Heritage Horse Tales - DJ

The Taming Of A Desert Jewel

March 2007

The first lot of rescued Gunnadorrah Station pintos (rescued some 4 months ago now) have basically all settled in to their new lives. “Desert Jewel” or “DJ” was one of the special cases. Some horses, like some people, do not deal well with trauma or stress in their lives. DJ was so traumatised by what she had experienced in the yards at the station that she was extremely nervous and distrustful of humans.

DJ the day she arrived, thin, sore and injured...

Arriving first in Nannup, with a truckload of 4 other frightened wild horses, DJ was given a good fortnight or so in the yards to settle down and get some basic feed and fresh water into her. DJ was so weak when she arrived, she collapsed in the horse truck and was trampled by the other horses, resulting in raw patches of flesh on her wither and upper back.

Thought to be a young lead mare (we now know DJ is around 5yrs old), DJ was also a “warning horse” and snorted like a freight train when distressed, instinctively warning the other horses in her area without actually whinnying.

Six weeks after her arrival, two of the other pintos had already been halter broken and one had gone to his new home in Margaret River. DJ and another filly – Polyfilla – had been given the run of a long grassed raceway to put some condition on. DJ had put on weight and calmed down slightly, but despite every precaution and gentle handling, there were several incidents involving her being unable to cope with even minor pressure from human presence which resulted in her nearly seriously injuring herself several times. All DJ wanted to do was get away – and it didn’t matter if she had to throw herself over or through fences or yards to do it.

DJ had been purchased even before her arrival in Nannup by a horseman from the eastern states who wanted her as a riding horse and later broodmare. It was realised, however, that DJ would have to be transported to somewhere much safer – like a padded round yard – before being properly halter broken and handled. So Sheila trucked her to Fred Watkins near Margaret River, an experienced horse handler who, along with Neil Innes, was helping Sheila halter train the wild ones and put some under saddle.

Fred had already managed to calm another couple of older, traumatised Gunnadorrah pintos and had learned a great deal in doing so. Nevertheless, DJ gave him a couple of nerve-racking days when the serious job of getting a halter on her began. But during those initial intense hours, something amazing happened – DJ decided that she would finally try trusting a human. And she chose Fred.

Over the next few days DJ bonded with Fred in a way that the both of them had never experienced. She started to follow him around – even when he wasn’t in the yards with her. She watched him when he was in the house with his family, her eyes following his every move. She seemed as surprised as Fred that he was a decent guy who could actually be trusted not to frighten or hurt her! On top of this, he was a good leader, and all lead mares need a strong leader to follow.

To cut a long story short, DJ is still with Fred. He was so taken by this lovely, gentle eyed mare that he spoke to Sheila, who spoke to DJ’s owner, who very kindly sold her to Fred. He is going to keep DJ and ride her. And there is more…now that DJ is calm enough to be aged, it has been established that she is actually at least five years old…and five months pregnant to an unknown station stallion.

Fred & DJ - one picture...

It’s also a real testament to the forgiving nature of horses – particularly heritage horses – and to the patient, kind training methods employed by Fred, that DJ has come so far. This mare has obviously seen and experienced some truly awful things in her young life, and it’s a jolly good ending to just one rescue horse story.

December 2007

Months later and it's still a good ending. Although unfortunately DJ aborted her foal - probably due to the stress she was under for the first few months following her rescue, DJ is still with Fred and his wife Rachael, now happily settled in to their new property up near Perth.

DJ was recently put back in foal - this time to Sheila's lovely little Silver Dapple stallion, Gunnadorrah Tom Thumb. As Tom was just learning how to be a stallion, DJ was a helpful and, in the end, very enthusiastic teacher! (Despite the squeals and kicks!) DJ has Arab in her...Tom probably has a bit of Arab as well as Welsh Mountain or other such delightful old pony bloodlines, so any foal should be gorgeous.

The important thing is that DJ really is a contented horse these days, and Fred and Rachel are looking forward to seeing her first foal.

Photos at right of DJ over the past few months...