In Memoriam
The Skydog Spirit Herd
When I started Skydog, another sanctuary owner advised me not to say anything when our rescues passed away. That never felt right to me. Donors, sponsors, and followers help us save them and enjoy watching and reading about their healing and the joys of their new lives. An emotional connection is made, even from afar, and I think it’s important that we also share the end of their stories.
Death is a natural part of life, but without a doubt, this is the hardest aspect of animal rescue. We made a decision that someone will always be with them at the end, so they pass with dignity, surrounded by familiar faces, love, and kindness. I’m grateful to all staff, volunteers, and veterinary teams who take this final act of compassion upon themselves. It is never easy, whether they were with us for years, like Dream, for months like Sunflower, or were so starved, weak, or sick that they never made it to Skydog, like Rooster. We will love them all forever.
Adeline
Adeline was in her late twenties when we rescued her from a livestock auction in California. Abused as a rodeo tripping horse, she was terrified of humans and needed a long recovery in Malibu. With gentle handling, she got to the point where she would touch her nose to my hand when we said, "Bump, Addie". She’d do it over and over just to hear the words "good girl" and visibly shared our delight in the connection. When she moved to Oregon, she enjoyed happy years running free with several mustang herds. When she started losing weight, we brought her in with some hard keepers. The end was not unexpected as she had been losing weight all winter and liver cancer was suspected. We chose not to put her through the stress of a biopsy as we knew her time had come and helped her pass quietly and peacefully. “One last time, bump, Addie… good girl… you are such a good girl.” Rest in peace, Sweet Adeline. #skydogadeline
Badger
Born in 1989, Badger was rounded up from Desatoya, NV, adopted in 1990, but never titled. The harness marks that scarred her face and thick drafty legs told us she was worked hard all her life pulling carts or plows. At age 31, she was dumped in a feedlot in Kansas with next to no chance of being adopted. We wanted to give her a glorious retirement - and that’s what it was. She lived it well, in peace, in different groups, always with friends. She was strong enough to run with a wild herd until she wasn’t. As liver disease progressed, she slowed down. This horse who loved food and treats lost her appetite. She let us know it was time to go when she lay down in soft sand beneath a tree. With Janelle by her side, our vet set her beautiful spirit free. #skydogbadger
Barkley
Barkley was my darling best friend, the essence of unconditional love. It’s impossible to describe a heart as big as his. He helped me move Skydog from an idea to a reality with his strength, company, and boundless enthusiasm for everything. Featured in the first Dodo video about us, he helped the sanctuary grow to save more lives. He loved winning the trust of new foals and getting donkeys to chase him. He welcomed every new rescue and made them feel safe and loved. When the prognosis was two weeks for an extremely aggressive form of cancer, he lived another six months - and I’m thankful for every precious minute. He went peacefully as he did everything in his beautiful life. I love you forever, Barkley. #skydogbarkley
Barnaby
Barnaby was rounded up from Beatty’s Butte, OR, adopted, and nearly worked to death. As happens often with Amish work horses, once he’d been drained of his health and strength, he was discarded in a kill pen for the last bit of money to be wrung out of his suffering. Barnaby loved the Malibu sunshine and sleeping in warm sand that penetrated his tired bones. Unfortunately, years of hard work and chronic arthritis left him so brittle, he somehow broke his neck one night. Staff and volunteers were there to surround him with love, offer him treats and scratches as we waited for the vet. He left this world knowing that his life mattered and how very much he meant to us. #skydogbarnaby
Bramble
When Bramble arrived at Skydog, we could see he had trouble putting weight on his front feet. Our vet gave us the bad news that he had severe and chronic laminitis. The coffin bone had rotated far into the sole. The whole foot had sunk down into the hoof capsule. We consulted with several vet hospitals and all agreed that there was only one choice and that was to release him from the terrible pain. This was the first time we had to do this for a new horse and was not a decision we took lightly. It was the right decision, but it was hard on all of us, especially as he came with his bonded mare, Lark. She honors his memory by living her wild life to the fullest. We wish Bramble could be with her, but we know he is also running free without pain or restrictions in the Skydog Spirit Herd. #skydogbramble
Braveheart
