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| Selecting the Right Horse:
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1. Age:
How good are your horse-gentling skills? We know the horse is scared, but what's your own Fear Level? Are your skills up to handling an adult wild horse or are you more comfortable with a weanling or yearling? Weanlings and yearlings can be plenty challenging, but their smaller size and immature minds make them less intimidating for the novice gentler.
Do you have a gut-level preference? Some people just love those babies, others prefer adult horses.
Watching someone else work with a wild horse is one thing: Finding yourself inside a gentling pen for the first time with a large wild horse can be downright scary! You may find that you are more comfortable with a smaller, younger horse.
Many experienced adopters feel that three to five years old is perfect: the horse is still young enough to accept domestication easily, yet mature enough to have all the mental and physical advantages of a natural upbringing in a fully functioning wild herd. And, once gentling has been accomplished, the horse is big and mature enough to move right into saddle training.
Young mustangs - weanlings, yearlings and 2-year-olds - are the best choice for most people. Young mustangs usually gentle down and accept training quickly. However, even the youngsters are wild, and some of them can be challenging.
However, some older horses do just fine! Keep an open mind.
Here's an "Over 10" Sale Authority horse who gentled down easily. There are so many wild horses in holding facilities now, that the focus of the current adoption program is the younger, more easily placed animals. But not long ago, it was common for people to adopt horses over the age of 5. There are lots of horses in use today that were adopted at age 6, 7, 8 even 10 or 11.
Some people dispute the commonly held theory that older mustangs are too difficult to gentle and should not be adopted. Not so, they say. Any horse will, with time and patience, learn to trust people and to bond with you. An occasional older horse comes around very quickly.
However, a horse who has spent many years in a wild herd is a far different animal from the 0-4-year-olds most of us get. An older wild horse is the equine equivalent of a Black Belt - Be sure you know to read the horse and to remain safe - older wild horses are extremely skilled in "dispatching" threats, and are likely to behave defensively for a long time.
For most adopters, a younger horse is a better choice. For beginners, a very young Mustang is the best choice.
If your reason for getting a wild Mustang is to ride right away - DON'T!
Very few people will be able to ride their new wild horse within the first year. There are occasional horses who just gentle down and accept training very quickly, and a really good trainer can usually get a wild horse "green-broke" under saddle within not too many months. Many of the Extreme Mustang Makeover trainers had their horses well-started under saddle by the end of the 100 days, but these were professional trainers or very experienced amateurs.
For most of us, it's a longer process. You probably WON'T be riding right away. Even if the horse seems docile, it is not in either your horse's or your own best interest to rush things. Allow the time to get each step solid before proceeding. If your top priority is to ride right away, get an already-trained horse.
WHERE TO GET A SADDLE-TRAINED MUSTANG: If you live in the West, consider the Warm Springs Correctional Center Wild Horse Program in Carson City, Nevada. They do good work, and hold adoptions three or four times a year. Also, the Mantle Ranch in Wyoming, The Canon City, Colorado prison horse-training program, and the Riverton, Wyoming, Correctional Center Wild Horse Training Program are all well-regarded.
Or buy an already trained mustang from a private party. The Bay Area Equestrian Network and the Wild Horse Mentors/KBR website have classified ads for "pre-owned" mustangs. The California BLM Adopter's Assistance website also has a section for horses and burros needing homes.
2. Gender: To some people this isn't an issue. Other people have definite ideas about gender in equines. 
Mares are often more "cuddly" and demonstrative in their affections than males. They can also experience "mood swings" with their heat cycles. Mares tend to be "bitchier" around other horses. Many people prefer geldings for this reason. Of course, individuals vary. Many mares are relatively unaffected by their hormonal cycles, and are reliable and steady.
PLEASE NOTE: THE WILD MARE YOU ADOPT MIGHT BE PREGNANT. If she has been in captivity less than 11 months, you should consider that she very likely IS pregnant. Do your best to gentle her right away (or hire someone who can). A still-wild mare with a new foal is one tough customer - be ready!
A pregnant mare is not a good choice for a first-time adopter, although it happens commonly. However, far too many mares are turned back to BLM or dumped at the auction (if titled) by their adopters as soon as the foal is weaned, because the foal is easy and the mare difficult. Don't do that! Get the help you need and make a commitment to your mare, if you adopt one.
Males come in two models: stallions (studs) and geldings. Wild studs are reported by many to be far more tractable than domestic stallions. This is due to the socialization inherent in wild herd structure - a wild horse who acts like a jerk is not tolerated by the others in his band. Wild studs do have normal mating urges, however. It is generally a good idea to get a newly-adopted wild stud gelded as soon as possible.
PLEASE CONSIDER: Even though your Mustang stud is beautiful and would no doubt sire beautiful foals, please look at the overall horse market before choosing to breed Mustangs in captivity. As of this writing, with hay and fuel prices through the roof, there simply is no market for young, untrained domestic horses of any breed, except perhaps in rare instances of proven pedigrees and aggressive marketing by the breeder. Please don't add to the problem of "The Unwanted Horse."
