Freedom's Spirit is a Mustang we adopted from the BLM Adopt a Horse Program in 1989 as a yearling. My children and I drove from Hermantown, MN to the St. Paul Civic Center where the horses were in pens according to gender and ages. We visited all the different groups and found the lists of horses that had already been spoken for, then fell in love with a chestnut colt and a bay colt. We adopted them both, and brought them home. The chestnut colt we named Freedom's Spirit, and the bay colt ultimately became known as Kaybolt, who sadly passed away late last summer.
Helena, my 2nd daughter, undertook the training of Spirit. She did ground work with him until he was old enough to ride, then she started him under saddle. Although he didn't buck, he did have a stubborn streak a mile wide, and when he had decided he didn't want to go any more, he stopped, backed, refused to move, turned in circles. The battles were many, but Helena, with quiet firmness,
prevailed, and ultimately Spirit became the most reliable riding horse in our herd of fourteen. He was willing, didn't spook, responsive without being hot, and his temperament was quiet and calm. At 35 he is showing his age, he's retired from riding, but he still recognizes his feed bucket when it's headed his way!
Spirit has helped many people gain (or regain) confidence with riding and horses in general! He is a wonderful, trustworthy friend!