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How we got
into raising Mountain Horses
And their nature to
our training
We have had a lot of folks ask about the nature of Mountain Horses, they wish to know more about them. Most folks around Iowa have never heard of these Mountain Horses before! Well nor had I, I was a Quarter horse man, till about 12 years ago, when I came across a Mountain Horse mare. That when I checked, I found that she qualifies by the RMHA Registry's description, to be registered as a Rocky Mountain Horse. Unfortunately the paper work that could be used for that was lost and I can't get her registered. But I did a lot of trail riding with her and during 1996 I crossed Iowa with her on a wagon train, most of the way I used her to pull drag, control traffic, and work as a Safety Outrider for the wagon train.
I've found that all the Mountain Horses have a great temperament, they love attention, have well shaped & hard hoofs, are very easy keepers, need very little shelter, are tuff and have a lot of endurance, are sure footed, and willing. It's like they want to please you!! For an example the last one I broke out was Kid Silver. He was at the mare's side when we purchased her, when he was about two I noticed that he was standoffish and a little flighty which seemed strange. So one day we caught him and I took him away from the other horses and sacked him out (I don't want a spooky horse) I worked with him about 1-1/2 hour in my front yard with a lead line over my arm and traffic going by. I had a rag dangling from his halter, a big saddle pad over his neck, a slicker hanging over his rear end, rope draped here and there. With all that I then kicked a 30gallon plastic barrel at his feet and I hardly ever had to grab the lead line, after that I was his best buddy, I had no trouble catching him then, he just comes right up to you.
Mountain Horses are slow maturing like the Arabian horse's and very intelligent, so months later I sacked out Kid Silver again to see how he took it, he just stood there like "yah - we did this already". So I moved on to the saddle, after I cinched it up tight, I moved back out of way, because horses tend to blow up at this point, he just stood there, I shooed him away to let him feel it ... nothing! After he turned three last spring I took him and worked him in the round pen, with a bit and was going to put the saddle on later to work him that way too, when some folks stopped by to look at our stallion. They came down to see us working in the round pen and asked if we've had a saddle on him, "Yes once last year, I say". So I throw the saddle on as he stands there, no trouble. Have you been on him? "ahh...No, I say" I step into the stirrup and swing into the saddle, on and off both sides.... nothing! My partner climbs on and I move the horse around the ring, no fighting, no wild eyes, Nothing!! This horse doesn't know right or left let alone "Whoa" yet. The folks left talking about which horses they need to sell... before buying one!!
In September I rode him again on a 3day trip going to the Ft. Madison Tri-state Rodeo, I wanted to be sure of him being broke well enough around traffic and a lot of going's on. It was like a Sunday drive in the park! No problems at all doing the approx. 20 miles a day on back gravel roads or shoulder of the highways.
Charlotte & I riding Mountain Horses, our friend bouncing along behind - She is a long time friend riding with me as we come in to our camp for the night, I'm riding Kid Silver, even with my chinks draped over him (it's hot that day) it's no problem, a great ride!