Originally from New Mexico, Braveheart was deemed dangerous, unrideable, and unadoptable. So a terrible owner left him to stand all alone in a small pipe corral. Just stand. For years. Day after day he stood without shade or shelter in all weather, where sweltering summer temps rose to 120F. Children thought it was fun to torment him daily, startling him by tipping his water trough over to make him jump. This left him standing in wet sand, which caused thrush infections in his hooves. When an incredible woman fought to get him out of that hell hole, our wonderful donors brought him to Skydog. When released onto hundreds of acres, he held his head high and took off over the hill with the entire herd around him. For two years, he got to be the wild horse he was born to be. He had a brave heart, a good heart, a kind heart, but sadly not a strong heart, which is what took him from us all too soon with unexpected suddenness. Sitting beside him, it hurt all the more to lose him before his time when he had suffered such cruelty for so long. But while he was with us, Braveheart was completely happy. #skydogbraveheart
Cassidy
Saved from a kill pen in Waco, TX, when our hauler had room in a box stall for “a small extra one”, Cassidy the mini-hinny climbed on board. He arrived on a giant semi-truck and practically dragged the hauler down ramp. He was tiny, but his heart was as big as the mountains he came to live in. We turned him out with the donkey herd, but he slipped under the fence and made the walk to join the mustangs. Twice we brought him in to be safer, but he ran the fence lines crying for his wild horse herd. He served as Buddy’s Lieutenant and believed that all the mares were his - and the horses indulged him. With those little legs, he kept pace with a galloping herd, touching our hearts, challenging our minds, and sending our spirits soaring. He inspired us to dream big and make them come true. He lived his life exactly the way he wanted to until the day that colic took him down. When we hear the sound of rolling thunder, we look up at the sky, knowing the Skydog Spirit Herd is on the move. Cassidy is right there in the middle with the best of them. #skydogcassidy
Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown was dumped in a kill pen when he was in his late twenties. He had been used to break steers - a horrible practice of tying a steer to the halter of a donkey to “break” him. He was part of the Peanuts Gang rescue and lost his best lady friend, Viola, right after we saved them. A gentleman, he positioned himself over her to protect her when she collapsed in the trailer on the way to Quarantine. She had been too starved to survive. We brought him to Malibu to mend his broken heart with lots of love and care. After all he’d been through, he was gentle, affectionate, and kind. At Skydog, he formed an endearing bond with Marley. With Black Jack and Fufu, he played like a sprightly youngster in the scrappy donkey games. He colicked after evacuation during the fires in January 2025. He had full colick surgery and was weeks in hospital. When he came home, he did so well, we thought we had pulled him through, but in April, his poor body just gave up and all the fight went out of him. We had to let him go. #skydogcharliebrown
Chester
Chester was a walking skeleton after the Amish drained his health and strength, then dumped him at a kill pen. When he finished quarantine, we brought him to Malibu for the extra attention we knew he would need. Noble, stoic, and gentle, he watched over the babies he shared a pen with at night. He dove into his soft, sloppy mashes with gusto and treated every moment of kindness as a gift. It was touch and go from the beginning as his lungs were so scarred, he sometimes had difficulty breathing in the heat. His asthma required a nebulizer and inhalers to keep his air passages open. We sent him to the best equine hospital for intensive lung care to clear up his pneumonia, but nothing could reverse the decades of neglect and damage that had been inflicted on his body. A couple of months after he arrived at Skydog, Chester let us know he was tired of struggling. We showed him how much he meant to us by surrounding him with love as his beautiful spirit took flight from a shell that could not hold it. #skydogchester
Cotton
Sweet Cotton came to us many years ago from Animal Control. She and her friend, Jasper, escaped from their adopter and walked ten miles up a concrete canal, where they were rescued. Her life with us was rich, full , and happy as a wild horse, an auntie to babies Firefly and Wildheart, and a romance late in life with Samson, the big, sweet Belgian Draft. They fell madly in love in one of the most endearing relationships at Skydog. Cotton sadly deteriorated very rapidly when cancer spread to her spine and brain. Our vet advised that the kindest thing was to help her pass away before she suffered. And so, with broken hearts, we let her go gently. #skydogcotton
Dream
Dream was born in 1998 in Meadow Valley Mountain HMA, Nevada. Starved by her owner, she was close to death when she came to Skydog. With love, kindness, and special protocols from UC Davis, a light returned to her eyes. Slowly, she came back to life and health to reign as the undisputed matriarch of the Malibu ranch. Her strong opinions were expressed in no uncertain terms. Her love for Joe Pesci, a small, young donkey, was featured by The Dodo. Skye, an orphaned foal, was also taken under her maternal wing. She put Boots, the naughty mini-mule, in his place many times. She put up with Swayze in order to be close to his mare, Remi, with whom she spent the rest of her life. She gave kisses in exchange for cookies - and nips if you forgot to bring some. She bobbed her head up and down to the healing sound of crystal bowls. Her life with us was happy, rich and full. When it was time to go, she lay down and wouldn’t get up. With breaking hearts, we helped her pass gently. We dream a dream of Dream returning to Meadow Valley Mountain where her indomitable spirit runs free. #skydogdream
