june 2012
magazine
Our June Buckle Bunny
Ayla Swafford Viva Los Monero Mustangs Viva Las Vegas, Serengeti in Nevada Run for Freedom, One Mustang’s Story
www.rosenthalestatewines.com
Photo courtesy of Bristol MacDonald
www.bristolmacdonaldequinephotography.com
FEATURES 8 Herd roun’ the waterin’ trough...Calamity 10 Viva Los Monero Mustangs...Sherry Kysely 22 Viva Las Vega, Serengeti in Nevada...Arlene Gawne 32 Rosamay, Crazy Mary & Obbie...EMM Staff 34 Our June Buckle Bunny…Ayla Swafford 46 “One-Eyed Charley”...Buckaroo John Brand 50 Run for Freedom,One Mustangs Story...Melody Perez 52 Mustang Hoofbeats...Judy Wrangler 54 Playgrounds...Diane Holt 64 Good Reads...Carol Upton 65 A Fish Story...Jeff Hildebrandt 66 Mercantile Madness
Publisher Equine Angle Marketing & Publicity California, USA
Editor in Chief ~ Director “Calamity” Cate Crismani
Contributing “Wriders” Arlene Gawne * Jeff Hildebrandt Diane Holt * Sherry Kysely Melody Perez * Cate Crismani Buckaroo John Brand * Judy Wrangler
Buckle Bunny Cover/Pictorial Photographer Bristol MacDonald www..bristolmacdonaldequinephotography.com Contributing Photographers Christopher Ameruoso * Arlene Gawne Mary Sue Kunz * Sherry Kysely Diane Holt * Melody Perez
Advertising Posse Rich Richardson 760.696.6304 “Calamity” Cate Crismani 818.642.4764
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herd roun’ the waterin’ trough From the desk of Calamity Cate Howdy amigo’s & amiga’s! Things are still tough out there for the rescues and the sanctuaries who have the leadership with the guts to keep going….can’t be easy. Take a minute and click through on any one of the nonprof horse rescues inside this issue and make a donation. Any amount helps. Significant amounts help significantly! Your support of trueCOWBOYmagazine over the years via subscriptions online or iTunes app and all the wonderful advertisers who help support its mission by advertising and promoting their products, services and events in our pages, it is truly, truly appreciated. This June issue is all about the mustangs and the people they love. Arlene Gawne, author and Spring Mountain Alliance Director ,has devised a sound solution for the harmonious symbiosis of the land and the wild mustangs in Las Vegas. Sherry Kysely has visually captured the souls of the Monero Mustangs and Diane Holt shows us how to make life with your horse, mustang or otherwise, a playground of fun, learning and confidence building with a solid, trusting relationship between horse and owner as the end result. The fights still wage to stop the round ups and squash the horse slaughter bill so keep those emails going into your congressmen and senators...keep the heat on, sign the petitions and play them forward. It ain’t over till its over! Enjoy our June issue and our June Buckle Bunny, Ayla Swafford and all the mustang stories! Besos Calamity Cate
xp E rse 109 o H #4 s e tat ooth S rn D B e t s g e n i W ild e u h t B t a ~ s u o t it n s e i V r am Sac
www.buckarooleather.com
VIVA LOS MONERO MUSTANGS ...SHERRY KYSELY If you ask Sherry Kysely, she’ll tell you that horses connect us to the land, to survival and ultimately to our own human roots. She’ll explain that the history of mankind has developed in tandem with equine evolution. She’ll also confess that horses have taken up space in her heart as far back as she can remember. Consistently exposed to horses through books, art, Western movies and her imagination. Kysely was smitten at a very early age. Reminiscing about her childhood spent in Billings Montana has Sherry recalling the neighbor’s horses. She would stand at the fence and find herself staring at the horses and in the nighttime dreaming about them. Passionate about horses, Sherry has had many unforgettable and idiosyncratic equine soul mates grace her life whether it be her first horse, an Appaloosa with one spot who pretended he was her shadow or her daughter ,Caitlin’s, POA pony that could untie even the toughest knots on the hitching post., to her husband, Tom’s, stout grey Kentucky Mountain horse that really doesn’t understand why he cannot hop in the truck to go everywhere they do and to her sturdy bay Paso Fino that really has such an expressive face and loves sweet potatoes, are in her present day life. Sherry has been central in a drove of gentle giants for decades. She credits personal inspiration and aspiration on many levels to the connections between artist, human and equine confident. Currently, Sherry marries her artistic propensities and love of the sight of mustangs through her cameras and lenses, with her devotion to the breed as well as the land where they are the most indigenous, the Southwest. She and her husband, Tom, are avid explorers of the region and are thrilled to have, in a very serendipitous manner, discovered the Monero Mustangs at Yellow Hills Ranch in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico. The Mustangs had long been on Kysely’s “bucket list” in terms of places to photograph as well as horses whose images she’d one day capture. As she and her husband took in the magnificence of the living legends of the Spanish Mustangs, Kysely knew she was experiencing something words would never aptly describe.
