Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding: Mustang Heritage Foundation Trainer Incentive Program

If the prospect of gentling a mustang right out of the holding corral is daunting to you, the Trainer Incentive Program can help: trainers gentle horses for potential adopters to give them a good foundation.

Bureau of Land Managament/Flickr/CC

No matter where you stand on the wild horse debate raging over the free-roaming herds in the American west, most agree that there are too many horses in need of too few available homes equipped to gentle a mustang. In response, the Mustang Heritage Foundation operates the Trainer Incentive Program (TIP), which matches potential adopters with an already-gentled mustang, trained by an approved trainer. For individuals who would love to own a mustang but are intimidated by the process of starting a never-touched horse from scratch, the TIP fills an important need.

A “gentled” mustang by TIP guidelines means one that can be haltered, lead, have all four feet handled and load in a trailer. Additional training can be set up between adopter and trainer privately. For the basic gentling process, adopters only pay the $125 adoption fee to the Bureau of Land Management; the Mustang Heritage Foundation reimburses the TIP trainer.

Horses are available either by an interested adopter selecting one from off-range holding and connecting with a TIP trainer, or by adopters locating gentled horses already available from trainers. A Facebook group for TIP helps connect horses with adopters.

Adopters must meet the rest of the BLM’s requirements for adopting a mustang, including providing a shelter and corral, and having no prior animal abuse convictions. Adopters will receive the title to their horse one year after adoption.

TIP is a valuable bridge that can help connect more adopters with gentled mustangs. To learn more, please visit the program’s website.

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.