Sovereign- ATFO Outlaw Division

Training: This horse is part of a special training event called the Appalachian Trainer Face Off. You can learn about it on Facebook and on our website. Horses in this training event are adoptable following 100+ days of training in August. Where do I start with #HOPTeamSovereign? It’s been awesome getting to work with this horse and seeing the big changes he is making. The things he is handling now may not seem like much on paper, yet if you would’ve handled him from the beginning you know they are major steps for him. He is a very curious horse and you can tell he wants to please. Can’t forget to mention how flashy he is! He’s got some big movement too. He is higher in the pecking order, yet not aggressive with the horses, but will stand his ground and not get pushed around. He gets a long well with yearlings on up. He is also a complete sucker for treats. He’s been a tough one to crack because his dilemma is three-fold. He has some trauma from prior handling making him real fearful, he was largely unhandled most of his life so he didn’t really learn how to yield to people, and he is on the sensitive end of the spectrum. So my role until now has been more of a therapist role if I’m being honest ? Getting through to his mind and allowing him to change his perspective by setting him up for success has been the key. What I’ve been working on is primarily getting his mind to a safe place so that he can be a safe horse and find a good home. Thinks like: - engaging his mind and connecting his mind to his feet - Comfort with being around people and ropes - Respecting boundaries and yielding to pressure - Learning his rank in relationships with people (get him to know that people are higher in the pecking order than him) - Responding to things vs reacting - Stress management and learning to wind down in scary situations - Patience - Desensitizing to all sorts of everyday objects - Handling pressure and contact all over his body. Especially cinch area, hind legs, and all feet. He’s been ultra sensitive in those areas. Upcoming things we will work on: - Picking up feet - Saddling. This will be big, and I aim to film the sessions because he’s prior experience saddling was traumatic so he already has a negative association. I have not shown him a saddle since he’s been here because I’ve been waiting for girth to heal and mind to be in a better place. - Riding under saddle - Continue to build his confidence Stay tuned Adoption fees may be outdated, as a horse may have moved into training, so check us on most current fee. Horses typically adopted UTD on vaccines, dental floats, farrier care and all vet needs. Horse Locations Typically in Appalachia, but please inquire about a horse’s specific location when you apply! We are looking to adopt to safe homes. A history of good horsemanship, the ability to provide sufficient care with good vet, farrier and peer references are important. If you are a first time horse owner, we will require you to board at a facility for the first year while you learn more about care. We encourage everyone to take advantage of riding lessons. Foal adoptions require previous, established experience with youngsters. Our adoption process makes sure you get the right horse for you – it is a no fail process for finding the right match. Apply at https://wvhorserescue.org/adopt Adopt | Heart of Phoenix