With That Shelby Mustang Power

Mountaineering Mustangs! Throughout the month of January, we are featuring mustangs and mustang crosses.

Did you know that dressage riders who choose a mustang as their mounts are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the American Mustang & Burro Association, Inc. is a participating organization?

Here, a rider shares how her dream to adopt a mustang turned into an opportunity to climb the dressage ladder.

By Caeley Melmed, DVM

There are one million reasons I should quit social media, but I continue because of the one single time it delivered something good. You see, I was in the midst of horse shopping for an Iberian dressage horse (i.e., a trot that I can survive), but my search had only led me to sale horses that were either overtly unsound on my arrival or those that failed prepurchase exams, thereby simultaneously breaking both my spirit and bank account.

Along the way, I happened upon the online stories of several mustangs participating in the yearly Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, Texas. If you aren’t familiar with these events, they entail trainers taking unhandled wild mustangs and somehow preparing them for a riding competition within 120 days. Keep in mind, I have taken that long just to train an ordinary horse how to load in my trailer.

And this isn’t just any competition, but a huge indoor coliseum filled with a loud and very involved audience. Nothing like a dressage show, where a spectator’s accidental sneeze can result in harsh and unkind glances from those around them. 

I began following several of the online journeys being shared by trainers, mostly because I found it fascinating, but also because I will literally do anything to avoid cleaning my home. One six-year-old grey mare kept catching my attention, and soon, I found myself cyberstalking her social media updates like a jilted ex.

As much as I liked the horse, I was equally impressed by her trainer, Chris Phillips, who was both a very competent and kind trainer, but also clearly hardier than I am, as he was willing to ride and train through a Utah winter. There is a reason I live in Texas, and it’s not just for the tax breaks.

As customary in mustang makeover competitions, an auction to buy happens immediately after the event. And there I was… a previously rational and non-impulsive citizen, somehow holding up my bidding number. Because all a 50-year-old working mom needs in her busy life is a marginally tamed beast added into the mix.

Our first few weeks together were akin to an arranged marriage: forced “quality time” together mixed with palpable skepticism on both our parts. Still, she was smart and sensitive in a way that was different than every domesticated horse I had ever owned, and she quickly grew to become my favorite. I named her “Shelby Mustang” as a nod to the classic car my father has owned and coveted but never (knowingly) allowed me to drive. 

Soon after, I loaded her up and took her to a lesson with Alex du Celliee Muller, a dressage and eventing trainer based in Arkansas, known for her ability to work with a multitude of different breeds, including mustangs. Approximately five minutes into our ride, Alex relayed, “She is cute,” which I happily took as code for “this wasn’t the worst decision in your life.” By the end of our first lesson, Alex declared, “You just bought a really nice horse. Stop treating her like she is just a mustang.” 

Alex then pointed directly to Shelby’s long, tangled, and unpulled mane as evidence of the fact that I wasn’t truly yet vested in my new horse “situationship.” Apparently, our path ahead was going to require some hair loss for both horse and rider.

Over time, Shelby’s dressage abilities improved, and with some dedicated training time with Alex du Celliee Muller, she worked her way to Second Level, where together, they placed third in the 2024 Great American/USDF Region 9 Second Level Championship. Most people at shows assume she is a PRE (Pura Raza Española; Pure Spanish Horse), but are shocked to learn she is a mustang, and it has been rewarding to feel like we are ambassadors for the breed. I try to be diplomatic, but sometimes I can’t help but humble-brag about how my horse has the best quality of hooves at the show.

My current plan is to train and show her at Third Level this year, provided I can find a way to compete in a dressage show AND remember the actual dressage test. Currently, I can only do one or the other. The struggle is real, but my patient and steady mustang is here for it all. 

My time working with Shelby has made me more present and aware around horses than before. I have since learned that garden hoses and sliding minivan doors take some time to conceptually understand, and that mustangs require a deeper and more consistent relationship. The result is that I must show up emotionally aware and steady in her presence, which, frankly, is not an easy task for someone who is also living in a household with teenagers.

I am grateful for my long-time trainer, Meghan Markham, for her guidance, keen eye, and endless positivity, as well as Lindsey Parker, who is helping Shelby navigate flying changes. Good horse trainers are like marriage counselors: they take the time to really understand both sides of the issues, then promptly turn around and reveal that you are the reason for the problems.

Shelby continues to live at home with me, clearly stating her opinions about “captivity” when occasionally asked to reside in a stall. She has made it her life mission to personally test the warranty on every horse blanket she is forced to wear and finds a way to crawl into any source of water, from bucket to pond. Domesticity, however, has not been all bad for Shelby, who recently learned the trick of staring through my kitchen window on occasions when my coffee dares to precede her breakfast.

While I do think people glamorize adopting a mustang, not all mustangs are suitable for amateur riders, and not all mustangs are of the same caliber. Like all horses, it is important to separate the fantasy from the reality, but for me, the path with Shelby has been a cherished endeavor. 

Then again, Shelby is glaring at me through the window, so I have to say that.