then & now

Mustang stories of Skydog Sanctuary

Cricket and Cedar

Cedar, with the long forelock over her eyes, is from Stinkingwater where Wildflower and the boys are from. She has PSSM, a disorder that causes muscle cramping in horses from abnormal glycogen (sugar) storage in the muscles, so was returned. The black mare is Cricket and she’s from Paisley Desert. She went through a lot and was seized by the BLM. She’s traumatized and as they put it: “her mind is blown”. If you have ever seen a wild horse with that description you know exactly what it looks like. When we met her on the last trip we knew we had to come back for her. We were worried she was going to hurt herself because she was so upset in the chute. Loading was scary, but now there is nothing but future good days for her and Cedar. #skydogcricket #skydogcedar

Wildflower

She is a chestnut mare from Stinkingwater where Rogue and Metolius are from so she’s coming home to Oregon. We don’t know if she’s pregnant yet but she’s in the right place. We thought about what to call her and all around us were the most beautiful wildflowers so that made it an easy decision. Thank you to all who donated - she’s so special. #skydogwildflower

NUGGET AND JOJO

Nugget is our latest mustang mother at Skydog with her baby JoJo. JoJo has healed and both are doing so well. We had no sure way of knowing if Nugget was pregnant when we rescued her, but then along came JoJo, and what a special baby she has been for all of us. Nugget is a wonderful mother even though she had a rough go of it with not making enough milk, and she’s beautifully loving for such a young mother. JoJo is a smoky cream and her eyes are so blue with her silver-grey tail and white star between those eyes. #skydognugget #skydogjosephine

reno

Here is the email we received about Reno’s retirement. We couldn’t say no! #skydogreno

Good afternoon Clare,

My name is Katie Griffith and I’m a US Border Patrol Agent down in San Diego, CA. I am a member of the San Diego Sector Horse Patrol Unit, where we patrol the border vigilantly with our BLM Mustangs.

I’m good friends with Suzanne and Jeremy Walker, who gave you beautiful “Rain” a few years ago. I remember when he arrived at the USBP barn, he was such a stunning horse. But ultimately, I knew he belonged back in the wild and I am grateful that you gave him that opportunity until the end. Thank you for that.

I contacted Suzanne today and spoke with her about a sweet little mustang that we have up for adoption. I remember when she told me that Rain was going to live at Sky Dog, so I thought I would reach out to you about our Reno, who worked alongside of Rain years ago.

Reno was captured in Coppersmith/Susanville in 2009 and has been with us at the US Border Patrol for 10 years. He's approximately 14 years old, 15 hands, and very healthy. Reno is very sweet and has always been a pleasure to be around. He has always been our go-to for public events and parades, as well as a reliable patrol horse. Reno stays fat on Bermuda and a handful of rice bran (although we are trying to get him a little lighter due to an injury). He has high ring bone, which was just diagnosed by our vet, Dr Larry Martin. He's got pads on his fronts at the moment and seems to be doing well. He will also be getting Equioxx.

Our horses endure a high workload of 6–7-hour workdays, 5 days a week. Reno was one of our top horses (because practically anyone can ride him) so he was taken out to the field often. The areas we patrol are mountains and rocky in nature. Our vet suspects that Reno’s injury developed from his heavy workload throughout the years, combined with climbing mountains and traversing rocky passes carrying a rider. Reno is currently out on a dry lot with 3 other mustangs, he gets along with all horses and people.

I was diligently trying to find Reno a retirement home here in San Diego at therapy ranches. However, most ranches shy away from him when they find out about his high ring bone. Reno has served our nation and tirelessly patrolled the borders for 10 consecutive years. I am determined to find this hero horse a soft landing.

He's located in Imperial Beach, CA at our facility, and we can deliver him to you at no charge. We are just looking for him to have a beautiful life and purpose after his retirement from the USBP. Suzanne thought Reno would be a great addition to the Malibu location – due to his incredibly friendly nature, his story, and desire for attention.

gunsmoke

Gunsmoke is a new boy at Skydog Oregon. We took him from an owner who didn’t want him anymore and was going to get rid of him. So we said yes as he’s too beautiful a boy to be thrown away or killed and we have thanked our lucky stars every day since that we did. He’s incredible. He is the son of Honor, who was a beautiful foundation stallion out on South Steens, this boy started looking at freedom from the barn the second he arrived. So we didn’t hesitate in turning him straight out to his new space and herd. He was just breathtaking as he ran around introducing himself to all the new horses, holding his own, being the wild horse he was born to be and is now forever. What a glorious sight to watch this boy run and just be and it’s every reason we fight for them embodied in one horse. It would be wonderful if someone sponsored him and saw the beauty in him we see daily now #skydoggunsmoke

METOLIUS, coyote, rogue, ariat

These four wild horses are extraordinary, made even more so by their rebellion against being gentled and domesticated. These are the holdouts and the ones who said no thank you to halters, saddles, bridles, and bending their wild will to humans. The photo below shows four horses who have been in captivity for 2 years or more, standing at the corrals wondering who we are and what we want. The open hearts of these boys, bonded by all they have been through, all fought valiantly to hold on to their wildness, not giving it up for anyone.  

How beautiful is that as an act of rebellion and staying true to who they are and how they feel.  No breaking these spirits or forcing submission - they are all still as wild as the day they were captured and contained and confined.  We are honored to take them and so grateful for all the help and support as ever. #skydogmetolius #skydogrogue #skydogcoyote #skydogariat

stargazer

This beautiful filly is Stargazer and she was part of a group of four special needs horses from BLM Burns Oregon. We had asked for a few months to take some of the injured or senior or special needs mustang mares and finally at the very end of 2022 they agreed to come let us take some. Nugget and Soleil were two palomino mares, both with leg issues, one a locked stifle and the other an open wound that had a lot of scar tissue around it. Then they asked us to take a senior mare named Kamali who had a filly with her who didn’t appear injured other than being cow hocked. In the end it turned out Stargazer needed the most help and had to have surgery on her legs, healed and is now out with the Pete herd. She is one beautiful girl now and we love her #skydogstargazer

ATSA

Atsa was rounded up from the wild and adopted out to a lady in Missouri from the Internet Adoption. He then lived for close to two years in a small round pen inside a barn with his tag around his neck, standing in 3 feet of filth. He was rescued by a wonderful trainer who, when she realized just how traumatized and abused he had been, asked us to take him. He is another casualty of the AIP incentive program. He’s 20 years old per his brand but aged closer to 30 by the vet who sedated him to trim feet and teeth. He never deserved any of what has happened to him but we’re so happy to give him his freedom back and let him retire in peace far away from the people he’s terrified of. #skydogatsa

Pegasus and Rocky

Pegasus and Rocky were rounded up from outside the Sand Wash Basin area in Colorado. They are not named mustangs, but when we saw this post from the Sand Wash advocate team, we knew that we were the right fit for this older boy who has wings. Pegasus jumped a 6-foot gate and we just knew that those wings should carry him to Skydog.