On five thousand acr protected land oversee Mustang devotee, Sa Claypool, Sherry Kyse beloved “bucket lis subjects have been self and meticulously mana Sherry is certain tha Claypool’s noble effor provided the inspiratio her photography proje well as her continued d to give back to this imp non-profit organizati through her art.
When Kysely describ friendship with Clayp it is clear her respect Claypool’s commitme the Mustangs is unwave But ask Sherry what t experience in the South was really like and she’ you it was a haunting extraordinary journey made a racket in her c and filled her heart to brim. Side by side with husband Tom, Sherry w absolute awe by the w horses, mainly for the they travel in tight kn powerful herds who m with the kind of power freedom provides.
res of en by andi ely’s st” flessly aged. at rts of on for ect as desire portant ion
bes her pool for ent to ering. that hwest ’ll tell and y that chest o the h her was in wild way nit, move r only .
At the same time, as their sense of purpose almost seems to mimic a human family’s quest for survival and achievement. At times, she was high on the mustangs’ seemingly untouched existence outside of domestic environments and the beauty of their untethered identity, while in other moments she was saddened by today’s’ mustangs obvious dependence on man for survival. All things connected and intertwined Kysely has and almost spiritual respect for the relationship between man and horse where the Monero Mustangs are concerned. She explains return visits to the ranch as intimate gifts to the heart and soul. Like refresher courses in recognizing the largeness of our world and the incredible pull to give back, Sherry and Tom are consistently grateful for Sandi Claypool’s work Mustangs outside of Claypool’s preserve, particularly in existence on government lands that ranchers are not keen to share, live a cruel life of slaughter and outright disrespect. Non-profits struggle to stay afloat and Kysely finds herself driven to bring awareness to the plight of the Mustang. Sherry’s photography talent has long been nurtured by mares and geldings, foals and stallions, and their unique personalities throughout her personal and professional life. Clearly, she recognizes her gift and the importance of using it toward the greater good of her beloved horse subjects. History is beauty, Sherry will say, and the Mustang is an icon. With each picture taken, Kysely feels an intense connection between the horse heart and her own and is resolute in her desire to document and, thus, leave behind a little of both beating hearts, the intimate and noble equine thrum and her own. Sherry Kysely is giving back through her photography at the Wild Horse Festival at the Santa Fe Equestrian Center. The Mustangs are being celebrated at the festival on May 19th and 20th of 2012 www.sherrykysely.zenfolio.com and www.sherrykysely.com Like her on Facebook: Sherry Kysely. Copyright 2012 Sherry Kysely. All rights reserved.
Viva Las Vegas…Se
By Arlen Near the Las Vegas Strip, there’s a virtually undiscovered tourist attraction that could generate thousands of new jobs for struggling Nevada. Unfortunately, this Serengeti-like experience will not survive if the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) have their way. As gaming moves around the globe, economists advise Las Vegas to diversify its tourist draw. Shows, restaurants and glitter can be duplicated anywhere but no world city offers wild horses & burros in beautiful, iconic Western landscapes like Las Vegas has just 20 to 50 minutes from the Strip. If wild burros on Route 66 attract a half million people a year to tiny Oatman, Arizona, imagine the thousands of jobs that will be created by safari-style tours from Las Vegas where nearly 40 Million tourists visit each year. European, Asian, Latin and North American tourists will love seeing wild horses and burros exhibiting distinctly wild behaviors so close to the Strip, the world capital of indoor adventure. But our Federal agencies insist they are not in the ‘jobs business’ so BLM plans to remove over 80% of the horses and burros roaming near Las Vegas.
erengeti in Nevada
ne Gawne In late winter 2012/early 2013, they’ll spend over $300,000 on a helicopter roundup and leave only 63 to 93 horses and 101-192 burros in the 626,000 acres of the Spring Mountain Complex. How can a tour guide find only 1 horse per 6,946 to 10,254 acres of wilderness? That’s not good business for Las Vegas. Nor is it fair to thousands of American and International visitors who want the thrill of viewing freeroaming wild horses & burros. But there is an innovative solution to job creation versus the BLM/USFS management protocol. After years of protesting roundups, members of the Las Vegas group, America’s Wild Horse Advocates (AWHA), felt it was time for positive change by working with the BLM. In early 2012, they created the Spring Mountain Alliance, a 501(c) (3) non-profit, volunteer organization of concerned citizens, businesses and professionals to answer then BLM Director Bob Abbey’s 2011 challenge to volunteer groups “to help manage and sustain wild horse herds”.
