Flower Power

Flower Power

by | Jan 28, 2023 | journal

Ryan and Lisa have a productive conversation about training while Rose listens in.

Graduation Day

Here we are already on the last day of the Flower Girls’ time with Ryan Rose Horsemanship. If you’ve been following the progress this week, you’ve seen the four semi-feral, aged mustang mares making realistic, steady progress as they respond to the expert instruction from Ryan’s team. You’ve also noticed that our staff is working right alongside them. All our staff commit to learning natural horsemanship as part of their job and mission here at Horse Protection. We consider it critical to rehabilitating the horses’ minds as well as their bodies, so they can live their best life. We invest in professional natural horsemanship training for all our rescues – to the level appropriate for them. You, our donors, make this possible through your generous donations. The Flower Girls and all our horses thank you for caring about their whole beings – mind, body and spirit – and donating so that we can turn their tragedy into triumph.

Here’s what the Horse Protection community has been able to do for the Flower Girls with Ryan’s help in just five days:

Impressive Iris

As you recall, Iris started the week less than impressed with her time in the round pen. Now she is impressing all of us! Iris started out her session today with Ryan being able to walk right up and halter her. Tyler gave her a nice refresher on letting humans touch her all over. Ryan came in and they played with changes of direction. She finished off the day gaining confidence with having her legs and feet touched which culminated with Ryan picking up her feet.

Rose to the Occasion

Our Farm Manager Lisa had the pleasure of interacting with Rose today and she did very well! She improved on the important skill of yielding her front and hind end so that the staff can safely maneuver her around. She and Lisa also practiced touching Rose’s legs and picking up her feet. Rose has made an unbelievable transformation and shown that she can transfer her trust to more than one handler with ease.

Tuned-In Petunia

Today Petunia enjoyed working with another member of our team and a professional trainer, Sarah. Petunia is the eldest Flower Girl, which has made learning a bit more difficult, but she has still managed to make incredible progress. Sarah and Petunia practiced changes of direction and acceptance of the touch of hands and rope. Sarah did an especially great job at showing Petunia that it’s not scary to have her feet and legs touched. This lady of a certain age has shown us all that she is still willing and able to learn new tricks!

Lovely Lily

Lily and staff member Delaney made some huge progress today! They began by building her confidence in accepting touch and yielding her hind end. They also practiced picking up Lily’s front feet and working with them as if she were receiving a trim from a farrier. With a little bit of time, Lily was happily lifting up all four feet when asked! This is a huge and important goal achieved because mustangs are instinctively protective of their feet.

Look For Ryan's Video!

Look for a video from Ryan coming out soon with a far more detail of the mare’s amazing transformation. We’ll be sharing it on our channels.

Share in the Triumph

This miraculous week, and every week at Horse Protection is made possible by you, our generous community of supporters. There are many ways to give and all are welcomed: volunteer, help us to fill the food bank, take a Spirit Walk, sponsor a horse’s training, adopt, or foster. The horses thank you for caring and sharing.

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Expecting Big Things

Expecting Big Things

by | Jan 27, 2023 | journal

Rose became comfortable with the feel of the rope on her legs and back.

With the Program

On Day 4, the reality is settling in that these Flower Girls have endless potential to learn and grow. The focus of the training from the Ryan Rose Horsemanship team turns more and more to sharing the knowledge with the HPAF Team so that the mares can transfer their trust to more people, and eventually to their future adoptive families. 

Likeable Lily

Lily and Emily played together today and continued to prove just how smart horses are! The pair learned to move off pressure and it was a breeze. It’s clear that she is settling into her life in the world of people. Lily was also able to improve on picking up her feet and getting used to things touching her legs. We are certain that she will excel in this challenge with more practice.

Intelligent Iris

After the pieces fell into place for Iris yesterday, she was a whole new horse. Iris and Ryan spent time together and concentrated on becoming more comfortable picking up and handling her feet. She also spent some time with our Equine Care Staff Member, Delaney Ruska, so that she could be comfortable around more people. Overall, she had a great day, and her future is looking very bright!