Rocky the mystery horse ♥️ We knew nothing about this senior mustang and neither did the group who follow, name and identify the wild horses in Sand Wash Basin, Colorado. He was most likely from outside the boundary of the area closer to Adobe Town, Wyoming, where we have rescued many mustangs from. Just because he wasn’t photographed or known doesn’t make him any less worthy or spectacular. He was listed as brown but we were surprised to pick him up today and find out he is actually a silver bay. With a star and a snip and a beautiful tail. We are grateful to the Sand Wash Basin Advocate Team for taking photos for the Internet Adoption and asking for a sanctuary to step up for him. #skydogpegasus #skydogrocky

Pearl, Onyx, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon

These four lovely mustang mares were saved from the kill pen on #givingtuesday. Onyx, Pearl, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon sound way better than “the black, the grey, the dun, and the bay”. These girls are doing well. They are horribly skinny but are eating plenty and gaining weight now and they certainly all look pregnant so we shall see. All of us are so unbelievably grateful for the outpouring of love and generosity on Giving Tuesday and if this does end up being 8 horses, including babies, we promise to care for them all forever and let the babies stay with their mothers. That’s just what we believe is best for mama and baby and we are so happy to do that as family is everything here. #skydogpearl #skydogonyx #skydognutmeg #skydogcinnamon

Lark

Lark came to us after we received a sad email from a lady whose parents had passed away leaving behind their mostly wild horses. They had lived fairly free on their ranch for years and now had no place to go and the children were determined they wouldn’t end up in a bad place. We said yes to taking them, to keep them together and safe. Unfortunately, shortly after Lark and her friend, Bramble, arrived we noticed Bramble having trouble putting weight on his feet and he had all the signs of chronic laminitis. Sadly once we all saw the inside of his foot there was absolutely nothing we could do, the coffin bone had rotated so far into the sole and he had bone loss and many other issues. There was only one choice and that was to release him from the terrible pain he was in. His beloved mare, Lark, was with him and we then immediately took her to new friends, and she has been very happy with them and her new life. #skydoglark

Jax

Say hello to Jax, a 6-year-old Devils Garden mustang. When his original trainer had adopted him, his poor face was still bloody and messed up from the rope halter that was forced on him. After working with Jax for 2 years and after significant progress, his trainer realized that Jax wasn’t meant for domesticated life and needed to be a free horse. Jax trainer and we all at Skydog just wanted him to be at peace and we know that he can find that peace now that he can roam wild and free again. #skydogjax

Driggs

This 16-year-old boy was on the internet adoption in January 2021 and he’s from Saylor Creek Idaho. He was one of the seniors we looked at to make sure they had bids and he got one bid and that was the last we knew of him. Recently his adopter wrote to us about the possibility of giving him back his freedom, as he wasn’t settling into domestic life. He also has a lot of scar tissue on his front knees which sometimes causes him pain. Originally, he was coming along in his gentling but then went to a TIP trainer and after that he sadly regressed to being fearful of people again. His family who loved him could tell he was unhappy trying to be domesticated and needed to be free. It’s hard to adopt older wild boys and expect them to adjust well to training, but at the same time we want to give them a chance of that. This year we have taken several who got adopted and when it didn’t work out, we were here for them. Gladly Driggs didn’t have to go through what his herd mates the Maine Three did before coming to us as he’s been in a loving home. Driggs needed his freedom just as badly, so we were so happy to be able to bring him to Skydog. #skydogdriggs

Baby Blue

Baby Blue is the son of the magnificent stallion BLUE of the Pine Nut herd in Nevada, and brother to Samson and Jet who are at Skydog. Sadly Baby Blue ended up in a bad situation with less-than-ideal caretakers and “trainers”. The very good news is that the adopter reached out for help and asked if we could rescue Baby Blue and give him back the freedom he lost and needs. Thankfully for us and Baby Blue, Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates offered to help us get him to safety and Skydog and we are so thankful to them for their incredible donation and dedication to their horses. Even though he’s the son of a hugely loved and admired stallion on the range, he is also a wild horse in need and we are going to make sure he is able to run free again after years in a tiny dirty corral. #skydogbabyblue

Apache

Apache is a 13-year-old mustang rounded up from Fifteen Mile HMA Wyoming as a yearling. He then was adopted and spent the next eleven years in a 10 x 10-foot tiny pen. He wasn’t trained and any human contact was negative and has left him traumatized and terrified, mostly of equipment and being under saddle. He’s been with an experienced trainer for four months who says in his 20 years of training horses has only ever seen one other horse as reactive and potentially dangerous as Apache. So after trying all they could to transition Apache into domestic life, they know what he needs most is space, freedom, and wildness. We are so happy to have him here at Skydog. #skydogapache

Cooper

Cooper is a wonderful boy we rescued from the Oklahoma Kill Pen. In a year where we are focused on special needs mustangs, we immediately felt for Cooper when we saw him being led around in the kill pen. His face was torn apart by the knots in a rope halter obviously used to “break” him. Deep wounds on his face but also deep psychological wounds to his mind and spirit and we knew we wanted to get him out of there and safe. Cooper was standoffish at the quarantine but once he arrived at Skydog Malibu he made best friends with Apache and it seemed to give him newfound confidence and soon he was taking cookies gently from my hand. He has now arrived in Oregon for the winter and he’s still with his best friend and about to make a whole bunch more. Good boy Cooper, you are one special wild horse. #skydogcooper

Saint & Hedy

These two are outstanding. Saint is more than happy to take a cookie but prefers not to be stroked. But Miss Hedy Lamarr - well she takes cookies and lets me stroke her entire face. I am not sure I have ever touched a softer or more velvety coat. And her long bangs which almost touch her nose look as though she spent hours in a salon this morning having them curled to perfection. The BLM is rounding up Hedy’s herd in the Bible Springs Complex in Utah, trying to eliminate hundreds of federally-protected wild horses in order to reduce the competition for grazing domestic livestock. The BLM permits 16 grazing allotments within the HMAs that make up this complex equating to 3,044 cows and 1,674 sheep. Meanwhile, the BLM only allows between 80-170 wild horses in their federally-designated habitats which are made up of 216,000 acres. The BLM targeted the Blawn Wash HMA for the first two days this week and was only able to find just over 30 horses. On the third day of flying in the HMA, they couldn't find a single horse after flying for 5 hours. The horrors of her herd being extinguished in favor of cows, sheep, and the almighty dollar continue but thank goodness Hedy is safe now. #skydoghedylamarr #skydogsaint

Presley & Rising Sun

I was sent a video of Rising Sun running terrified in a kill pen and immediately saw a huge resemblance to Autumn and Swan. Thankfully, the girl held up a title and I took a screenshot and had it read by the BLM office. Sure enough, she was not only from the same small herd in Wyoming but rounded up the same day. We made plans to rescue her immediately and in the process were told of a second mustang who also needed help. We knew it would be easier for them to go through quarantine and hauling together so we saved him too. They are still in semi-quarantine in Oregon waiting to go out with the big herd to be reunited with Autumn and Swan. #skydogpresley #skydogrisingsun

Annie, sienna, and silver (The Maine three)

The Maine Three are three Saylor Creek senior mustangs who were starved and neglected in Maine, just about as far away from their homeland as could be. 18 months ago, we saw them offered on the BLM internet adoption, and as seniors, we wanted to take them and give them a soft landing and a much-needed retirement. At the time, we were receiving hate from mustang groups who ludicrously accused us of bidding against “good homes” for IA horses. Unfortunately, they were sold for $25 as sale authority. The BLM then used taxpayer dollars to ship them across the country to Maine where their adopter starved and neglected them.

