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"Knightsen's Frontier Spirit"
(AKA "Spirit")

Spirit at the Olympics

Sprit was one of nine BLM wild horses selected to appear at the Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. He was gathered off the range in June, 2002 and was picked up by the Olympic Horse Project in August. The project was run entirely by volunteers who gentled nine horses and three burros for a western heritage display at the Soldier Hollow venue. They had to be desensitized to all the Olympic hoopla, various "strangers" caring for them and some 20,000 people a day passing by, looking at them.

Spirit was named for a reason. He tried to jump out of the BLM loading chute and got his front legs and head over the top which gave us all heart failure. Fortunately he was as smart as he was spirited and with some patient approaches he reached a point where he enjoyed interacting with people.

Spirit's big breakthrough involved clicker training. Being bright, Spirit's curiosity was peaked with clicker and he really invested in the games and training. Before too long the horse we were worried about making the grade in this project came to be its star pupil.

Early contact in the LRTC pens
Learning clicker games can be fun
Spirit in the "human round pen"
Taking obstacles on lead
When James joined the Olympic Horse Project we explained that Spirit needed some additional attention in order to catch up with the others. James came out regularly and made a point of working with Spirit. Spirit really opened up to James and they became really great buddles. After the Olympics when the horses went up for adoption, James bid whatever it took to bring Spirit back home.
Spirit had a special relationship with James
Working in a "body wrap"
A final walk before going to Utah
Getting used to Utah winters
Spirit and Dusty sharing a moment with
Secretary of Interior Gayle Norton

Vital Statistics

Foaled: 1999 / Gelding
Herd: Centennial HMA; China Lake, CA
Present Owner: James Kicker
Present Location: California
Email James: racerx00001@hotmail.com
Typical view of James and Spirit

For more Spirit pictures and stories, click Here!.


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