Rockstar Rose

Rose spent her Day 4 session with Delaney and Ryan. Delaney practiced approaching Rose and helping her to be comfortable with people coming up to her. They also built her confidence with things on her back and around her legs. Ryan came in and offered Rose a sense of leadership which she took to very quickly. We are expecting big things from Rose. 

Expecting Big Things

Productive Petunia

Petunia spent the day with Tyler. She had a very productive day, as she learned how to move off pressure and get more comfortable with humans guiding her. Tyler helped Petunia to gain confidence with touch and halting. Her progress over those past few days has been immense. 

Tomorrow's The Final Day!

We’ll be sharing a wrap up on the horse’s progress, pictures and video clips.

Breakthroughs Galore

Breakthroughs Galore

by | Jan 26, 2023 | journal

Iris started out the day bracy, but Ryan helped her to become relaxed and confident.

Grow Where You’re Planted

It’s day 3, more than halfway through Ryan Rose Horsemanship‘s work with the mustang Flower Girls. The mares are all learning to thrive in human company thanks to the work of Ryan’s team and the dedication of the Horse Protection Staff. This is hard work for all involved, including the horses, who are learning how to trust and follow a leader that they have always seen as a predator. It’s truly remarkable to watch as they turn their tragedy into triumph a little more each day.

Petunia

Petunia worked with Ryan and Tyler on haltering and learning follow a feel. She took to it quickly. These were definite breakthrough moments for her. By the end of the session, she was being led around the pen, comfortably wearing her halter and accepting lots of pats and scratches. 

Lily

After the first day, Lily started to make steady progress and show the more social and friendly colors that we had seen around the farm before training began. Today, Lily was the easiest to halter and the most relaxed horse of the day. She worked with Emily for the session and practiced moving off pressure. Lily picked it up in just a few tries and overall had a great day. 

Iris

Iris has started each day with fresh reluctance. Today, as you will see from the video clip,  she was quite braced, but Ryan was able to once more show her that following a feel is a positive experience. She was able to accomplish being led, having her face touched and wearing a halter. Even after Ryan let her go, she willingly followed him for a few steps. 

Rose

Rose had a very relaxed and productive day. She was one of the easier ones to halter in the morning and she got right to work with the Farm Manager, Lisa. They spent time working on allowing touch all over her legs and she even was able to pick up her front feet a few times to prepare her for hoof trimming. Rose ended the session very calm and eager for more attention. 

Tomorrow's Another Day!

We’ll be sharing daily reports on the horse’s progress, pictures and video clips. 

Blooming Flower Girls

Blooming Flower Girls

by | Jan 25, 2023 | journal

Petunia calmly regards Ryan on her first day in the round pen.

All Four Came Out to Play

It’s the second day of mustang gentling, and all four of our Flower Girls got some quality time in the round pen with Ryan, Emily, and their assistant Tyler. These mares are mustangs, estimated to be in their teens and early twenties. As you might recall, they were rescued from the recent animal neglect case in Williston involving sixteen horses. To our knowledge, they have lived their lives after the range in a pasture with no training and very little human contact. 

Petunia 

Yesterday, she was happy to be a wallflower at this dance. Today, she came into the pen and Ryan started out by moving her around at liberty. He then was able to get a rope around her that he used to show her how to follow a feel. She was very skittish but made progress quickly. 

Rose

It’s amazing how quickly Rose has come to enjoy human interaction. Today, our Farm Manager, Lisa worked with her most of the day on haltering and being able to touch her all over. With time and patience, Lisa was able to halter her multiple times and even touch her legs. By the end she was leading around beautifully alongside Lisa and soaking up all the cuddles that she had to offer. We truly appreciate how Ryan’s team is actively including us in the training process so that we are able to seamlessly continue with the mare’s education after this week ends.

Iris

Iris started the session today similar to the day before – skeptical to say the least. But Ryan and Tyler made big strides with her today. Ryan moved her around the pen quite a bit, asking for different things to keep it interesting for her. Tyler stepped in and worked with her on being touched all over. She is now able to be led around a few steps and is much more comfortable being groomed and loved on. 

Lily

Lily turned over a new leaf today. Emily worked with her today on leading, and she excelled!  She allowed Emily to give her lots of scratches and attention. By the end of the session, she was much easier to handle and halter. 

