10/10/2026
What I have learned training and rehoming wild horses
When you assume the position as a trainer and someone that rehomes wild horses, you accept many goodbyes and have to make hard decisions over and over. This is some things I’ve learned along the way.
1. Big, beautiful, good minds don’t need my help. They will get homes. People will adopt/purchase them and completely disregard training because of their looks. It’s the reactive, small ponies, older, injured, or bland colors, that get over looked.
2. Slow and steady wins the race. When I take in a wild horse that’s had a rough landing in life or is less then desirable I’m already prepared that the project will take 3-6mo to gentle and then training could take a long time before they’re ready to be rehomed. They may need maintenance plans or conditioning before they can be trained. There is many factors involved to make appropriate choices and plans for them.
3. Hardest wild horses I’ve trained: Nevada ponies. Some of the most gritty, reactive, and wild I’ve gentled
3. Best Wild horses I’ve trained: Nevada ponies. I’ve had some of the best partnerships and strongest bonds once gentled. Some of the ponies went on to be loyal and solid horses for anyone.
4. My preference of personal wild horses: Oregon and Wyoming horses
5. What I have regretted: rehoming a horse that didn’t workout in the home. Even when I have screened adopters and had them come visit meet the horse etc. sometimes the horse just doesn’t accept the new owner or it regresses when it takes change harshly. It has not happened much but has happened and it is hard.
6. There’s no money in rehoming: no matter how you turn around wild horses you’re never going to get rich training and rehoming. Generally it’s break even or loss. But I never started gentling and rehoming for money. I did it because I loved it. In turn I had other opportunities that helped me grow.
7. It’s a passion project that works on your own clock: I define success with wild horses by the love and relationships I’ve built because of wild horses. The only thing I desire is a relationship and that is it. My passion and time are more valuable than money.
8. I know nothing and always have: I see new trainers seeking to “break in” over confident in themselves or even hit the ground running. That’s great. But I know they will come across the horses that humble them. You will learn you never knew anything and now you know. That will continue to happen for the rest of your life because no horse is ever the same. Just like us they are their own soul.
9. All I’m trying to figure out is how to have a conversation: the first impression with a wild horse is always the same. How can I reach you? I don’t mean touch them.
10. The goodbye is always heartbreaking: every horse I’ve ever said goodbye to was never easy. For me personally it gets harder each time. I love every horse and I don’t start with a relationship, I’ve built that relationship. When they leave it’s just as hard as saying goodbye to someone you love. Luckily many adopters keep in touch and I get to see how the horses do and those moments make it worth it.
This is just some of the things I’ve learned. I love gentling and rehoming. What I love most was making the choice to slow down and do more for one horse at a time and focus on my own goals.
