Saturday, September 12, 2009

We are heading out today to Fort Worth





Here it is, Sept.12th, and we are leaving for Fort Worth. The Little Guy is bathed,all packed and ready to roll in his limo. Marilynn and Lynn are going with me. Sister Shielya decided not to go. She will take care of The Horses and Dogs and hold down the Fort so to speak. We figure we will be in F. W. Tuesday according to the travel Director, M.

Terri Russell from Kolo 8 and her cameraman, Walker filmed last Tuesday and the story aired on the 5:00 p.m. news Thursday. It was fantastic. They even showed IlDivo and I working a cow which was the most fun and he loved it and actually tried to work on his own.

Check out the picture of Shielya riding him and then go back and check out her picture on the day of pick up at BLM. Big difference.

We will keep you updated while traveling and during the competition. Tally ho

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Dark Horse Diva's having fun at the rummage sale









On Saturday the 5Th we had another fund raising rummage sale to raise money for the trip. Rhae organized it and the rest of us helped. The day started out with Ona modeling some robe she grabbed out of the clothing pile. Of course she had to try to lure shoppers to the sale, I don't think the outfit HELPED much but it sure was funny. Shielya decided to try on leopard PJ's with a robe!!!!It all looked pretty funny with her cowboy boots and " it's all about the horse" rhinestone T shirt.She looked like " ERKLE" ! Remember him? He used to pull his pants up underneath his armpits! Marilynn was a Southern Belle as always and stored the money in an appropriate spot! Check the picture. I wasn't as flamboyant as the rest but had a blast! It felt good not riding the Mustang today just having fun. Now Rhae was a bit Risque' in her picture trying on the underclothes over her shorts so I am posting it because she gave me permission! After all, we are adults, supposedly!!!!!!!Enjoy the Diva's pics.

Friday, September 4, 2009

We have traveled today!!!!!!! 9-04-09





Wow, what a day. We have traveled, Ildivo and I. The day started out with a really good bath for the once " wildone". He received a real good scrubbing because he had a appointment to go meet Mark Menezes, one of our very generous sponsors. I wanted a picture of Mark and Ildivo so we just loaded up and headed to Lockwood. We parked amongst the trucks, trailers, etc. and unloaded. It's a really busy place. Menezes Bros. is the place where we get all of our feed, alfalfa cubes, etc. They make the cubes right there. It's a huge facility with alot going on and their cubes are shipped all over. When the price of hay started going down, Mark lowered the prices of his hay and cubes and passed his savings off to all of us!!!!I don't know any other business who has done that. Thank you Mark. Check out Mark's picture with Ildivo and his logo on the side of my trailer.

From Menezes cubing facility, we traveled to Ona's place. She and Ildivo are best friends as you can see in the picture. I unloaded him, and off we went, with Ona and Gabe, ( her horse) and headed to the neighbors who very generously offered me the use of their 2 roping steers to introduce my Mustang to. I had expected that he would take one look at them and RUN!!!!!!!NOT So. He was so curious and wanted to see what those two things were. From there I was able to follow them around, hold them in a corner, and half way take them down the fence. He acted like a little wannabe cutter.
We will be going back. It was really good for Ildivo, it cleared his little overworked brain.

Overall, everything is falling into place. I have 10 days to go. Terri and Walker will be filming on Tues, and yes, they will film us working a cow! It will air on Thurs. Walker is coming over this evening to get a night shot of Ildivo in his pen with the full moon!!!

We are having another rummage sale tomorrow, 9-05-09.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Saunya's thank you's to ALL 8/25/09




The last two weeks have been like a whirlwind or maybe a tornado. I am running out of time in more ways than one. I took IlDivo tothe Mustang Burro show at the Reno Livestock Event Center. Nothing like a horse show to show you what you need to work on. He is very afraid of horses coming at him or running up behind him. The indoor arena made him very nervous. The second day he was much better but still needs work on adjusting to new places and things. The one thing I did discover about him is that he is fearless when it comes to trail obstacles. The Prison inmate program had an awsome trail course set up. They were gracious enough to let me introduce ILDivo to the new obstacles. He was fantastic. He really seemed to enjoy the new things he was introduced to.

Our fund raiser activities have gone extremely well. There are so many people that I want to thank for their time, donations, sponsorships, rummage sales, computer skills, donations of items for our rummage sale and it goes on and on. I will list all names in my last blog before I leave for Fort Worth. What started out as one trainer, one wild horse, has turned out to be a HUGE community effort, some people I know, some I don't know but many have contributed. I am, at times, overwhelmed by all the help that I have received to get this pretty little " once wildone" to Fort Worth.