Geldings are the choice of most horse owners. There is an old saying that "Mares and stallions are good for making foals, but the only good working horse is a gelding."
The BLM will either geld a stud horse for you, or provide you with a voucher to help offset the cost of gelding, once you get the animal home.
3. Conformation for Health:
Unless you are consciously taking on a rescue horse (and this is a wonderful thing to do, don't get me wrong!) you will probably want to learn enough about conformation (skeletal structure, etc.) to choose a horse who has sturdy legs and feet, and an overall structure that will allow a pleasant smooth ride, and will not cost you big bucks down the line in vet bills due to constitutional or conformational issues. Luckily most wild horses have already been pre-selected by Mother Nature to have strong, sturdy legs and feet.
Here is a good website to learn about conformation:
Don't be distracted by a poor coat, mud-caked feet, or a "hay belly" on a youngster. Look for the underlying structure and use your imagination to see what the horse will be after a few months' good care and nutrition.
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4. Conformation for Purpose (The Right Horse for the Job)
Think about what you want to do with your horse, and choose accordingly. A good dressage horse is built differently from a good cutting horse. A reining horse needs differing conformation than a carriage horse. A good barrel racing horse is built differently from an endurance horse.
If you aren't sure what you want to do, or don't know what is needed for your chosen discipline, visit shows and talk with people. (Be aware that they'll probably also turn up their noses at your mention of a mustang - but consider that their problem, not yours!)
If you don't have a set discipline in mind, then just choose a sturdy, sound horse who appeals to you in other ways.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT HORSE FOR THE JOBWhat do you want to do with your horse?
Likewise, if you're into cutting, reining, team penning, or general ranch work, you'll need a horse built for that type of work. If you plan to show your horse, you need to choose an animal with exceptional conformation. Contrary to popular myth, such excellent individuals abound in the wild horse populations.
All-Mustang Drill Teams are enjoying an increased popularity. Drill team horses can include any type of horse, so long as it is well-trained and agile. Of course, flashy coloring helps! A companion horse can have any size and shape - but if your main goal is a "buddy" for an existing horse or a "pasture ornament" - choose one that appeals to you enough to keep a commitment to it. And, depending on your circumstances, choosing for good health and easy maintenance might be a consideration. Luckily, there is a mustang to meet every need! |
| The Versatile Mustang: | Some wild horse areas produce horses with the minds and conformation to excel in a wide range of activities. Here are horses from the popular Twin Peaks Herd Area of Northern California | ||
 Yogi, adopted by Wendee Walker of Napa, CA, from Twin Peaks HMA, excels in dressage |  Tess Bozarth & Twin Peaks Logan | ||
 Rowdy, another Twin Peaks horse, adopted by Katie Barrett of Davis, CA, is being trained as a hunter-jumper |  Another Twin Peaks horse being trained as a driving horse by Dave Freeman of Artois, CA | ||
Ruby from Twin Peaks, adopted by Mike Kerson of Napa, CA, does well as both a riding and driving horse:   | |||
MOTHER NATURE BREEDS A BETTER HORSE
Mustangs do vary in size and type, however. So if you have a specific discipline or activity in mind, choose a horse that is built for what you want to do. 5. Does Size Matter?
Mustangs tend to be small to mid-sized horses, usually between 14 and 15 hands. Some are quite small, 12 - 13 hands, and some reach heights of 17 hands and upward, but the vast majority are in the 14 - 15 hands range. Mustangs are so sturdy that even a mature 13.2h mustang usually has no problem carrying a 200 lb. rider. The early Vaqueros preferred the shorter horses, due to their maneuverability and ease of mounting and dismounting. Middle aged and/or less fit riders today are re-discovering the same thing. Nowadays, many people seem to want tall horses, perhaps influenced by the current popularity of Warmbloods and Appendix Quarter Horses. There ARE tall mustangs over 16 hands tall. Several herd areas - mostly in Northern California and Northern Nevada, are known for their large horses. If you must have a very tall Mustang, you can find one. And remember, mustangs continue to grow through their fifth and sometimes even sixth year. Many people have been surprised to find that the 14.2h mustang they adopted grows into a 15.3 or 16.1 horse. Higher nutritional levels of domestic feeding situations are the reason for this. Since Mustangs continue to grow well past their fifth year, sometimes still gaining height at 6 or 7 years old, don't rule out a 2-or-3-year-old who has everything you need except height! | |||
Temperament is probably the hardest thing to evaluate at an adoption site. The stress of being confined in a small pen with other horses who may be strangers to one another sometimes makes good horses look bad. Another variable is how long the horse has been in captivity. Although still quite wild, horses who have been in the holding facility for several months will be much less "crashy" and skittish than horses fresh off the range.
There are a number of widely-quoted benchmarks for judging temperament: Look for a kind eye, look for large, clear eyes, not tight, slit-open ones. However, with the exception of young horses who have been in holding facilities for quite a few months already, horses at adoptions are stressed, and may not exhibit big, kind eyes, although the horse will develop this countenance after settling in to the new home, being treated well for a period of time, etc.