No livestock graze on public land in the Spring Mountains east of Pahrump and west of Las Vegas, so the BLM and the Spring Mountain Alliance have a unique opportunity to experiment with innovative wild horse & burro management and tourism development. Using volunteer labor and expertise, the Alliance’s 6-point plan can be implemented at little or no cost to taxpayers. This public/private initiative will provide quality jobs by leveraging the existing resources of Vegas tourism stakeholders like hotels, tour companies, airlines, etc. BLM will be aided in its effort to perform its land management mission in a period of dwindling resources. The wild horses and burros will be sustained in natural family and bachelor groups in their native habitat. Over 1300 Alliance supporters – and growing – have asked the BLM to put a 3-year hold on removals of Wild Horses & Burros from the Spring Mountain Complex west of Las Vegas, so the Alliance volunteers can develop the following 6-point plan: Preserve stable family and bachelor bands that offer the most interesting behaviors for tourists yet control population growth by:
Identifying wild horses & burros by gender, age, birth, relationships and movement patterns to know what bands to protect and where BLM and the U.S. Forest Service currently do not allocate funds to this essential scientific work. Alliance volunteers have already identified 65% of Spring Mountain wild horses based on models from other states. Alliance volunteers will dart old and young mares and jennies with the 1year contraceptive PZP but mature mares ages 5-12 will be allowed to breed. PZP application costs are estimated to be $15,000- $17,000 the first year (including initial training, certification and equipment) and declining to 25% of that cost by the third year. A team of volunteers are ready for certification training by Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick of Billings Montana. If removal of some horses is necessary, Alliance volunteers will bait-trap a family band with food or water, remove some of the 1 to 2year-olds that can be most easily trained and adopted locally, dart age-appropriate mares with PZP and release the rest of the family without much stress. Alliance volunteers will encourage local adoption of young horses through public awareness programs in local schools, equine newsletters, adoption festivals, etc. Alliance volunteers will conduct follow-up documentation of adopted wild horses & burros and share training experience via their website. The Alliance has already documented 25 local area adoptions mostly from the Red Rock Canyon roundups of 2002-2004. go to page 28
www.returntofreedom.org
Serengeti ~ from page 25
Alliance volunteer work parties can improve public viewing and protect habitat by: Increasing and maintaining wildlife guzzlers throughout the Spring Mountain Complex just as hunter groups do for elk and deer; Fencing horses & burros from ecologically sensitive areas if identified as problem areas by biologists; Patrolling roads to teach tourists the correct ways of interacting with the wild ones. Currently Alliance volunteers monitor Cold Creek human/horse interaction on weekends to discourage illegal feeding and onroad photography. Enhancing prime horse & burro viewing areas with safe parking areas, interpretive boards and viewing hides where visitors can watch herd behavior above the reach of horses and burros. Tour companies, hotels, airlines, etc. may invest in the construction materials while Alliance volunteers contribute the labor. Work with BLM to improve the tour application and operation process by: Reducing the cost, difficulty and length of time that it takes for a tour company to obtain a permit; Develop reasonable standards for visitor distance from horses/burros, visitor areas of movement, and the general conduct of tour operators and the public. Assist private businesses to develop tours for overseas visitors and American families by: Developing content for brochures on wild horse & burro behaviors that tour companies can print at their cost; Maintain a tourist-friendly website, www.springmountainalliance.org,
that educates the public about interesting behaviors of Spring Mountain horses & burros; Developing articles for domestic and international in-flight magazines, tourism magazines, travel boards, etc. that promote horse & burro tourism; Training tour guides on where to find wild bands of horses & burros as well as spotting birds and other local wildlife that will interest tourists. Assist government agencies in developing stateof-the-art, multi-spectral camera census of the actual number of Wild Horses & Burros through private/ public partnerships with Homeland Security, NASA, or Department of Defense. For example, USFS has partnered with NASA using unmanned aircraft to spot forest fires. The unmanned drone center at Creech Air Force base, located just east of the Spring Mountains, may be able to help with financial assistance from prominent airlines like Southwest, Virgin Atlantic or British Airways. Support regular, scientific analysis of the carrying capacity for all Spring Mountain wildlife including wild horses, burros, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, etc. because BLM/USFS criteria for local water and forage use appear to be developed for different conditions in other states. A percentage of user fees charged to tour companies and donations from private stakeholders can be applied to scientific range analysis. Scholarships could be offered to graduate students from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) to conduct detailed behavioral studies of wild horses and burros just as zebra have been studied in Africa. The Alliance’s 6-point plan is a win-win alternative: hundreds of thousands of visitors will be attracted to our ‘Serengeti in Las Vegas’ at little cost to taxpayers. However, BLM/USFS must be willing to experiment with an unconventional approach to wild horse & burro preservation. Otherwise the next BLM roundup will destroy potentially thousands of tourism jobs at a time of great need in Nevada. go to page 58
www.bristolmacdonaldequinephotography.com
Bristol MacDonald
Rosamay, Crazy Mary Extremely Extreme Mustang Makeover Eighteen-year-old phenomenon Obbie Schlom of Silverado, California, took the Norco, California Extreme Mustang Makeover by storm. Schlom showed two Mustang mares at the event and walked away with champion and reserve champion honors. Schlom and her Mustang mare Rosamay received 354 points in the finals to win, while Schlom and her Mustang mare Crazy Mary received 352 points.