Terri Russell and Walker, her camerman, from KOLO 8 will be filming again this Friday evening. I think we will have another story airing soon.

Monday, August 17, 2009

8-17-09 ILDivo's progress



The last few days have been full of firsts and a lot of event's for IlDivo and I. Before I get started with my horse's progress, there are other things that I would like to tell you about. I have my first large sponsor's name on my trailer. Check out the logo on my trailer, it looks fantastic.

Terri Russell will be doing another story on our progress this Thurs. evening 8-20-09@5:00 p.m. I will be taking IlDivo to the Mustang, Burrow show this coming week end, actually Friday and Saturday the 21st and 22ND. He will be in a red pen and will be there from 10:00 to 2:00 each day for anyone who would like to meet him. Also, we will be selling horse treats, made by Terri, to make money to help finance our trip to Fort Worth.

Rhae and Ron Testa, from here in Lemon Valley, my dear friends, will be having a rummage sale to benefit ILdivo and I and our trip. It will be held on Lemon Drive in the Wayside Bar's parking lot. Anyone who would like to donate their unwanted stuff to our cause for the trip can contact me or Ron and Rhae, 775-971-3787 or drop it off to Rhae on Friday. Take 395 North to exit 74, Lemon Drive, and follow to the Wayside Bar. The sale will be from 8 to 4 and all proceeds will go to the Saunya and ILDivo trip to Fort Worth. My many, many, thanks to Rhae and Ron.

Again, I am still seeking sponsors. I have donated all of my time and expertise to this wonder full cause of saving our wild Mustangs. With that being said, the trip will still be very costly, fuel, hotels, unexpected expenses, all my travel expenses, etc. Also, part of my sponsorship will help pay for our KOLO 8 team, Terri and Walker, to go and film live from the Extreme Makeover Competition in Fort Worth. We could not possibly think of leaving them behind. They have dedicated many hours, and many hours to come, on this story. Our common goal here is to help increase the public awareness to the beauty, train ability, and the adoptions of the Wild Mustang's.

IlDivo is progressing very well. The two of us will be ready to go, Sept. 12Th on our departure date. What is uncertain, however, is our finances. While I have received generous donations, I am still in need of help. If there is anyone who reads this who would like to be a sponsor, email me @ saunyajo@charter.net

Last week was a huge week of firsts. The little guy had his first pedicure!!!!!My farrier, Curt Sprague gave ILDivo his very first trimming. All in all, thanks to my gentle Giant, Curt, it went really well. He is so patient. I am still working on the electric clipper issue. I took ILDivo with me to Fallon on the weekend. My friends went with me. Elaina and Marilynn decided to work on his muzzle whiskers while I judged the horse show. By the end of the day, he had a shave, with a Bic razor, still a BIG improvement, and the two worked on it all day. Patience and persistence prevailed. He hates having his mouth messed with. He is very selfish.

I want to start riding him in a snaffle, again, he is selfish with his mouth and does not want it messed with. He is wearing the snaffle reluctantly.The training is going fantastic. Everyone thinks he is adorable and he is. He is talented, willing, and somewhat an over achiever. He tries so hard and gets frustrated. It's OK, we just keep moving along at a pace that he can handle. Stay tuned, there will be more to come.

Don't forget to watch Terri's story this Thurs. Send in your comments!!!!!!We want your input. Thank you

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 11 ILDivo goes thru the truck wash

I have to share this story. IlDivo had a very adventurous day. I had to take my trailer down to the graphics design place for them to measure and make some signs advertising my sponsor. I decided to load him and then stop and ride at the arena on my way back and save some time.

Yesterday I had my trailer acid bathed at the truck stop. It's a special chemical they use on aluminum trailers to take off the dirt and residue from the roads.During the process it left some streaks on the sides where my name is on the trailer. I thought I would just go back there and have them look at it and see if they could remove whatever it is. To make my long story short the manager said, " lets just run it through again". I told him I had a horse in the trailer, he said, "that's OK". So, I closed the drop down windows and pulled through the truck wash. IlDivo handled it fantastic and now he has traveled to a new place, through the truck wash!!!!!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

9th week with IlDivo



Here we are, 9Th week. Everyday with ILDivo gets easier. He's loading and hauling like a seasoned show horse. I am riding him out in the huge public arena. Our loping is getting much better and I can guide him around some half way correct circles. He is real balanced and very fun to ride. Teaching him to lope from walk is really making him mad. He is getting it but today I thought I had better BACK OFF!!!!! Lots of long trotting and then loping. I started teaching him some trail, side passing over poles, trotting over poles and some very wide back thru's.

