KBR Close-Up:
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CJ's second week of training
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CJ was the first BLM wild horse that we started from "scratch". The approach we
used was to apply natural horsemanship methods (e.g., such as are taught by Tom
Dorrance, Ray Hunt, John Lyons, Pat Parelli, Dennis Reese, Buck Brennaman and others).
We found the horse responded immediately and efficiently to these approaches.
Within a couple of weeks, we could turn CJ loose on the ranch and he would come when called. By the 4th week of training, we were riding CJ all over the place. Volunteers from BLM had contacted CJ's owner, Dick Casey, and on hearing how well he was progressing, they conacted the ranch. The volunteers were concerned about inconsistent success among the various BLM adoptors. Some owners were progressing quite well while others didn't seem to be getting anywhere. After some discussion, and with Dick's permission, we agreed to take CJ to Walnut Creek to use as a demonstration horse. We took CJ to Heather Farms Park for the workshop and warmed up on the multi-use trails along with joggers, cyclists, skaters, you name it. CJ accepted these new situations with some concern, but did well. The workshop included several trainers and emphasized the value of understanding basic horse behavior in successfully helping these animals make a comfortable transition from their native environment and experiences to the human's world. For those who enjoy this kind of adventure, and and either have the knowledge or are willing to gain it, starting one of these creatures can be an interesting and rewarding experience. Other references:
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CJ showing Scooter around the hay barn
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