chardonnay

This mare has always had a softness to her. A peaceful energy that makes you stop and take a deep breath. (Shannon Phifer)

A 25-year-old dowager Queen, a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother of South Steens legends, Chardonnay is likely related to Renegade’s dam, Calypso. We had known nothing about his mother until someone pointed her out to Kayce, who knew how much Renegade’s legacy means to Skydog. Ever since he passed away, a golden eagle frequently appears around his family. When we saw a golden eagle perched at the entrance to the corrals, we sensed a higher power was guiding us. We arrived intending to identify one, but could not have left without giving permanent refuge to three.

Kayce, the BLM adoption staff, asked us to take Chardonnay and Cloud with Calypso because the three are deeply bonded. Moving as one and never leaving each other’s sides, they are probably related. Followed by groups in the wild, they were left to their grim fate once they’d been rounded up. After nearly two years at the corrals, they were slated for long-term holding. Had Kayce not brought this to our attention, they would have disappeared forever without a trace.

Loading and hauling went well with little pressure needed. Chardonnay followed Calypso on and off the trailer and seems content to follow her around their introductory 40-acres pen. She holds back when Calypso draws nearer to humans, but she’ll push the others off their hay.  As she relaxes into the familiar scents and sounds of her Oregon habitat with plenty of nutritious feed and clean water, she’ll soon understand that’s not necessary. She will never want for anything again.

The South Steens herd is visible and photographed in the wild. We have some beautiful images of Chardonnay, thanks to Shannon Phifer. At first, it was hard to tell these gorgeous Golden Girls apart. Chardonnay has a distinctive blaze wrapped around one eye. It’s almost a bald face. There are pale markings on their sides - many South Steens mustangs have markings that resemble puzzle pieces or countries on a map.

The Golden Girls started out on a 40-acre pen with trees, sage brush, good food, clean water, and all the familiar scents and sounds of home. We then added Stargazer and Curly Girl, two youngsters in need of guidance from wise elders. They were then released onto 1200 acres, where Blue Zeus and his family share space with a herd of very wild long ears. It all came together when his lead mare, Nike, took it upon herself to integrate the Golden Girl band into her family. Now we spot them resting peacefully together with Blue Zeus, the patriarch,  and Calypso, the matriarch, standing together watching over their family.

#skydogchardonnay

 Mustangs and Burros Need Your Help

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon, or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and Senators and urge them to support these bills:

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3475 in the House / S.2307 in the Senate). This bill will shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 3656) This bill will prohibit the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in the management of wild mustangs and burros on public lands, and require a report on humane alternatives to current management practices.

Ejiao Act of 2023 (H.R. 6021). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io