Young Tucker is learning lessons in #wildhorse #herd dynamics and just how far he can push the limits with his elders. Hubbell, who was one of his very first friends, watches out for him with paternal patience after Marvyn gives him a run for his money. He is being mentored by the best.

Many of our #wildhorses never accept cookies, but Buckley isn’t one of them! So sorry to not have any with me when he asks so sweetly! Saved in 2022 - a year when we focused on Special Needs rescues - with Arizona, Paris, Fig & Snow White, here is his story: www.skydogranch.org/arizona-then...

After a night of sheltering in the barn while it rained, these boys kick up their heels in joy at being released back on to space. The new ranch in Santa Ynez is for seniors and special needs rescues. Many are lame with arthritis and ringbone at the run, but they are living their best lives.

A herd of #skydog #wildhorses #donkeys #zonkeys and a #mule with the splendid backdrop of winter aspens and orange willows. The sight of these healthy, happy rescues blended with the greens of spring and a light mist settles my soul and makes me incredibly proud.

Curly Girl is a kill pen save who was so lucky to join this family, where she’s thrived with motherly guidance from the #mares. She is loved and adored by all the kids of #bluezeus, including her grooming buddy, Flora, who is one of his daughters with the mare Gaia.

Stargazer was not part of the family of #bluezeus on the range, but joined them at Skydog Sanctuary. She’s best friends with Nyx, another roan beauty and BZ’s daughter with the mare Gaia. The kids have all been gentled, but the parents remain #wildhorses and are raising them the wild way.

Blue Zeus in all his splendor, eating with his family. He may not be the biological father of Huckleberry, but has played that role in his life in every other way. We continue working to get #bluezeusthemovie on a streaming platform, which is not easy, but we’ll find a way to share this story.

Our #wildhorse #sanctuary in Oregon is vast at over 9,000 acres. It covers a lot of land at different elevations reaching a peak at close to 5,000 feet up above Sheep's Rock. We finally got some of the snow we have been hoping for all winter.

The arrival of Monroe, Dickens, and Sundown, whom we renamed Palli. The first two are well on their way to recovery, but Palli is awfully thin and the most fearful of humans. A wonderful volunteer, Julianna, made it her mission to make friends with him and help him relax.

Ocean’s reunion with Sunny & Birch, friends from the wild, separated from each other at a kill pen. It was also his introduction to Wild Boy’s band of geldings with all the ceremonial squealing, stomping and running together. Perfection. #wildhorses

Travel buddies are so important for traumatized, abused horses. Dickens took comfort by resting his head across Sundown’s back. Monroe, who is pregnant, was in the next compartment and joined them on the ride to their new lives in Santa Ynez.

Elderly #mustangs in kill pens, who’ve seen the worst of humanity, cannot imagine the thousands of compassionate people, who acted to stop their suffering. They cannot imagine the green hills and oak gullies in Santa Ynez, where they will soon recover and heal with other seniors.

Fundraising for a sad, defeated 22yo mustang, who seems to have completely given up. Born in BLM holding in Fallon, Dickens has never known the wild. He does know what it is to have the life worked out of him before being dumped. He deserves sanctuary in Santa Ynez CA. To donate: bit.ly/3I1ucWT

Fundraising for a 27yo Twin Peaks golden Palomino. So many youngsters from that CA herd are being sold SA and landing in kill pens. With vision issues and a crusty eye, he startles easily. We want to give him love, care, peace & quiet in sanctuary in Santa Ynez. To donate: bit.ly/3I1ucWT

U.S. equine exports for slaughter have increased for the first time in over 10 years. #Wildhorses and #burros, animals placed under federal protection by Congress more than fifty years ago with huge public support, are contributing to that count. bit.ly/4dVKTEi

If you went to the BLM adoption event in Hugo, Oklahoma this past weekend, please reach out if you have photos of horses or the sales list.

After weeks in the barn for an injury, Whisper returns to his devoted mother, Aerial, best buddy, Dalton, and the rest of his #wildhorse herd - little mule, Shasta, included. They call and race to each other with so much excitement that he literally jumps for joy. A reunion of utter elation.