Thankfully a wonderful Horse Rescue in Maine @mainehorserescue took these three horses in along with 17 others as part of a seizure starvation case. This incredible organization has brought them back to health and now they want more than anything to return them to the wide open spaces of Skydog as they are still mostly wild. Annie, her friend Sienna, and gelding Silver are about to make the long journey back home and are our first Idaho mustangs. We can’t wait to meet them and welcome them to their new forever home. #skydogannie #skydogsienna #skydogsilver

David bowie

Meet Bo 🧡 We got an email from his adopter and she says it best:

“I adopted Maestro and Gracie's curly son, David Bowie, as he has 80's rock star hair! He was gathered at Salt Wells Creek with them when he was just two. Bo has special needs now and I would love him to come to Skydog. He is six now and sadly he had a brachial plexus injury in October 2020 and I can’t give him what he needs in life. He is literally so friendly and would be just the most amazing mustang ambassador as well he is great with kids, strangers, EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. He just can never be ridden again and needs regular chiropractor and body work to keep him comfortable. Since his injury he has been in my one acre pasture, hoping he would recover. My vet said now that there is not a real chance of him ever fully recovering. He is happy, healthy and sound but I don't want to keep him on only an acre for the rest of his life. I have kept my pasture as fun as possible for him, even borrowing a mini from my neighbor so he would not be alone. He gets a lot of attention which he loves and he LOVES COOKIES but my pasture is too small for him to live his entire life inside of it. I think it would be amazing to see the entire family running and back together, as they were last separated at the roundup. I am crying as I write this, but I think I am doing the right thing in contacting you.”

Bo is the full brother of Legacy. We were so happy to say yes to Bo and are picking him up to start his new life now

Freya

Freya is a 23-year-old mustang mare who was dumped in a kill pen in Oklahoma right by Barnaby and Bella. We have been putting weight on her for the haul to Oregon and she is doing better. This beautiful girl was born in Hog Creek, Oregon in 1999 and rounded up in 2005. It gives us so much happiness to return her to the place where she was born, wild and free. We have named her Freya which means noble woman and it is the name of the Norse Goddess of love and beauty. A strong name for a warrior mare who we intend to restore to her wild glory. She is beautiful, and once her bones are covered with softness she will be spectacular. Her name is strong and so is she. #skydogfreya

Chester

Chester was another victim of the slaughter pipeline and was in a kill pen in Oklahoma. He was so frail that we had to get him to a vet hospital before he could travel. When they first saw him they thought he should be euthanized as he’s at least 30 and so emaciated. But you know what,  the light in that beady little eye told us he wanted to live and that we could give him the best shot at having a wonderful end of life.  So we are doing just that.

His blood work is unbelievably good and shows zero SAA and white blood cell counts which means he’s remarkably healthy other than being starved nearly to death. He has a ways to go and won’t be able to be transported for some time but he’s going to make it and he’s going to know love and happiness and friends.  We can do this! Happily Chester made it to Skydog Malibu where he spent some weeks healing until he let us know his time had come and he laid down and passed away quietly and painlessly. We will always miss this boy #skydogchester

Barnaby and Bella

When we were set the video of Barnaby, the mustang, being led around at the kill pen, they said he was incredibly bonded to this mare. She wasn’t a mustang but we sure weren’t going to leave her behind. So we saved them both and they called to each other all the way through the process, making sure their friend, Chester, was still with them. Bella is most like a quarter horse but she also had been worked hard and starved. She’s an unpredictable mare who likes to swing her butt but has never kicked. She just seems very defensive and worried about what people are going to do to her, especially when she is haltered. We got her feet trimmed and she has put on a great amount of weight. We know she flew under the radar but for all the brown horses out there who don’t get as much attention, we would love to get her a sponsor so she has her own person to love her. Bella means beautiful - and she is. Barnaby the mustang turns out to be from Oregon - Beatty’s But - so he really is coming home. #skydogbella #skydogbarnaby

Lily

This little girl Lily is so loved already. We rescued her totally by surprise when we came across her in a confinement pen at the BLM corrals. The staff was as puzzled as we were about what was wrong with her, as her coat was coming off in clumps, she was covered in scabs and her legs and abdomen were very swollen. They said yes to our adopting her and taking on her medical bills and we were thrilled to be able to help her. We brought her home and had the vet out after the weekend, where Janelle gentled her to be ready for treatment. She had a biopsy and skin grafts done and soon we found out she had Pemphigus Foliation, an auto-immune disease that could be put into remission by steroids but can reoccur often and the medication becomes less and less effective until some horses have to be euthanized. She has a fifty percent chance of survival but we believe she will be just fine with no stress, good vet care, medications, supplements, and regular baths. We love her and she is open to as many sponsors who would like to be a part of #teamlily as her bills are much bigger than usual and we want her to have as much support as she can get. We love her so much and know so many others feel the same. Go Lily go x #skydoglily

Maple

This is a story that began 3 years ago. It was during the peak of the #freethetwins campaign where things were fractious between Clare and Rob Sharp at Burns BLM. The corrals had asked us to take Elsa and her newborn twins and then decided against it and were going to put Elsa in the spay study. It was the first time we had spoken out against the BLM and it was a tough time. Well, right about then Clare got a call from Wendy, who worked at the corrals. They were all at the Oregon Teens and Mustangs event. This is where teens are matched with a wild horse to train them for adoption.

One of the young horses had come up lame and was acting very strange and EPM was suspected. Wendy said the mare would be euthanized back at the corrals if they couldn’t find a placement for her. Janelle went to see the mare and she for sure needed help. We knew we couldn’t take her with things being the way they were between us and the BLM so we called Cyndi Davis at 3 Sisters and asked her to take the mare. And she did. They then spent a ton of time and money rehabbing Maple for adoption. She was with amazing fosters and every now and again we would see her offered for adoption. She couldn’t be ridden so she was pretty much being offered as a beautiful pasture ornament.

We had always said we would take her if all else failed, and we keep our promises. They did all they could to find her a loving forever home but with her special needs, it wasn’t to be. So, after years from first meeting her, Maple is coming home ❤️ Welcome home Maple - we loved you then and we love you now. #skydomaple

Buckley, Arizona, Paris, snow white & fig

We went to Ridgecrest BLM holding pens as they had so amazingly said yes to letting us adopt some special needs mustangs to rehab them and give them a good long life. We took a total of five mustangs and we all know what their fate would have been. Buckley is a two-year-old colt with corneal ulcers, Arizona is a bay with just one eye, Paris has broken withers and can’t have a saddle on. Snow White is the shyest girl, a flea-bitten grey who is terrified but hanging in there. She has a horrible swayback but the sweetest face and will be just fine once we get her home. She is ten years old and rounded up from White River.
#skydogbuckley #skydogarizona #skydogparis

Fig was one of the saddest mustangs we had ever seen at the BLM Corrals. Fig did not particularly have any special needs medically but spiritually we felt his sadness and he had clearly given up the will to live. We decided to take him JUST to make him happy again which is a need in itself and doesn’t need a medical diagnosis. We brought them back to Skydog Oregon and Fig lives a great life with his four slightly disabled friends running free. His life was made happy by his falling in love with Snow White when they shared a corral on first arriving. He truly looks like a different horse these days and we are so happy for him. #skydogfig #skydogsnowwhite

COSMO

We got an email about Cosmo from his rescuer and when we had raised a huge amount on Giving Tuesday he was our last save of the day. He is 14 years old from Warm Springs HMA in Oregon and the lady writing about him was his fifth owner in recent years. She told us

“He is the sweetest boy and friendly on the ground. However he was very nervous the first time I saddled him and also when I tried to sit on him bareback. At this point I decided to send Cosmo for training. Cosmo not only tenses up under saddle but also bareback, he is also terrified of another rider on a horse that is anywhere in sight. This makes it impossible and unsafe to trail ride or ride in an open barn setting. He has also been very unpredictable under saddle, including rearing, bucking and bolting. During a ride in the round pen he went from nice and relaxed to bucking without any warning signs. Unfortunately that ended with me on the ground.”

