Did you know.....

There is nothing more iconic of the West than the wild horses that roam the lands. We know that before the Spanish came, there were no horses. They were brought over from the old world to the new for the conquistadors to ride as they searched for the riches told in legends. The Native American's were frightened of them. Of course, when the conquistadors left, many were abandon and their numbers grew. So did the use of them by those who lived on the plains.

As the wild horses began to dominate the grasslands, they played an important part in taming the West. But as ranches, towns, and human occupation increased, many began to see the wild horses as a nuisance taking up grazing and limited water. The movie, The Misfits, is an example of what was going on to exterminate the wild horses from the land.

In 1950, a young woman followed a truck to a slaughter house, where she found mustangs going to processing. Velma Johnston or Johnson began to document the inhumane treatment. Bothered by the injustice, for ten years, she enlisted the help of students from schools and wrote volumes of letters to Congress and kept up the pressure getting banned the use of trucks and planes to round up horses for slaughter. Finally, in 1971, The Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro act was passed and signed into law by Richard Nixon. This act prevents capture, injury, and disturbance of free roaming horses and burros.

Johnson continued her work, as well as working on her ranch the Double Lazy Heart Ranch which was a dude ranch for children until her death from lung cancer in June of 1977. Her legacy will never be forgotten.

 

Image from  http://theconversation.com/symbols-of-pioneer-spirit-they-may-be-but-wild-mustangs-cannot-manage-themselves-30167

Today, these magnificent creatures are still in danger. It is important to remember them and keep working to make sure their existence does not fade from the land. The awe inspiring site must be passed down to the next generation. Their freedom of spirit is a great part of the west.

If you are interested in reading more, feel free to check out this site about her work: https://wildhorseeducation.org/velma-johnston-wild-horse-annie/

Till next time,

Nan O'Berry

Mustangs Still Run Free

by Heather Blanton

And I'm not talking about the BLM Round-ups. On a recent trip to South Dakota with my sister, we discovered the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary. The place is awe-inspiring, the horses jaw-dropping, and the dedication of the volunteers humbling.

In short, this preserve protects 700+ Mustangs on a little over 13,000 acres in southern South Dakota.
There are also 200 head of red Angus so the ranch can benefit from some government grants. Wild horses alone don't qualify. They're considered feral animals.

Imagine 700 horses that have never been saddled. The herd contains actual Spanish ponies, descendants of Cortes' foray into the Southwest. There are also a few Choctaw ponies the reserve is trying to bring back. And there are dozens of the striking smoky-blue gray grulla horses. You can tour the ranch (which I highly recommend) and interact with the horses. You can also sponsor horses. Or you can just flat-out donate. With a feed bill of one million dollars, they won't turn your money away.

If you are ever in the state, anywhere in the state, make the trip. Go see the Mustangs. You can find out more about them here!

A little Choctaw Indian Pony with my seester Dawn

 

Our guide showing us the basin where the main part of the ranch sits.

Some of the horses were sweet. Some, not so much.