Mustangs. Hard to Train?

Anyone who says they won't own a mustang because they're "Too hard to train" simply has not met Maxine. There is nothing difficult about this filly.  Nothing at all.

Max is back at the Cowboy's place for a week or so of steady arena riding, where Darling asked her for her first lope.  Day one of loping had Max a little unsure and a bit wobbly in her gait.  I had her at the end of the lunge line just in case there was a bobble from her typical easy going, laid back self, but I needn't have.  Darling managed to coax the filly from an extended trot into a nice, easy lope without much trouble, and Max even picked up the correct lead each direction.

The following day, no lunge line, just me standing in the middle for a little added incentive, and Max again moved into a relaxed lope, this time feeling more confident with a rider on her back.

Since we have the opportunity of hanging around during lessons with the HydraBull, we absolutely take advantage of it!  Obviously, Maxine is terribly bothered.  Not.  With the bull zipping back and forth, Max hung out at the end of the arena, completely relaxed.  Once the lesson was over for the other rider, Darling and Max went out to circle the bull, left and right, getting her used to being up close and personal with it.  

Some of you have asked if Max is going to stick around here.  The answer is a definite...I dunno, maybe for a little while?  I'm doubtful at this point that she'll get tall enough for City Boy.  As nice as this filly is, we're thinking that she's going to make a bang up of a youth horse for someone a year down the line.  In the meantime, we'll simply enjoy her, get her broke, take a few trail rides and see what happens.