This is one of the dozens of emails just like this one we get every year. When we think the owner has done all they can and tried all other methods we try to say yes to as many as we possibly can. Just to give them back the freedom they are yearning for. This year alone we took in 15 owner relinquishment’s from people who just knew how unhappy their wild horse was being domesticated. We said yes to Cosmo and he’s a very happy boy. #skydogcosmo

isabella

Please meet Isabella. When we first saw photos and video of her in a pen with a whole bunch of other mustangs it was heartbreaking. She looked lost and in pain as she had a huge open wound on her hind leg. She needed immediate vet care and to get out of that place. We didn’t hesitate to send our hauler to get her and she will be receiving the best medical care to treat the wound and the infection.

Just a little brown mustang but we wanted to give her the most regal of names as she surely is a Queen of all mustangs with her quiet determination and will to live. Isabella was the name of Queens and she is our Izzy or Bella already. Izzy came to Skydog Oregon and shortly after had a baby we named Wildheart who is growing up to be the cutest filly on earth xx #skydogisabella #skydogwildheart

stanley & boots

One morning Clare woke up to a photo of this senior mustang, Stanley, standing tied to a rail in a pen in Oklahoma. His BLM brand on his neck said he was 31 years old. Stanley was losing weight fast as he doesn't have many teeth left so he couldn’t eat hay. His ribs and spine were already jutting through his soft fluffy coat.

We immediately stepped up for Stanley and while there we saw a mini mule who has the worst feet we had ever seen. We named him Boots. His feet were so long he can barely walk and he needed extensive and expensive treatment that we were so happy to give him. We love them already. The more in need and at risk, the more urgently we try and harder we fight. #skydogstanley #skydogboots

WHISKEY

We hit $10,000 in half an hour on Giving Tuesday. So as promised we were able to take in a second mustang. This adopter never gave up asking to make sure her beloved boy never ended up in a terrible situation and I applaud her for that. Whiskey is from the same special herd as Lightning and Daisy in Utah and here is the email I got about him

“I’m reaching out to you in hopes of finding placement for my Mustang Whiskey. Whiskey is a seven-year-old gelding from Conger Mountain Utah HMA. He seemed like he had a decent start however he was very fearful and very reactive and had a tendency to bolt. Whiskey was in training for five months before I brought him home however he continues to bolt with me. When he’s afraid or put under pressure he becomes a locomotive and cannot be stopped. I have fallen off twice and been injured pretty significantly. I’m hoping that you will consider adding Whiskey to your herd and letting him live out the rest of his life wild and free.”

We love taking these horses who have stated clearly that they need to stay wild as giving them back to what they want most is so rewarding - So everyone meet handsome Whiskey, who is now in Oregon with his best friend Gris. #skydogwhiskey

oreo cookie

We are pleased to introduce a very special boy named Oreo Cookie. This is a story a little while in the making through a series of coincidences and serendipity. Months ago, when the Onaqui herd in Utah was rounded up, we were asked by Jen Rogers at Red Birds Trust to possibly take the young horse, Red Bird, who her trust was named after. He had a large tumor on his lip that extended into his jaw that vets determined to be a treatable issue, so we said yes as special needs horses are what we do best. We checked in with Jen regularly to see how he was doing so it was a devastating shock to hear from her one day that the vet at the corrals had decided to euthanize him and not offer him for adoption after all. It killed us.

When Jen was at the Delta facility she saw three horses who had been returned. Two had been horribly starved almost to death and the other had been returned because the person didn't want him anymore. They all had a bad start to their life in the human world and when I saw a picture of one of them my heart leaped as he looked identical to the colt we had been looking for who was the son of Blue Zeus and Nike. He had been captured with them but we hadn't been able to find him in any facility. I immediately inquired about him and it turned out that he had been rounded up in Utah.

We have an incredible donor in Europe who has been a massive support to us due to the fact that she has her own American Mustang, Smokey, who is also from Utah. She always said that if we found any horse from her boy's herd then we could save him and she would donate for him to live out his life at Skydog. Well, Cookie wasn't from the same herd but the next-door herd so good enough. He was coming to Skydog. For our donor. For Red Bird. For Jen, who adopted his filly friend Cheyenne Grace, who had been returned with him, also starved. And for Frisco, his other friend, a lovely three-year-old bay, who was badly injured and euthanized in the BLM corrals before we could bring him home.

And so we didn't hesitate.  Last week Janelle and Koal drove to Utah and picked up little Cookie. He is settled in the arena and is the sweetest, most endearing, and adorable young horse. We are not fundraising for Cookie as he has his very own person across the ocean who is entirely funding his rescue and life at Skydog and at the same time helping so many others in need. Thank you so so much my friend xx #skydogcookie

Gandalf, KING, FROST MOON & JOKER

It was an impossible proposition to go into the facility at Cañon City, Colorado and choose 2-4 horses to help. But I followed my heart and gut and took the oldest and most vulnerable. Gandalf was struggling at the facility and obviously having to fight for food is hard with more dominant younger horses. But he ran from a helicopter like this and he survived long enough for us to get him out. His gaits are wobbly for sure and his poor knees are huge. As soon as they’re settled we shall bring him in and see what we can do to help. He is 25 years old but he’s about to get the best retirement a wild horse could hope for. Thanks to you all. King was alone. He didn’t seem to have a friend to get through this with and it made me sad. He would have been magnificent out on the range for sure. He is 21 years old and still looking good for that age. #skydoggandalf #skydogking

On the morning I went to the BLM corrals at Cañon City, I had to get up super early and walking out of my room it was like a cold slap in the face the air was so frigid. The truck was covered in frost and I sat in it with the heating on waiting for it to melt and praying for the strength and guidance I needed. Later once I was headed away from that place after making our choices, the biggest brightest moon came up and I looked it up and saw it was called a Frost Moon, so I decided to call one of the boys that. Frosty. He is the grulla the other black horse is Joker. He has a unique marking on his face with a frown painted on in black. Janelle picked him and we decided if he was over 20 we could take him. He’s 21. #skydogfrostmoon #skydogjoker

They are all from the same area as Blue Zeus and it’s thanks to him that we fell in love with his unknown friends and wanted to help more. Four more wild boys jumping out on to sacred ground to start their journey to freedom. Thank you doesn’t come close to how grateful we are to do this with you and for you and them.

boomer

Boomer is our last official save of 2021 other than Giving Tuesday saves. This is his story told by his adopter:

“I have a mustang gelding named Boomerang who was removed from the wild for jumping into domestic corrals and breeding mares. He got the name Boomerang as they would drive him 20 miles out into the desert and he would be back in the corrals before they got home. No matter how far they took him away, he would always end up back. So he was captured. I saw a flyer for Boomer, a Virginia Range Mustang, and fell in love with him. Though I was a new horse owner, there was something about him, I felt I had to get him and save him from potential slaughter. I sent him to the best mustang trainers that I trust in our area, and they were able to do a lot with him. They let me know that he was a Mustang who has a very wild heart, so I chose to end saddle training as I didn’t feel like it was what he wanted. We brought him home and in that time he has gone back and forth from being wild to allowing some handling. Two weeks ago he stomped my foot, and I have permanent damage in it now. He didn’t do it to be mean, but he spooked purposefully, something he does frequently. He spent two years in training, just trying to get him gentled enough to be touched, he also doesn’t get along with any other horses. Sadly I don’t feel safe around him anymore which is heartbreaking to me because I have poured so much into him. He is just a horse who wants to stay wild. I adore Boomer, and I do not give up easily, but after four years of doing my best I would love for him to go to a sanctuary where he can run wild and be in a herd.”

