Mustang A Day Challenge goes Video A Day For February!

Painting the Horses of the Owyhee Complex

Artist Linda L. Martin started off 2013 with a powerful project of depicting the Horses of  the Owyhee Complex Gather in Nevada through graphite, watercolors and oils. Nevada. There was a BLM management round up held there in December and January. With the help of BLM photography she was able to capture a number of unique qualities in these wild horses that sets them apart from other herds in different management areas.  Signed Reproductions will be available on Etsy Beginning February 11th. 
 
Working Mustangs Series:

Ms Martin began a series of graphite drawings on January 27th depicting the versatility and usefulness of  Mustangs that  had been adopted and trained. This will be an ongoing series through the Month of February as the reference photography comes in. Drawings will be posted on the Mustang A Day challenge Blog as they are completed, however will not be on consecutive days due to a full February Schedule of commissions and break off projects.

The first prints of these will be available on the Mustang A Day Challenge Etsy Store Beginning on February 5th, 2013. And also on the Wild Horse And Burro Association Auction Barn on Facebook. A portion of the proceeds from the auction sales will go to the new Association program to help promote adoption and on going education and support of  adopted mustangs and their owners.

Mustang A Day Challenge Online Video Project.

A number of break off projects are developing from the Mustang A Day Challenge. The long awaited Video project began on February 1st. The Video project will be a Video a Day project produced and released on Youtube. You can view the daily video’s here. http://www.youtube.com/user/LindaLMartinArtist?feature=watch



Videos will vary in length from 30 second show casespots to 3 minute educational shots. Mixed in the story lines for the educational videos will be selected representations by photographers who have contributed to the Mustang A Day Challenge project since 2010.  The show case videos will present paintings that have been featured in the Challenge project along with purchase information. The longer educational Videos will tell stories of Actual horses in the wild and the stories of some of the adopted horses to show people some of the aspects of herd dynamics and range life.

Opportunity to participate in the Mustang A Day Challenge Project:
If you are interested in helping to promote the challenge and its activities please contact  LindaLMartin at  info@llmartin.com. Please write  MADCProject Participation  in the subject line.

This week on Mustang A Day Challenge: Fighting Stallions of Sand Wash Basin HMA May 16th-20th

This week on Mustang A Day Challenge:

Fighting Stallions of Sand Wash Basin HMA

I must say horse watching even on facebook and blogs can blow away a lot of myths you have about wild horses in general. What I discovered was that I only understood about half of herd dynamics and that was from my mostly limited view of the horse from watching my own animals kept in as natural a situation as possible for their own health and well being.

My own personal Myths were the perception of how Stallions actually interacted with each other and their herds. This information I learned from other horsemen who for generations kept domestic, highly bred horses such as Arabians and Thoroughbreds. Even the Quarter Horse and Appaloosa Stallions I knew were rank, scary, pushy and demanded a healthy respect. Having my own stallion for a time I also learned from him but not as much as I have from the accounts of wild stallion behavior from the  photographers and horse watchers.

This week I am going to examine those myths of how and why stallions fight as I paint the fighting Stallions of the Sand Wash Basin HMA.

A portion of the money from the sale of this weeks paintings will go to those who’s tireless efforts have been dedicated to the Wild Horses of The Sand Wash Basin to document and help in the preservation of these animals.

Ft Collins Extreme Mustang Makeover

This challenging Supreme Extreme Mustang,
hasnt got a name yet but he is definately a
wild child Mustang. I will begin painting
 him and the two new Mustang Mares for
 Madeline and Roberts efforts to the Supreme
Extreme Mustang Makeover in September.

With only 4 weeks to go to the Ft Collins Mustang Makeover Both Madeleine Lecleric and Robert Carlson have taken on a combined three new horses for the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover(SEMM) event.

Unlike the two Fort Collins horses, Watson and Tango, who will be offered for adoption on the last day of the event, these three new horses were purchased by Madeleine and Robert for the SEMM Challenge.

Training started on the new horses the day they arrived at their Texas training center Where the trainers were holding  a two day audit only clinic on How to Start Your Mustang.  The three horses, it seemed were as different as night and day. Madeleine’s  little roan mare was about average for a mustang fresh out of the BLM holding pens and never been touched. The additional mare they brought home was a sweet little bay, that according to Madeleine only took 5 minutes to halter break and that after noon she had the saddle on for the first time.

"Going For a Spin"
Available
8 by 10 Watercolor
by Linda L MartinArtist

However it was Robert’s horse that was the surprising challenge. The black gelding  was a truly wild and a bit aggressive in his reactions. He challenged each new thing that Robert put him to.  Being young and athletic and knowing how to use his hooves and body to get his way made for a demanding first two days that only an experienced trainer could handle well. In fact the team of Robert and Madeleine had to work together  at one point to help him get his mind where it needed to be.