Rosamay and Crazy Mary are both 3-year-old bay mares that were gathered from outside a herd management area in Nevada. At the Norco competition, trainers were offered the opportunity to train and compete with two Mustangs. The trainer scoring the most points on both Mustangs in the preliminaries was named the Double Down Champion and received a new Martin Saddlery Mustang Series Saddle. Schlom earned the saddle and received $3,000 for winning the event and $2,500 for her second-place finish. Rosamay was adopted for $1,900, and Crazy Mary was adopted for $1,450.
Joe Misner of Twenty-Nine Palms, California, trained Reata and finished third. Reata is a 3-year-old mare that was born in the Ridgecrest Corrals in California. The highest adopted horse at the event was Debbie Doneyson’s Isabella, who was adopted for $5,000. Isabella is a 3-year-old bay mare gathered from Clover Mountain Herd Management Area in Nevada. Doneyson, who is from West Haven, Utah, and Isabella placed fifth in the finals.
& Obbie in Norco, California The 31 Mustangs competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover challenge were mares, who were virtually untouched prior to the February pick-up. The horses were judged on their body condition and new skills. The trainers and Mustangs competed in a series of classes that incorporates Norco’s unique equine-friendly landscape such as a rural trail course up to Pumpkin Rock and an urban trail course that took horses and riders through the city of Norco’s bridle paths. The horses also competed in a trail course and pattern class in the arena. The purpose of the competition is to showcase the beauty, versatility and trainability of these rugged horses that roam freely on public lands throughout the West, where they are protected by the BLM under federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of the removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. More than 3,300 wild horses have been adopted through Mustang Heritage Foundation events and programs since 2007. The Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through our partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the generosity of our sponsors Ram Trucks, Western Horseman, Pfizer, Vetericyn, Roper Apparel & Footwear, Gist Silversmiths, Martin Saddlery and Smith Brothers.
www.extrememustangmakeover.com/ emmcalifornia.php.
Our June Buckle Bunny
Ayla Swafford Born in Tarzana, California, a small urban community is the San Fernando Valley named by author Edgar Rice Burroughs of the book and series fame, “Tarzan”, and where he established Tarzana Ranch, our June Buckle Bunny, Ayla Swafford is no stranger to a ranching way of life. Raised by her Grandparents, they gifted both Ayla and her sister horses when she was only four years old. “I have a strong passion for horses that I’ve never really questioned.”, says Ayla, “horses are a part of me. I currently have two horses; an AQHA yearling colt named Little Foot and a Breeding Stock named Boomer. Boomer is about six. Both are smart and intuitive. Boomer is always willing to do whatever I ask of him and is an all around horse that I can ride English or Western. I ride all kind of ways including trick riding, team roping, reining. I currently ride with the Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team. Blue Shadows is a non-profit organization teaching kids who don’t own or can’t afford horses how to ride. We teach basic horsemanship and drill patterns using our motto “leadership through guidance”. I also plan to start showing in E.T.I. next year.” “I love all horses,” she says, “and don’t believe in what’s going on with the wild mustangs and the round ups. Its not right. They deserve to be free and let to run wild.” “To me, horses represent purity.”, she continues, “they are majestic strong animals and they have a presence that touches many people’s lives. I will have horses all of my life. There’s no question about it. They are my lifestyle and I would be lost without them.”
When approached to be a Buckle Bunny for trueCOWBOYmagazine, “I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to be associated as a “buckle bunny”, laughs Ayla, “wink wink”. The editor, Calamity, explained it was a term of endearment for the beautiful, covergirls, all true horsewomen, to help attract attention to the magazine’s mission of raising awareness of the wild mustang’s plight and now the issue of horse slaughter for human consumption. I was in. I love the fact that I can help the mustangs in some way. I was nervous during the shoot but it was tons of fun!”
“I am fortunate to have horses in my life. To be able to experience riding them and learning from them. I hope everyone who owns a horse knows how lucky they are to have them in their lives�, smiles Ayla. And we are very fortunate to have Ayla Swafford grace our June issue!
