4H kids hit one month mark with BLM horses

4-H kids have been working with wild horses for just over a month now. It’s part of a program to gentle wild horses so they can be sold to trainers.

“The process with him, not with all my mustangs, but with him has been kind of slow,” said Bailey York about her mustang, “Wrangler”. “He’s not as calm but he’s still learning and I think he’s doing good so far.”

When it’s time for auction the horse must be halter broke, be able to pick up all 4 hooves, and load in a trailer.

“My favorite part of the process is lunging,” said York. “I like seeing the connection between you and the horse and if you point and tell him to go somewhere he’ll go.”

For York and Wrangler the bond continues to grow as he learns to trust her despite distractions.

“I would say there is a pretty big bond between the two of us,” said York. “It’s a beginning to end kind of thing. I’ve taken him from where he wasn’t even touchable to the point where I can do things like this and this with him. I think there is a pretty big bond between the two of us.”

Later, she’ll take him to auction where he’ll complete obstacles to show his training, then he’ll be auctioned off.
“When you’re selling them you get a feeling like you’re losing a part of you because they really do become a part of you,” said York. “From the moment you get him to the moment you sell them.”

The auction for these horses will happen Sept. 10 at the Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds.