Cholla - The Mustang Mix
by Renee Chambers
2004 Issue 4 Monty Roberts Join-Up Journal
The cowboys chose his name from one of the worst things you can come across in the desert, the cholla cactus. Cholla was born in Nevada in 1985, from a Quarter horse mare and a Mustang stallion. They waited until he was 18 months old to geld him and broke him by "sacking him out". I wasn't given much more information than that when I showed up to meet him after answering a classified ad. The advertisement said 15.2 buckskin Quarter horse/mustang for sale, well broke, $1200. I knew what well broke was supposed to mean, and I knew a buckskin was a really pretty horse, so there I was with the cash.
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"The Finish Line"
watercolor by Cholla |
I had never owned a horse before growing up on the Jersey Shore, but my late father was a horseman, I knew how to ride a proper horse and I was ready for a horse of my own. I could hear my Father's voice in my head, "If you ever get a horse, get a Quarter horse". Well, Cholla was half Quarter horse and he just loved me! He followed me instantly without even asking him with the lead rope. It was quite obvious he loved me from the beginning. He let me pick up his feet and groom him. I told the rancher I wanted to ride him before purchasing him. The rancher said he wanted to go with me on his horse but was unable to do it that day. So I said I'd come back, which I did 2 times after that initial meeting, and we went on short rides each time. Cholla did well not perfect but he was listening and Quarter horse calm. Since I didn't have my own trailer, the rancher delivered Cholla a few days later.
I could go on and out about the trials and tribulations of owning a "sacked out" mustang, but in essence, in the beginning he was a volatile time bomb. I attribute this to the way he was started. Sacking out was explained to me by the rancher I bought him from as: first you halter the horse, put a rope on each of the four limbs and exhaust the horse to the ground, then you take 10 lb sacks of flour and rub the weight over and over the traumatized grounded horse for as long as it takes for the horse to remain motionless. How cruel, I can't even imagine what a fight that was. Cholla has never forgotten it, and I sometimes wonder what limitations his past treatment has put on him. He does show love and trust towards me but he is a fearless survivor ready to explode into instinctive survival mode. Still to this day he'll let you know when he feels threatened.
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"Pink Ballerina "
watercolor by Cholla |
Cholla is a highly intelligent and wonderful animal who thrives on seeing me happy as a result of his efforts. He has a smooth gait and good manners, very brave and hard to spook. We live on 2 acres with pasture and water rights. He can be in the pasture, but if I want him to come into the corral, all I have to do is call him once, and he comes in, no halter, no nothing, he is that smart and willing. He is a great companion and pet. From the beginning, he loved to hold things in his mouth. I was painting the fence one day, and my husband said, "Why don't you get that horse to help you!" Well lo and behold, try to make a long story short, Cholla loves to paint with an unaltered artist brush in his mouth at the easel! I know it sounds absurd but it is true. He creates beautiful watercolor drawings with delicate and precise strokes. Our web site has a 90 second video of Cholla in action.
If Cholla is in the back pasture and sees me bringing his easel into the corral, he comes right in, I don't even have to call him. He is so aware of his environment, he doesn't miss a thing and is always paying attention. He knows what's going on in his immediate surroundings. He doesn't know that he has framed originals hanging on the walls of art galleries and in the homes of art collectors. It's so much fun to go outside and have your horse paint you a picture.
Click Here to see and purchase Cholla's art.
Click Here to visit Cholla's web site. |