A better benchmark is this: Watch how the horse interacts with others. (And even this is not totally valid at adoption sites, due to the stress of being in a new place, being in a small pen with unfamiliar horses, etc.) If you want a quiet, easy-going horse, choose one that manages to avoid most skirmishes, one that does not seem overly upset by the more excitable horses, one that is neither the main aggressor nor the main one being picked on, and one who seems sociable and well-liked by the other horses. A horse with many scars and blemishes should not necessarily be ruled out, as it may be due to human harassment, injuries during capture or transport, predator encounters or a host of other reasons, but it is a "red flag" that just may indicate that this fellow has an Attitude!
If you want a horse for endurance or similar discipline that requires tremendous "heart" choose one of the more animated, even feisty ones.
You may see some of these traits in horses at an adoption, but do understand that such horses are stressed. It seems unreasonable to expect them to stand around, calm and serene, with big soft eyes, under the circumstances. Their facial expressions will change 100% once you get them home and they start to feel safe and comfortable.
My first mustang (and still the love of my life after my husband and kids), Sparky, was a newly-captured youngster when I first met him, and he did not exhibit the big, kind eyes I had been told to look for. His eyes were little slits and he would not look at me or any humans. Nowadays, everyone who meets Sparky remarks about his "kind eye."
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 Most mustangs are bays, browns, blacks and reds. There are a few herd areas, however, that abound in "color"
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You may feel that, if you can only get this one horse, it had better be the horse you've dreamed of all your life. One's Dream Horse is usually a certain color or color pattern, perhaps a palomino, a shiny Black Stallion, a dapple gray, or a flashy pinto. Or you may be attracted to the exotic "primitive markings" on duns.
Since your ability to commit deeply to the horse is THE prime ingredient for success, I consider a color priority to be legitimate. If you have a color preference, simply admit that you do, and don't beat yourself up over it. On the other hand, as you get to know your new horse and to develop a bond, you are likely to stop noticing the color.
Looking at this Halter class at the Western States Wild Horse & Burro Expo, you would never guess that the vast majority of mustangs are bays and browns, and that pintos and appaloosas make up less than 5% of all mustangs, would you?
The vast majority of mustangs are bays or dark reds, known affectionately as "Nevada Browns." These plain-wrapper bays and dark reds are far more "at risk" under the Burns Rider 3-Strikes Rule, than their more unusually-colored brothers and sisters. The majority of young 3-strikes horses are plain-colored, and the ones left over at the end of an adoption are nearly always the "Nevada Browns."
 | What's wrong with this 3-strikes Sale Authority 3-year-old? Absolutely nothing! Except that she comes in a "plain brown wrapper" and went to 3 adoptions where she was passed over for more colorful horses. This horse was lucky: she was purchased by Cathy Barcomb of the Nevada Wild Horse Commission, and is now in training with "Save-A-Life" Foundation to become a saddle horse. But there are many more like her who are not so lucky! |
In the domestic horse world, bay, brown and sorrel or chestnut are fine colors. No one would consider ruling out a Quarter Horse because he is Bay or Dark Red!
So what's the deal with Mustangs and color?
In domestic horses, people choose a horse based on training, bloodlines, conformation, and temperament.
Wild horses have no training, their bloodlines are unknown, their wildness makes it difficult for most people to evaluate their temperaments, and many adopters are not comfortable evaluating conformation, especially in a wild, un-groomed, and possibly underfed horse.
So they look for the horse that stands out from the crowd - the "horse of a different color."
But folks, DO look deeper! Once you get to know your horse, the color will be the LEAST important matter - so choose a good horse, not just a color! Give those "Nevada Browns" a chance! The Mustang Heritage Foundation's Extreme Mustang Makeover features 100 "Nevada Browns" being trained for competition. See "Links" page
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| Three wonderful "Nevada Brown" Mustangs: Chinook, Mac, and Tally Ho | ||
| COLORS: Sometimes you get a surprise: When we adopted Ruby, we were so proud of ourselves for not "going for color." Ruby was a plain brown-black/dark bay youngster. Hmmm...Guess What! | |
 |  Read about the action of the GRAY gene here |
No matter how "practical" or "rational" a choice is, your adoption project will not be successful if you cannot, in your heart, commit deeply to it.
So, after considering all the practical matters:
CHOOSE A HORSE THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR HEART.
Where To Adopt |How to Select Your Mustang Wild Horse |Housing & Fencing Your New Mustang |Sale Authority Horses |How To Read A Brand |Mustang Stories |Problems
since January 1, 2005
Hunter-Jumpers are tall, with long strides, long necks and deep, sloping shoulders. Wild horses from some of the Cavalry Re-mount areas or other areas where Thorobreds were known to have been released, are good choices for this sport.
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(Photo of National Endurance Hall of Fame winner "Mustang Lady" and Naomi Preston)
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