From Wild Mustang To Gentle Giant

A once wild Mustang is now under control, and ready to compete. A Beggs trainer has spent the past 100 days getting the horse ready for this weekend's Extreme Mustang Makeover competition in Fort

Tuesday, September 18th 2007, 9:38 pm

By: News On 6

A once wild Mustang is now under control, and ready to compete. A Beggs trainer has spent the past 100 days getting the horse ready for this weekend's Extreme Mustang Makeover competition in Fort Worth, Texas. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports Amigoâ€™s trainer says preparing him for the competition has been a daunting task, but worth all the effort.

In June, Amigo was a wild mustang, whoâ€™d just been plucked from the Nevada wilderness, and given to Beggs trainer Ted Noland. Ted began with baby steps, just trying to get Amigo used to the idea of a saddle. Three and a half months later, the Mustang has been tamed.

When we first met Amigo it was a big deal just to be able to get in the pen with him, now, about 100 days later, he'll let anybody ride him.

"He's a willing partner, and that's the key to this entire thing,â€ Amigoâ€™s trainer Ted Noland said. â€œI always say horses teach me more than I'll ever teach them."

After a few more practice runs on their homemade obstacle course, Ted and Amigo will take off on Thursday for Fort Worth, Texas, for the Extreme Mustang Makeover. Saturdayâ€™s competition pits 100 trainers and their mustangs against one another. The teams will compete for $25,000 in prize money, and will be judged on conditioning, groundwork and obstacle course performance. The horses will then be auctioned off on Sunday. The family says it will be tough to see Amigo go.

"I am going to miss him very much,â€ said Ted Nolandâ€™s wife Karen Noland. â€œWe've got a lot of horses here, but he's one in a million."

Ted admits he did benefit from the luck of the draw, saying his Mustang is one of a kind.

"He's fabulous, I'm very proud of him, there's nothing to be disappointed about, nothing at all," he said.

While Amigo will be up against some stiff competition, Ted does have some tricks up his sleeve. For example, how many other trainers will be able to make their Mustang lie down?

Ted says Mustang Makeover is all about finding Amigo a good home. But these two are competitors, and they are in this to win it. He says Amigo also helped him through some difficult times this summer. He was hospitalized for a while with chronic fatigue syndrome, but was determined to finish the training.

Watch the video: Extreme Mustang Makeover

WEB EXTRA: How Do You Make A Horse Lay Down?

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6/13/2007 Green Country Man Competing In The Extreme Mustang Makeover