Tuesday Night’s painting features Madeleine and Tango.

If you would like to follow Madeleine and Robert as they train Watson and Tango as well as their new Supreme EMM you can follow them on their new combined facebook page: R&M Mustang Program

I understand they will also be holding several more clinics in the coming weeks. You can find out more information on their page. 

Fund Raiser For Alder Hill Farm!

Rosie and Brio Two of the BLM Branded
Mustang Mares currently at Alder HIll Farm.
Thre are currently 10 plus Mustangs in Residence.
Some are in training and ready for adoption.
Find out more http://www.alderhillfarm.org/

Just a Reminder we still have a Special on 6 by 9 inch simple watercolor portraits of  $55.00. The special runs through June 30^th.  Simply email me at contact@llmartin.com  or LLMartisticServices@yahoo.com  for information.  Mustangs painted using the special will be included in the Mustang A Day Challenge along with their story.

A portion of the proceeds from this Special will go to Alder Hill Farm Rescue to help with the care and feeding of the Mustangs in residence there. You can also donate directly to Alder Hill Farm by going to http://www.alderhillfarm.org/

South Steens Week on the Mustang A Day Challenge

This week will be an opportunity  to learn  a little about the horses that range on the South Steens  Mountains of Oregon. Our guest blogger this week is Tracey Westbury operator of  Mustang U, a non- profit organization. Mustang U is a chapter of the American Mustang and Burro Association. 

It is located in the Pacific Northwest Corner of Washington State.

“Their mission is to increase public awareness of the beauty, trainability and timelessness of the American Mustang. They assist the BLM at wild horse adoptions, as well as foster and gentle wild horses in an effort to place them in adoptive homes.” The focus of Mustang U is to help out with the adoption of wild horses destined for Long Term Holding or effected by the Sale Authority Act .

According to the blog about Mustang U, the most challenging thing about helping to place a gathered mustang for adoption is educating the public that simply because a horse is over the age of 4 that it does not mean it not be trainable. Tracey has proven over and over that older horses not only are very trainable but they make wonderful work and companion animals, and excellent pleasure horses.Tracey works with the horses and the potential owners  as well as helping to place the horses in adoptive homes.

The majority of the horses she works with are from the South Steens HMA:

Photo by Tracey Westbury used by permission.

In Stacy’s own words:

“The South Steens HMA is located in Southeastern Oregon, roughly 70 miles southwest of Burns along hwy 205.  It consists of just over 130,000 acres.  In this area of the country, it takes approximately 100 acres to support just one horse, which equates into an ideal herd size of 130 horses.

The region is covered in volcanic rock, with rim rocks and plateaus dissected by perennial and intermittent stream channels.

The horses are managed for their pinto coloring, but you'll see every color under the sun on the South Steens, from coppery gold palomino to black, buckskin, sorrel, and the occasional appaloosa.

South Steens horses are known for their good size, often reaching 16 hands, as well as their exceptional conformation.  Most people don't know they're looking at a wild horse when they see them all saddled up.  I recently showed a calendar to a quarter horse person who argued with me that some of those horses were turned out, and must have been bred in captivity.

There are several bands that congregate not far from the highway that have been dubbed the Hollywood Herd.  They're typically not all that shy, and they love having photos taken of them.  Seriously...they pose. “

Read more about Tracey Westbury and Mustang U  on her blog : http://mustangu.blogspot.com/ or  follow her on Facebook

Mustang A Day Challenge Giveaway!! We Reach the 60 Paintings Milestone on March 4th!

Announcement!!! Heads up everyone following the Mustang A Day Challenge. In Celebration of the Milestone painting Friday Eveing March 4th  we are going to hold a surprise give away!! Yes that’s right Painting #60 Friday night!!  Everyone who posts under this announcement on my page: www.facebook.com/LindaLMartinArtist will be in a drawing for a free signed print of "The Kiss" The print is a 5" by 7 " signed by me and printed in house. This one will be different than all the others, because it will be remarked by hand, by me!! Tell your friends only those who comment on my page (not the profile) will be included in the drawing.



"Just a Little Kiss" is based on the photography of John Wagner a frequent photographer at Sand Wash Basin HMA and features Picasso and Monet.  Remember you have to post( not just like) under this announcement to be in the drawing on my Page. The Drawing its self will be held on Saturday evening March 5th at 6pm EST. So tell all your friends.

Head 'um up! =0)