Shot on location at Osborne Stables, Sun Valley, California Photographer: Bristol MacDonald Photographer Asst: Mardjie Paradero MakeUp & Hair: Kate Chavez Styling: Cate Crismani
Jewelry courtesy of: Cate Crismani Designs Belt courtesy of Kippy’s www.kippys.com Creative Direction: Bristol MacDonald & Cate Crismani Face us on Like Book, (LOL) at our smokin’ group page there... trueCOWBOYmagazine
“One-Eyed
Bending genders in
By Buckaroo Charley Parkhurst lived an interesting life. He was a stagecoach driver, worked in a livery and was born Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst…yep, Charley was a female! Charlotte was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire about 1812. She was abandoned by her parents and was placed in an orphanage in Massachusetts. When Charlotte was a teenager she ran away from the orphanage and began working in a livery stable owned by Ebenezer Balch in Worcester. Many people believe that Charlotte began her new identity as a male after her escape from the orphanage. It is not know exactly when the transformation occurred or what her movements were for about 20 years. “Charley” debut as a stagecoach whip with help from Ebenezer Balch. She worked in Providence, Rhode Island for a while and then landed in Georgia. When She came back to Providence in 1849 she learned of the gold rush on the American River in northern California. A stagecoach driver and friend of Charlotte’s, James Birch wanted to start up a stagecoach line from the goldfields to Sacramento. He promised her a job and they started on their way to California. The journey took six months. In 1851 she made her way to the goldfields and was employed by birch to drive coaches in the Mother Lode country. In 1854 Birch organized the California Stage Company. Charlotte “Charley” was a chief driver for Birch. She was familiar with the entire Sierra Nevada foothill country. From Sacramento and Stockton to as far south as Monterey. She ran the coach line from San Francisco to Oakland. As you can imagine many “legends” and stories came about from her journeys as a stagecoach whip in California.
d Charley”
n the 19th century
o John Brand One story involved a highwayman known as Sugarfoot. Sugarfoot had very large feet and used burlap sacks as shoes. Sugarfoot stopped Charlotte’s coach, stuck a shotgun in her face, and ordered her to throw down the strongbox. Charlotte did, but warned Sugarfoot, “Next time, I’ll be ready for you.” She started to wear six-shooters. A year later Sugarfoot and his gang stopped the coach again. But this time she began blazing away at them as they drew up on her coach. She flew down the trail and later when the posse returned to the site they found Sugarfoot dead and two of his gang wounded. Charlotte was proud to say she never had a passenger suffer an injury while on her coach. She took her job very seriously and was at all times professional. She loved her horses, calling them beauties, and giving them lots of love and care. Charlotte was good in a fight and put anyone in their place that mistreated horses or other animals in her presence. In the 1860’s Charlotte retired from driving stagecoaches. She suffered an eye injury while shoeing a horse and had to wear an eye patch. She was then called “One-Eyed Charley” In her retirement, she led a quiet life of raising cattle and growing vegetables. She died on her ranch from cancer. It was at this time when the physician who pronounced her dead at the ranch did the autopsy and found out Charlotte’s secret. Well, the story of Charlotte’s secret life as a man spread like wildfire throughout the west. Her decades long masquerade as a man shocked and baffled many. Even though she was only five feet seven inches tall, clean-shaven and spoke little, no one questioned her gender. She spoke with a “whiskey go to page 68
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Run for Freedom, O
by Melo The moment I saw the picture of this one blue-eyed bald face mustang, I knew there was something special about him. Known as 'Headlight' to the rodeo as a bucking horse, I immediately emailed my friend Sandi Claypool from Monero Mustangs. This stunning elder mustang was up for 'bidding' as he was being retired from the rodeo circuit. We contacted 'Mary Williams Hyde', good friend and known rodeo photographer who had followed this rodeo bucking horse since she first began photographing him in early 2007 as a stud. Headlight was born to the 'Blossom Ranch' on tribal lands in Owhee, Nevada. Blossom Ranch raises about 400 horses, and they too thought 'Headlight' was special and tried to make him into a saddle horse later that same year. He was ridden about 10 times but after being a stud for so long he didn't turn out to be a very good saddle horse. Thus began his life as a rodeo bucking horse being hauled to ranch rodeos though Nevada and Idaho. Wally and Teola Blossom have always known that Mary Williams Hyde has had a soft spot for him, this past fall at the Western States Ranch Rodeo Finals in Winnemucca, Nevada they informed her that they were going to have to take a load of older horses to auction and that 'Headlight' would be one of them to go. Mary's 'connect' with 'Headlight' prompted her to bring the 'Blossom's' to an agreement to let her try to find 'Headlight' a home. With Facebook she began a series of posts, and there begins the story of 'Headlight's' run for freedom.
