The Brand of a Mustang
There are times that some of the real “gems” in life, for those of us who have been captured by the spirit of Equus, come to us when we aren’t looking. Josie is one of them, and not just for me…
Since my herd had gotten down to three horses from the five I had on our “Paddock Paradise” track system for many years, I had been noticing that the amount of movement had decreased. One of my horses, Dash, had gained some excess pounds. Collectively, they are Sage, a flashy tri-colored tobiano Arab/Paint who I purchased when he was 4 and is now 25, and has been here the longest. Dash, a classic colorful Appaloosa from Rosemary Farm Sanctuary when he was 3, and is currently 15 years old and finally Bo (Bojangles), a stunning Palomino Paint, with a watch eye, when he was 8, also from Rosemary Farm Sanctuary. He is currently 20 years old. Each of them came with their names.
I have met countless horses in my travels over the years. Especially since becoming a Certified Holistic Hoof Care Practitioner. Some have stood out more than others, and they all have unique personalities. I have learned so many things about horses, mini’s, mules, donkeys and even a zonkey! When you have an open and listening spirit they become the teachers. I remain the student, open to their wisdom of who they are as a species, as individuals in the environment where they live with their herd, and with us humans as their guardians.
One morning, I received a message from Mary Debonis, who operates Mustang Valley Sanctuary about a Mustang that just arrived. She wanted me to come and pull her shoes. Mary said she was in a crowded holding paddock with 60+ other horses bound for Canada from Pennsylvania for slaughter. The truck driver contacted her to ask if she had room for the mare. The word went out and the funds were raised quickly and she was on her way to the Sanctuary in the beautiful Schoharie Valley.
A few days later I went to pull her shoes. When I saw her, she was thin and had bite marks and scrapes from the crowded paddock experience. She was in quarantine. When I looked at her shoes, I said, “this is an Amish buggy horse”. She had heel caulks and borium on all 4 shoes. I was unaware that the Amish used Mustangs, but apparently some do. So, I removed her shoes and would come back in 2 weeks to trim her. This has been my long time approach to transitioning from shoes to barefoot for the majority of horses.
I thought she looked more like a Morgan than a Mustang. We received a letter from the BLM on how both Morgan and Thoroughbred lines are in the Mustangs from the Antelope Valley where she was captured at the age of 5. Apparently Cavalry Units sent some of their Morgans and Thoroughbreds out with the wild Mustangs to breed hardier horses for use in the desert terrain. Nothing is known about her life after she left the BLM and the interception at the auction in Pennsylvania. She is 18.
When I returned to trim her hooves 2 weeks later, she was still decompressing from the experience of the move. She was really sweet, and made a heartfelt impression on me. I sponsored her care for the first month. I had my long time friend and Holistic Equine Dentist, Wendy Bryant, examine and float her teeth. It’s also a time when I can get my hands inside a horses mouth and Wendy asks me to tell her what I am feeing. It’s my yearly opportunity to learn more and make correlations between the balance of the teeth, and how it relates to the rest of the body.
Wendy balancing her incisors (above) and me feeling her lower molars (below)
It was also on that day when I decided to bring her to my place. My “boys” had been without a mare since our herd Matriarch, Maizie passed on a few years ago. They just were not the same.
She arrived on June 6th. After a couple of days, I decided to name her “Josie”, after my Grandmother. My Mom’s- Mom, Josephine. She was called Josie or Jo by family and friends. I called her, Nana. She often drove up from Yonkers to take me riding at Templed Hills when I was a teen ager, and happened to be with me when Mrs. B asked me to work for her when her help didn’t show up that day. That’s another story…
The above two photos were taken the day she arrived. The acceptance and the wholeness of the herd was undeniable
All my boys were very excited to see a new horse, especially a MARE, arrive in their space. And a very “awake” mare at that! They thundered through the track to greet her. Living the first five years of her life in the wild shaped her to be very different than any horse I have ever had. After a few laps around our “Paddock Paradise” track system, with the others close behind, she discovered the boundaries, the water hole and where the hay and shelters were located. I have no expectations. I am giving her the space to heal.
She was on the thin side when she arrived at the Sanctuary. She occasionally had blood in her left nostril and her hooves were full of stress rings (below). Stress mainly from pulling a buggy on pavement in metal shoes. She assimilated into the routine here quickly. Movement around the property increased more than 50%, so everyone is more awake now.
I worked with her using The Emotion Code on November 22, 2023, and saw her health significantly improve over the next few weeks. She had a gait issue in the right hind from her hip when she arrived that has completely disappeared, and she would sometimes have blood in her left nostril that has also disappeared. There are no time limits or agenda. I expect to update her story with new pictures as time and healing take place. Be looking for a Josie update!
I started to write this story shortly after Josie became a part of our herd. Then, in August, I had to take a hiatus from writing while caring for my Mother on Hospice. Unfortunately, during that time we lost our longest herd member of 21 years, Sage (the dark Arab/ Paint) on August 26th unexpectedly. My heart is still heavy. He is the ONE responsible for directing me towards going barefoot and embarking on my life changing journey into Holistic Hoof Care that began in 2007. His story, will be next in the “Every Horse Has a Story” Series.
Thanks Freya. I think I have about 5 books in my head! My adventures with horses has been a real "ride" for sure...and it isn't over yet.
You have a wonderful way of writing Geri that keeps ones interest as well as teaches us things that may be none of us ever realized about Horses! I think you should write a book!