Firecracker
Firecracker was rescued from a starvation situation after his elderly owner died. A wonderful, local rescue in Bend, OR, @3sistersequinerefuge, saved him, trimmed his feet, and put weight back over his jutting bones. Restored to health at age 34, he needed a good retirement and we were only too happy to give it to him, but he he loved to be with people and never really clicked with the equine residents in Oregon. Malibu was the place for him, he loved everything about it: warm sunshine, ocean views and breezes, lots of volunteers and visitors to love on him - and love back. Icing on the cake, he formed a family with some donkeys. Many hearts were broken, human and equine, when he left us. We miss his loving presence, velvety coat, gazing into gentle eyes that were dark pools of love and kindness. Firecracker’s energy will always be felt at Malibu. #skydogfirecracker
Gandalf
Gandalf the Grey & Mighty was born in 1997 at Arapahoe Creek Wyoming HMA. This wild grulla was a mustang force of nature that kept on going no matter what. It was hard to imagine how he survived all those years in the Red Desert with severe arthritis in his massively swollen knees. It was a miracle that he got through the roundup and gelding at his great age, but angels saw him safely to Skydog. He was not strong enough to go out in the wild, but he appreciated easy living for a change. He loved grain, which made it possible to give him pain meds. He loved the mares around him, especially Adeline. When the angle on his bowed leg became so severe that catastrophic collapse was imminent, we made the decision to let him go. When death came, it was so gentle, he didn’t realize it was there. A spirit that would never give in was set free from a body that finally had to. #skydoggandalf
Grace
Grace was a Warm Springs legend, a fierce and watchful lead mare, who raised many foals on the range. Rounded up at 2, she was branded and released due to her beauty and genetics. She lived wild and free another 24 years before she was rounded up again with her last foal, Sunshine. Grace was too thin, weak, lethargic and depressed to nurse, so we took them both and restored their health and strength. They joined Goliath's herd until it became to hard for Grace to keep up with the distances they traveled. Sadly, Sunshine passed away of a rare virus. Grace never fully recovered from that final loss. She was content in her last years to be an auntie in Elsa’s family to the twins and the orphaned foal, Skye. Her long life ended when winter arrived, peacefully and with dignity amongst her equine friends. We honor her memory by giving our rescues the best care possible and never losing sight of the profound importance of family to horses. #skydoggrace
Graham Cracker
We first saw Graham Cracker in a kill pen in Oklahoma. A trader on the back of this old mule was forcing him to trot, despite his terribly swollen, arthritic joints. We checked him into Malibu “senior assisted living” with all the care and kindness in the world. The tallest resident at the ranch, he had a slow, looming presence that reminded us of Lurch in the Adams Family. He loved to nap in the shade of the pepper trees. And eat - he loved to eat. A quiet, gentle giant, he had his quirks, like no sense of boundaries or spatial awareness. He’d move right through your personal space to come up right behind you - or down on top of you - hoping for a scratch or a cookie. We wish he could have spent more gentle years with us, but a life of hard labor took its toll. He began to slow down, stopped showing interest in food. His arthritis bothered him more and more. It got to the point where he told us with his eyes that he was tired and ready to go. He laid down one last time surrounded by people who loved him, kissing his face and stroking his neck as the soothing sound of a crystal bowl sent him on his way.#skydoggrahamcracker
Jackson
Jackson was rounded up from Sheepshead / Heath Creek in the Barren Valley Complex in Oregon. He and Lisa Marie were the very first horses we rescued as a sanctuary. When we saw him at the auction, he was frightened and very protective of his mare. And yet, so forgiving of what human beings had done to them. A huge, gentle giant, he would spot me through a herd of horses and come over for hugs and nuzzles. When people wanted to see Phoenix or the Ballerinas, it was Jackson they were talking about when they returned. Our board member Rachel Hunter had a glorious love affair with him and it was hard to accept that I wouldn’t hear her ask after him every time we spoke. He was devoted to his mares, Lisa Marie, Missy, and Love in Buddy’s big herd, where they nursed their broken hearts. Goodbye, my darling friend. You inspired us to keep saving and grow Skydog to be bigger and bigger. #skydogjackson
June
