My Wild Horse Story: Katie and Marty

Submitted by Katie Jo Smart, Mississippi

“He’s going to outgrow the pony soon, and we just don’t have the money for a Jr. High Rodeo horse,” I whispered to my husband as we looked through the panels at a small bay mare with a big head and even bigger eyes. Our son needed a new horse as he would eventually move on to Jr. High and High School Rodeo, and a professionally trained horse at $40k just wasn’t in the cards. A $25 horse, however, may be something to consider. I watched her move across the pen, her big eyes unsure and untrusting. I shrugged my shoulders and got in my car to leave. I went home and tried to clear my mind, but her quick feet and athletic nature were absolutely haunting.

“What if this could be the one? What if this is the horse to take him to Nationals? Wouldn’t that be a hoot, if a wild horse went to the High School Rodeo National Finals with all of those fancy high-bred rodeo horses?!”

I went to sleep thinking about that mare, woke up with her on my mind, and was basically only a warm body for the day until I went back to see her again.

There she was. Her pen had been sorted through, as most of her temporary roommates had been adopted. As I gazed over her wondering if I could even do any justice, a friendly face came towards me. “Well, what are you thinking?” asked Mr. Cary Frost, BLM Wild Horse and Burro Specialist.

“Honestly, sir, she is very catty and athletic but I’m wondering if I could even do her justice.”

“She is smart,” he added. He went about his way to talk to another prospective adopter as I stared into her pen trying to envision myself even attempting to train an 800lb, for all intents and purposes, wild animal. I went home again.

This dance went back and forth to the point that I made four trips to the adoption center before I was ready and confident enough to sign the adoption papers. She was one of only three that had not been taken home and the other two may have been adopted and waiting on their ride.

“How much is she” I asked Mr. Cary. "$25 or $125?”

“That one is $25,” he replied. I nervously went to the adoption desk. After verifying that I had all necessary facilities to hold a wild horse and the proper shelter, I handed over my $25 and signed my John Hancock.

“Would you like to sign her up for the Adoption Incentive Program?” asked another BLM employee, Demerits.

“What’s that?”

“Well, you get $1,000 for adopting a wild horse.”

“I’m sorry, I have a trick ear, what was that?” I asked. “If you keep the horse and prove that it’s been properly taken care of, you get $1,000,” he replied.

I could have been knocked over with a feather! You mean to tell me, that you are giving me this horse for $25 and you’re adding $1,000 too?

This day couldn’t get any better, I had found my son a horse and this horse was basically paying for everything itself. Feed, hay, farrier work, vet bills. She was financially independent.

We loaded her up, cut the tag from around her neck and she was mine.

She was unloaded into her pen and I just stared with the overwhelming feeling of “what did I just do.” I had never trailered a tornado before.

Then the research began. I combed through every well of knowledge as if I were writing a thesis. Every movie, documentary, YouTube video or blog about wild horse training, I was studying. I learned the most from the movie Wild Horse Redemption - I felt that it was the most accurate by far.

This is where the fairy tail takes a short pause.

3 days to touch her.

5 days of begging to lead her while most of those days she was leading me.

7 days to put a towel on her back to mimic a saddle pad.

2 weeks to pick her feet up.

1 month before her first farrier visit.

4 months to fully saddle her.

5 months before our first ride.

6 months before she would load on a trailer.

6 months before I could ride her around cattle.

Needless to say, September 14 until mid-March 2020 was a trying time. Every day was a new day, as much for me as it was for her. Training went like this: If she would accept A, I would move to B. If she would accept B, we went to C. If C was a “no go”, we reinforced B.

It was 6 months of trials and tribulations but when the victories came, they rained down. I can honestly and without holding back say that this horse, this “wild mustang” that my entire family was intimidated by because of the mustang stereotype, is the number one horse in my string. She is the one I want to go ride and bring cows up on. She is the one I load first to go to the arena. She is my pick. She is my Marty and she was worth it. I know without a shadow of a doubt that she will take my son to the High School National Finals rodeo. Keep an eye out for her, she will be the little bay with the freeze brand on her neck.