One Mustangs Story
ody Perez Monero Mustangs made the connect after I contacted Sandi, and began the bid to secure his 'retirement' as a wild mustang on the 5000 acre sanctuary located in Tierra Amarilla. As a Fine Art Painter, I was hopeful for the opportunity to meet this mustang. My heart was captured from the time I saw his posting on facebook. With one blue eye on that bold white face the pictures posted of his head turned looking back revealed an incredible presence in his photo's, I thought, 'How much more presence does this mustang have in person?'. The wait until Feb 14th was almost agonizing as Sandi and I waited, among the hundreds of others on facebook who had been rallying to see his bid 'won' to Monero Mustangs. Finally the calls were made, and the approval of the bid was accepted for 'Headlight's' retirement to Monero Mustangs. We were all enthralled! I got on the phone and began seeking a transporter that could assist in getting 'Headlight' to New Mexico. AVG Transport and Celso Rubio were incredibly gracious to offer free transport as they were as taken with this mustang bucking horse as the rest of us. Months went by coordinating his capture on the Blossoms ranch, getting his transport papers filed, and dates for Rubio to transport as they were offering a free ride to Monero Mustangs. For me personally, it worked out that I was able to catch a ride home with Rubio from Nevada from an event I rode out with Craig Downer to. The timing worked out wonderfully, I was able to photograph and meet this mustang in Nevada and ride home to Monero Mustangs with him! I was up early the morning I arrived in Nevada with camera in hand to meet Headlight for the first time. I was so excited, I didn't even wash up or brush my teeth before I went out, haha! As I slowly approached the roundpen, he moved off quickly with his round rump facing me across the pen and that glorious head and blue eye turned back at me. I got some great shots and just spent some quiet time in his presence that morning, and presence He does have. go to page 69
Mustang Hoofbeats By Judy Wrangler
I remember the day I ran with them Red Rock’s most amazing feature. O’er the hill we came, and there they stood. These incredibly magnificent creatures. My sweet ole Arab ran into that herd Of palominos, buckskins, and bays. They scattered and scampered as we hung on, And ran with them quite a ways. Their hoof beats echoed off red sand walls, As the dust curled into the air. Their muscles tightened, their manes unfurled And their nostrils began to fl are. Now, this is their home after all, It was we who invaded their space. So is it any wonder that My ole Arab and I lost that race? The herd gathered up on a nearby hill, The stallion, his foals and mares. As my Arab and I walked quietly away, We were followed by their inquisitive stares.
I have returned to this spot many times since. In search of this remarkable breed Who for many centuries have been roaming this land, And running these hillsides so free. So, before it’s too late and they’re all gone Go out and watch the dance Of a foal at play and the smile within Which you might observe by chance. We humans could learn a valuable lesson About living with such dignity and grace. They show us no violence, prejudice or contempt As we trespass through this place. These are God’s creatures, not ours to control A gentle lot, proud and strong. And if you think that they don’t care You couldn’t be more wrong. They must stay free and majestic Not gathered up and put into stalls So the future can witness God’s miracle. Hoof beats echoed off red sand walls. Copyright 1999 Judy Wrangler. All rights reserved.
www.wildhorserescue.org
Playgrounds By Diane Holt Many people feel stuck with the horse they got or bought, and think they need to ‘break’ the horse’s spirit to get him to partner up. Today there is another way that is challenging that outdated belief. It approaches the issues with your horse from a point of understanding the horse’s needs and his nature. And it is simple enough for people like you and me to do ourselves at home. I have often wondered what my horse sees when it is ‘just’ a plastic bag, or a garden hose on the ground, or a plain old log. It’s rather simple once you understand the nature of a horse as a prey animal. They don’t reason or consider all of the options. What they see is danger and that can quickly equal death in their mind. I have learned that horses are prey and this makes them panic-aholics, claustrophobics, and generally emotional animals. Being prey means that they are eaten by other animals which is why they are always on alert and why they need to be in a herd (two or more make up a herd) to be comfortable. They become very nervous being alone and hate being locked in a stall. Like many folks out there, I didn’t grow up with horses of my own. I begged and borrowed rides whenever I could. I did not get my first horse, Lucky, until my late thirties. I quickly became scared to death of Lucky as I determined he wanted to kill me. Yes, I rode him - or rather he gave me several exciting rides! Soon I started to make excuses of why I didn’t feel like riding …it’s too cold, it’s too hot, it looks like it might rain. When pushed, I would get on and make a go of it. You know what I mean. Lucky soon became a painted pasture ornament, or as my husband likes to say, a freeloader.