Boomer has joined Noble’s herd and is fitting in well! Above is Boomer heading for freedom, on space and land as far as the eye can see. Boomer ran with them and then incredibly took the lead and led the way into their new area. They never stopped running, and in one long beautiful graceful gallop across the landscape, they disappeared towards the horizon to explore. Boomer remembered how to speak horse, he recalled what it was to be wild and all the instincts he was born with came flooding back. No more training or confinement - his loving adopters did all they could to help him transition into domestic life but some horses are just born to be wild. And stay wild. So off he runs and something tells us he is going to be just fine now. After all, this is exactly what he’s been asking for ❤️ This is Boomerang, but he’s not coming back this time. #skydogboomer

gris (Grissom)

This gorgeous wild horse found sanctuary at Skydog Malibu thanks to our being notified by another rescue at the Bowie Auction in Texas. It’s always the most amazing experience meeting a horse we had only seen on a grainy auction video in Texas. Now his life has turned around and he can finally take a long, deep exhale and get back to the business of being a wild horse again. No pressure, no asks, only love and kindness from this day forward. We were trying to work out why his mane would be shaved and have a bridal path and it’s most likely just to make him look like he can be ridden, and to cut off some matted mane so he sold for more. Detective horse work helps give us an understanding of what he has been through and where he has been since he was rounded up. Apparently a lot of new starts and different places and people, and look how well he handles it all. Straight to eating and enjoying the views and a welcome new resident of Skydog Malibu ❤️ #skydoggris

joey

In the midst of roundup season and on the back of our campaign for the SAFE Act to be passed, there was Joey, a 16 hand, five year old wild horse who landed in bad situations again and again. Eventually ending up with nowhere to go.  So we said yes to him coming to Skydog. This is the end result of a roundup. This is what happens to way too many of our wild horses. Passed around from pillar to post, from one uncaring, neglectful home to another. Not being fed enough, no vet care or foot care and stuck under a fence for days without anyone to help him. He’s been through enough already. We want Skydog to be his final forever home where he can recover and feel confident that his belly will always be full and that people will, for the rest of his life, take care of all his needs and wants.

This gorgeous bay goes to prove there is no such thing as “just a brown horse” as he really is a great example of a stunning mahogany with a star and is just as flashy as any color. He’s a sweet and sensitive gentle soul and has made a great friend for Tank. #skydogjoey

MOOSE, SMOKEY, SPYDER & QUINN

Well, this is a wonderful rescue that just had another miracle right in the middle of it. We were contacted by a kill pen about two yearlings branded 2020 who had been dumped there. A couple had adopted these two babies from the BLM signed the paperwork and then dumped them a couple of weeks later in the slaughter pipeline. We were horrified and said yes to them and brought them to Oregon in May. Well a few weeks later we were sent another pair of yearlings and we said yes again confused about where these were coming from. Sadly these two were not so lucky and they got strangles and had to stay in quarantine for three months and it was touch and go whether they would make it. When they were finally well enough to travel to us we found out from their brands that they were adopted by the same couple as Moose and Smokey. The BLM did an investigation into the adopters and banned them and handed the case to law enforcement as it is a federal offense to sell untitled mustangs. This week we reunited Moose and Smokey with their two buddies Quinn and Spyder and not a dry eye in the house to see them back together and happy as clams. Beautiful xxxx
#skydogmoose #skydogsmokey #skydogspyder #skydogquinn

strongheart

This beautiful 16-year-old mare was not known to us on the range. We met her the day we went to the adoption event and some ladies who had known her and followed her for years were visibly upset at seeing her so thin and beaten up. The 10 months of being in this holding pen had taken a terrible toll on her physically and mentally and she seemed so broken after being such a fierce and strong mare on the range. She was very thin, and her mane and tail had been chewed off by babies in the corrals who were either hungry or stressed. A thing we have only ever seen in a kill pen save. Her spirit seemed to have given up the will to go on and she didn’t want to eat or make eye contact or move. A few days later another haul arrived with another older mare, Hera, and we found out the night before she arrived that Hera and Strongheart had been best friends when they were in the same band for several years. Hera arriving quite literally breathed life in Strongheart and she came back to herself and little by little has regained weight and is starting to look more like the mare people knew on the range. What a twist of fate but somehow we believe that something bigger than us is watching over us and helping these horses from above. We are so thankful to Hera. #skydogstrongheart

HERA

This beautiful mare came to us as such a wonderful and much-needed angel. We had not intended to take more horses from the Canon City Red Desert herd but our hauler went down with covid and we had to organize a different haul with our trailer which had one extra compartment. The only tag number we had got from that day was Apollo’s mare, Hera.. So we asked for her and she was approved. At the time we had just gotten Strongheart home and she was in a bad way, physically and mentally, and seemed to have given up the will to go on. Enter Hera, who we then found out had been in the same band as Strongheart for several years and it seemed to literally breathe life into both mares to have their old friend with them in this new life. Both have now put on weight and the wounds on Hera’s face are healing and they are doing so well. We hope to have the space to reunite Hera and Apollo down the road once his testosterone has calmed down so he can keep his sons and his mare together. Meanwhile, they are all doing well in their own spaces. #skydoghera

DAKODA

When we were at the Canon City facility the adoption manager asked us about taking a special needs mare who had been returned by her adopter. Sadly she had been diagnosed with a UTI and also tested high positive for EPM. These treatments are very expensive and the adopter made the very difficult decision to return her even though it was very hard. She traveled with our other saves to Oregon and has been receiving the very best care and vet treatment. Every day she has her legs bathed and treated for the urine scald that has inflamed her back hind end. She dribbles pee all day and cannot urinate normally so it affects the skin and hair. We are putting her on a month-long course of EPM medicine which is a neurological disease and hope that will help. Otherwise, we will next look at surgical options for this girl and hope that we can find a solution that will allow her to live out her life pain and discomfort-free. Our amazing vet team at Bend Equine is taking good care of her diagnostically and treatment-wise. She is one of the sweetest, gentlest, most loving mares and we are so happy to give her forever care. #skydogdakoda

BLUE ZEUS

Last fall Blue Zeus and his family were rounded up and from that day we have been determined that we would reunite him and as many of his family as possible with him. Since October 2019, we pushed for an adoption event for these sale authority senior mustang boys to be offered for adoption before they shipped to Long Term Holding. And finally, in June 2020 we were granted our wish when 64 senior recently gelded stallions of the Red Desert complex were brought to an event near the prison. For everyone who is used to seeing Blue Zeus wild and free on the range, it was jarring and really hard to see him in such a small holding pen. He is a brilliant horse, steady and sensible and very calm. He thinks things through and doesn’t panic. He is not just a pretty face. The wranglers at the event were very skilled, low energy, and applied way less pressure than usual. Bearing in mind these older stallions were only gelded a couple of weeks previous to the event, it was a relief to see most of them going to other sanctuaries as these horses are not easy to handle. They require skill and experience and truly for the most part we want to leave them alone to be their glorious selves without much intervention unless needed. For Blue Zeus and the others we rescued on that day, this is the start of a whole new chapter in the lives of these majestic souls. The determination and work required to find his family and then reunite them can be read on the Family Page of Blue Zeus. #skydogbluezeus

noble

Well now doesn’t Noble have a story to tell. How hard everyone fought for this eleven-year-old brown horse to come to Skydog and regain his freedom.

