Mustang Merlin’s training progress // Desensitizing to ropes and touch

[@tomwidler9109]

You're so patient

[@elizabethsakurai3628]

Hes beautiful! You are doing a great job with Merlin. And BTW, Merlin was my moms dog, and it fits your Merlin perfectly. I look forward to seeing Merlins progress. No pressure.

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

Thank you! I have another Merlin update coming soon! I have an overwhelming amount of content to edit right now 🤣

[@GypsyEquestrian]

Your goats are hilarious. They are so entitled 😂 good work with Merlin! I’m so glad you two overcame your set back! I can see how all that ground work will pay off in the end!

[@sandrahays2576]

I love your videos, especially once you named him Merlin, which is the name of my draft/Tennessee Walker cross, one of the sweetest and most beautiful horses God ever created. Classic champagne with amber eyes. He is in horse heaven now with my sweetheart, and I am sure he is wowing the angels as he did on earth. Thank you for what you do for mustangs, and bless you for naming him Merlin.

[@jimmyyounger618]

I like the build of this video. Seeing Merlin's progress across multiple sessions is helpful to see the big picture. The point about recording your sessions to review and critique sessions for yourself is something I've thought about doing, but I'm finally sold per your mention of this and something that happened yesterday that I'd love to be reviewing this morning. Tripod and video camera to the top of the list! Second on the list might be some steel-toed boots. I got stepped on yesterday. (Yeeeouch!) I'm lucky I was wearing boots at all since I'm usually in running shoes. This particular mare has a habit of abruptly crowding into me (for protection?) if something makes her feel insecure. We're working on it, but it's like a reflex for her - not something she's giving any thought to, not being pushy or deliberately disrespectful. It seems more like a foal's instinct to be against the mare if it's worried, except she's no foal and I'm certainly no mare that outweighs her by a thousand pounds. I have no idea what triggered that this time since my attention was elsewhere, so video of that moment would be super helpful. Watching Merlin become so relaxed while having his face rubbed was such a relaxing moment to watch that you might have discovered a new KZbin genre - ASMR for horse people! 😃

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

Re-Watching sessions is a great help! And very humbling. 🤣

[@hannahfinley1094]

Great job, he is a handsome guy!

[@SmM33380]

Superb work! That is awesome that he isn't head shy!

[@beautifulfaithhorses]

Merlin has improved so much! Good job to both of you 😁 Also, I 100% agree that groundwork is my favorite too! I love watching your videos and seeing how flexible you are with training methods and where your horses are at.

[@lifebyhannah392]

Loved this video

[@shannon9210]

Good work! I love how you are using both positive and negative with him. Face rubs! 💜💜💜

[@suzy-q1079]

I love how you work with the horses. In my training ( i am a behaviour trainer) inuse negative and positive reinforcement together. And that works so wel. Ofcourse every horse is different.

[@sidilicious11]

I mix R+ and R- all the time. It’s nice to have both tools for different tasks and moods. I enjoy watching your progress!

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

For sure! I’ve loved learning more about R+ this year!!

[@Horselover-br1tw]

Your videos are so awesome and you keep working hard even though you have major setback thanks for posting every week !

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

Thank you! It is definitely challenging producing a video every week so I appreciate your comment 😊💜

[@jamesweirich4759]

Your doing very good ma’am

[@ThePastelCowgirl]

Yay Merlin! He's doing so well!!! I'd love to hear more about how you've trained yourself to remain low energy and calm, even when a horse is spooking nearby. That's one of my biggest faults is getting very tense whenever a horse spooks, and I know my own spike of anxiety isn't helping the situation.

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

Honestly, just being exposed to it a couple times makes it easier. I do feel tense when I see something new happening when I’ve never seen it before, but yea, once I’m around it, it gives me more confidence for the future. That and just being mindful that I, and the horse are not in a corner or near a fence.

[@PonyFunWithCloverJasmine]

Excellent video as always. Your videos are really helping me with my new barely handled yearling :)

[@jilianshook7709]

Just an opinion of mine but I wouldn't train a horse with tennis shoes, but other than that I think your doing absolutely amazing with him, such a handsome horse!

[@paigeeeldridge]

I love your vids

[@tracybosworth1033]

❤❤

[@IluvGodsm]

I'm so late,😭😭 I'm so happy that you were able to work through this!! Do you prefer men or woman horses?

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

I honestly don’t have a preference on the gender of a horse. I like both!

[@tammiekanters6496]

Will you be riding these 2 or are they too young?

[@TheProjectEquestrian]

I’m only planning on gentling on the ground. Unless one stays as a long term project or something