June was a 23-year-old Kiger, a very special mustang herd in the rugged desert mountain range in Southeast Oregon. She was our last save on Giving Tuesday 2024. An owner relinquishment, she spent 20 years with one local family until they could no longer care for her. She joined Cruiser’s band pretty easily and we were so happy to see the other mares accept her. Then the decision had to be made to bring her in to the Seniors Pen with other horses who lose weight when out with a herd. We worked hard for nine months to keep her weight on and restore her back to full health. She enjoyed the soft mashes, extra hay, and friends she made in this group. When she spiked a high fever, we immediately took her to the vet clinic, where she peacefully passed away. Seniors have my heart, but sadness comes hand-in-hand with joy of taking them in. We loved June so much, but didn’t get nearly enough time with her. #skydogjune
Kamali
Kamali was a Queen, who lived most of three decades on the South Steens. Fought for and won by the strongest and bravest stallions (including Cavalier), she raised her foals to be mustang strong. Rounded up in 2007, she was injected with PZP and returned to the range. When she was rounded up again, the BLM asked us to take her as she had few teeth and couldn’t chew food. Kamali expressed the soul and spirit of a lead mare in the way she moved and kept her eyes on the subject of her curiosity. On high alert, every fiber of her being focused on assessing and approaching, nostrils flared to read the smells, ears forward and high, using all her senses, including her powerful instincts honed by all those years in the wild. She spent her final months with Stargazer and a full belly on top of her snowy hill beneath the junipers. Acute cardiac failure took her from us after a one day bout with illness. #skydogkamali
Koda
Koda was from Callaghan HMA Nevada. Adopted after a mustang makeover event, he was sent from trainer to trainer for years and determined to be dangerous and unpredictable to any rider. He tried to escape by jumping a fence and got stuck on it over night, causing catastrophic injuries. His owners did an incredible job of healing him and then asked us to give him sanctuary to be a wild horse again. From the day that he stepped out of the trailer with his long glossy black tail and sweet disposition, Koda was a favorite. He loved his food more than any horse I’ve ever known. He’d run the entire length of the airstrip chasing the hay cart, wanting to be first to breakfast. Colic took him away from us, that lurking condition that can have life threatening consequences for all horses due to a design flaw in their digestive system. It was a hard shock for us, but we know one thing for certain: Koda enjoyed every second of every minute of every day that he was at Skydog. #skydogkoda
Lep
Lep was rounded up from Warm Springs as a yearling. He worked 28 years as a wrangler’s horse at the BLM corrals. He was such a kind and loving soul that any time a foal was orphaned or injured, they were put in with Lep for comfort. He did this for Sugar at the corrals, and for Hawk at Skydog as he healed and recovered. In his old age, he didn’t have many teeth and was losing weight, so we welcomed him for soft mashes, leafy alfalfa, and extra special care. He adored people - and the feeling was mutual. He loved being groomed, petted, and the occasional treat. He wasn’t strong, but he rallied for a good year before it was time for him to leave this world. He went with a full belly, surrounded by love. It was our honor to spoil him and make his final months happy and wonderful. #skydoglep
Lionheart
Lionheart is a testament to the strength, perseverance, and resilience of mustangs. He suffered a horrendous injury in the wild, which an x-ray revealed had left his hoof dangling from his leg. The pain he endured is unimaginable, but he was a mustang, so it healed. To compensate for the deformity, the hoof grew upright giving him a huge club foot. After he was rounded up from the Stinkingwater HMA in Oregon, the BLM asked us to take him. Janelle gentled him for corrective foot trims that allowed him to run free again at Skydog. He lived a beautiful life until a severe infection deep in that same foot caused lameness. The amount of infected bone that would have had to be removed would have caused him enormous pain, which we were not about to put him through again. On the advice of multiple vets, we let him go gently and painlessly, though it broke our hearts. #skydoglionheart
Louisa
Louisa takes me back to a Christmas Eve when my mum - for whom she was named - was passing away. I could think of no better way to soothe my troubled soul than to save a horse, so I saved three: Louisa and her friend, Star, who was pregnant with Skye. These three were featured in a short film about the SAFE Act that we made with Jamie Baldanza. Louisa was in a kill pen up to her knees in mud, scared and confused about where she was. Her belly was huge, due in part to hernias, but she transformed with love and care at Skydog. When she moved to Oregon, she joined Sheldon’s herd. She enjoyed a long, good life with us until we saw she was not feeling well. We took her to Bend Equine, where she passed suddenly of either liver failure (as her friend Star also did) or a severe and sudden colic. Rest In Peace, beautiful Louisa, our Christmas girl.
