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Least Resistance Training Concepts
Project Activity Album
Animals Used in the
OLYMPIC WILD HORSE & BURRO PROJECT
Knightsen, CA Segment
Last Revised 8-21-01
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In partnership with
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For background information on this project please click
Here.
4784: Knightsen's Frontier Spirit
This is the flashiest of the three. He looks a great deal like a
thoroughbred. He stands somewhere around 16 hands and is a mover.
He also seems to be able to jump as he demonstrated for us in the
BLM loading chute.
This horse is probably the least emotionally mature of the three.
He plays with his water. He plays with his tree. He worries about
stuff but he shows no signs of aggressiveness. He has been calm and
sensible in the pen.
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Age: 3 Height: 16-1 (& growing)
Herd: Centennial
Area: China Lake, CA
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One month Progress Report:
Spirit started out very head shy. We believe he may have gotten his halter
hung up because he pretty much destroyed it. We had to go slow around his
face which set him behind the others, but once he figured out it was OK to be
handled around his face and haltered, he's done extremely well.
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Spirit and his best buddy, James
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2262: Siskiyou Midnight Magic
This horse is built like a quarter horse. He has size and a rather
substantial chest and heart girth for a 3 year old.
This horse seems to have the quietest temperament of the three.
He checks everything out and is quietly wary, but responds very well
to soft approaches. He's not yet really comfortable with being scratched
but he doesn't get uptight about it either.
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Age: 3 Height: 15+ (& growing)
Herd: McGavin Peak
Area: MacDoel, CA
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One month Progress Report:
Magic is too cool to be real. He is definitely the most dominant of the three and
the other two have discovered the penalty for messing with him, however he lets
them take cover behind him whenever they are uncertain about something new.
He doesn't show much emotion but is a willing pupil. If you bring him along at
a quiet, easy pace, he picks up new concepts quite easily.
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First horse under saddle
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2829: Lassen Mountain Dusty
This horse is built more like a typical, stocky mustang. He is a dusty
chestnut with lots of dapples, a red mane and tail and four white
stockings.
He seemed at first to be the spook of the bunch. We had to work him the
morning after arrival to resolve a halter problem. Within 25 minutes we
could approach him, give him scratches and attach or remove the halter lead
at will. Afterwards he would follow us all around the pen. He seems to
figure out the deal pretty quickly.
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Age: 5 Height: 14-2
Herd: New Ravendale
Area: Lassen Nat'l Forest, CA
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One month Progress Report:
Dusty is the brightest of the group. He's always working the angles. If he can
charm someone out of a treat, he will. Occasionally he'll get stuck on something
new, but as soon as we can get him thinking about it, he figures it out right away.
He was the first to have his feet trimmed.
Dusty prefers to do tricks that get him attention by humans.
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Dusty and Suzi
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5090: Mojave Desert Rose
This Jennet is the leader of the group. She has a more coarse, gray
coat and she is a large standard; the largest of the three.
This Jennet started checking humans out from the very beginning. She
will approach people and explore anything we have in our hands. She
shouldn't be too hard to tame.
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Age: 5
Herd: Clark Mountain
Area: Mojave Nat'l Preserve, CA
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5098: High Desert Fancy
This two year old is attached to the gray roan with velcro. They are
virtually inseparable, to the point that I couldn't get a clear
photo of her. (That's her on the left.)
As the gray roan will check things out, the blue Jennet will be close
at hand, standing a couple of inches further away of whatever they are
exploring. She will probably mimic whatever her leader does.
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Age: 2
Herd: Clark Mountain
Area: Mojave Nat'l Preserve, CA
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5098: Baker's Liberty Belle
This Jennet is a smooth coated gray with a very bold cross and lots of
garters. She is not very large; a small standard.
This Jennet is the shyest of the group, always the last to check things
out or explore new territory. She also gives the others first choice at
feeding time. She seems quiet enough and should do fine once she gets
accustomed to her new surroundings.
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Age: 5
Herd: Clark Mountain
Area: Mojave Nat'l Preserve, CA
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One month Burro Progress Report:
Being around the burros is like being in the movie, "Night of the Living Dead."
We call the experience, "Night of the Living Donks." They quietly creep up on
you, rub against you, want attention and scratches, and once they start in,
there is no escape!
These are totally delightful animals that provided a sigificant degree of "chuckle factor"
to this project.
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No need to pen 'em.
They're not going anywhere.
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Adopted Horse Uses
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Adopted wild horses are finding their way into virtually every
equestrian discipline. Many are also finding "jobs" as
ranch horses, on pack strings, handicapped riding programs,
in law enforcement as police horses and they are used by the military.
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