Spotted In a pen by many of you, with Blue Zeus and Spartan there was nothing to particularly distinguish him from any other brown horse. Except the tips of his ears were missing - most likely lost to frostbite. Not that it made him any less handsome. He was regal, stoic and most of the time was turned away from us. When I went to the prison facility to look for him it meant going back into the pen with dozens of other old boys and it killed me. Just tore my heart out. All of them are worthy and deserving but how can we keep on taking them - there are just too too many.

Just when my heart was cracking as we opened the gate to go in - I spotted him. He turned right around to face me and just looked right at me and stared. And I knew he knew I had come back for him. I watched for a while to see if he had another friend he was bonded to but unlike many others, he was content by himself and that was it.

This is not for the faint-hearted. We went back for him and didn’t turn away.  Noble, we got you. You’re coming to Skydog 🤎🤎
#skydognoble

spartan & Drifter

While we were looking for Blue Zeus, we saw these two boys are in their twenties. Spartan is the black boy with the long mane. Spartan was in with BZ and spent the most time with him. Drifter was with Hermès but was the most incredible character and I can’t wait to tell you about him.  

These two old boys - who weren’t known or famous - are just as worthy and we are so happy to know they will be with us to live out their lives wild and free. For any flashy horse we take, we then also save ten unknown and unloved, and uncared for mustangs in dire need. It’s a great formula that for every family reunited, we get to take kill pen saves and trainer relinquishments and abandoned, starved, or mistreated mustangs.

So boys we might not know you yet but you are about to get the Royal retirement and see your old friend Blue Zeus.
#skydogspartan #skydogdrifter

APOLLO

We knew it was going to be impossible to choose from 64 horses who we could take to come home with Blue Zeus. We wanted to focus on the very oldest and wildest who wouldn’t be a good fit for anyone else there looking for a horse. Apollo was the oldest boy, but he was incredibly bonded and dependent on his son, who we now call Aslan. When they went to move and load Apollo, he tried to go over the top several times and ran into panels bending them with his sheer force and power. It was incredibly stressful but putting his friend with him was the best thing we could have done to reassure him and comfort him. We are always about putting the mental well-being of any horse first and taking those steps we can to help make the difficult parts of this easier for them. Especially a 22-year-old band stallion to whom all of this is frightening and overwhelming. #skydogapollo

ASLAN

We didn’t expect to take another, but we did and named Apollo’s friend Aslan after the Lion in Narnia. Aslan appears in Narnia as a magnificent and wise lion with kind eyes. Aslan is very wise, and a powerful force for good, but as Narnians often say, “He’s not a tame lion.” And these boys are definitely not tame and should always be handled with caution as their fight or flight instincts are powerful, and can be dangerous if you don’t know how to respect them. We shared a lot of videos of our trip over on our Patreon page and we would love you to join us there to support this new group and help us save more. #skydogaslan

HERMÉS

Since it was Father’s day weekend, we knew it was the right thing to do to also bring home the son of Apollo, named Hermés. He was really getting beaten up in the pen and had a lot of bite marks across his back. Sometimes your heart gives you no choice and we knew he had to come too. This couldn’t be the last day he saw what was left of his family. So happy Father’s Day to Apollo - you have your boys with you and I can’t think of a better way to honor these amazing fathers. It was a long few days, very emotional and draining. But they’re home thanks to our incredible hauler Carla Lays and thanks to Steve Leonard at BLM Cañon City for putting on this adoption event for these older guys and making them available. Sometimes our pleas fall on deaf ears, so when they don’t we are hugely grateful to the people who work with us for the horses. Blue Zeus, Apollo, Aslan, and Hermes - you just landed in heaven ❤︎ #skydoghermes

MOONSHINE & POPPY

Sometimes it is hard to tell the story of a horse. So many people made mistakes and one mustang who had already been pulled from hell landed back in a whole new hell. Incredibly, she was part of a group of 8 mustangs pulled from a kill pen who had been adopted by TIP trainers and then a week later dumped. I have their adoption papers to prove it. She just kept asking for help and we didn’t know how to get her here. She was in Kentucky even though she was originally rounded up in Oregon! But where there’s a will there’s a way. I wish we didn’t have to see the worst of humanity but the flip side is that we also get to meet the very best - those with big hearts and generous spirits who feel as upset and angry about where these horses end up. You guys.

Along the way there was another kill pen mare in quarantine who needed help and when we found out she was from Cold Springs, Oregon I knew she had to come too. It’s been quite the journey for them and we took it slow and a chunk at a time. Firstly to Kansas to our quarantine Stephanie, then on to our hauler Carla, and finally Janelle and Koal went to Colorado to pick them up and bring them home.

As they were in Kentucky, we named the grey Moonshine and the sorrel Poppy for Memorial Day - as in England on remembrance day we wear Poppies. This mare was desperate and alone, hungry and terrified and now she’s not. How is that anything less than  a miracle. And to help her feel safe we rescued a friend to travel home with her. All is well, all is well ♥️ #skydogmoonshine #skydogpoppy

DONATELLO

Meet this handsome fellow, Donatello. He is an older mustang who has had the roughest journey to get here. He was seized by law enforcement as part of a starvation group who were also being bred. And he was gelded in his teens and then went from home to trainer to home. He landed in the hands of two wonderful rescues in Arizona and we were asked to take him last year and said we would this spring. So he just arrived in Oregon thanks to the rescues fundraising to get him to us. This 19-year-old Lander Wyoming mustang has been through so much: five adopters, countless trainers, starvation, seizure, rescues, and finally sanctuary.

He is doing great and is going to join our new small boys herd of Mesteño, Rowdy, Stetson, Jasper, Bobcat, and Donatello being the sixth member. They will spend time together and then move to a huge area on the lower ranch for the summer joining the rest of the boys. We want to make a huge boys herd that we can hopefully keep there year-round so they have more space and freedom together. It’s a really cool project that’s working out well. #skydogdonatello

ROWDY & MESTEÑO

We know we can never replace Renegade. He was too special and one in a million. But we have a deep desire to honor his freedom and the love so many people had for him. The photographs of him running on green grass the day he was released are as far away from the photos of Rowdy as you could imagine. This boy was adopted out and also went to a trainer, but like Renegade could not adjust to domestic life. He is the same age as Renegade when rounded up and this boy was returned to the BLM corrals and deemed unadoptable as he had injured his trainer. He was slated to go to a long-term holding facility, but we just loaded him in the back of our trailer. We want to give him the freedom he wants back. We want to take that sadness away. Rowdy wants to stay wild and it’s the most honorable way for us to remember Renegade, taking a horse who has a similar story and give him the same gift. Nothing will bring our boy back or heal our hearts or stop our tears but this helps. We can’t take them all and it doesn’t change the world, but for this one boy Rowdy, well his whole world changed. And just maybe we had one more surprise back there in our trailer.

Well, of course, Rowdy had a friend, Mesteño ❤️ You know we would never leave a horse’s best friend behind. I had never seen a sadder photo of that poor horse so to juxtapose that with where he will end up just seemed so right. Mesteño is the Spanish word for wild and untamed and we know nothing about this boy other than he was rounded up at 17 in the emergency gather last year. What an age to lose your freedom and family.

Rowdy and Mesteño are now out with Bobcat, Jasper, Donatello, Spirit, Charlie, Lionheart, and Stetson. The boys of summer are doing great and it’s so interesting to watch the herd dynamics and new relationships and friendships form. Rowdy has become good friends with Bobcat, and Mesteño was happily grazing with Charlie last night, but these two are still the best of buds.

