Extreme Mustang Makeover horse captures admiration at IDA Show

A graduate of the Extreme Mustang Makeover is snatching admiration from college students in the Intercollegiate Dressage Association. A show was hosted by Florida State University Jan. 23 and 24 where the mustang, Onyx, was a true star.

Almost a year to the date after first meeting Onyx, a wild Nevada Mustang, Onyx was handily carrying riders through dressage tests at a competition where colleges compete against each other to via for spots for Dressage Nationals.

In IDA, schools from each region converge to compete against one another to national points. The interesting thing about IDA is that students do not ride their own horses. Visiting schools, and a lottery provides horses, or random draw selects the horse that the student is to ride. The student is allowed 10 minutes to "warm-up" their unfamiliar mount, and then head straight to the show ring to perform their dressage test in front of the judge, with their respective schools routing them on. It takes a special horse to be used for IDA, both talented and well trained, but also a horse with a heart of gold and excellent patience to handle being ridden in a show environment with unfamiliar riders. Three different riders typically ride each horse each day of competition.

Onyx, a fifth place finisher in the 2009 Gatorland Extreme Mustang Makeover, (now owned by Holly Bailey of Monticello, Fla.) performed flawlessly for her college-age riders over the weekend, scoring in the mid to high 60s, and even receiving many votes by the students for the "Best Draw" of the day award, where students vote on the most desirable horse to draw for the show.

Schools present included Florida State University, University of Florida, University or Central Florida, and Central Florida Community College.

The Coach of FSU is Marsha Hartford Sapp, who trained Onyx for the Mustang Makeover, and also was a top 10 finisher for the Eastern Stampede Extreme Mustang Makeover.

Date: 2/15/10