The Mustang Diaries: Sunny's First Saddle

Yesterday, after months of patient groundwork and trust-building, we would introduce Sunny to the saddle.

Sunny, like all mustangs, possesses a deep-seated instinct for self-preservation that can be challenging to overcome. To gain her trust, I prioritized patience and very clear communication. Every interaction, from haltering to grooming, was a carefully choreographed dance of respect and a pressure-release reward. We spent countless hours in the corral, moving her body with subtle cues, desensitizing her to touch, and building a foundation of mutual understanding.

With the saddle blanket laid softly on her back, I began the slow, deliberate process of placing the saddle itself. She blew up a few times and escaped the saddle's presence. So instead of quickly placing the saddle on her, cinching it, and getting away from her as fast as possible, I gently desensitized her to it. Rubbing her sides, shoulders, and flank with it and rewarding each calm behavior with the removal of the saddle. Slowly, she began to trust that it wasn't going to hurt her and I was able to get it on her and cinched up with barely any reaction from her at all.

I then turned her out on the lunge line and she acted like she'd taken the saddle all her life. She did not offer a single buck or one step in protest to the new object on her back as we went through some groundwork exercises. Very anti-climactic, but such a great reaction! This first saddling was just the beginning. It was a small step in a long journey, but it was a significant one. I am thoroughly proud of her for using her brain to learn about the saddle instead of wildly react to it. Good job, Sunny!