Marley
Marley was a starved, worn-out Amish workhorse dumped in an Oklahoma kill pen at the ripe old age of 28. When our vet x-rayed his stomach, a shocking discovery was made: His gut was full of nails and metal staples, some as long as 7cm. At some point, Marley had been so desperately hungry, he’d eaten the walls of his pen, including the hardware in the wood. Surgery to flush it all out was very risky. We decided to celebrate the rest of his life with love, pampering, and kindness. He trotted around with his best friend, Charlie Brown, and neighed to the other Malibu residents. He embraced every small pleasure and rolled in the soft, warm sand. He stood out in the rain with his head turned upwards toward the sky, as if in reverence of nature's gifts and glory. Marley was a medical miracle, but the internal hardware hung over him like a Sword of Damoclese. Ten months after we saved him, he laid down and let us know it was time to go. With his head in my lap and friends in the place he knew was home, he left quickly and peacefully, surrounded by love. #skydogmarley
Monte Cristo
When we rescued the Count of Monte Cristo from a kill pen in Kansas, he was skinny, weak, and frail. At 31 years old, we weren’t sure he had a rebound in him - or that he’d make the trip to Oregon - but he surprised us all. He didn’t have many teeth, so he loved the soft mashes with nutrients that gave his jet black coat a velveteen sheen. His best friend was Sarge, another 30+ senior with a similar history of starvation and neglect. He could be crotchety, but a beautiful friendship was born that brought out the wild in Monte. He strutted his stuff, head and tail held high as he ran around the pasture bucking with joy. By the end of their first day together, they were grooming each other. Monte was the oldest resident at Skydog for many years. He wanted nothing to do with humans other than the soft mashes they delivered at meal time. These two grumpy old men shared a pen and were so deeply bonded that when Sarge passed away, Monte followed shortly after. #skydogmontecristo
Neptune
The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department (which manages the island herd made famous by Marguerite Henry’s books) reached out to us about taking Neptune. They captured him because he was infertile, even though he had a large band of mares. When he refused to accept domestication, they looked for a sanctuary to give him the best chance of a happy life in a totally new habitat. He sailed through his first winter with flying colors. Along with his best friends, Sinatra and Tank, he was a fixture at his gate to get first dibs at the hay cart. When he started losing weight and nothing our vet tried could stop it, I sat with him in the barn and read to him from the books about Assateague Island. I think his spirit never stopped longing for his coastal home and the sturdy herd that has lived there for centuries. I picture him grazing on marsh grasses on his favorite dune, and drinking fresh water from ponds. His mane billows in ocean breezes as he watches over his mares. Rest in peace, beautiful island boy. You were nothing less than a dream come true. #skydogneptune
Oregon
Oregon was a beautiful Kiger mustang, whom we rescued from a kill pen in Texas. I could clearly see in the video that he had DSLD - a chronic, painful condition in horses that causes progressive breakdown of ligaments and tendons - also known as dropped pasterns. We suspected the prognosis might be bad, but had to see if there was anything we could do to help him. When he got to us in Oregon, the x-rays and ultrasounds were shocking. His leg was so terribly compromised that he literally could have broken it at any moment. It was the most extreme case our vets had seen and there was no doubt he was suffering. We had to make the difficult decision to let him go peacefully and end his pain. There are no lengths we won’t go to if it will help a horse recover, but this was beyond us all. We had to accept there was no alternative to the one we chose. Oregon was only with us a short time, but we all grieved his loss and wish someone had intervened sooner to spare him the suffering from which he is now free. #skydogoregon
Rain
Rounded up from the Rio Blanco herd when he was 2 years old, Rain was sent to the training program in the Cañon City prison. This was the beginning of a traumatic experience with humans. He was purchased by Border Control, but did not want to be ridden, trained, or disciplined. After years of effort, his trainer recognized that he needed sanctuary. Never in my entire life have I met a kinder and more perfect gentleman of a horse; a beautiful physical being with an even more beautiful soul. One year after he came to Skydog, he colicked with an impaction. It was touch and go for several days. We wanted so badly for him not to leave us, but his spirit is free and he’s no longer in any pain. We did not have enough time with him, but he touched our lives and hearts profoundly. The pain we all feel is a sign of how much we loved him and what a tribute to him that we all grieve his loss this deeply. #skydograin
