Mustang Mission

As you know, there are a lot of sad and horrible situations that come to light when rescuing horses. In this email, I wanted to give you a peek into something I recently saw on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) online auction coming up. I believe it’s important that you know what is happening to our mustangs and burros. The grim reality. This gelding is extremely thin - noticeable ribs, a thin neck, and protruding hips. This sorrel mustang is the face of mustangs that suffer in holding due to lack of care. Sadly, our tax dollars are paying the BLM to “care” for this mustang. I can’t know all the details, but it is very likely that this mustang is at the bottom of the pecking order in his holding pen and is being chased away from food. The holding pens are so crowded there is likely nowhere for this gelding to go where he can eat in peace. Honestly, he is so thin that he’s a horse I would’ve expected to see in a kill pen, not in the care of a government organization that receives bi...

There are thousands of older mustangs in holding and most people won’t even consider giving one a home, and I understand why.  I’ve trained an older gelding myself - it’s not easy.  I’ve seen many older mustangs be passed up for adoption multiple times or sold for as little as $25.  They’re unwanted by most people. That’s one of the main reasons why I started Mustang Mission, to give these older mustangs a chance .  On this Giving Tuesday, will you consider donating to our facilities expansion fund to enable us to continue rescuing older mustangs?  Even a donation of $5 would be a huge help and we have a gift for you, too! It’s been almost a year since I won Alamo on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) online horse auction.  When I began browsing through the auction a year ago, I decided that I would choose between three older geldings.  One was dark brown, one black, and then there was Alamo.  After much prayer, thought, and speaking with a per...

Ember: Before (June 2022) Ember: After (September 2022) Ember’s rehabilitation is complete ! Yes, she will still be with me until Summer 2023 (due to a requirement) for training, but her recovery process is over. She has filled out so much since she arrived in June, and she has fully healed from her past trauma caused by humans. She loves people and loves to be cuddled (see photo below), and she is extremely talkative when she sees her favorite people. Ember loves to be trained, and I look forward to starting her under saddle in a few months. I can’t get over how much different Ember’s expression is in the second photo - she’s so much happier. I wonder if the people who sold Ember to the kill buyer would’ve ever guessed what a gem this horse was under that wild appearance. We must stop the stigma that says equines in kill pens aren’t worth anything. This little mustang has certainly been worth everything. ❤️ Ember loved when this girl came to visit!

There is something about the west that strikes everyone—the vast landscape, untamed plains, ancient Indian camps, and wild horses and burros.  While all of these aspects have captivated the hearts of Americans for decades, mustangs are widely renowned for their beauty, strong family ties, and the freedom they greatly cherish.  But when we dig deeper, a question may arise, “Why do we really have wild horses and burros?”  When Hernan Cortez came to the new world in 1519 1 , he brought with him gorgeous Spanish horses.  Their descendants are what we now know today as the American Mustang.  Burros were later transported to America in the 1500’s 2 on another Spanish boat.  As the years went by, they began to be used by the Native Americans, and later by cowboys exploring the west.  These hardy animals were prized for their strength and intelligence.  It was then, as the west became settled, that the wild horses and burros became known as the western i...

  It was such an honor to be featured by the Wild Beauty Foundation this week!  You can read Alamo's adoption story and learn about his escape for the first time!

The other day I was going through my pictures from our trip to visit the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses two years ago and came across this action-packed shot.  Pictured is Quanah and Oro - both are successful, young band stallions today.  May they forever stay free. ❤️

Thank you so much for your donations, kind words, prayers, and support! Rune is safe and in the care of a wonderful mustang trainer, who is keeping her for a few days. I am so grateful to God for working everything out. It is a comfort to know that He loves and cares for each of these animals. Four days ago, Rune was the typical mustang in the horse slaughter trade - her future looked grim. Now, her future is filled with hope because of your generosity and prayers! However, we are still raising funds for round pen panels and Rune’s care. Again, thank you so very much! I pray that God blesses each one of you abundantly! ~Erin Phillips