His biggest issue right now is the electric clippers!!!! Not a happy pony when it comes to the buzzing noise!

One thing that is a huge PLUS with this horse is that he is a very low energy Horse. I spend very little time lunging. He is really honest. I have not had any feelings of him being bad or wanting to buck. It's a real good feeling to have when riding a " once wild mustang".

Sunday, August 2, 2009

8th week Riding in the large arena 8/2/09
















I am down to less than 45 days until leaving for Fort Worth. My Little Guy is learning very quickly but I still have so much to teach him. I was amazed at how well he did riding him in a huge arena this week end since we have only been in the round pen up until now. He is brave, very honest, very loyal, and SMART. He gets confused like any young horse in training will do. We are loping, trotting/jogging all over the place. He is adjusting real well to other horses and people. Each outing is better. This next week he has to learn to lope from a walk. this is a huge step and will be real hard for him. I expect some rebellion and frustration. It will pass.



I introduced him to a hackamore today. I have been riding him in a sidepull and martingale. He has a real soft nose and is willing to learn. I think I will be showing him in a hackamore. Stay tuned for more.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009







7/27/09 riding with spurs, he has learned to sidepass. We have made progress by leaps and bounds in the last few days. I have many things to teach him. He is taking it all in stride without any signs of resistance or fear. I am confident that he will be ready to go to Fort Worth. Check out Terri Russells's story that aired on kolo8 news last week. 7/23/09 . Go to kolotv.com click on hot topics, click on extreme Mustang Makeover.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Riding IlDivo







I have been really working hard on ILDivo since my last post. Many things have happened. To begin with, Terri Russell from KOLO8 aired our first part of the story last Thursday. It was fantastic. We have had wonderfull reviews. The ending to the story was to say the least, priceless. Anyone who is reading this may see the segment by going to kolotv.com. Click on hot topics, type in the Extreme Mustang Makeover, click and watch.

I have started the process of riding ILDivo. He has been a joy to work with. In the beginning, I knew that I needed to go slow, steady, but slow. If something really scares him, his reaction is to run. He also showed his anxiety by ducking his head and bucking a little bit. I have spent many hours and days, ground driving, ponying him with Presley, and exposing him to new people and new things. My last experience with Diva, my last Mustang Makeover Horse, taught me many things. The most important lesson was that she was not exposed to enough HUMANS. She bonded with me, however, did not like others. When her new owners started working with her, she wanted nothing to do with them and did not want Janice to get on her. The process of transfering the riding of Diva over to Janice was to say the least, a 2 month process. I have read in many emails in the mustang Makeovers that others who have purchased mustangs trained elsewhere have had this same problem.

For these reasons, I decided it would be best for me to hold onto ILDivo with Presley and have my helper get on him first. I could keep the horse from running or bucking, I kept Nick safe as well, and I could keep this a very positive, quiet, calm situation for my horse. It worked great, Presley kept everything in complete control, Nick hung on, ILdivo felt safe. The end. After two more rides like that, I got on and rode him. He was co-operative , at ease, and all the ground work and extra time paid off. I will continue to have different riders on him throughout his training.In an effort to not make him a one person horse, he has to trust all Humans in general, not just his Nanny Saunya.

This is the beginning of his 7th week in training. While I am happy with our progress I must move along quickly now. At this point he has learned to be ridden, tie, haul, wear a pack saddle, he ponys along with another horse and the list goes on. He backs up , moves his shoulders around to the right and left and will go forward pretty good. Today, I will add spurs, (not sharp) he will start wearing a snaffle and I will begin to push him for more. He is happy, we are great partners, he has many friends, lots of food and water, and security. What more could a pretty wild horse ask for?

I will be posting pictures of me riding him as soon as I get one! Check out my Sister's face the day of pick up. It says it all!!!!!!!!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

LDivo 4th week







July 12th, The end of the 4th week. I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. We have made alot of progress and I am very close to getting on LDivo for the first time. He now can be ponied, Kolo 8 came and filmed this first expeirience last Monday. Terri Russell wants to film all of LDivo's first. I must say, it was a little wild. The " Wildone took one look at my big horse, Presley, and ran. It took me awhile to catch him in the round pen and for him to become used to such a BIG HORSE . After a short lesson I took him out of the round pen, down the street, and out to the desert. The news crew followed us and it is all " caught" on tape. He was so tired when we got back to the place but I must say he learned very quickly. The next time we went out you would have never known that it was only his second time. I need him to get used to me above him. Even though I need to get on him, it just isn't quite the right time. I am still ground driving him everyday and adding something new to the daily routine.