Ranger
Ranger brought the most incredible healing to Skydog. He exemplified the protective nature of a lead stallion to care for his herd. His quiet strength was palpable and it helped Rango & Commander, two psychologically shattered friends, regain their balance. Ranger had few teeth, so he came from the corrals very thin. He loved the nutritious soft mashes and grain we served him. He and his brother Cruiser stood like silent bookends having unspoken conversations about life on the South Steens. At age 24, when his time came, he laid down under a tree overlooking his homeland and went to sleep. Our vet assured us he passed away instantly without struggle or suffering. His final great gift was to restore courage and confidence in his friends so they would be able to reclaim their wild lives. #skydogranger
Renegade
Everyone who had the honor of meeting Renegade felt his power. He was so much more than a horse. When we released him at Skydog, he took off at the gallop with his mare, Lupine, and ran the entire perimeter of the ranch. Nine-thousand acres weren’t enough for him, his spirit would not be contained, so once his family was safe, he took flight. We believe he colicked and injured himself rolling on old sage brush that punctured his flesh. This was without a doubt the most terrible, tragic and traumatic thing that we have ever been through. We do everything in our power to keep these horses safe, including capping every t-post, limbing trees, walking pastures to make sure there is nothing that could hurt them. Sadly, there are some things that are impossible to protect against. Renegade died wild and free and he was the happiest horse ever to get that gift back. A golden eagle appeared on the day he died and has been around his family ever since. #skydogrenegade
Rhys
Rhys was one of our early saves. From the very beginning, we noticed he had some strange mannerisms and gaits. As his facial paralysis worsened, he found it hard to eat anything other than soft food. We brought him down from Oregon to the warmth of Southern California so he could live on the soft sand and flat arenas of the ranch. There were days he felt so good, he romped with friends and ran the hills, enjoying the sunshine and wildflowers. He was diagnosed with EPM: a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. As things grew progressively worse, we tried different medications, some of which improved things for a while, but in the end, we knew it was time to let Rhys go. I stood with him as he passed, as I have done with so many of the horses in our care. It is the hardest part of this job, but we never let a horse go alone. We surround them with love and comfort. We honored Rhys with a memorial plaque in a quiet, shady place beneath his favorite pepper tree. #skydogrhys
Rooster
Rooster was a 21-year-old mustang from Book Cliffs, Colorado rescued from a kill pen in Oklahoma. Rounded up as a baby, he worked his whole life. Then when he needed humans the most, when he lost his vision, they failed him beyond words. Before the owner sent him to auction, they stitched his right eye closed to conceal what we would later learn was extensive cancer that had eaten into the socket and through to his sinus. We found him a friend to travel with, Eden. He calmed down and rested his head on her back for comfort on the haul. He was taken directly to our veterinarian, who told us nothing could be done to help him except to let him go to sleep in peace to end his pain. To honor him, we channeled our anger and sorrow over the cruelty he suffered into giving his sweetheart, Eden, the very best life at Skydog. #skydogrooster
Sarge
Old Sarge was found emaciated in a kill pen in Waco, Texas. He was rescued, fattened up, placed with another “rescue” that starved him again. When arrangements were made for him to come us in Oregon, he was so weak that the trip had to be taken in stages so he could rest and build up his strength along the way. When he finally arrived, our efforts to pamper the old codger were rejected. No blanket, no hugs or scratches. After all he’d been through, he was still a mustang, who preferred standing out in the snow to a blanket or the shelter of a stall. He didn’t like wearing a halter or fly mask, or having his feet trimmed but he always quieted down for medical care when he needed it. He shared a pen with Monte Cristo, another grumpy old man, who survived a similar past of starvation and neglect. The two were deeply bonded and all they wanted was to be together and delivery of their soft, warm mashes 3 times a day. Sarge rang a bell on the fence when meals weren’t served quickly enough. #skydogsarge
