PMU Program

Dear Friends:

This morning I got up, put on my hat, got dressed and finished by stomping my feet until my boots felt just right. I started a fire and when it got going well enough, I sat my coffee pot filled with coffee and water in the fire.

Then I headed for the corrals to feed the horses. The sun was coming up and I could hear the horses moving around. They can always hear my spurs jingling long before I get to the corrals and know they'll get their feed soon. As I walked, I said a silent prayer of thanks for the life I have with horses. I pushed the hay cart around and fed out a bail of hay to the nine head I'm working with right now. Some are spoiled saddle horses that have become dangerous to their owners. Others are rescued PMU colts, big fellas just starting to learn.

All horses have no desire to give up their control to a human, but very few horse owners really understand. Control has to be given by the horse, not taken by the human with force or pain.

Four of the colts I'm working with are PMU horses. Over the last 5 years or so, I have seen and worked with more and more PMUs. It seems that many of the owners of these horses lack the expertise to achieve the successful relationship they had hoped for with these horses. Although many of the owners have had horses before owning a PMU, for whatever reason, the PMUs are different than most horses - more scared, more resistant, slower to come around.

I want to tell you folks something that you must keep at the forefront of your thinking at all times; it is your Safety! These horses WILL hurt you! They won't hurt you on purpose, but in their fear and flight mode, they will do whatever it takes to feel freedom. If you have put yourself in harms way by not thinking clearly about what can go wrong, you can be seriously hurt or worse. Think all of your goals through in respect to your safety each time you attempt anything new with your horse. After all, you can't help your horse if you are hurt.

In order to understand the psychology of the PMU horse, we have to take a good look at their beginning. From the time they hit the ground, their lives are nothing like the life of a colt or filly born at a stable, ranch or farm. The care they get is just enough to keep them alive and keep them growing. When they are handled, they are handled quickly and sometimes roughly.

The horse is a natural survivor. In some respects the PMU has the same psychology as the mustang or wild horse... it is a wild animal first and a horse second. It has not learned to rely on humans. The PMU horse has learned to think for itself to survive.

When you bought your PMU horse, you bought a horse with a strong will to live. You must understand this fact: You now have a job in front of you that may take a long time. "How much time?" you ask... It will take as long as it takes. That's my answer. But to help you through, I'm putting together a program just for PMU horses. We're just getting started, and don't have everything ready yet, but if you drop me a note, I'll make sure I keep you posted.

I see my coffee is just about to boil over, so I'll pull it off the fire. I'll pour some cold water over it to settle the grounds and pour myself a cup. Then I'll make myself some oatmeal with raisins for breakfast. You all have a good day and if you feel The Horse's Friend can help you in any way, give us a call or an email.

By the way, I've given a new meaning to "PMU"... it stands for "People Must Understand horses..."

Don't be a stranger,

Stan