OPEN-HEARTED WELCOME TO THE WMR INAUGURAL BASIC CLINIC
We are recently removed from our first Spring Clinic on the ranch and in many ways the experiences of those wonderful three days feel as if they are still happening. Throughout the weekend it felt as if each moment was cascading on top of each other like waves in the sea, refreshing and invigorating us through every crest and trough. We had no idea what to expect, we just knew that we wanted to provide a safe, open, loving environment in which humans and horses could meet, interact, and CONNECT. After 72 hours of engaging, beautiful and emotional experiences, we are certain that CONNECTIONS were formed.
Before the recap of our adventures begin, we must thank our lovely participants who attended this inaugural clinic. Being the first to engage in a given activity can be intimidating, but our participants never showed any hesitations in the slightest. Their willingness and openness to engage with the horses made the work we did that much more profound, and strengthened the bonds formed between human and horse as well as the connections made between each other. We as a team feel that we have learned just as much from our participants as they did from us. Each of us now possess a special bond from the experiences had and leave the clinic as true friends.
As soon as the first light of Friday crept across the pastures and into the stables, there was a sort of humming in the air. Our participants – and newly made friends – arrived shortly before
9 AM in the same place where we’d gathered for our campfire the night before; we shared a few basic horse safety guidelines, led by Wolfgang and Moriah – our demonstration horse. After the safety course, it was time to head into the main pasture to meet the Mustangs. We wanted to allow these first introductions to be as natural as possible, therefore we gave only brief encouragement or advice. The participants casually wandered around the pasture as if guided by nothing but their intuition and seeing the horses (and burros) react to these new humans was marvelous to observe. Our participants attracted different Mustangs with their energy and demeanor. Even in these brief moments of introduction, it was evident that unique bonds were being formed.
As soon as the first light of Friday crept across the pastures and into the stables, there was a sort of humming in the air. Our participants – and newly made friends – arrived shortly before
9 am in the same place where we’d gathered for our campfire the night before; we shared a few basic horse safety guidelines, led by Wolfgang and Moriah – our demonstration horse. After the safety course, it was time to head into the main pasture to meet the Mustangs. We wanted to allow these first introductions to be as natural as possible, therefore we gave only brief encouragement or advice. The participants casually wandered around the pasture as if guided by nothing but their intuition, and seeing the horses (and burros) react to these new humans was marvelous to observe. Our participants attracted different Mustangs with their energy and demeanor. Even in these brief moments of introduction, it was evident that unique bonds were being formed.
This first meet and greet in the pasture was only an appetizer, but it was a scrumptious one. After lunch, it was time to spend some time with the Okeechobee 8 – the Wild Mustangs we adopted in February – and get started in the round pen for a variety of one-on-one sessions.
Read the Story of the Okeechobee 8:
https://www.wildmustang-us.com/2023/02/23/from-pen-to-pasture-and-the-moments-between/
To get the participants comfortable stepping into the round pen, Wolfgang and Sandra started to demonstrate how to connect with a Wild Mustang. The participants could observe (watch and learn) the quick recognition of the horses’ feedback, how to read the feedback and when and how to approach an untouched horse. Timing, and strengthening the connection with your own resources including space and body awareness of yourself and the horse, are some of the key elements.
Alan – our “brave” participant opened up the sessions by joining Sandra and the Mustang in the round pen to practice how to read the horse and to feel how the human’s energy and emotions affect the demeanor of the horse. Our Okeechobee Mustang, who has no name yet, is a very intelligent and beautiful horse, one that is more sensitive to human energy than some of the other horses on our ranch. Therefore he is the perfect companion in the round pen. Unlike humans, he has no interest in faking how he feels, and he provides palpable signals for humans to respond to.