Friday I stood on the stool beside him, put my foot in the stirrup, hung over the saddle, and then pulled off the saddle and just layed over his back. He had his first bath,and got his mane and tail braided. I am now tieing him up for longer periods of time. Again, it seems like this is something he has been doing forever. He looked very pretty for his filming this afternoon.
Terri and Walker came to film his first time being loaded. I told them not to expect much as I did not expect him to get into my trailer. Well, he proved me wrong and walked right into the trailer with me. I unloaded him and then he didn't want to go back in. Finally, reluctantly, he did after they left. Today, Sunday, he walked in with me 6 times.

Everyday I am in awe of this pretty little bay gelding. He learns quickly and remembers. He only needs to be shown one time and the next time he just does what is expected of him. It's all about trust, love, kindness, firmness, and consistency.

I am planning on getting on him next week. He knows how to back up, saidepass, whoa, pivots, walk, trot, and lope, all on the driving lines. Now he needs to learn how to carry me and I am confident that we will progress very quickly from here.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

LDivo's progress 7-4-09




LDivo has been with me for 3 weeks today. His progress has been way beyond what I had expected of him. I just cannot get over his willingness to please and his nosey, friendly, curious demeanor. He is much more interested in what I am doing than anything else. Terrie Russell from KOLO 8 and her cameraman, Walker, came out to start filming his progress last Monday. It was LDivo's second trip to the round pen. I saddled him and started my ground driving process. I put a sidepull on him for the first time and then hooked up the driving lines. As I would expect he ran, kicked out, turned around and wrapped the driving lines around himself a couple times and then he figured it out and that was the end. From that day on he has learned to stop nicely, reverse, back up, walk, trot and lope from my verbal cues. Today was the day to introduce him to my paniards, which are saddle packs that go over the saddle. They bounce around, sack him out, and get him used to things bouncing on the saddle. I introduced him to the the white "things" in his pen without a saddle. He looked at it as if to say " so" what? I put them on his bare back. From there I saddled him, put them over the saddle, hooked up the driving lines and off he went. No bucking, spooking, he just did his job as if he had seen that thing forever. I put a jolly ball in each side, they bounced around, stuck out, and again, no big deal.





Wednesday, June 24, 2009

13th Day




Today is LDivo's ( Divo, means movie star) 13th day here with me. He is progressing quickly. A couple of days ago I started putting a saddle pad on him. He is really curious about everything and hardly flinched. I put it on him from both sides and he just stood there. Today I added a surcingle. I thought that he would react somehow when I cinched it up. He just stood there. He wore his saddle pad and surcingle most of the afternoon. I am thrilled with with his progress. I have put a saddle on his back but not cinched it yet but he is ready. This weekend I will get him saddled and begin his ground driving.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

End of the first week

Friday - June 19, 2009: I have given my mustang the barn name of LDivo. LDivo in Spanish means " Movie star". He is adjusting to his new home with me and his training is progressing nicely. I am able to rub his face and neck with my hand. His mane was very tangled with some large knots at the withers, LDivo let me untangle most of the knots with my fingers. He seem to relax and enjoy the attention and my touch. He is a little worried about being touched on his belly and around his back legs and I have to get him used to being touched there before I can think moving forward with his training. For the most part he is happy to see me and is willing to let me gently move his training forward. He is leading, letting me catch him, greeting me when I enter his pen. By Sunday morning, 8 days with me, he is stealing bites of hay out of my arms when I go in the pen to feed him. Later today I am hoping to put a different halter on him and possibly start sacking him out with a saddle blanket.


Monday, June 15, 2009

2 days after pickup from BLM 6/15/09

The pretty Bay gelding has been here for two full days now. He is adjusting well. At first he ran from me. I worked with him 5 times yesterday. Each time he got better but still wanted to turn tail and run. Today however, was different. He is facing me when I go into his pen. I can pick up his lead rope and he doesn't run. He is trotting circles around me both ways by his choice. He is really curious about me and wants to touch my hand with his muzzle. When he touches me he snorts at me. Not sure if he doesn't like me or just unsure. After I handled him 3 times today he finally quit snorting at me. He is curious but very leery. He is leading a few steps, a really good thing for today.

The Road to Ft. Worth




Today is Saturday, June 13, I arrived rather early in the morning at the BLM pens in Palomino Valley just north of Reno, Nevada to pick up my second makeover mustang. I was hoping for a dark gelding. It was cool and over cast with a chance of rain in the forecast so I wanted to get my mustang home before it began to rain. Terry Russell and her camera man Walker from Reno's Channel 8 KOLO TV had already arrived and were ready to begin filming the story of this mustang's journey from wild to tame.



