penny

When we first saw a photograph of Copper Penny, she didn’t look very shiny. Her coat was dull and her mane was matted. She seemed to have given up, looked defeated and in distress.

Penny came to us via a TIP trainer (a BLM program that no longer exists). She had suffered a massive, catastrophic injury on the range, which meant she could never be ridden. The trainer knew if she returned a defensive, explosive horse with severe injury to the corrals, the BLM would euthanize her, so she asked us to take her. We were not sure she would be able to have a life without pain or suffering, but we wanted to give her that chance. We said yes and this wonderful trainer drove her to Skydog.

Penny was still wearing her BLM tag and halter with rope when she arrived. We weren't sure how serious or recent her injury was, so we made the call to let her walk to her pen loose. We could have run her through the chute, but we knew Penny was scared of them. We chose to take the time to win her trust. Janelle gentled her in a cooperative process that requires skill and patience. In a couple hours, she had the tag and halter off and Penny appreciated that. As we got to know her, she revealed her fierce and beautiful spirit. She’s a warrior, the definition of mustang strong.

She was checked by the veterinarian. Once she was cleared to go out, we took it very slowly. We were advised not to let her over-exert herself in case her broken ribs prevented her from breathing properly. We brought in darling Aspen to make friends with her before turning them out in a wild herd. Horses don’t see disfigurement or disability - they see heart, strength and spirit. Penny is a proud leader and one of Phoenix’s favorite mares.

Today, she shines like a brand new copper penny. Running free, her injury is fine and doesn't prevent her from being a wild horse. If her hair is ever matted, it’s with fairy knots in her mane. They say, “See a Penny pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck.” Penny brings us a life time of good fortune.

#skydogpenny

American 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 2025 (H.R.1661 in the House and S.775 in the Senate). This bill would amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the “Farm Bill”. There are several important provisions for animals in that omnibus federal law, including the Cat and Dog Meat Trade Prohibition Act. It is currently illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell, or donate dogs and cats, or their parts, for human consumption. The SAFE Act would extend the ban to equines and shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

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

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches and stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs.

Bills from the previous 118th Congress that we hope will be introduced again this 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.