RUSTY & Suede

We saved Rusty (22) and Suede (11) together in 2022. Both wild horses were rounded up from California herd areas, Rusty from Twin Peaks and Suede from Fox Hog. These lands are managed by US Forest Service instead of BLM, but they are just as unscrupulous about swapping out wild horses for the livestock of commercial ranchers.

Rusty had been dumped on someone’s land, captured, and sold to a trader. He and Suede ended up with a notorious horse trader near Sacramento, who abused them violently, leaving them terrified of humans. He shut Suede in a box and put  a saddle on him to sell him as "broke" which he definitely wasn't. It’s terrifying to a prey animal, who has no idea what is happening or any way to escape. Their nerves were shattered and they needed time to rest in Malibu.

It is so important to pick the right first friends, especially when the new horse is healing and needs support, not a fight. There will be plenty of time for hierarchy conversations later on when they have regained their strength and balance. It was such a sweet moment when we found Rusty mutually grooming with Graham Cracker and Suede came over to join in. I truly believe equines recognize trauma in new arrivals and they do all they can to console and comfort them. They feel it and extend themselves to heal the psychic wounds caused by roundups, separation, loss, auctions, and violence.

What helped Suede most was the arrival of another traumatized soul, Pony Boy. His need triggered something deep in Suede, a memory or instinct from the past that gave him purpose. He doted on little Pony Boy and protected him. By devoting himself to healing another, he healed himself. When we moved them up to Oregon, they were strong and confident. They run with Atsa’s herd, a very wild bunch of survivors.

Rusty spent some time with the wild boys, but he was happier with the sweet and mellow guys he met when we brought him in with Tank to put on weight. From the moment they met, he bonded with Reno, who has ringbone after years of riding rough terrain with US Border Patrol. This condition would make it hard for him to run hills trying to keep up with a herd, but we turned out other boys from that pen. Once the band started running, Rusty stopped and told us he would rather stay back. He wants to live the quiet life with Reno in their spacious pen, where they get special feed and care.

We love that they have a choice. Choice is everything that was taken away from these horses. We know they’re smart enough to make decisions about what they like and want and how important the bonds of friendship are in the choices they make.

#skydogrusty #skydogsuede

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