Least Resistance Training Concepts
Project Activity Album

Knightsen's Activities
OLYMPIC WILD HORSE & BURRO PROJECT
Part One

In partnership with
For background information on this project please click Here.

This segment of the project was not without its challenges. We needed to construct safe working areas where the mentors could gentle and train these animals. We had ordered enough 7 foot heavy duty "mustang panels" to construct four pens and a round corral. The manufacturer, however, had problems procuring raw materials and we received only enough panels to construct three pens with no gates until we received the remainder of the order.

Since gentling approaches work well in a square pen, this was no major setback, although it was a pain to have to unbolt panel joints in order to get in and out of the pens. It would also be a wee bit challenging when it came time to unload the trailer and sort the horses into the pens.

We borrowed enough panels from local wild horse adopter Tami Daniels to safely house the burros so we were in good shape for them.

A stack of panels
Plenty of fresh hay
The first step in the process was to dismantle a large corral, grade the ground and bring in layer of soft sand. Some of the locals assisted, most notably the Chairman and a member of the town council, Seth Cockerel and John Gonzales, who brought over a back hoe and a small loader. Having the heavy equipment available plus a total of two loader-tractors allowed us to get the site prepared in under two hours. The Knightsen Garden Club provided refreshments which were greatly appreciated as the day grew hotter.

Jenny Morganstern, Corrine Davis, David Harris and Donna Young removed and stored the old fencing materials as the machines pulled them out.

Removing fence posts
Sharon hauling away shed poles
Finally it was time to start assembling the pens. These are seven foot, seven rail heavy duty two inch panels so they took a little muscle to get them into place. Then they had to be leveled and adjusted. Since we were missing a number of panels and gates, we had to temporarily install panels as "spacers" as we put the pens together so that we would maintain proper space for the alley gates as the pens were squared up. Then the spacers had to be removed so that they could be used to complete the pens.

One of the perimeter burro panels had to be used to close the center aisle gate which made the burro pen slightly smaller than we had intended, but the difference was not significant and can be corrected once the gates arrive.

Continue to Part Two,
Picking up the Animals!

Assembling the first pen
Last panel going in!


Meet the Animals!



Environmental Issues
Water is often scarce where wild horses range. Their population can't be allowed to exceed the water supply as this limited resource is crucial to other species and sensitive riparian areas can be damaged during horses' desperate searches for water.

This is not a BLM operated or BLM sponsored site. It is run by private wild horse and burro enthusiasts.

Olympic Wild Horse Project Objectives

What is a mentor?

Album of Wild Horse Workshops

Return to LRTC Wild Horse Mentors

Return to KBR World of Wild Horses & Burros

Go To KBR Horse Net