SCHERTZ, Texas -- A Schertz horse trainer considered one of the best in the country has been chosen to transform a wild mustang into a domesticated equine in 100 days, and possibly win as much as $20,000 in prize money from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Beginning with the sport of polo, 46-year-old Jonathan Deeley said he has been riding horses his entire life, but now makes a living training or retraining horses that anyone can ride. He said mustangs hold special challenges.

Deeley was one of 80 trainers in the U.S. chosen by a jury of his peers to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Western Stampede, an effort to showcase the beauty, versatility and the trainability of the unique American Mustang breed. Tens of thousands of mustangs roam freely on public lands in the American West, and are protected by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The BLM says it must periodically cull the herds to maintain a healthy population of horses. Each year, hundreds are available for adoption to good homes for a $125 fee.

That’s where Deeley comes in.

He has experience training mustangs for individuals who adopted these magnificent, but challenging animals, who found they needed professional help.

“I have two broken feet, broken ankle, broken leg, my knees are pretty shot. I haven’t broken my arm, but have my shoulder,” said Deeley. All told, he remembers at least 20 broken bones and few concussions.

Right now, he has two mustangs in training which he picked up in Oklahoma from the Bureau in late June. He says the big bay called “Street Rat” is going to make a wonderful horse for someone in a couple months. To get him there, Deeley is using a technique called foundation training. “It’s ground training. You teach them respect, manners. And if you can’t teach them that on the ground, you can’t teach them in the saddle,” says the trainer while giving the mustang his audible and hand signals to stop, walk, turn and most importantly, stand still.

When asked if he has a lot of confidence that he can turn this scared, fearful animal into something someone is going to want, he answers with no hesitation, “Yep, I always do. Our process is not very speedy, but it’s effective.”

And when told some of his competitors in the 100-day challenge have already jumped on board their mustangs and are already riding with a saddle, Deeley is almost apologetic to his fellow respected trainers, saying, “Those horses usually end up here to be retrained, re-schooled.”

That is the case for another mustang at the Equestrian Ranch in Schertz named Sally. A harsh initial training left her fearful and too dangerous for her owner. Now she is in her fourth month of foundation training, and is only now being ridden again under saddle, but very slowly at that.

As for Street Rat, he’s is still charging away from Deeley to freedom every chance he is let off his lead rope. But Deeley says he has every confidence he will be rideable in one month, and will fetch high praise and a high price when he is auctioned off by the BLM in 100 days.

At that time, all 80 mustangs in the Makeover Challenge will be judged and ten winners will be chosen. Deeley’s hard work could potentially pay off in not just the award, but a purse of 20 percent of the auction price.