BLM Mustangs
Jenkins
Jenkins was one of our band geldings that led the entire mustang herd at the ranch until the death of his mate, Spirit Lady in 2011. For days he would whinny and run the hills looking for her. His 2nd in command, Loki, took over but it has never been the same. In Spring, 2012, Jenkins was seen standing alone on the hillside nickering for the herd. It was at that time we discovered that he had gone completely blind in his bad eye and was suffering extensive vision reduction in his other eye. We brought him in to determine our plan of action and was leading him to the round pen for exercise about a week later when one of the other band geldings, Texas, called Jenkins over. Tom reluctantly took Jenkins to the hillside with Texas, where they grazed for quite some time. As Tom went out to get him at the end of day, Texas stepped between him & Jenkins and moved Jenkins away. From that point on we have allowed Jenkins to return to the herd where he is always surrounded by several mares and roams comfortably along with the band. Born in 1996, Jenkins was gathered from the Three Fingers HMA in Oregon. We rescued Jenkins, with the financial support from Front Range Equine Rescue, from the feedlot the day before the truck arrived, in 2006.
Mia
Mia was born on the Sheepshead HMA in 2001. In June, 2002 we adopted her from the Burns facility in eastern Oregon. Mia is broke to ride but after being diagnosed with a possibility of having string halt, she was been released to roam free with the others and is part of the BLM herd.
Spicey
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Sugar
Our first mustang - Sugar was born on the Beaty's Butte HMA and gathered as a young foal, born in early 2001. In June, 2002 we adopted her from the Burns facility in eastern Oregon. Sugar is broke to ride but has been released to roam free with the others and is part of the BLM herd, but does enjoy grazing with the fertility study mares from time to time. Sugar is "aunty" to the youngsters, who follow her around and is the herd social bug.
Contessa
Contessa is from the Kiger HMA in Oregon born in 1990. She was left at a boarding facility where the barn owner took legal possession and placed her with us. She had been used all her life as a brood mare and is unhandled. Contessa is part of the "Morning Breakfast Club" wtih Granny. They are grained twice a day to maintain their weight and have all the hay they can eat.
Loki
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Virginia Range Mustangs
The Virginia Range horses are horses that were gathered by the Nevada Dept of Agriculture off the Virginia Range and then held at a facility utilized by the University of Nevada to study the uses of different types of fertility drugs. The horses were basically science projects. When the grant funding for feed ended, the horses were supposedly headed for slaughter. Through a bunch of lies and manipulation, 33 of these horses found their way to our ranch, in the dead of winter.
(See video at the bottom for complete story)
The group below are the ones that will remain in sanctuary at WWER. We do have several needing placement though.
(See video at the bottom for complete story)
The group below are the ones that will remain in sanctuary at WWER. We do have several needing placement though.
Carson - Our little Spirit of the West
Rejected by his mom and the herd mares kicking at him, Carson shouldn't have lived.
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Read Carson's story here
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Granny
Granny has been one of our favorites since these mares arrived. Born on the Virginia Range in Nevada, she is from the group of horses that Wild Horse Annie fought so hard to protect. We guesstimate her to be in her late 20's (born c. 1984-86) Granny is part of the Breakfast Club, with Contess, that comes in each morning for grain. Although Granny will not let us get too close to her, she does come along with us when we are working in the pasture. A slightly hard keeper, Granny is on Equine Senior and daily supplements, along with all the grass she can eat and shows up at the gate twice a day to remind us it's meal time! If a horse could share wisdom, Granny would be that horse.
Girlfriend
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Precious
This mare is one of my favorites. She is a smaller mare with a lot of expression. We have started bonding and falling in to an understanding. Precious has joined up with Grey Hawk and is his mate. She is a very quiet mare and not aggressive at all. We have to pull her & Grey Hawk away from the other domestics so they can have their grain and hay. We guesstimate her to be in her mid to late teens (born c.1995-97)
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Paiute Indian gelding
Brian
Brian's mom, Julie (a Paiute Indian mare), arrived in 2007, pregnant with Brian and nursing 2 foals - one was an orphan. Brian was born May 17, 2008. Super sweet and super gentle, Brian will start under saddle in Spring 2012. He is a permanent resident at our ranch and will be used in education regarding different herds.
Our Sheldon girl
Neke (Inilakin (ee-NEE-lah-kee) "The Quiet One" in Lakota)
Neke is from the Sheldon Fish & Wildlife Refuge in northern Nevada. FWS has gathered hundreds of the Sheldon's, shipping many to slaughter. They decendents of horses brought over from Central Europe in the 1800's and bred as Calvary Remounts, taking the soldiers in to battle. When the war ended, the horses were turned out and allowed to roam free in this area. When the government, FWS, took control of Mr Sheldon's land, declaring it a Wildlife Refuge, they also took control of the horses and burros that roamed within the refuge. There is no protection for these horses. The land borders the Bureau of Land Management's HMA in Oregon - Beatty's Butte. There are no fences to keep the BLM horses out, or the Sheldon horses in. These horses are a combination of the early Calvary Remounts, and the Spanish Mustang brought over in the 1500's by the Conquistodor's. Depending on the location at capture, determines the protection.
Neke is a very sweet, easy going girl that will let you pet her from time to time. She was part of a larger rescue in 1996. We believe her to be in her early teens (born c.1999-2001) Because much of the herd has been gathered and many shipped to slaughter, we choose to keep Neke in the sanctuary and allow her to roam free.
Neke is a very sweet, easy going girl that will let you pet her from time to time. She was part of a larger rescue in 1996. We believe her to be in her early teens (born c.1999-2001) Because much of the herd has been gathered and many shipped to slaughter, we choose to keep Neke in the sanctuary and allow her to roam free.