Sexy Lexi's Road to The Makeover

Follow Marissa's progress as she takes a wild mustang yearling and trains her in 90 days in order to compete in the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover in Ft. Worth, TX. She will compete against over 200 other trainers to take home the $10,000 prize. Quite a task for an 8th grader! She picked up her filly from Bureau of Land Management in June and has named her "Sexi Lexi." This blog will document her daily tasks, joys and hurdles as she travels down the road to the makeover.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Fly Masks & Trailering

Well, lately we've been doing A LOT of trailering! She's really good with it though! Lexi will just hop on in! We're going to get her a show sheet, so she'll stay nice & clean on the way down, etc. We have to find one first! We figure she'd wear about a 56". **hint hint** We did do the whole put on the fly mask for the first time yesterday, though! She was a little nervous, but it was ok. I got pictures, but I'll have to wait until tomorrow to upload them, sorry. We figured out we'll be leaving on the 16, then get there the 17 around noonish, or later. We'll sleep in Oklahoma. Of course there will be lots of stopping on the way, and she'll be loose so she can move or lay down or whatever. All in all, we've done pretty good. We need LOTS of work on trotting though! Gotta plan my freestyle performance, too.....Pictures to come tomorrow!!!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Picture Update!

No real updates, just lots of pictures! (sorry for the poor quality!) We got Lexi a feather boa the same colors as her halter! Doesn't she look FABULOUS?!?!
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This was the 1st time she's seen a lunge line in her life, isn't she ferocoius?!:
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After her first bath:
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Late Posting...Pictures coming soon....

Lexi has been doing quite well. I haven't posted lately, been to busy with her! Last night we took her on her 1ST trip away from the house. We loaded Dakotah (old as dirt horse) and Lexi went right in! So off we went! We got there (about 5 miles away), and unloaded, she was PERFECT! I can't say enough how smart this horse is!! She is great! Anyway, I can now pick up all 4 feet, brush her all over, and bathe her! She's awesome. Let's see, she is super easy to take in/out of her stall, lunge whatever! I just hope someone will see how good she is & take her home! Pictures will come soon, just not now!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Stalling!! dun, dun, duuuunnnn!!!! (not)

Today we did our normal stuff, then we went into the barn for the 1st time! She was a little scared of the radio, but got over it pretty quick. So we tied up in the barn, she met Jack Pot (donkey) through the stall door. She was VERY good. Then we went in the stall.... She was OK with it, not thrilled, but OK. So we went out. We played in the hose a little, we got her all sprayed down except for her butt (she hated it on her butt!!!). She was very patient though. All in all we did great!!
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Donate Today!

Ok we opened a donate thingy on fundable.com! This is for our trip to Texas. It will cost A LOT to get to Texas from Illinois with gas prices these days! Plus, we have to get a hotel, etc. The hotel alone will cost around $300. We get $200 for her care from MHF, but everyone knows how high hay prices are this year! So that doesn't even begin to cover everything. PLEASE donate today! If you'd like to donate, click here.

Donate now!


Thanks!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Loads of Progress!

Sexy Lexi is doing SOO good! First, I lunged her. After we got a good start I decided to put some PVC pipe down for her to jog over. She did that no problem. Then came the tarp....Eventually (I didn't push her at all.) she went over it! By the time she was done, she was going over no problem! Later I even picked up her front feet! She didn't even care! I did it a few times, she could care less. She'll be a GREAT horse. We led her out and about in the yard, by herself. She was an angel. Then, we turned on the water. At first, she was little nervous. But, she stuck her nose in it! She LOVED it! She kept playing in it. I wish we got some pictures, but we didn't. She took it all in stride, very well. We went over to the trailer, and my mom opened & closed the door a bit (ours is steel & noisy). Then we went to see it. She was fine! We didn't push her to get in, just see it. So that was it for the night! Here's a pic. notice her new halter!
Sexy Lexi in her halter

Sunday, August 17, 2008

We're Outta Here!

Ok, so not really. BUT, we did get out of the pens! We went in the yard! We took Lexi & our 25 y/o AQHA mare, Dakotah, out into the yard, across the rocky driveway, and over to the concrete pad! Then, we went over it! She was very hesitant at first, but she went over it fine! Of course we took everything in stride, not just all at once! But overall we did quite well. Really good for her 1st time out. I think we're going to take her to our local arena sometime. I NEED TO FIND A LOCAL SHOW!!!!! Please, if you know of one in the Springfield, IL area, leave a comment! But of course I can't work with Lexi as much starting this week because we start stupid school tomorrow! :( Ick. Ok that's all for now.....