Spirit
Spirit was a free spirit with the sweetest little heart on his nose. He was a Pine Nut, although nobody saw him on the range, and he was captured alone when he was in his twenties. In the BLM corrals, he was beaten up by other horses and lost some teeth fighting. When he arrived at Skydog, he leapt off the trailer and ran a few victory laps. It was clear he’d been longing for his freedom. A unique soul, Spirit marched to the beat of his own drum and had no need for a herd. He would meet up for a bit with other horses, then run back over the hill to the wild side and happiness. He wasn’t chased off or bullied, it was just what he wanted to do. Spirit would often wander away for days by himself in search of the best and sweetest grasses. We would see him on game cameras at the water troughs at night with elk and deer close by. He lived life at Skydog on his own wild terms until he couldn't keep up anymore. #skydogspirit
Stanley
Stanley was one of the oldest horses taken in by Skydog at 32 years. He was emaciated and had worked hard his whole life, only to be dumped when he was too old to be useful. Stanley arrived with a naughty mini-mule named Boots, who we thought was pestering and annoying him, but we read that wrong. When Boots was loaded to move up to Oregon, Stanley cried so hard that we took him off the trailer, never to be parted from his best friend again. The two were always together, a team of endless hilarity. In his final weeks, we noticed a drop in his life force. He spent his last days peacefully with his friends. He passed suddenly and in the best way. He dropped to the ground and died instantly. There was no struggle, just giving in to the final peace. #skydogstanley
Star
She was not a mustang. She was standing behind one when we fundraised for Louisa on Christmas Eve 2019. So many people asked us to take the golden horse in the background that we stepped up and rescued her too. She came to Skydog Malibu and had her baby, Skye, at Alamo Pintado. There were complications, but her beautiful daughter was healthy and such an angel. We thought it was the happiest of endings, but it was not to last. Only a few months later, Star dropped so much weight that we weaned her foal to give her more strength. Sadly, she succumbed to liver cancer and we were devastated to lose her. Her baby was so small, but Dream stepped in to raise her. Star would be proud that Skye now lives in Phoenix’s herd in Oregon, is best friends with Hope, and has several boy admirers. #skydogstar
Storm
Storm was very vocal - in a good way. He was the seeing-eye horse for two visually impaired mares. He constantly called out to let them know where he was or guide them when they moved. We took in Storm and Rosa during the Woolsey Fire when the ranch belonging to their owner of 15 years burned to the ground. A courageous rescue team caught them on a still-smoldering hill with spot fires and leaking propane tanks making it extra dangerous. After they arrived, Clare (the mare) met them through the fence and chose to join their little band. Then came Dani California, a partially blind mare, with whom Storm fell head-over-heels in love. He was so possessive of Dani that we decided to see if they would be happier apart - and they were. He buddied up with Anselm and we turned them out to run the hills with other boys. Storm survived a terrifying disaster, lost his home, found sanctuary, devoted himself to caring for mares, and in the end was a wild bachelor. #skydogstorm
Sunflower
We rescued our golden Sunflower from a kill pen in Oklahoma. Her BLM brand was unreadable, so the only thing we knew about her was her age: 24. She had been dumped by a family she’d been with most of her life. They said she was gentle and broke and their kids had ridden her everywhere. Sadly, she was physically broken and her feet were in terrible shape. She had foundered and was lame, but that didn’t stop the trader from riding her and making her run in the pen. We brought her to Malibu to ease her pain and give her all the affection she wanted. She received the best farrier care along with special shoes and pads. She was diagnosed with navicular, a degenerative condition that affected bone and other structures in her feet. With all of this and pain meds, she had good days with some bad days, but when she started having mostly bad days, we had to let her go. We set her spirit free on a good day when she was walking well. The vet came and she was surrounded by friends and love from all. She passed very quickly, leaving all that pain behind forever. Sunflower was beautiful and we loved her dearly. We know we won’t have decades to enjoy with senior rescues, but we did so hope this angel could stay with us longer. #skydogsunflower
Sunshine