I love horses and was disappointed it wasn’t working out as I had dreamed. I kept trying and eventually found someone who helped me. Cindy Deaton, my teacher and mentor, is a Level 3 graduate of the Parelli Natural Horse-man-ship Program. Her solution was not to fix my horse; it was for me to learn about horse behavior and become the leader of my ‘herd’ by instilling confidence and trust. She advised that horses don’t need to be broke, or forced into tolerating unfair handling just because people aren’t educated. Horses need people to become aware of what they are actually saying to horses with their body language, energy, and tools. You can force animals to do just about anything but if you can ask them in a way they can understand, they will WANT to do what you ask…and that is truly magical. I discovered that horses are playful, intelligent animals and they enjoy things that stimulate their mind as well as their body rather than boring repetitive arena work. My dogs don’t even play to the degree that my horses now do! This playground started out with only a few obstacles but continues to evolve with new ideas and now all of my horses enjoy it. Many of the obstacles were designed to help the horses become confident in a specific setting, like a water crossing. However, the real benefit is that working with a horse on the ground builds my confidence, rapport, and skill. Before long, I was no longer afraid of Lucky and I had a partner to play with. Lucky also became confident being alone with me rather than needing the company of the other horses. Once I developed a language, I could even ride with confidence instead of fear because I understood when he had a concern and knew how to address it before it became a wreck. Lucky became a more willing and relaxed partner as I developed my leadership skills. go to page 60
Serengeti From page 29
We have extraordinary wilderness in America and our Mustangs are the American equivalent of lions and elephants. If Third World Africa can save their wildlife for tourism and earn billions doing that, why can’t the American government preserve our wild Mustangs and historic burros for tourism? The public must turn these government agencies around. Want to help? Join the Alliance at http://springmountainalliance.org
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Thoughts from the author and Spring Mountain Alliance Director, Arlene Gawne. “I spent 12 years in the African bush photographing wildlife. Each year I returned from Africa and wondered why Americans were busy removing their wild horses and burros instead of driving tourism to them on the iconic Western landscapes? Visitors pay high tour prices in Africa to see zebra stallions fighting for dominance, lead females disciplining youngsters and a stallion fending off unsuitable suitors for his daughters. We once had the same fascinating behavior in Red Rock Canyon, just 20 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Then the family and bachelor bands were virtually zeroed-out by a 2002 BLM roundup. Several years of drought weakened the horses but in Africa parks, wells provide year-around water for wildlife. The BLM said it couldn’t be done. Why not? When you look at these beautiful wild horses, you have to ask yourself why was this stunning tourist draw taken from Southern Nevada? BLM/ USFS’s management approach just doesn’t make sense. We can’t afford their 1900’s thinking. Will we let them do this again in 2012?
www.thecloudfoundation.org
www.equinewelfarealliance.org
From page 55 - Playgrounds
The playground wasn’t my idea. I would still have pasture ornaments if it were not for Cindy, who suggested the obstacles as tools to develop my horse partnership. Pat and Linda Parelli have shared a better way of looking at horses with the world and I for one will never look at horses the same way again. In fact, I have a very hard time being around folks with horses if they are not natural (meaning considerate of the horse and his nature.) I was recently appalled when a well known clinician made the statement, “If you want to play games with your horse, get a dog.” I say, “If you only want rides (rather than a relationship) get an ATV!” When folks come to our ranch, the first thing they say is “Let’s go ride!” My reply is, “I don’t have horses that you can ride.” They look at me like I am crazy or something. You have horses and can’t ride them? Well… I can ride them and I allow a few others with savvy to ride them. But they are not machines or pieces of equipment. You have to develop some skill and basic communication to ride them fairly. People tend to define riding as kicking, pulling and generally having their way with my sensitive, intelligent partner. Horses are feeling, thinking, emotional creatures, not motor bikes. It is an art to be a natural horseman instead of using force and devices. I discovered that when I was having problems with my horse, I was usually not clear in my communication. Heck, I didn’t even know he had a language so how could I communicate clearly with him? It is like going to China and asking for directions in Spanish. I used to kick my horse to go, pull on the reins to stop, and used what I eventually discovered was a paininducing leverage bit. I held on using my legs and balanced on the reins. My body was telling him to do one thing but I wanted something else. This resulted in my horse being confused, terrified and running crazy - it was very dangerous. Many times over, I recall barely hanging on to survive.
I now ride Lucky with confidence. According to Cindy, the strategy for building confidence for the horse and the human is to be relaxed and successful. I learned how to break down my requests into small steps I could easily accomplish. I start with what we can do and build on it slowly. I have a checklist to follow as we proceed and if things start to regress, I back up to what is working, reinforce that, and then focus on being more clear in each additional request. Relaxation is also a requirement before asking for more, and there is no better way to relax than to play! So whether you’re afraid or just not as confident as you want to be, learn how to play with your horse. Doing this develops your relationship and your horse will look at you differently and want to spend time with you. Think about what you are currently teaching your horse and teaching yourself before your next trail ride, competitive event or show. Whatever your interest, it is all about building confidence both you and your horse - and having fun together while being safe. If nothing else, the looks your neighbors give you on your playground will make you laugh. It is worth it. My horses and I are much safer now and we are having fun for the first time ever. Once you go natural you’ll see that natural is the only way! Are you and your horse having fun? About the Author: Diane Holt has loved horses since childhood. Not until she found Cindy Deaton and Parelli’s way of communicating with the horse in his language did she find a true partnership with her horse, Lucky, which led to starting Zappa and Patootie the right way… Natural, from day one, at their ranch in Washington, TX. www.h2oranch.com
The “Freedom Collection” from
featuring the Wild Horse photography of Kimerlee Curyl Designed by Pamela Robbins
www.horseworship.com 888.60.HORSE
GOOD READS Reviewed by Carol Upton www.dreamsaloud.ca Lynn Baber has twenty years of experience as a horse trainer, breeder, judge, and consultant. In the illuminating Amazing Grays-Amazing Grace, she writes with exquisite honesty about how our foundational relationships with horses can help us find a more meaningful sense of direction and bring us closer to God.