Detailed explanations how to read a horse and how to respond to it was eye-opening for all our participants. AGAIN! Listening to the horse, checking-in with yourself, controlling your energy and thoughts are key elements. With plenty of teaching and coaching and of course lots of encouragement from the rest of the group, Alan gradually inched his way closer and closer to our beautiful, yet not touched Mustang. After about 15 minutes, the physical and psychological gap between Alan and the Mustang had been narrowed to less than a foot, and all of the sudden, as if drawn together by invisible thread, the two of them touched nose to hand for the first time. Alan’s learning was to trust his own intuition while resetting his physical and emotional balance. The emotional release was felt by all of us, not just Alan. You could literally feel the power of this first touch in your heart, soul, head and toes. It was magical beyond belief, and it set the stage for the other participants to experience similar first touches with our wild Mustangs. These first touches with wild horses were certainly like crests on a huge emotional wave. One never forgets the feeling of such a moment.
After a delightfully plentiful first day, everyone gave out their hugs and their gratitude and headed back to get some sleep in preparation for a Saturday that will not soon be forgotten.
Saturday morning arrived with a silver gray sunrise blanketing the ranch. A cool breeze seemed to breathe an expansion of life into all of our lungs. Humans and horses (and dogs) were eager to experience the day. After our morning check-in with all our participants, we started with our first exercise. The assignment was to choose a herd and spend time in the pasture to self-reflect and connect with the horses. Some decided to spend their time with the Okeechobee 8, while others ventured to the big pasture to spend time with the other Mustang herd. After one hour, everyone gathered back at the “social table” to share their experiences with the group if they cared to. The 90 minutes that ensued were indescribably special. Emotional is not the word, these moments were monu-motional, there wasn’t a dry eye to go around on numerous occasions. Each of our participant’s time for reflection in the pastures was unique yet the emotional release they experienced was universal. Indeed, much of what they discovered in the pasture did not become aware until being discussed with the rest of the group. The beautiful simplicity of the human condition was made very clear during our roundtable sharing that Saturday morning. It was in these moments that our connections both tightened and lengthened…with each other, with the horses and with ourselves.
By noon on Saturday it would have been hard to believe that the weekend could get any better or more profound, but somehow it did.
We shared a bit of the history of Wild American Mustangs, how they came to be a symbol of the birth and growth of America, and their tragic fate in the early to mid 20th century. Knowing the story of these wild and beautiful creatures is both joyful and sad at times, but must be told so that the future for wild mustangs can be a bright one. Caring for wild mustangs is an essential part of what we do at WMR and perhaps it is also one of the memories that will most help to spread the word about Wild American Mustangs beyond the ranch.
If Friday was Special, Saturday was Profound.
BLM Wild Mustang
The Mustang Heritage Foundation:
Sunday was a day of multitudes: reflection, appreciation, application, and rejuvenation. The emotional value of the weekend could seemingly be felt in every breath, and it was evident that the experiences and insight gained would have lasting effects that will carry over into many of life’s facets. The horses picked up on this emotional state as well. Having another night’s sleep and more moments to process the previous days’ events allowed everything to sink in more securely, which strengthened some of the bonds between human and horse. Where there might have been hesitation, or doubt or disconnect on Friday, by Sunday it was all confidence, strength, joy and CONNECTION.
Beyond the insight mustangs provide, they quite simply provide us with experiences. Experiences of insights, wonder, beauty, curiosity, joy, freedom and the like…all of which are the epitome of the Wild Mustang’s nature. And we have been assured that each person who were a part of this Spring Clinic will carry with us these feelings of the experiences we had, in addition to the learning, self-reflection growth and healing that we all felt. As exciting as the weekend was, it is just as exciting to now walk into the future with these bonds and friendships we created being right by our side.
After three days of profound connection, the memories of this first clinic on Wild Mustang Ranch will live with us forever, and the connections we enjoyed will seamlessly make their way into all facets of our lives.
Thank you again so much, from the bottom of our very full hearts!
WMR Team 
If you want to experience the transformative power of
“Connecting with the Wild”
sign up for our
WMR Summer Clinic (June 1st – 4th, 2023):
