The Mustang Diaries: Pecos Goes Home - A Journey Worth Every Step
Tis' the season of getting butts in trailers and off to their homes! Last weekend we said goodbye to another incredible mustang as Pecos officially headed back home to his family after nearly six months of training here with us!
Pecos arrived in February; a towering, 16-hand, 1300lb, Devil's Garden Mustang with an even bigger personality. Beneath that massive, drafty frame was a horse that wasn't quite sure the world was a safe place. He was nervous, reactive, and always prepared to flee - and accidentally flatten whatever was in his path - if something unfamiliar caught him off guard.
Building confidence became the initial foundation of everything we did together, and from there, Pecos absolutely blossomed. However, like so many training journeys, his story wasn't a straight line.
By the end of May, all of that hard work was paying off. Pecos was doing an incredible job both on the ground and under saddle. His groundwork was polishing up, he was becoming increasingly confident in new situations, and his rides were consistent and dependable. In fact, he was only about a week away from completing his training and heading home.
At the end of May and through most of June, training came to a complete halt. Pecos developed chronic abscesses in one front foot, followed by compensatory lameness in the other that made even simple movement incredibly painful. Between the relentless summer heat and the discomfort he was experiencing, it was a difficult stretch for him.
Our focus shifted entirely from training to keeping him as comfortable as possible. We hung shade cloths over his favorite resting spots, set up a misting station underneath so he could escape the heat, and did everything we could to help him through the worst of it. Watching such a kind horse struggle was heartbreaking, but he never gave up.
Once the abscesses and subsequent lameness finally resolved, we were able to get a set of front shoes on him, and the difference was almost immediate. He became more comfortable, more willing to move, and before long we were working towards getting back to where he was in his training
Today, the nervous horse that arrived in February has become, for the most part, a true "steady Eddie." His favorite job in the world is trail riding. Point him in the direction you want to go, and he'll happily march there all day long. It would take just about an explosion going off underneath him to distract him from his mission... or a stray alluring cookie, but that's besides the point!
During his time here, Pecos has confidently navigated traffic, crossed obstacles, tackled challenging terrain, camped overnight in strange places, and proved himself to be the dependable partner we always knew he could become. Perhaps my favorite testament to his transformation is the variety of riders he's carried. From a tiny three-year-old to riders in their seventies, Pecos has quietly and faithfully taken care of every single person we've ever put on his back.
It's hard to imagine the barn without his enormous head greeting me every morning in search of his breakfast. Horses like Pecos become part of the rhythm of life around here, and saying goodbye is never easy.
But that's the goal.
Every horse that leaves here is another horse finding the life they deserve, and this gentle giant has earned every bit of what's waiting for him. While we'll certainly miss seeing his big face every day, we couldn't be happier knowing he's finally home with his family, where the next chapter of his story begins.
Happy trails, Pecos. We'll miss you more than you know!
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