Names are a challenge if I’m too far away to see identifiable markings. The wildest #wildhorses don’t let us get too close. Thank goodness for the zoom lens! Sponsors ask to see their horses and we do regular herd checks, but now and again I am stumped as you see with Nugget!

6/ We worked with rescues to save 6 of the 15 #wildhorses. When the BLM failed to act and the horses were just days from shipping, some fantastic contacts helped us save the remaining “Kaufman 9”. KLAS News8 in Las Vegas has been covering the story: bit.ly/41sB9tP

5/ We reported the four who bought the 15 #wildhorses & took them directly to the kill pen. We hoped they would be banned for life from buying any more. In our letter of complaint, we demanded the BLM seize the horses back from the kill pen to prevent them shipping to slaughter. The BLM did nothing.

4/ The buyers certified under penalty of federal law that they agreed to these conditions on the BLM’s Bill of Sale for the 15 #wildhorses.

3/ Each buyer had signed a sales contract attesting under penalty of perjury that they would not do what they did just hours later: give away, sell or resell them to any person or organization that will sell them for commercial slaughter.

2/ The 12 #mares and 3 #geldings were held at BLM’s Palomino Valley holding facility outside Reno before being shipped to an adoption event in Livingston, Texas held on Feb. 27–28. Sale records show the animals were purchased Feb. 28, 2026. on.doi.gov/4sqCtcw

1/ The Kaufman 15 #wildhorses were sold Sale Authority (SA) at a BLM adoption event in Livingston, Texas to a husband, wife, and two others from Pollok, Texas who drove them directly to the Last Chance Direct Ship Horses kill pen in Kaufman, Texas. This is a federal offense.

I understand the #mare Rapunzel for being defensive after all she’s been thru with humans - she’s seen the worst. I adore her for being protective of Moonshadow. Soon enough, she’ll understand we’re on the same team with restoring her friend’s health and happiness as our goal. #wildhorses

I whole heartedly believe that they are the highest of spiritual beings. They are here to remind us of our true essence and humanity to guide us home to kindness and compassion.

Moonshadow & Rapunzel are home at last! After nearly 2 months in Quarantine, Moonshadow is still so thin.They found their hay bins, grain buckets, and fresh water. Janelle will guide them thru the chute with the vet here tomorrow. Now we can give these lovely #mares everything they need to heal.

Ford - a majestic #blueroan #wildhorse from Devil’s Garden CA - was repeatedly returned to USFS corrals for being “too wild to handle”. So they reached out to us about #sanctuary. He joined a herd of very wild guys, but bonded with a tamer soul, Tesoro, his best friend. His story: bit.ly/3PC9RhT

Our Quarantine told us Ocean was terrified of people. He tried desperately to get away every time she went to feed him. With Socks as a calming travel buddy, we brought him home sooner than planned. He needs open space with #wildhorse friends and we shall give him both.

“When I saw Whiskey prancing through the wild mustard growing in his new home, it looked to me like he was aging backwards.” ~ Photographer Scott Wilson / Photo Advocacy

The day before embarking upon the home stretch of their journey to #skydogsanctuary, #mares Moonshadow & Rapunzel shed their old dreadlocks. Along with painful, frightening memories of what they have suffered, they are leaving them behind to begin new lives as #wildhorses.

“Skydog initially worked with rescues to save six of the 15 #wildhorses, with 2 coming to #Skydog directly. After BLM failed to act and the horses were just days from shipping, Skydog founder Clare Staples stepped in to rescue the other nine.” Read article: bit.ly/4d001jK

“Grassroots, literally. I toured hundreds of acres of lush habitat at #SantaYnez as #Skydog founder, Clare Staples & her local fencing contractor contemplated the massive undertaking to fence the open boundary, so that hundreds of #wildhorses can enjoy life outside of federal holding.” -Scott Wilson

Maverick - a #quarterhorse, not a #mustang - was left here by a ranch hand and joined a wild herd. With a seahorse blaze, he’s still got some great moves for a 30yo. He was delighted when treatment for a skin infection ended so he could leave the barn and go back to his friends.

