Onaqui Mountain Alamo
Alamo is a gelding from the Onaqui Mountain HMA in Utah. At eleven years old, he was removed in July of 2021 by the Bureau of Land Management. Several months after, he was put up for sale without limitation due to his age, and he was in danger of going to the wrong home, or worse, a slaughterhouse. I was looking for my first mustang to rescue and with the help of Red Bird's Trust, chose the plainest mustang I could find - a bay with minimal white. Although many people may not have deemed him as "special" or "desirable", he is certainly very special to me and I couldn't have asked for a better first mustang. ❤️
Although most mustangs and burros that Mustang Mission rescues will be available for adoption, Alamo has a forever home with me. He will be an ambassador for all mustangs and he will help train other mustangs to become happy, safe horses for their new families. So many people along the East Coast don't know about the mustangs' plight, and it is my hope that Alamo's story will inspire others to start fighting for the freedom of mustangs and burros.
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Ember
Just a few months after rescuing Alamo, I learned about three young, thin mustang mares in a kill pen in Kentucky. Although I knew I was unable to rescue all three, I decided to save the little red filly - Rune. Many people came together and prayed, donated, and shared the fundraiser I had created. In just a few days, enough funds were raised to pay for Rune's bail and transportation. Just four days after I created the fundraiser, a local mustang trainer took Rune and boarded her at his property until the transporter could pick her up. Four days after that, Rune was transported to North Georgia, where we picked her up a day after.
Despite some car trouble, we made it safely home. Rune - now renamed Ember - was so happy to jump off of the trailer. She had been in five different trailers in two weeks. Although it took two days for me to touch Ember, she quickly overcame her fear of humans and realized that she could trust. She began to love attention - especially scratches. Within a week of beginning training with Ember, she learned to lead and was able to walk to her new pen. Ember is loving life, gaining much needed weight back, and continuing to progress in her training. I'm grateful to have this little mare in my life for this next year. I couldn't be more grateful to have been able to save her and give her a new, happy beginning. 💗
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Rocket
Rocket is twelve years old and was a very successful band stallion when he lived in the wild. Sadly, he was separated from his entire band when he was captured. In late 2022, one of Mustang Mission’s board members, Mary Ellen MacDonald, approached me with the idea of rescuing Rocket and bringing him to Mustang Mission for gentling and training. He had been one of the first wild horses she had seen when visiting Colorado, and she felt a strong connection to him. I agreed to take Rocket in, and she won his bid during the auction at the end of January. Rocket was a Sales Authority mustang (like Alamo), meaning he was offered for sale without limitations. Horses like him frequently end up in bad situations.
On March 24, Rocket arrived safe and sound! He has settled in very well and is proving to be one of the easiest mustangs to gentle, which I’m thanking God for! I am very excited to have him join my herd of mustangs for several months before he moves to the MacDonald’s farm in West Georgia and joins their herd of horses.
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Jackson
Jackson's two years before he came to Mustang Mission were nothing short of traumatic for a baby horse. At just a few months old, he was captured from his home in the Great Divide Basin. What happened between then and now we can only guess. He was likely separated from his mother too young and put in with a group of other yearlings. Although just two years old, Jackson was also Sales Authority, and in a dangerous position. When I picked him up at the Bureau of Land Management's adoption event, he was very skinny, but has quickly put on weight!
Jackson is proving to be highly intelligent with a sensitive, yet confident mind. He may be a perfect horse! I am so looking forward to training Jackson!
