6 – 03/30/2013
Day 3 of Training
Worked on desensitization with the stick and string. Approach and retreat, making turns to the inside and facing up.
Day 3 – 03/30/2013
Day 2 of Training
Great session with Iroquois. Worked on desensitization to the stick. Also introduced him to the obstacle course. Video below of his first time through.
Day 1 – 03/28/2013
Day 1 of Training
Iroquois did very well with training today. He leads, goes over the obstacle course and even got a rinse off. So far he seems to be inquisitive and level headed. Not much has scared him, when he does get scared he doesn’t blow up.