#skydogrowdy #skydogmesteno

STETSON

We at Skydog have known for many years about the cruel and inhumane practice of extracting urine from pregnant mares to make the drug Premarin made by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Stetson was adopted as a three-month-old foal by his previous owner and his lifelong friend with whom he shared his pasture, a mustang named Shiloh. Little Stetson was the thrown-away baby of one of the poor mares who are kept permanently pregnant to extract their urine for a drug used in Hormone Replacement Treatment for women.

Many foals die shortly after birth, unable to survive the harsh environmental conditions. Surviving colts like beautiful Stetson are considered by-products and sold for slaughter. Luckily Stetson was rescued. Sadly his wild friend, Shiloh, died recently and the lady who has him physically can’t take care of him. We said yes to taking Stetson, even though he’s not a mustang, to raise awareness against the production of this drug by Pfizer. We have created a page with a list of actions you can take to end this. There are now synthetic alternatives and herbs that don’t involve this horrific cruelty to horses. We want to make our voices heard for Stetson and hundreds like him who weren’t so lucky. Please visit our End PMU page to see how you can take action to end the making of this drug. #skydogstetson

BAMBI

When we rescued the three Triple B mares GG, Ladybug, and Twiggy from the kill pen in Kansas, little did we know that one more of that herd was rounded up on the same day had landed in a kill pen in Louisiana. She is also a victim of the AIP and one of the dozens who have been dumped since the start of this ill-conceived “pay to slay” incentive program. This beautiful girl who we have named Bambi was rescued but then sadly left at the quarantine where she was unable to stay. We wanted to bring this girl to Oregon and reunite her with the first three mares and let her run free with them. Of course, the haul from Louisiana is very far and expensive. Thank you to every single person who donated for her haul and ongoing care for life and the wonderful Louisiana ladies who drove her here.

She arrived safely at Skydog Malibu and is already making herself right at home. She is skinny, a little dirty, bedraggled, her mane is tangled, and her feet are long. But oh what a vision she is. She is more like Malibu Barbie than Malibu Bambi and we wish we could give her a hug and tell her it is all going to be alright now. From being rounded up at Triple B HMA to being adopted out under the AIP and then dumped in a kill pen - she has landed in Malibu as one of our many faces of this “subsidy to slaughter” scheme that needs to be shut down. Bambi is a beautiful, sensitive, sentient-loving soul and she has already lost her freedom, her family, and her faith in her short life. But now her new life begins and we are going to treat her with all the kindness, love, and respect she deserves. So welcome home pretty girl. That worried eye will soon be gone - you’re home forever now. #skydogbambi

DAHLIA, OUTLAW, FERN, REBEL & PAISLEY

Family is everything. Very shortly after we announced that Renegade and Lupine were coming to Skydog we got a number of messages from people telling us that their daughter, Dahlia, had been rounded up and was at the BLM corrals. We had photographs to identify her looking heavily pregnant at the corrals by Beverly Shaffer, and our search began for their daughter. We toured the facility several times but couldn’t find her and we figured she had been adopted out. At last, Renegade’s adopter, Stacie, was at the corrals and found her. It was so incredible to see her walking around with her baby at her heel. We applied to adopt not just their daughter but their grandson too, named Outlaw for his grandpa Renegade.

The splashy pinto with the white in her mane is Fern and her baby is Rebel. She is Dahlia’s daughter from 2018 so we have four generations of this family just like the Pine Nut family. Then there is beautiful Paisley who just captured our hearts when her baby died at the corrals when we were there looking for Dahlia. Sometimes you just cannot leave one behind and she had now bonded with Fern and Rebel and it was impossible to take another baby from her. She is the best mama and definitely the matriarch of the group. One by one the tags around their necks labeling them a number came off. No more of these tiny babies clanking the wooden tag under their chin or strings hanging off their mamas. They are our family too now. You can see Renegade and Lupine in Dahlia - she honestly looks like a shiny show horse in the first moments standing over her baby. Sleek and soft, tall and strong. Fern is always so sweet sharing her baby with Paisley as if she understands her loss and is happy to give her the important duty of care. These horses are so intuitive and their emotional intelligence is so advanced. They don’t need words, they communicate so subtly but are always speaking if you stop to listen. They are settling into their new lives and their babies are safe here. Safe to grow up with each other and run on grass and climb the hills and drink out of streams. And one day when it’s time, they will meet their grandpa Renegade and he can teach them all they need to know about being a wild horse. Just one day at a time in peace and with gentle kindness. #skydogdahlia #skydogfern #skydogpaisley #skydogoutlaw #skydogrebel

LADYBUG, TWIGLET, GREY GOOSE “GG”

These were supposed to be just two mares rescued from a kill pen in Kansas…two sweet-looking wild mares that stood no chance of being adopted or rescued. A grey mare with her sorrel friend needed rescuing and we set off to make another short film about the saving of some kill pen horses to raise awareness for the SAFE Act and to educate people about what to do to shut down the slaughter pipeline in the USA. Thousands of American Horses, including many wild ones, are shipped to slaughter in Mexico or Canada every year and we are going to do all we can in 2021 to stop this once and for all. So we said yes to Ladybug and Grey Goose and made preparations to go pick them up ourselves.  

Suddenly we got a message about a third horse left behind who came in with them and we turned around and went back to get her. And so Twiglet got to ride with us and her two friends back to Oregon and a new life of safety and freedom. All three of them were rounded up from Triple B in 2018 and since then were adopted under the Adoption Incentive Program where their adopter got a thousand dollars for taking them for a year and then dumped them for slaughter. These were some of the lucky ones and we rescued all three and the world fell in love with these three girls who had checked out and given up, only to get another chance at a great life. None of these three are sponsored so if you would like to choose one we would be more than grateful. #skydogladybug #skydogtwiglet #skydoggoose

MAIA & MINX

This gorgeous mare was much loved and photographed on the wild ranges of the Onaqui herd in Utah. She was rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management and while she was in the holding pen she badly injured her face resulting in a serious eye wound. Thankfully a kind lady who was on a tour of the corrals saw her and told the BLM staff and they sorted her and her baby and a vet removed her eye. Injuries are very common at the corrals and usually the horse is euthanized so she was very very lucky. Her baby was desperately upset being taken away from her mother and the lady who found Maia actually adopter her baby.

But Maia was pregnant again from the range and luckily for her, another sanctuary took Maia to be an ambassador for their organization. She had her baby Minx in safety but sadly they were unable to keep them so we said yes to Maia and her beautiful baby girl coming to Skydog. We wanted baby Belle Star to have a friend and for Blaze to have more mares and a bigger family. So what is better than a ready-made family addition in this mare and foal. Maia traveled to us in early 2021 and has settled in so well in her new family. What a beautiful ending for all. #skydogmaia #skydogminx

LUPINE

This beautiful mare came to us when we said yes to Renegade, one of the most beloved and beautiful horses of the South Steens. His adopter had also adopted his lead mare as Renegade hadn’t settled well into domestic life and wasn’t able to be trained as he was too traumatized by the process. When we were asked to take Renegade his pretty mare Lupine travelled along with him. After a couple of weeks of settling in, during which time Lupine had her feet trimmed and shots and wormer they both were released to live on the wide open spaces of Skydog’s Oregon Sanctuary. We were told that Lupine and Renegade’s daughter Dahlia had been rounded up and was at the corrals with a new born baby. It was the year of family at Skydog so we travelled up to Burns to collect her and who we were told was Dahlia’s daughter and little baby. When Renegade tragically passed away we immediately reunited Lupine with her daughter and grandson and she was immediately accepted into their family.

