Mustang Xena from Wild to Willing

11/08/2024

08/16/2023

My Granddaughter had her senior pictures taken with Xena. She is growing into a gorgeous girl.

06/25/2022

We have been continuing to work on showmanship. Going on lots of walks. Spending time in her pasture. I trailered her to my weekly lesson and she went into a different arena for the first time, she did good once she got used to it. She had never seen letters on the wall and got a little worried. My friend helped me get her used to water. I will be giving Xena her first bath this weekend, and she got her first fly mask. She doesn’t mind being fly sprayed at all. I can now pick up and clean all 4 of her feet. Not many pictures, because I’ve been alone most of the time. But here’s a couple.

06/17/2022

Xena enjoying this beautiful day. She only gets to graze two hours per day, there is just too much green grass.

2022 Teens and Oregon Mustangs Trainer Updates

06/12/2022

Xena and I continue to work on lots of stuff.
She ties pretty good
Let’s me pick up and clean front feet
Back feet are a work in progress, but getting better each day.
We have been learning showmanship together. I have never done showmanship, but I am doing my best. Working a lot on leading properly, trotting in hand, transitioning walk to trot, halt to trot, halting, backing, haunch turn, forehand turn, side pass, and setting up.
Xena rode in my friends trailer on Thursday. First time in a different trailer. She hesitated for a few seconds, then jumped in.
We’ve been on 4 trailer rides so far, and she’s doing great. She now has a pasture she can spend time in. But we are taking it slow, because of all the grass. She likes to come with us into our barn to feed our horses each night. Our mares are not Xena’s biggest fan, but our gelding likes her. Xena met several new people this week and did great.

06/07/2022

Xena and I have been working twice a day. Today marks day 32 with Xena. One area I’m struggling with is picking up her back feet. She is really good about letting me pick up and clean her front feet though. I will keep asking for those back feet. She has stopped nipping at me, which was not easy.
This picture shows my favorite part of our training sessions. After each session I take her into a large pasture, I let her go and I sit on a tree stump. She could graze anywhere in the field, but she chooses to graze close to me, this makes every frustrating moment I have with her kind of melt away. She’s very social and loves to meet new people. She got to meet my good friend Tina’s brother today and she did great. She walked right up to him and he enjoyed petting her. Xena is going to make someone a fabulous partner. 2022 Teens and Oregon Mustangs Trainer Updates

06/05/2022

2022 Teens and Oregon Mustangs Trainer Updates

Xena and our Kiger Lucero enjoying some mutual grooming. Lucero is a favorite among the Ladies😉

06/04/2022

2022 Teens and Oregon Mustangs Trainer Updates

I love this picture of Xena Warrior Princess🥰

05/31/2022

Xena and I did an interview with Jason and Jonathan from the Portland Tribune. She did so good❤️

100-day competition and conservation effort to culminate in Adoption Challenge event

05/22/2022

Xena had a great weekend. Lots of learning sessions. She picks stuff up very quickly. We took our first trailer ride off the property, to McIver and played on the obstacle course. She did excellent being tied in the trailer for the first time. I could not be more proud of her. Thank you to Michael, for all your assistance and taking some great pictures.

05/18/2022

Xena continues to get braver each time I work with her. This morning we worked on following a feel to the right and to the left, she’s very quick to yield her hindquarters and give me two eyes. Squeezing between barrels and the arena wall, to get more comfortable with tight spaces, getting up on the pedestal, this is still a work in progress, picking up feet, also an area she’s reluctant about, walking up and down the driveway without stopping to graze, loading in and out of the trailer, which she thinks is a fun game. She only had a couple tantrums, I think she could tell I was not having a great morning, and she spooked a few times, but we keep keepin on. Photo Credit to Tina thanks for hanging out with us.

05/14/2022

First tie session, beginning to follow a feel in a circle and crossing water.