Article On Dennis and Kickstart in Redwood Fall Gazette 2009
Mustang makeover
Local training wild horse for April contest
By Troy Krause - Editor
“She’s learned a lot.” With those words, Dennis Auslam of
rural Morgan shared what the past 60-plus days have been
like for him and a horse he calls Kickstart.
Kickstart is a wild Mustang, and Auslam was selected as
one of 28 trainers from across the United States to work
with one of these animals with the intent to “gentle” them.
The horses, which are from Nevada, were gathered by the
Bureau of Land Management. Participants like Auslam
were hand picked to work with the Mustangs based on their experience with and knowledge of horses, each horse/trainer
team is taking part in a challenge known as the Midwest
Extreme Mustang Makeover.
More than $11,000 is up for grabs for the winners.
The contest is being held in Madison, Wis. April 17-19, which means he only has a few days left to get Kickstart ready.
Auslam started with a bit of a disadvantage – snow.
“I’m about two weeks behind everyone else,” said Auslam, explaining he was stuck at his home in the snow the day
he was supposed to go and get Kickstart in Illinois. A friend
picked the Mustang up for Auslam, and after shoveling
out he travelled to Wisconsin.
There he spent three days getting to know the wild Mustang.
By the end of the third day, he could rope Kickstart and load her onto a trailer for the ride back to Redwood Stables.
Since returning, Auslam and Kickstart have worked together
just about every day. Auslam surmised they have put on about 300 hours over the 60 days they have been together. That wild horse can now do all sorts of things from walking through a maze of barrels in particular patterns to lying down on the ground on command. Auslam said he has taken Kickstart to a few expos – one as far away as Mississippi. The intent is to get her in front of a crowd and used to the loud noises
Local training wild horse for April contest
By Troy Krause - Editor
“She’s learned a lot.” With those words, Dennis Auslam of
rural Morgan shared what the past 60-plus days have been
like for him and a horse he calls Kickstart.
Kickstart is a wild Mustang, and Auslam was selected as
one of 28 trainers from across the United States to work
with one of these animals with the intent to “gentle” them.
The horses, which are from Nevada, were gathered by the
Bureau of Land Management. Participants like Auslam
were hand picked to work with the Mustangs based on their experience with and knowledge of horses, each horse/trainer
team is taking part in a challenge known as the Midwest
Extreme Mustang Makeover.
More than $11,000 is up for grabs for the winners.
The contest is being held in Madison, Wis. April 17-19, which means he only has a few days left to get Kickstart ready.
Auslam started with a bit of a disadvantage – snow.
“I’m about two weeks behind everyone else,” said Auslam, explaining he was stuck at his home in the snow the day
he was supposed to go and get Kickstart in Illinois. A friend
picked the Mustang up for Auslam, and after shoveling
out he travelled to Wisconsin.
There he spent three days getting to know the wild Mustang.
By the end of the third day, he could rope Kickstart and load her onto a trailer for the ride back to Redwood Stables.
Since returning, Auslam and Kickstart have worked together
just about every day. Auslam surmised they have put on about 300 hours over the 60 days they have been together. That wild horse can now do all sorts of things from walking through a maze of barrels in particular patterns to lying down on the ground on command. Auslam said he has taken Kickstart to a few expos – one as far away as Mississippi. The intent is to get her in front of a crowd and used to the loud noises
one can expect at the competition later this month. During the
contest, Auslam said there is a two-minute freestyle portion
as part of the preliminaries where Auslam said Kickstart is
going to do things such as roping a calf and even dancing.
Should the duo make it to the finals, another freestyle portion
is held which lasts four minutes, and Auslam showed off some
of the other things Kickstart has learned from pushing a cart
to standing with her front legs on a platform. Then Auslam slowly stands on her back. He said from that position he intends to shoot off a pistol, which is something else he has been working on with Kickstart.
Auslam said he feels confident in what he has done with Kickstart, and even though this is the first time he has entered a competition like this he has nearly 30 years of experience working with Mustangs and other horses. Auslam said the work together has been a process.
“She tried me a little at first,” he said, adding every once in a while she still does.The horses which have been gentled, are going to go up for adoption in an auction at the end of the competition, and Auslam said he hopes he can buy her back.They have developed a relationship over the past two months that goes well beyond horse and trainer.“I love her,”he said.
Whether Kickstart ends up back at Redwood Stables or not, Auslam is sure Kickstart is going to be a great horse for someone.
contest, Auslam said there is a two-minute freestyle portion
as part of the preliminaries where Auslam said Kickstart is
going to do things such as roping a calf and even dancing.
Should the duo make it to the finals, another freestyle portion
is held which lasts four minutes, and Auslam showed off some
of the other things Kickstart has learned from pushing a cart
to standing with her front legs on a platform. Then Auslam slowly stands on her back. He said from that position he intends to shoot off a pistol, which is something else he has been working on with Kickstart.
Auslam said he feels confident in what he has done with Kickstart, and even though this is the first time he has entered a competition like this he has nearly 30 years of experience working with Mustangs and other horses. Auslam said the work together has been a process.
“She tried me a little at first,” he said, adding every once in a while she still does.The horses which have been gentled, are going to go up for adoption in an auction at the end of the competition, and Auslam said he hopes he can buy her back.They have developed a relationship over the past two months that goes well beyond horse and trainer.“I love her,”he said.
Whether Kickstart ends up back at Redwood Stables or not, Auslam is sure Kickstart is going to be a great horse for someone.
