What to look for.......?

[angelsdream]

Since the adoption is right around the corner, thought I'd start up a new thread on what people look for when picking out there wild kiger. From conformation to how they act in the herd? Do you look for one that is middle in the pecking order or dominant or submissive??

What are the age's that are a bit easier to tame? Do you guys find that mares or geldings are easier? Ive heard that the older the mare is, the harder it is to gentle....Ive never gentled one so just curious what other's experience is!!!

[MustangsInNC]

I've always adopted boys, and had amazing luck with them. The oldest one I've adopted was a 5 eyar old stallion (not a Kiger though), and even he came around pretty fast. I'm after a mare this time, no older than 3 years old. So I'm curious about other's experiences with the girls too. I've worked with 4 mares, two were TIP horses and two were fosters. One TIP horse was super easy, and I had her ready to start green breaking in 30 days. The other TIP mare took months to even pet. And the last two were fostered Sulphurs, and both of them were nutty as fruitcakes!

As for what I look for? Conformation is a requirement. Straight legs, nice shoulder, neck ties in nicely. The very submissive ones IMO seem to be harder to gentle, as well as the very dominant ones. One of the Sulphur mares I fostered last year was extremely submissive, and she would fall down trying to turn away from me and hide. Was kind of sad.. And for me, color is a plus, but not my only deciding factor. I'm after a grulla girl this time.... hope I can find the perfect girl!

[Michelle Clarke]

I worked with a clinician that did all the BLM adoptions east of the Mississippi and he was helping Eric and I when we just got into the wild ones and Eric was being asked to do a demo...he said stay away from the mares. The older and more foals they have, the wiser and more difficult they are. The studs are mostly easier because they enjoy the interaction more and are quicker to come around when you have limited time in front of an audience. We have found this to be very true.

I try to pick in the middle of the herd - for my needs here as a broodmare. However, each horse is different and I have had some of the most quietest ones be the most difficult because they are very reserved and can be the most explosive when pushed because they are internalizing everything. I look for an honest horse - one that tries as much as they argue. That is hard to tell seeing them a limited time in the pens.

Last adoption, I had my mare picked out before I even got there and was happy to see she was in the middle of the herd. She would yield to the bossier horses without planting her feet or kicking at them plus she would move through the lower horses without pinning her ears or bullying. Lynns' mare, Mari, was low and having them together for the first year was not the best for Nesa because of her horsonality, she learned to be bossy with Mari because Mari just gave space all the time. So now, even though Nesa is not aggressive, she will stand her ground and push lower ones - sometimes even tries to take over the alpha if they are in a weakened state like just foaling or being bred. A lot has to do with maturity and having foals though too and developing that protectiveness.

I think I would have a whole other criteria if I were looking for a riding partner in a wild horse. To me, it would be very difficult to pick one out of the pens based mostly on looks - kind of like picking a husband that way; there's a lot more to it and you don't know what you really have until the chips are down.

[kimk]

I agree, Michelle, for the most part middle of the pecking order is the best way to go, depending on your circumstances. I also have preferred younger horses, but if I were going to adopt a stallion again, I would go with something between 4 and 8 years old. Fuego was 5 when adopted, and his social skills are the best! He gets along with anyone, and can even hang out with the yearling and 2 year old stud colts when he's got mares to be bred in with him. He keeps them in line, but doesn't get too agressive. Right now he's babysitting my 15 month old stud colt ( soon to be gelding ). I love that about him.
A friend adopted an 8 year old mare in 03 and was showing her under saddle at KigerFest the following summer; she was so easily gentled and trained. On the flip side, the most difficult one I ever gentled was a weanling colt from 07. The 07 filly I adopted at the same time was a piece of cake, So age isn't always a factor, either...

[DianneC]

I think its hard for people to look at a weanling, yearling or two year old and know what to look for. I have baby through adult pictures on webshots we could download and use for illustration if people wanted that. I know several other people do too.

[MustangsInNC]

It is awfully hard to tell what you will end up with when looking at the weanlings. I've seen some that were leggy and uphill and had the floating gait, and they matured to be nothing impressive. On the flip side, I've seen some babies that are downhill, pot bellied, and skinny necked, and they mature to be gorgeous horses. Plus, every baby goes through the "ugly" gangly stage at some point, lol.

[sbutter]

Babies really are tricky. I was wondering after all this talk of chiropractor work if that would change those "once beautiful" horses MustangsInc just mentioned.

[courtney A]

What type of gait does Kigers usually have. Adopted a Kiger in 2003 my first mustang. Absolutely wonderful guy. While away on a military paid vacation to the mountains my friend broke him to ride. Went and did everything until we started back to the barn. My daughter 12 was riding him. He did not buck but did fantastic turns which she jumped off after realizing she couldn't control him. I rode him he behaved but had the worst gait I have ever rode. Would like to adopt another but am leary of gait.

[Michelle Clarke]

Kigers overall have wonderful gaits that make the rider look good. If any horse is tense or rides with their back dropped and head way up - the legs go up and down instead of reaching forward. That makes for a hard trot and rough canter. Honestly, I've ridden at least 30 Kigers all over the country and have never experienced a bad gaited one.

[lindad]

I have baby through adult pics too of both Bolero and Chica.

[lilnagy]

Well, this is a fun thread! I haven't been on in a couple weeks, so I am catching up. My mare Conchetta was 12 in '03 when I adopted her. She was extrememly hard to gentle (for me, an experienced horse person but not having done mustangs before). She can still be hard to catch, and is forever watchful and wary. But when approached carefully, once she is caught she is wonderful to ride. It has not been hard to learn to feel when she is tense. The change in her gait is very noticeable from her back. When she is relaxed she is very smooth and comfortable, but when nervous is very stiff and stilted feeling.

She is middle of the herd here, but has the role of "watchman". When everyone else lays down to sleep, she stands gaurd. I don't recall being able to observe her in the pens at Burns, except that she was so far away from the fence we went and bought binocluars to look at her! I agree that it is nice if you can see that they are not too bossy or too timid in the pens.

She is a great partner when I am on her back, but she has never grown to be friendly to me at all. I don't know how much of that is being wild for so long, and how much is just personality, but I expect it is a combination of both.

Conchetta and I are coming to Kiger Kraze, so some of you will get to meet her! I think it is a miracle that she is gentle, and ridable.