It has always been Tucker Black’s dream to train an untouched Mustang.   Curiosity led him to research the Extreme Mustang Makeover events held across the country.  Specifically, the “Supreme” Fort Worth competition caught his eye for two reasons.  The first was the challenge of competing against the best in the country and the second was the fact that participants were required to personally adopt the horses with whom they would compete on.  Tucker knew that he wouldn’t be able to let go of his first Mustang.

Tucker bought 5-year-old “Lakota” for $500 on April 16th through an auction that was broadcast on RFD-TV.  This auction sold a total of 200 Mustangs.  Only horses bought at this auction were eligible to be used in the Fort Worth Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover taking place September 15-17, 2011.  One hundred and thirteen riders entered the competition and the competitors were divided up into three divisions:  “Legends” (professional trainers) - $100,000 purse, “Idols” (amateur trainers) - $50,000 purse and the “Stars” division for horses shown only “in-hand” for a $20,000 purse.  The horses were about 3 ½ when they were rounded up and had been at a holding facility for over a year.  This choice was intentionally made to demonstrate that horses from holding facilities could still become great riding partners. 

Prior to the auction, a fifteen second video was available online for each of the sale horses.  It was Lakota’s build, movement and kind eye that made him Tucker’s first choice.  Lakota was from the Callahan Nevada herd, which has strong Quarter Horse characteristics and some Spanish influence.  After the sale, Lakota was transported from his holding facility in Carson City, Nevada to Cañon City, Colorado.  Tucker and Lakota met for the first time on May 13^th.

From the time that he picked Lakota up, Tucker immediately noticed the beginning of a bond between horse and human.  Lakota quickly began to trust Tucker to care for him.  Tucker let Lakota set the pace, and once Lakota learned that people could be trusted, his progress accelerated.  Tucker found Lakota to be a very fast learner, and after their first weekend together, he could be tied and groomed.  At the end of that week, Lakota was ready to ride.  The main difference Tucker found with Lakota, in comparison to domestic horses, was that Lakota was a blank slate.  He didn’t have any of the problems sometimes created in horses raised by people.

After four months of training and experience, Tucker, his wife Holly, and Lakota arrived at Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas on September 14^th.   Over the next few days of competition, riders had the option of choosing to compete in Western or English tack.  Tucker had chosen Western and was entered in the Legends division.  Therefore his three classes, Trail, Pattern and Trainer’s Choice, included reining maneuvers like circles, spins and rollbacks, plus cow work.  The cow work consisted of boxing at one end, turning the cattle back on the fence both ways and driving them through cones.  For the Trainer’s Choice portion, Tucker chose some of Lakota’s stronger areas; transitions, lead changes, loping small collected circles and sliding stops.

In the competition, against some of the top trainers in the country and from all riding disciplines, Tucker and Lakota ended up in thirty-fourth place out of sixty-nine horse and rider teams.  They also earned a Top Ten placement in the Trail class.  This is an amazing accomplishment for anyone — especially at such a demanding event in one of the biggest venues in the United States.  From his perspective, Tucker felt the competition itself was very well done and really helped to promote and bring awareness to the plight of American Mustangs.  Go to the “xtrememustang” youtube.com account for video highlights from Fort Worth 2011 – they are amazing!

Perhaps you have considered providing a home for a Mustang, but you are intimidated by the process and training.  Tucker would love to assist folks with Mustang training, and even with showing their Mustang in an Extreme Mustang Makeover event.  Tucker is currently planning on competing in the upcoming Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2012.  Tucker Black Horsemanship professionally trains all types of horses at Pikes View Ranch in Conifer, Colorado.  Reach him at 303-870-8389 or at tucker_black@hotmail.com. 

Questions or Comments?  Let me hear from you!  Do you know someone or something in our horse community you want to know more about?  Email me your suggestions - heather@coloradocorral.com.  To learn more about our local horse community, go to www.coloradocorral.com.  Copyright 2011 Heather McWilliams.