Victoria Blass- Documentary Project-2013 

The Extreme Mustang Makeover 2013- A competition where selected trainers are given 90 days to gentle a wild mustang, completely untouched by humans. Following the training period, trainers come back together and compete for a $30,000 dollar prize and the title of Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion. After the competition is complete all mustang are auctioned off to the general public. If a trainer wishes to keep their mustang they must bid against the public themselves. 

On April 4th I left for Lorton VA where I was going to pick up my partner for the EMM competition. On the 5th I arrived at the Burero of Land Management holding facility where the mustang were being held. For the competition this year all the mustang are mares (females) from Reno NV. When I arrived I was given a number of the mustang that I was going to be training. A which point I get to pick a name and being on the journey of a life time.

Meet Amalitta! She is a 4 yr old mustang mare from Reno NV. Completely wild and untouched by humans. 

While I was waiting for my time to back my trailer up the shoot, I walked around with other trainer to see to all the mustangs that are going to be used in the competition. This is a photo of Amalitta and her other two friends in the holding pen in Lorton VA. When trainers reunite for the competition in August, Amalitta will recognize her friends. 

When it was my turn to get loaded, Amalitta was corralled into a shoot and run put into the trailer and I set off for home. It took me 7 1/2 hours to make it home. 

As a trainer I had to meet all the facility qualifications before my application would even be considered. I had to have a round pen at least 20X20 in diameter and 6 feet in height. Mustangs are known to be able to jump 6 ft. 

This is Amalitta right after I got her home. Given that she is completely wild I had to back my trailer up the round pen, open the back door and let her come out on her own time. This did not take long, after a long trailer ride home, Amalitta really wanted to be on solid ground!! In this picture she is looking at the other horses on the farm.

All mustangs captured by the BLM are given a brand on their necks. All mustangs will have their brands double checked upon arrival at the competition in august to ensure all trainers are competing on the horse they were given.

Still day 1 Amalitta gets acclimated with her surroundings and eats some hay.

At this point I entered the pen with her and worked on getting her to join up with me. By the end of the first 30 min session Amalitta was joining up allowing me to rub her shoulders (The first touch is a VERY big step!!) 

Day 2: I began my work with desensitizing Amalitta to many different scary objects. She was so accepting!! As seen in this photo Amalitta allowed me to put a saddle pad on her back. This is another big step given just 24 hours earlier Amalitta was completely wild!! 

Day 4: Today we continued desensitizing to using a tarp!! You can see the progression. First Amalita walked around looking at the tarp. Then she felt confident enough to touch the tarp. Finally after working with her I was able to lay the tarp over her back. (In the horse world we have a saying "horses are afraid of two things... things that move and things that don't")


Day 5 update: Today was all about bonding. Over the last 5 days I have challenged Lita to trust me and she has been so accepting, but today was different, today Lita was not only accepting seemed to be seeking out the fun things we have been doing. Everyone was right, this truly is an experience of a life time!!!

Day 7 update: OMG today seemed monumental; Miss Lita and I have left the round pen!! YAY!! then we went on a hack (on foot of course)! She is leading like a pro and totally put her trust in me when faced with many scary obstacles!! This relationship that is building between the two of us is nothing like those with my domestic horse (my fellow trainers understand) In addition to hacking today, Miss Lita also met her younger sister, Zola, today. Too cute!!

Walking through two scary boats while it was windy and the tarps were blowing around... Lita was unphased!

Look at my two beautiful girls!!

Day 8 update: Took Lita for a walk about the farm at home and the sculptures around the house.  

Day 9 update: I simply have fallen in love with Lita!! She continues to get better and better everyday!! Today we went on a hike through the woods again, Lita met some new people (she looked to me for reassurance) and had a saddle on her back, which she didnt even notice was there! Cant wait to see what tomorrow will bring!!

 Here I use pressure and release to encourage Lita to walk over the stream.

Lita had to jump it a few times before quietly walking over it. Practice Practice Practice 

Meeting Andy for the first time 

I love you Amalita!!

Looks good in an English saddle!! 

Day 11 update: Fun Fun Fun!!! More desensitizing with anything scary I could find around the farm! Absolutely nothing phased Lita. She let me crawl underneath her belly... Lol she was looking through her legs wondering why I was under there! In addition she is now picking up all four feet like a pro!

After the training session I turned Lita out with baby Zola. haha Zola is almost 16.3h so she towers over Lita. They had fun running around together and eating hay :-) very exciting

Lita was trying to grab the pool noodles and run off with them as I was setting this up!! 

We walked back and forth through this many times...Lita was still trying to get a noodle and take it with her.

SUCCESS Lita got what she wanted! 

Doesn't She look like she is ready for the beach!?

 
 The hula hoop became her new favorite toy! :-) 

Day 13 update: Day was a light day for Lita. Sent lots of time grooming her in the nice warm sun out in a big open field while she grazed! just a perfect day!

Day 14 update: Lita was great today!! Tried on the western saddle, and put wait in the stirrup! Introduced the idea of back up and turn on the haunches, wow did she learn fast!! Finally played a bit at liberty with making small circles around me at the walk... who needs a halter now :-) As always I continue to desensitize to different scary objects! (Tarps and inner tubes are two of my favorites!)

Hi Miss Lita!!