SINATRA
All the way from Twin Peaks to Skykdog via the BLM in California, Nevada, and Nebraska, Sinatra is a miracle mustang, that’s for sure! In a way, his journey began with Dani California. Also from Twin Peaks, her story inspired filmmakers Jamie Baldanza and Deb Lee Carson to make the pilot for a docu-series, Wild Lands Wild Horses, in the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA). At that time, this herd was relatively unknown and undocumented. It is there that Jamie and Deb photographed and fell in love with Sinatra - aka Blue Eyes, a magnificent stallion, whose confidence was expressed in his elegant swagger and strut.
Sinatra was originally captured by an unscrupulous rancher, who appreciated his splendor enough to breed him to his mares before calling the BLM to take him away, which is just obscene. Luckily, this horse had a band of guardian angels over his shoulder, who tracked him down. He had been shipped from California to Nevada and, finally, Nebraska to long-term holding, where he would have disappeared forever. That would normally have been the end of his story. but this group of ladies did not give up. The BLM finally rewarded their relentless efforts by having the truck pull over on the road to Nebraska and unload Sinatra so they could pick him up.
This is the first I have ever heard of such a thing happening. I praise and applaud these determined, passionate, and wild-horse-loving women for working together for the good of a mustang. When Jamie called me, she was hesitant to ask me to take another horse, but it was our pleasure to join forces with this group to give Sinatra a happily-ever-after ending at Skydog. Thanks to all the people who donated for him, joined us on Patreon, and participated in Jamie’s fundraiser, we had enough to cover his haul, his intake, and the months of care he was going to need.
When Sinatra arrived, he was drained. The dramatic change of freedom and geography took its toll on him mentally, emotionally, and physically. He needed time to eat, drink and nap in peace and quiet. He was, however, unexpectedly calm about people coming close to him or loud noises. We quickly understood that he didn’t feel well. Many a wild mustang gives up the fight when they feel sick - and Sinatra, it turned out, was very sick. I believe the stress of capture and loss of family, followed by gelding and so many hauls in a short period of time, compromised his health and left him very vulnerable.
A lot of people don’t realize how frequently wild equines, who are saved from holding facilities, auctions, and kill pens arrive with serious and severe medical conditions. This is one of many reasons we oppose mass bailing. It takes a lot of time and observation to get to know and be able to read a horse in order to understand what they need. If they are sick enough to require hospitalization, but that’s not possible because they’re not tame, we undertake their care here with the help of a hydraulic chute, an indispensable piece of equipment in caring for wild equines.
Sinatra was diagnosed with severe kidney disease, as well as pneumonia. Horses often won't drink on hauls, which can lead to dehydration, which is so hard on the kidneys. He needed to be in the chute many times both day and night so an IV could flood his body with fluids to turn this around. Ol’ Blue Eyes was astoundingly stoic about standing through repeated treatments and I am so proud of our staff for getting him through this.
What a relief and joy it was when we could finally turn him out. He has become best friends with Neptune, a Chincoteague pony, who was too wild to accept domestication. Sinatra has a very specific blaze that adds to his charm by giving his face an almost lopsided appearance. It makes him easy to spot him in a crowd, if you aren’t close enough to know him by those piercing blue eyes. His health and happiness are a tribute to so many people, who came together to do right by this extraordinary mustang.
Jamie and Deb have made this pilot episode of the docu-series available free of charge on Youtube. They want to raise awareness of what is happening to wild horses on public lands and need your help to protect them.
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
See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches, stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs, and defund the Adoption Incentive Program.