Friday, August 15, 2008

Tied & Good!

I worked on tying a lot with Lexi today. She does it like a pro! I can tie her & she'll stand perfectly! She even let me clip her whiskers & give her a bridle path! Well, somewhat of a bridal path. I just used scissors... But she acted like she'd been doing it for ever! She's SOOO smart! She'll be a GREAT horse! Hopefully someone will figure that out when we run her through the auction......Got some pictures! Sorry, just with my cell, so not very good....Oh ya, click on em to see the full picture!
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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Leading, Tying, & More!!! Lots of Pics!

We've taken Lexi out of her pens a few times now. She does REALLY good! So far, she could care less. Unfortunately the Otter Creek Saddle Club show set for Sunday has been cancelled. GRR! Oh well. I guess we'll try to find another local show! If you know of one around the Springfield, IL area, leave a comment! Anyway, Lexi is really trusting of me. I love her! I tied her today while I moved hay through her pen & into another, etc and she didn't even move! She's going to be a great horse for someone! We'll probably have the vet out pretty quick to get her health papers done, etc. And her feet! UGH! I've been so busy with sheep shows, other horses, etc. But she does SOOO good and she's really smart. If she wasn't so good, I don't think I'd be in this competition anymore. I can rub all up & down her front legs, around her butt, everywhere! With other people she's not soo good yet, but she's not scared to death. We're working on that. Ok, onto the pictures!!
Lexer butt
good lexi!
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Sunday, August 10, 2008

LOTS OF PROGRESS!

Lexi made lots of progress today/this weekend! We worked on leading quite a bit, and she's pretty much got it down pat! Now she let's me brush her WHOLE body, except the lower parts of her legs. I can use pretty much any brush, she doesn't care. She'll follow me around her pen, it's so cute! She's such a sweet hart. I'll miss her a ton when she's gone, but really I know we don't have enough time to keep up with her future training. So anyway, we can lead her into the round pen, and all around it. Today, we even went OUTSIDE! YES! HURRAY! We got quite a bit accomplished today. Usually she ONLY trusts me, no one else. Well, while I was holding her, my mom was able to come up and pet her down her neck & back! GOOD LEXI! Ok, I'll put pictures up tomorrow, it's late.....

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

OOPS!

Almost forgot, if the video doesn't work, you can see it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3bR0frVk8Y
Ok it works! It should work down in the other post too.

More Working for Lexi! (fixed video)

So today I thought, "why not introduce her to brushes, etc.?" Soooo I got the softest, (probably oldest) brush we had, rubbed on Cappichino (previously adopted mustang gelding), then let her sniff it, bite it, pick it up, whatever she wanted. Then, I picked up her drag line, and let her sniff it in my hand. Well that was fine. So I started to brush her face. That was ok at first. Then she got a little nervous, so I backed off. She came back up to me, I did the same thing, then started down her neck. Well, that was great, so I went on to her back. She LOVED it! So I got most of the dirt off one side at least. The other side she's not sure about, but getting better. I'd like to get her to the show grounds before we show. Hopefully we will. If your interested in seeing her at the show, it's in Palmyra, IL and you can get details from the show, etc @ www.ottercreeksaddleclub.com . Anyway, I thought I'd try flyspray as well, since she was so good. That didn't go as well, but a lot better than I thought. She does better than my miniature gelding! lol. All she did really was back up. Which is ok with me, she's not used to it. Again, I backed off & am just taking it slow (well as slow as I can!). Then onto lunging! Just so everyone knows, I took her drag rope off to lunge her! I'm just not sure if I'll be able to get it back on.....I took a video with my phone, (it's not very good quality). So I thought I'd let you see how floaty & pretty her trot really is! We'll have to get the vet out sometime to get her health certificate & stuff. So, that's about it! Here's the video!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Leading Lessons Continue

Just got in from working w/ Sexy Lexi. She's doing really good! I can now lead her from pen to pen and pet her all over. I decided to try her first tieing lesson today! Sooooo I wrapped the rope around the fence and went into the other pen. I kept an eye on her of course. She handled it like a pro! She didn't even pull or anything! I was so proud! I knew once I got her to trust me she'd be easy! Soo we'll keep working on leading and tieing. Now I gotta convince my mom to bring the trailer back over so we can work on that! Then going in a stall! I think we'll be ready for our local show by August 17. It's only like 10 miles from the house, so getting there will be easy! Then maybe we can take her home after her class.....Well, hopefully we can make it! Oh ya, I'll get my mom to take pictures tonight or tomorrow!

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