The amazing grays of the book are Baber’s quarter horses, Bo and Swizzle. Through their behavior, they help her see with the eye of simplicity – no small feat in this hurry-up world and particularly in the world of horses, where the latest celebrity method or technique is clamoring to be heard.
Baber observes that what matters and what doesn’t, whether in horse training or in life, is often much simpler than it seems. Using common sense peppered with anecdotes from her horse training experience, she gently leads the reader to the clear connection between life as we choose to live it and God’s grace. The chapters are stand-alone inspirational reading and practical equine advice, from relationship to leadership, success to failure, and discipline to distractions. They are additionally building blocks that point to some definite spiritual conclusions the reader won’t want to miss. This book will resonate with Christian horse lovers, but it is also a heartfelt read for those who aren’t familiar with horses and even for those who don’t identify as Christian. The exploration of spiritual truths found in Baber’s skillful writing is magnetic and leads the reader back to the book time and again.
AVAILABLE AT: WWW.AMAZON.COM
A Fish Story By Jeff Hildebrandt Give a man a fish; you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you know what they say; He’ll learn to lie, drink lots of beer and buy a big old boat. Then he and all his buddies will go some place remote to spend the weekend goofing off; not working in the yard. And his wife will just get even with her well used credit card. She’ll buy more kitchen gadgets, at least one pair of shoes with matching purse and sweater set. And since it’s hard to choose she’ll meet her friends for lattes and ask what they suggest. Then they’ll go off together, suddenly obsessed with searching for the perfect blouse and frilly lingerie. So when it comes to fishing, all he has to say is never mind, he’s staying home to help around the house. Besides, it’s so much cheaper to spend time with his spouse. http://cowboyupamerica.blogspot.com/
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www.savingamericashorses.org
from page 47 Charley
tenor” and often wore pleated shirts over oversized trousers and was never seen without her leather gauntlet-like gloves in public. While on the road she slept in the stable with her horses and never bathed in public bathhouses. She also swore like a long-shore man, smoked cigars, and chewed tobacco. She gave up a lot to live as a man. Her life was a lonely one she had no close friends or relationships for obvious reasons. So why live as a man? The reason is not know, but there is speculation that she became Charley to earn a decent wage and work at an occupation that offered excitement and challenge. Between Christmas 1879 and New Year’s Day 1880 Charlotte was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery near Watsonville, California. Rather an appropriate site for Charlotte, “Charley”…being such an “odd fellow”… Story gathered from “Legends of the Wild West” by James A Crutchfield, Bill O’Neal and Dale L Walker
www.speakingofhorses.com
From page 51 ~ Run for Freedom
We drove through the cool of the night that evening making our way to Tierra Amarilla early the next morning to deliver Headlight to his new 'retirement' home. Sandi along with the staff, supporters, transporters, and ourselves were anxiously awaiting this day for a long time. He unloaded without a hitch and bonded quickly with a white mustang bachelor named 'Solsticio' the first few minutes we were there. They were turned out the next morning together and have been together since on the sanctuary. I re-visited the sanctuary a couple of days later along with photographer 'Sherry Kysely' and artist 'Karen McLain' to photograph and visit with Headlight as he was learning to embrace his new found freedom. He is interesting to watch on the range, if you stand...he stands...if you sit, He runs little circles around you stopping occassionally and turning that beautiful eye your direction. One wonders what he is thinking as he stares with that crystal eye at you. One wonders if Headlight realizes how fortunate he is to have been 'chosen' outside of the others in the group that were sent to auction. He is a special mustang, and his story of retirement to freedom a special one to embrace. He carries an incredible presence, and he seems to know it too. This story has a wonderful ending for many involved, knowing Headlight will live out the remainder of his days as wild and free with the other 120 plus wild mustangs on the landscape there at Monero, surrounded with incredible views being photographed and painted by enthusiasts for years to come. For his story is a good story that we would hope for all mustangs to experience. It has taken months, and many involved to see it come to pass, and for that we are all grateful. Would all mustangs be as fortunate as this one-blue eyed mustang known as 'Headlight'. Monero Mustangs offers tours and you can personally schedule a visit to Monero and see Headlight among others on the range enjoying a life of freedom. The support to our nations sanctuaries are critical for the preservation of mustangs like Headlight and others. Learn more about the preservation of our American Wild Mustangs, learn more of the countless organizations and sanctuaries that depend on our financial help to be available for these mustangs and equids. We can't save them all, but we can save some, we can make the difference
www.runninghorses.org
WWW.KIPPYS.COM