Ava’s Oregon Mustang

22/07/2025

So so so sorry about his messy stall 🤦🏼‍♀️ I have been working on getting the saddle on for the last day or so. Today after just a little bit of work getting it on and off, I was able to put the saddle on fully and cinch him up! Stetson had gotten more and more trusting lately, and it has really accelerated our training sessions. Although, I will not push him enough to be riding by competition, I think he will make a great riding horse for someone!

19/07/2025

17/07/2025

Photoshoot and confirmation pictures!
Thanks to Maddie we got some amazing pictures of Stetson. And he’s here to make your day better since he’s soooo stunning 😍

12/07/2025

Stetson update!!

A lot has happened since my last post, so let’s dive into it! This guy has been on a journey, and he’s only getting better! Although, lots of things are extra scary to him, whether that is a saddle pad, an unfamiliar rope, or a flag on a whip. Some mustangs just have a little less domestic horse traits in them, but that’s why we love them! That being said, he tries his best every time, and we always work through it. We may not get to riding this big guy by competition, but that’s ok. We are going his pace and I have no doubt he will make an incredible horse. Once you get through to that connection, you are his person all the way. Stetson has learned many new things in the last couple of weeks! He has learned: walking side by side, haunch turning, side passing, forehand turning, backing, brushing his mane and his body, petting with two hands (us mustang owners know this is a silly, but tough one!), going over obstacles, etc. And today, he even enjoyed getting some hugs! Again, lots of things seem scarier to Stetson than to some other mustangs, but I know he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He truly wants to please you and does his absolute best!
One last thing about him, his movement is absolutely incredible! It reminds me of western dressage, fancy ranch riding and maybe even a little pleasure movement too. These qualities are very rare for mustangs, so I am so happy to see it in him. With his good looks, movement and loving personality, Stetson will make an amazing horse and friend.
I will be posting some videos of his progress soon, so stay in tune!

06/05/2025

Alright everyone drum roll please… 🥁

⭐️ Meet Stetson! ⭐️

Stetson will be available in August for adoption! Follow our journey over the next few months and see if he is your dream horse 🐴 💙

05/05/2025

Tag 8744… Help me Decide his name!! Comment below and choose your favorite, or come up with a new one!
⭐️ My favorites are Harley, Stetson or Dallas

Yesterday was my first time getting to pet him, and it was so amazing to finally get the opportunity to do that! He had progressed so much with my mom and sister working with him even since last week. It’s hard to be in school far away and come down every weekend, but I know it will be worth it! Yesterday, I got his tag off and adjusted his halter, as well as practiced leading! My mom and sister got his new halter on after it suddenly broke, but it was very loose. After working on face touches and touching his halter, he was perfectly fine with me tightening his halter! After that was fixed, I knew he was ready for his tag to come off, and get his new name 🥰
I haven’t worked with many older mustangs but it’s interesting to see the difference than that of a 2-3 year old. He is a bit more scared and slow to get used to new things, but you can tell a d***y gelding is going to pop out once he gets over his fears. So far, even though he hasn’t been worked with much, he is an amazing mustang, his potential is already shining through. He has so much to give and so much to learn, I am excited to see what the future will bring! I am wanting to take things slow and not push him too much, despite seeing some other horses doing so much more. A good foundation in a mustang will make all the difference. Even if we take it easy to start, I know he will make a fabulous horse and companion 💙

24/04/2025

It’s official! Tag 8744 is my new mustang for this Teens and Oregon Challenge!

He was my first pick, and I am so so glad I got him! He is absolutely stunning from the photos and videos. He looks much bigger and stalkier than I expected, but im not mad at it! I can’t wait to meet him in person. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to pickup because of cosmetology school, but I am very greatful for my Mom, Dad, and Sister for picking him and two others up! Follow along on Lucy’s Mustang Challenge and Maddie's Oregon Mustang for updates and more photos!

02/06/2024

I want to start off by saying this is definitely my own fault, not Hazel’s. On Thursday I was working with her for a while and she was doing PERFECT! She didn’t run away from me, she wasn’t spooking at anything, and she was being so sweet. I decided it was time to sit on her ba****ck! She was great with this and she didn’t mind it at all.

After a few times doing this, I put on a saddle. Per usual she got the saddle on quick with no trouble! My older sister Maddie has a lot of experience dealing with mustangs, she was supervising the whole time on our horse Dakota. We dallied her lead line to Maddie’s saddle, then walked and trot around the round pen for about 15 minutes.

Hazel was doing so so well, so we thought she’d be fine with me getting on with a saddle. I got on and sat like regular but with my feet not in the stirrups so I could bail if needed. Maddie led me a couple steps from on top of Dakota, and that’s when she got kind of scared and started dancing around. We figured she would freak out from here if I didn’t get off, and Maddie told me to get off, but I guess my brain was working slow and it didn’t register to get dismount. With me staying on her back, the situation escalated and she moved to the other side of the round pen and turned sharp. When she turned that is when I fell off. I thought I landed okay but I looked down at my wrist and knew it was broken.

Again it was my fault overall and I’m mad at myself for not getting off sooner. Due to this accident I’m not really sure what I’m going to do since my left wrist is pretty badly injured. I will likely be going for surgery next week, and will have an elbow length cast for a while since both bones in my wrist are broken.

I’m mad at myself for the mistake and wish it didn’t happen because we were doing so well together! Hazel is such a great horse already, I know she didn’t try to hurt me. She is SO smart, willing, and patient. Never ONCE has she tried to hurt me, or even threatened too. She has such an honest personality, and truly not a mean bone in her body. It was just a situation gone wrong because I was excited, and she wasn’t quite ready!

Hazel’s training will be continued by my sister. We are going to focus on building her trust up and making her completely bombproof on the ground, and then we will work on riding.

And I’m so sorry Larry! Feel free to yell at me now 😂

28/05/2024

Day 31

One whole month in!

Hazel seems to have reached turning point. This last weekend she has been so accepting of everything. Before this point she has been accepting, but now she is being so reliable! I can already tell that she has such a kind heart ❤️

Today Hazel got to hang out in our big arena again. She “helped” me set up trail poles and cones while also being sprinkled with the arena sprinklers in the process. I saddled her fully again and she did amazing!

This last weekend I introduced jumping onto her back. She is learning like a champ and hasn’t had one freak out moment!

When we were out in the big arena, she got the lead stuck underneath of her foot. She showed her good brain in that moment! At first she was scared, but she calmed right down, and, with her foot completely entangled on a rope and pinned up, she let me come up and “rescue” her.

I’m so proud of Miss Hazel 🤎

27/05/2024

Hazel did so well yesterday! I was jumping all around her, she wasn’t too fazed. I was also leaning a lot of my body weight on her back in preperation for getting on. She did great with this, even with the mounting block and me being up high. I put a saddle on again, she took a minute or so to get it on, but she was calm overall. Even being the first time putting the saddle for the day, I was able to cinch it up easily. She didn’t freak out whatsoever and I am so proud of her! I left it on for around 15 minutes and she stayed calm the whole time. Hazel and I ended with a couple of hugs which I hope she enjoyed as much as I did! 🥰