Sunshine came in with her mother, Grace, after the Warm Springs roundup in Oregon. She was weak and unable to nurse from her mother, who was also thin. We brought them home and fed them. Sunshine quickly grew tall and strong. She and Grace joined Goliath’s herd, where she ran the hills with her best friend, Bodhi. Sunshine never had a sick day in her life until we noticed her standing away from the herd and just knew something was wrong. A field examination found her vitals were dangerously high. At Bend Equine, the vets fought for days to save her life, but she didn’t survive. She had contracted immune mediated myositis and we had to let her go. After Sunshine passed, Grace never recovered and we helped her pass shortly after, the bond between them was deep and strong. It broke our hearts to lose mother and daughter, but we are grateful we were able to give them a year of good, wild living before they left us. #skydogsunshine
Swayze
Swayze was worked hard and then dumped in the notorious Fabrizius kill pen when he was 26 years old. We weren’t sure he was a mustang as his brand disappeared into his unicorn-white coat. He was so thin and sick with strangles, he went down in the trailer. A vet in Laramie, WY said he wasn’t worth the effort and should be euthanized. I took a chance and asked the vet to rehydrate him and clear him for travel to Skydog. Swayze was renewed on the green hills of Malibu, which were also returning to life after a devastating fire. He spent 6 happy, pain-free years here with his mare, Remi. Swayze died a mustang after a long and wonderful life with us. He’s with the angels now and we will miss him forever. #skydogswayze
Toby
We found this gentle South Steens giant in an Oklahoma kill pen at age 23. Our donors helped us save him on Giving Tuesday 2023. He was wearing shoes that had grown into his feet and he had some cancer on his sheath and butt - which may be why he was dumped: to avoid expensive vet bills. Non-invasive treatments didn’t do the trick, so he had a more invasive treatment that gave him great relief. He was able to live out with his friends free of pain. Curly Girl doted upon him and Silver ran with him like the wind. He had a good life in Oregon on land that was close to the place where he was born. In his wisdom, he understood that happiness was too precious for pettiness and stayed above the social squabbles among other boys in the herd. When he went in for a checkup, the vets found a huge tumor mass, which would have been impossible and very painful to remove, along with IV chemotherapy and pain medication. We didn’t want to put him through that. We made the decision to set him free on a good day, surrounded by love, to run forever with the Skydog Spirit Herd. #skydogtoby
Vegas
Vegas was one of several Kiger mustangs that we took from a local rescue that was shutting down. The white hairs and scars on her face told us her life was hard before she was saved. She and Read adored each other and shared a pen right next to Clare’s house, so her sweet face would greet her every morning. She nickered softly to say hello and ask for a carrot. One day, Read decided to open the latch on their pen and lead his mares, Vegas and Badger, out to be wild horses. They had a great time of it, running the hills, but when their age caught up with them, they didn’t mind coming in to take it easy. Vegas really slowed down and the vet told us she didn’t have long. She was in her thirties when she laid down and passed peacefully in her sleep. All night, her devoted Read stood over her. In the morning, he came to get us and lead us to her body. She was a good old girl, whose final years with us were very happy. Run free forever now, sweet Vegas. #skydogvegas
Vinnie
Vinnie the first animal l ever rescued and I did it on my first date with Chris - the man I would marry nine months later. I was looking for a companion for my horse, Elvis, and Vinnie had been advertised by a rescue in Simi Valley. I adopted him and Chris made a donation to the organization. A few days later, they emailed me to say that they had saved three horses from going to slaughter with that money. This was the first I had ever heard about equine slaughter. If that donation had saved that many animals, we could save a lot more. Vinnie planted the seeds that sprouted into Skydog and a passion for animal rescue that has only grown stronger. The OG of SD, he kicked off the trend of giving our donkeys gangster names. He was smart and affectionate and had a lady love, Red..He was one of the “highwaymen”, who mobbed us at the Malibu gate in their fly masks demanding hugs, tickles, and cookies. We were hoping for a miracle to fix his feet and did everything possible, but it was beyond us. I like to think of him running with the herd in the sky with the best new feet, trotting on the softest clouds. Good bye, my old friend. You are a legend, who left a legacy while taking a piece of my heart with you. #skydogvinnie