{"id":427,"date":"2020-11-09T12:21:38","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T12:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horseycounsel.com\/?p=427"},"modified":"2020-11-09T12:21:56","modified_gmt":"2020-11-09T12:21:56","slug":"adopting-a-mustang-horse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horseycounsel.com\/adopting-a-mustang-horse\/","title":{"rendered":"Things To Know Before Adopting a Mustang Horse"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Adopting a mustang horse is not something to be taken lightly, nor is it something to be afraid of if you have a bit of experience in handling horses. Clearly, you’ve thought about taking on this responsibility, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here, and there are certainly some things to keep in mind if you do decide to adopt a feral horse.<\/p>\n
The mustang is a free-roaming horse that currently enjoys a widespread population in the Western part of the United States. While certainly not the most difficult horse to work with, most if not all mustangs being offered for adoption have had no previous training, and that’s where you come in.<\/p>\n
Today, I wanted to talk about some things that you might want to know before adopting a mustang. Apart from emotional and financial aspects, there might be some challenges that have not yet crossed your mind. Hopefully, you’ll have a better understanding of mustang horses and what it takes to adopt one by the end of the article.<\/p>\n
In order to be eligible to adopt a mustang in the United States, you must be at least 18 years old and not have any animal cruelty convictions or violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. These rules were implemented in order to make sure that the horse will go to a considerate owner.<\/p>\n
Adopting a mustang is a challenge, make no mistake, and while you might end up with a calm horse that is easy to manage and eager to learn, you might also end up with a stubborn one. You need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Take classes, practice with other untrained horses, and ask for advice from experts. Learning everything you can about the mustang, including its history and behavioral traits will also help quite a bit in the long run.<\/p>\n
The Bureau of Land Management has implemented a very strict set of rules that dictate how you are allowed to transport the horse to its new home and what kind of shelter you need to provide for it.<\/p>\n
When it comes to transporting a mustang, you can use a stock or horse trailer with a rear swing gate and covered top, as well as three-horse slant trailers. Depending on the case, you can also use two-horse trailers, but never drop ramps or one-horse trailers.<\/p>\n
At home, you need to make sure that the animal has plenty of space to live and move. Moreover, the fences on the property need to be in great condition. To elaborate, you’ll need a standard corral measuring at least 400 square feet per animal. As for fencing, you’ll need pipe panels, mesh, or wood posts, with planks at least 1.5 inches thick.<\/p>\n
You’re not allowed to use electric fencing or barbed wire for obvious reasons. As for fence height, 5-foot-high fencing should be enough for yearlings or gentled horses. For ungentle horses 2 years or older, your fences should be at least 6 feet in height.<\/p>\n
Most of the mustangs available for adoption have had no training at all. That means that you have your work cut out for you. Whether you’ll have the ability and experience to train it yourself is another issue. You might want to hire a professional trainer to handle the basics, and you can work with your new horse on more advanced features at a later date.<\/p>\n
It all depends on what you expect from the horse as well. The mustang is a light horse breed that excels at leisure and trail riding. They’re not particularly well-suited for the draft, but they can be used on the racetrack and in the show ring.<\/p>\n
Be prepared for extensive training sessions, for good days and bad days. Be patient and trust that your horse will get there in the end, even if it takes a bit longer than usual.<\/p>\n
Roaming free, the mustang will nibble on grass and will eat some shrubbery. It doesn’t need much else, as it’s not a picky or pretentious horse. However, once it becomes adopted and goes under human care, the mustang’s diet will change quite a bit. It’s important to change the horse’s diet gradually in order to prevent digestive issues and even disease.<\/p>\n