GETTING TO KNOW THE HORSES

The mustangs have gradually come to accept and trust us. This is evident when one visits the Ranch. Each horse is known as an individual by name.  Each has a unique personality and family bonds. Bonita and Acera provide one good example...

Bonita was separated from her mother when she was almost 6 months old! Due to a stroke of luck, Sandra and another member noticed her at the Forest Service adoption facility. It was decided early that she was to join our growing main herd. She adapted rather well, making friends easily.

A year later, Acera was captured by the Forest Service and placed for adoption as well. Sandra saw her beautiful lines and felt that even though she was older than any other mare at the adoption center at that time, crippled to the point that living in the wild would have resulted in an early death, and due to her age would have been considered unadoptable by others, she would make a wonderful addition to our herd. Acera came home with us.

Acera immediately joined the portion of the herd where Bonita was. Sandra was thrilled to see Acera so readily accepted by the herd, but was in for a surprise. A few months later, Dan Elkins, the man responsible for rounding up the wild horses for the Forest Service, was visiting Sandra and the herd. He pointed out two mares in the field – Bonita, the young mare, and Acera, the elderly mare from a few months before. Dan exclaimed to Sandra his surprise to see the two mares traveling beside each other, Bonita hanging close. When Sandra didn’t see his connection, he explained that Acera was Bonita’s mother!

Even without any outside influence, these two horses knew that they were family. They still stay close, as if they never want to be out of each other’s sight again.

 

This is just one of our many horses’ incredible stories. Every horse on our facility – from the first, Katzman, to our newest addition, Valentina – has a past as wild and colorful as they are.

Nearly all of our horses have been captured out of the wild or born on our facility as a wild horse. Most of our horses come from Jarita Mesa, a few from the Navajo reservation, and two from the Jicarilla Reservation.  This is why they are referred to as the El Rito or Jarita Mesa herd. 

Others have come to us through rescue needs. Those who do not fit our herd’s standards, we still treat with utmost respect and care, tending to their immediate needs, then locating a new home for them that is realistic for their long-term needs.

 

We strive to educate both our horses and fellow humans about how we can better learn to live in harmony with this very important part of our past and future.