Lupine is now back with her daughter and an amazing grandma to both babies as well as being great friends with Paisley the mare we also took who lost her baby at the corrals. Both mares have been through losing their precious loves and I am sure they are a great comfort to each other as well as being able to heal their grief taking care of two babies who are growing up fast #skydoglupine

JASPER & COTTON

We received a call from a rescue in Central California asking for help for two mustangs who were at Animal Control in Stanislaus County. These two wild horses had escaped from their ranch, where they had not been cared for in some time and had gotten stuck in a drainage canal. They had incredibly walked for over ten miles on the concrete trying to find a way out. This boy Jasper had tried to climb the steep banks but continuously fallen back down on his knees. By the time people found them they were both incredibly tired and very sore. A huge group of kind and wonderful people came together to help get them out. The videos of those attempts are dramatic and heartwarming with cheers of joy ringing out when Jasper reached the top.

The owner relinquished them as she did not want them back. They were obviously very bonded and could not be separated without getting very upset. They were seen by a vet and then taken to Animal Control. However, upon feeling better both horses turned out to be pretty hard to handle and their fate would have been a livestock auction or euthanasia. Hopes Chance Equine Sanctuary asked us to take them and give them back their freedom and we said yes. We were in the depths of winter so we asked them if they could hold on to them for a few weeks until we could transport them safely. Finally in the middle of February, with a break in the weather, we traveled to Modesto to collect them and shower them with kisses. Both seem incredibly happy to give. Jasper has one of the finest mustaches I have ever had the pleasure of encountering and he offers it whenever I pass by. These two are such sweet sweet souls and we are thrilled to add them to the Skydog herd. Jasper would love a sponsor and maybe one for his mustache too. #skydogjasper #skydogcotton

GEORGIE BAILEY

We were contacted by a horse rescue in Modesto California who had been at a livestock auction and had spotted a mustang gelding. They didn’t have enough funds to bid on him and knew that the local horse trader had taken him. They reached out to us to see if we could help him and offered to contact the kill buyer and buy the horse. We were at the end of the year right at Christmas time and we had already taken in many horses in 2020 and couldn’t take in another one with the funds we had either. But we did have enough to go and pick this boy up and quarantine him for another rescue who were going to find him a home. We decided to name him Georgie Bailey after It’s a Wonderful Life movie as it was Christmas and he had so many angels helping him.

We drove to Bakersfield to pick him up and our first surprise was that he was a she. This was a mare and we brought her home to Malibu to begin her quarantine. An incredible angel was watching that arrival video and joined the many angels who donated to get her safe, by donating an incredible amount to allow Georgie Bailey to live out the rest of her days with us and cover ALL of her future costs. When Georgie then went down with a bad case of Strangles this angel also paid for the entire hospital bill for her at Alamo Pintado. It truly was the most amazing gesture and so this overworked, sick and tired girl is recovering at Skydog Malibu and blossoming into a beautiful mustang. We have so much gratitude to everyone who donated to change her life for the better and let her stay where she is forever. #skydogbailey

BIRD

Since we started Skydog we have had our fair share of miracles but we are never less grateful and amazed when another one appears. This is Birdie. She is the 3rd mustang we saved on Giving Tuesday. This mare was in Texas with a horse trader who was talking about getting rid of her in a pretty graphic way. We paid for her and our hauler picked her up. Something about her walk and eye and casual demeanor made us sit up and have the weirdest feeling about her…

To understand this better we must first explain who Buddy is and why Skydog was started. He was Clare’s original mustang and when they would ride he would stop and sigh and look out and she would get this overwhelming message from him “find my family, help my family”. I know it sounds a little crazy, but this entire sanctuary was founded on that feeling from her beloved Buddy. One of the first things we did was find 3 mares from his herd in Little Humboldt NV and we brought them back to him the year we started. Champ ran off with them a while ago and Buddy didn’t mind and we knew we had done our best. Well, something in the way this mare walked and her essence reminded us of him and yesterday her brand came back and she is from Little Humboldt, rounded up one day apart from Buddy in 2004. Finally, after 17 years apart, we found his family or the closest thing to that. Birdie is settling in very well and none of the horses are pushing her away. She’s not worried or upset so it’s a good start. Luckily Buddy is the leader of this herd so they take their cues from him, so all is peaceful and well. #skydogbird

BOBCAT

Beautiful Bobcat was rescued from a kill pen in Texas at the end of 2020. When we rescue a horse from a kill pen, the first few weeks are such an adventure; finding out who they are, what they like, dislikes, and fears, which we hope will melt away. Bobcat is such a special boy and gives the best hugs. We noticed he has two swirls between his eyes. A horse’s swirls are formed before birth and never change. So what does it mean when a horse has two swirls next to each other? High, tight side-by-side swirls, like the ones Bobcat has, can mean a horse is super focused and talented, but also challenging and difficult in the wrong hands. We have quickly fallen madly in love with him.

Most of our horses at our Oregon sanctuary are wild and so we don’t interact with them in the same way we do in Malibu, where Bobcat is. We have some older, special needs and gentle horses who most definitely love being handled and hugged. So Bobcat, we didn’t need to read your swirls to know you’re special and talented and we couldn’t adore you more if we tried. #skydogbobcat

MYSTERY

Previously Little Miss Snip, now named Mystery. We didn’t know anything about her other than her tag number and that she’s from the Pine Nut Mountains. She was on the Internet Adoption and had no bids. Nobody noticed her and nobody talked about her on the adoption pages. There was no bidding war or insanity or meanness surrounding her adoption. Just another wild horse rounded up off public lands set to disappear into the system. Her butt was already branded for long term holding. In her “then” photo you can see her standing in the chute sticking her tongue out. We knew just how she felt.

Mystery was introduced to the Pine Nut family in the hopes that she and Jet would bond. The good news is that the whole band has become close and you would never know she was a new member. Mystery has won Jet’s heart with her confidence and kindness. There are four generations of a family here and it’s such an honor to share space and land with them and to have kept them together. We love it when these plans work out and are so happy that another Pine Nut mare has got her freedom back and a new love. #skydogmystery

MISTY

Misty was a mare we were asked to take years ago. She was with a mustang trainer in California who tried endlessly to gentle her but what she had gone through in her short life left her reactive and terrified. Similarly to what Patron went through, she was also used as a tripping horse and severely brutalized by the events. We suggested several things to try with Misty and her new adopter tried it all and also contacted many other rescues and sanctuaries. They did everything they could for this mare so in the end, knowing how far they had gone to try and help her, we said yes to Misty being our second #givingtuesday rescue.

The incredible miracle about these two horses was that after we independently said yes to both their owners found out about each other and coincidentally they also told us that Misty and Patron had spent time at the same training barn right next door to each other for months.

CLARE

Clare was the second horse we found out about when we were on our way to rescue Badger, a 30 year old mustang who had been dumped in a kill pen in Kansas. Clare was dropped off there by a horse trader from Ohio and all we knew about her was that she was sorrel with a flaxen mane. She wasn’t gentled and pretty scared and hard to catch but somehow our wonderful hauler Marlene got her in the trailer and took off for Oregon with all three on board.

On the day we were picking them up someone told us it was the feast day of St Francis and St Clare was his constant companion who also helped animals so it seemed perfect names and perfect day for them both. I do believe something pretty similar to a Patron Saint of Animals was looking over them that day to get them out when that was never in the cards for us.

links

WAYS TO GIVE

SPONSOR A SKYDOG ➤

BECOME A PATRON ➤

DONATE ➤

ADVOCATE

SEND A POSTCARD ➤

DEFUND THE AIP ➤

SPREAD THE WORD ➤