It was not like the first challenge where the computer had randomly assigned a mustang to each trainer. This time, the first mustang into the chute would be mine. It turned out the first one into the chute was a well put together bay gelding with three white socks and a star, stripe and snip on his beautiful face. As I watched him move through the chutes and down the alley toward my trailer he trotted out and he is a moves very nice. When I enquired about his history they told me that he had been rounded up in Ely, Nevada in September 2008 and brought to these pens where he had spent the winter.



After much difficulty and several attempts the fellows at the BLM finally got my halter and long lead rope on him, and he was ready to load into the trailer. When the gate in front of him opened he walked into the trailer and turned around to see where he was coming from, as if to say good bye, and stood there quietly on the ride to his new home at my house.



When we arrived at the my house - lovingly referred to by friends as the Mustang Nanny's mustang hotel - we backed up to the pen and opened the back of the trailer where he walked out into his new life and world. He was greeted by many of my friends and who had come to welcome him and my big Quarter Horse, Presley, who I had put next to him for company. The mustang checked out his new quarters and had a sip of water all the while keeping an eye on his new fan club not quite knowing why everyone was there with those funny little silver boxes looking at him, but did take the opportunity to extend his nose and sniff several of the outstretched hands.

Later in the afternoon after the mustang had settled a little I went into his corral and was able to hold the end of the rope and talk to him. He was leery of me but made no attempt to bite or kick out at me. For the rest of the afternoon I just left him alone to adjust to his new home and surroundings, let him relax and his adrenalin to subside. His day had been extremely traumatizing for him.




The look on my sister's face sums up the whole ordeal of this day for my new mustang.



Let the challenge begin...

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Rio




From the Western States Mustang Makeover a friend asked me to help her find a young mustang gelding and train him for her. We went to the BLM pens in Palomino Valley where we chose a mustang stallion who had been gathered from Area 51 in July 2008, taken to the BLM. After he was gelded he came into training in October 2008. His owner called him Rio. As with Diva this gelding was smart, and willing. His owner left Rio in training at my facility in Reno until mid-April 2009 when she picked him up. He had learned all the lessons I taught him. During the time he was in training I traveled to various parts of California and along with my personal horse I took him with me. He loaded and traveled like a seasoned horse who had been traveling in an enclosed horse trailer for years.

In May 2009, after 5 months of training with me, Rio participated in his first trail trials, as a green trail horse he did well, trusting in his owner that where she took him he would be OK. He was willing and worked through each obstacle as any other green horse would work through an obstacle. He too, like Diva, has won many hearts and has many fans. Most People just cannot believe that 6 or 7 months ago he was a wild stallion out on the desert fending for himself. He traveled for days and many miles just to get to water. He learned to love his life in captivity with his Mustang Nanny and learned all of his lessons with ease.




Western States Mustang Makeover






My first mustang makeover was in June 2008. I picked up my mustang in Sacramento, California in early March 2008. I had just under 90 days to have her ready for the Western States Mustang Makeover in June 2008 back in Sacramento, California. The mustang I was assigned was a
solid bay mare. Her kind eye, long eye lashes and quiet demeanor caught my attention from my first sighting. She was called Diva and loved to be groomed and was willing to try most anything asked of her.

I took her home to Reno and within a few weeks she had her own fan club. Terry Russell from Channel 8 KOLO TV picked up the story of Diva and did a series following Diva's progress which Terry called "Taming the Wild". The story of Saunya and Diva was followed many from Reno and surrounding communities and not a day at the Makeover that many of her fans were coming through the barns asking to see Diva, and wanting to touch her. She was up to the challenge and took every new challenge in stride. Diva was wonderful in the Western States Mustang Challenge. We were tied for 10th place to go into the finals and lost to the tie breaker judge. She was a winner from the very beginning and did her very best to please me.

She had touched my heart in a way no other horse had. It was hard to let her go, but Diva's new owners lived in Reno and I still see her from time to time.

The Journey



















I have successfully shown horses in different disciplines and at different levels. I competed at the AQHA World Show level in 2 yr old Open Western Pleasure, Jr Western Riding and Jr. Trail. I was a finalist in all three events.


I have shown both my own horses as well as the horses that I have trained for my clients in A.Q.H.A. approved shows and circuits . My accomplishments include PCQHA yr. end championships in Jr. Western Riding, 2 yr. old Western Pleasure, Cow Palace, Grand National Horse Show Championships in 2 yr old Western Pleasure, Open Trail, and Hunter Hack. Gold n Grand Championships in Green Western Pleasure, and many open buckles in Hunter Under Saddle with client owned horses.


Below are a few photos of various horses in both English and Western classes, and Starring Version, aka Presley being shown this past summer in a halter class.