CRUISER

The Journey To Skydog

When I got started in animal rescue, my plan was to save Oregon wild horses. When I discovered how many wild equines are endangered by roundups all over the American West, I broadened my mission to save horses and burros from any wild herd. Oregon natives, however, will always have a special place in my heart. The South Steens herd is beautiful and popular, but attracts a number of people, who strive to sabotage efforts to give the horses soft landings. They are bewilderingly hostile to reuniting families. Consequently, I have not followed this herd closely, but fate stepped in to bring Cruiser’s family to Skydog.

A woman in Idaho, Lela Pena, had loved Cruiser’s family since she first saw them on South Steens in 2017. Devastated when he and his family were rounded up five years later, she tracked his movement through the system. After an adoption in Texas fell through, Cruiser ended up in Idaho, where Lela lives. When she saw he was available, she jumped at the chance to rescue him, though she was in no position to keep a horse, least of all a mustang. With her husband’s encouragement, she adopted him, visited him every day in boarding, and promised that she would find a way to bring him back to Jorja. When she saw members of his family coming together at the sanctuary on social media, she wrote to us, “Every single prayer I’ve said for Cruiser, Jorja, and Tupelo Honey would be answered if they were able to live together at Skydog.” Next thing you know, Janelle and Koal were on their way to Idaho to pick him up and make her dream come true.

Wildlife photographer Shannon Phifer spent a lot of time observing the South Steens horses.  She shared that Cruiser was in a big band, but was utterly devoted to Jorja, as she was to him. The great love of his life, he bred exclusively with this mare. Twist after turn, miracle upon miracle with tremendous support from donors, their reunion fell into place. Good people, who did not know each other, but shared a selfless love for this family, did whatever it took to right the terrible wrong that had been done to them.

The arrival of CRUISER and Family

So many stars had to align for this to happen that we are still shaking our heads in amazement. It was totally unplanned. It began with Janelle’s horse, Ryder, into whom she poured her considerable skills for the 2023 Oregon Trainer Challenge. Partners that communicate to work together as a team, their performance was brilliant. They have truly bonded and Ryder is Janelle’s horse on the ranch today. She adores him and often talked about his family when we visited the corrals.

Out of the blue, we were sent a photo of a colt with one bad eye standing beside a mare in the BLM Burns corral. Janelle looked at it and said, “That’s Ryder’s mother.” In the wild, Ryder had been known as Hidalgo. His mother, Jorja, survived the violent roundup pregnant and delivered his little brother, Tupelo Honey, in the BLM Burns corral. Because of his special needs, staff waived the usual practice of weening and separating foals from their mothers before letting us take them home. We were immediately impressed by the way mother and son moved in graceful synchronicity, like the Ballerinas.

Next, we were contacted by Lela Pena in Idaho, who had been following these developments on social media. She wanted to send Cruiser to Skydog to be with his family, so Janelle and Koal jumped in the trailer to pick him up. Once he arrived, we realized his half-brother, Ranger, was already here with Rango and Commander, former South Steens stallions, who had lived on the range at the same time.  Cruiser had never seen Tupelo Honey before, but the introduction went smoothly. As he pranced with his head and tail held high, his little boy fell in line with Jorja close behind him.

 Jorja and Tupelo Honey bonded with mares in another pen, while we were waiting for Cruiser to arrive. They continued to socialize at the fence line, so we added them to the family.  Nugget and her baby, Jojo (South Steens) and Eden (also from Oregon) integrated seamlessly. As did Honor, who fought furiously for her freedom and family during a roundup in Wyoming, but lost everything. She needed the comfort and security that equines only find in family. The two precious foals, Jojo and Tupelo Honey, are the same age and play together all day. Neither was born in the wild, but they are now being raised in the family structure of a mustang herd in their natural Oregon habitat. Cruiser, in his signature laidback manner, is a benevolent leader and has taken them all under his protection.

Cruiser’s Mare and babIES