Mustang as Hunter Jumpers

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MUSTANGS: HUNTER, JUMPERS & KIDS.

“Gipsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.”from Cladaugh, "Gypsies of Galway."

Even autumns golden cottonwoods, were lively and inviting in the crisp morning air at “Brighten Meadows” in Salt Lake City, a riding school for children, started, fifteen years ago by Mary Lee Brighton. Her life long history riding horses has included owning many esteemed blood lines. “This little pony, changed my life,” she gleams, as she lovingly pets, Starbright, a fifteen year old, not even thirteen hands high. “These are the horses the BLM considered worthless, because they’re small. I couldn’t have found better horses to adopt and work with children. There are thousands more, like them, that people could adopt for English saddle training. They’re willing and trustworthy, once they’re lovingly gentled and trained."

Through the years the genetic pool of this herd area grew smaller. Meager food supply could have led to this natural adaptation to survive. They came from the isolated border lands of Nevada and Utah, where no neighboring ranchers sent out bigger stallions to increase the size of the stock. {The reason ranchers have released larger stock to breed with smaller wild horses, is to serve, their economic needs for free horses for ranch work and wild bucking stock for rodeo entertainment.] These ranchers, who now yell the loudest for the horses to be removed from public lands, often came from the same homesteading families who contributed to the development of a hybrid wild horse, that is larger, needs more to eat, and has more impact on range land.

These precious ponies and their cheerful riders have a way of brightening any ordinary day. All, teachers, riding students and horses, form relationships, through shared responsibility of caring and overcoming fears of jumping, and fast turns as they develop their skills. “We’re all happy campers” riding instructor, Lindsey Collins, says of their arena days together. Miniature mustangs get lots of hugs, love praise and a fun job, while the children get an opportunity to form life long bonds, grown through gentle listening and communications skills that will guide them into a life time of mutual cooperation and leadership.