Tomorrow's Another Day!

We’ll be sharing daily reports on the horse’s progress, pictures and video clips. 

Day One with the Flower Girls

Day One with the Flower Girls

by | Jan 24, 2023 | journal

Ryan with Iris, who made excellent progress on her first day. 

First Steps with the Mustangs

On this first day, Ryan and Emily focused on our mustang flower girls: Petunia, Iris, Rose, and Lily. It was a day of getting to know each of the mares, who have had little to no handling since their adoption several years ago and were recently neglected and starved. The first step was getting each of them separated into a safe pen. Petunia didn’t make it that far today, but she did stick around and watch her girlfriends learn some things.

Rose 

Rose had an amazing day! Since coming to Horse Protection, she has been untouchable. She made massive strides very quickly. Emily worked with her on being led around and giving to pressure. By the end of the session she was walking around easily with Emily while also accepting lots of scratches and rubs. She was willing to drop her head when asked, be pat down with the stick and string and even practiced haltering.

Here she is, getting her first halter.

Iris

Iris accomplished a lot today. She began her session very apprehensive, but was still able to achieve a lot. By the end, Ryan was able to lead her around a few steps with a rope around her. He was also able to walk up and pet her multiple times. 

Lily

Lily surprised us! Of all the flower girls, she has been the most approachable by the Horse Protection Staff. After a short while in the round pen with Ryan, she became quite unconfident, even trying to jump out. Ryan felt that it would be best and safest to work with her further after raising the height of the corral walls.

Here, Ryan explains how he will be working with Lily in the round pen to the Horse Protection staff.

Tomorrow's Another Day!

We’ll be sharing daily reports on the horse’s progress, pictures and video clips. 

Ryan Rose Horsemanship to Partner with HPAF

Ryan Rose Horsemanship to Partner with HPAF

by | Jan 22, 2023 | journal

Ryan and Emily Rose operate Ryan Rose Horsemanship Center in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. They are here in Ocala this week and Horse Protection has requested them to assist the horses in two special projects.

Welcome, Ryan Rose!

We are thrilled to welcome a guest trainer to HPAF the week of January 23rd. He will be undertaking some very important, specific natural horsemanship training needs for some of our rescue horses. We’ll be blogging this week as Ryan works, so you can follow along with the progress, and Ryan will be producing a video chronicling the experience. We hope you enjoy watching tragedy turned into triumph in these horse’s lives.

Ryan Rose began his career as a professional horse trainer and clinician in 2005. He has studied with many top world-class horseman, spending four years with Pat Parelli.

Ryan now teaches workshops and clinics all over the world as well as running a comprehensive training program at his farm in Wisconsin with his wife, Emily, also an accomplished trainer. His passion is in creating partnerships between horses and their owners.

His skills in horse development and his teaching set him apart. He also enjoys competing and training horses in ranch versatility.

The Flower Girls Go to School

You may recall this past November when a massive horse neglect case broke in Williston, Florida. We assisted the OTTB Foundation with the rescue of sixteen severely starved horses. Four of those horses were semi-feral mustang mares. We took them in and named them Lilly, Rose, Petunia, and Iris. The lovely “flower girls” have spent the last three months rehabilitating in a large pasture. Now it is time to ensure that they have the basic training they need to ensure their care and safety. Horses that can not be haltered, groomed, trailered or led are at great risk should they need any kind of medical care. Ryan will help us establish that foundation for them over the next week, which we will then continue to improve as their rehab progresses. We are grateful that Ryan shares our concern for these sturdy chestnut mares’ basic safety and will use his considerable skills to help them transition to domestication.

Arnold’s New Adventure

Last Fall, we took in three Thoroughbreds who had been well cared-for and loved by their owner, who passed away unexpectedly without a plan for their care. Anna, Arnold and Gregory are a mother and two sons who have lived together exclusively for over a decade. Arnold will be adopted soon, and Ryan will be helping him and his adopter to develop good communication in the shared language of natural horsemanship. He will also be helping Arnold to transition from his herd to his new life with minimal stress. We are excited to watch this process in action, and to share it with you.

Watch This Space!

We’ll be sharing daily reports on the horse’s progress, pictures and video clips.