THANK YOU! Ocean is arriving at Quarantine thanks to everyone who helped him. We usually rest during winter months, but now there are so many Sale Authority #wildhorses landing in terrible places. We are working flat out to save the ones we can as long as we have the support to do so.

Fundraising for 4yo Ocean, rounded up by BLM from Twin Peaks CA in 2024. Sent to an adoption event in OK last August. Sold Sale Authority for $25 in the BLM’s "Sales to Slaughter" scheme: his buyer broke federal law to turn a profit by flipping him at a kill pen. To donate: bit.ly/3I1ucWT

Majesty came to us #pregnant. Her belly has doubled in size and she’s eating enough calories for 2. In preparation for nursing a new #foal in this safe place, she begins to #wean Precious by encouraging her to eat and play with the other kids in the baby pen - Pepper, Marcie Marshmallow & Forest.

“‘Twas green, ‘twas green, the bloomin’ world was shades of green and no other colors could be seen, just green on green with green in between, the day the world was shades of green.” #happystpatricksday2026

We knew Pegasus had wings when he jumped a 6’ fence after being rounded up by the BLM from #SandWashBasin. He still flies out of the chute faster than any of the other #wildhorses, exiting in the record time of 4 seconds. His injury has healed, so we can turn him back out with his best buddy, Rocky.

The ‘Well Pasture Herd’ came in for wormer, shots, and hoof care (if needed). The quick in and out gave us a little close up time with Jasper, Bobcat, Donatello, and some of our wilder #wildhorse boys like Drifter, Dundee and Mesteño.

Abraxas lived wild on the #WY range for nearly 3 decades before the BLM rounded him up. His freedom restored at #skydogsanctuary, he covered lots of ground with his best friend, Condor, until he passed yesterday. The hard part of rescuing senior #wildhorses is we never have enough time with them.

As stunningly beautiful and intelligent as her namesake, #mare Hedy Lamarr comes from the Bible Springs complex in #Utah. The BLM permits 16 grazing allotments equating to 3,044 cows and 1,674 sheep, while allowing only 80-170 #wildhorses on this 216,000-acre HMA. Photo: Scott Wilson / Photoadvocacy

A parade of luscious, long, shiny tails. While we have the #wildhorses in the hydraulic chute, the crew spends a lot of time - and many bottles of Cowboy Magic - untangling and brushing out severely matted #tails. It’s a hard, physical, endless task and so worth the effort.

Cruiser’s colorful, happy family coming in for spring shots, dewormer and hoof trims (if needed). Once discarded, injured, weak #wildmustangs, their spirits, shiny coats (even in winter), long, healthy tails and bright eyes have been restored. I love seeing Nugget throw a kick.

Testing 😂

Incredibly hardy, resourceful, intuitive, true survivors, #burros are able to live on very little, with little water. They get thru bitter winters digging for food in deep snow, and dig deep wells to reach ground water during drought when water availability from streams decreases. #donkeys #longears

Outlaw is #SouthSteens #wildhorse royalty, grandson of Renegade & Lupine. Four generations of his family came to Skydog Sanctuary when he was a tiny #foal. When Renegade passed, the #mares in his band formed a fierce matriarchy that taught him to swim in ponds, rest among Aspens, run wild & free.

“Wild horse slaughter is opposed by the vast majority of Americans. Yet the federal bureaucracy charged with protecting these animals is moving thousands of them into a marketplace where slaughter is not just possible – it is the most likely outcome.” bit.ly/3NaFXQZ

Sunny & Birch were 3 years old when we saved them from a kill pen along with other young #mustangs and #babies. We’ve been gathering evidence to show the Bureau of Land Management is using the Sale Authority (SA) loophole to shuttle #wildhorses into the slaughter pipeline. #animalcruelty

1/ BREAKING NEWS - A huge development in our investigation into Sale Authority (SA) babies. The BLM just released the numbers for SA sales in FY2025. They show the most dramatic spike ever in numbers of horses sold SA without protections vs adoptions.