Mustang Lives Matter

MHBS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that offers sanctuary to equines at risk of slaughter, particularly mustangs.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM ) is rounding up and warehousing thousands of wild horses and burros every year.  But, there are limited homes available for them.  Wild horses have many fears to overcome in order to live in a domestic environment.  Their reactions to fear are often misunderstood and taken for aggression.  This results in stronger and more dominating methods to "train" them. This increases their fear reactions of flight or fight.  Often, they wind up at auctions and then slaughter plants because they cannot be safely handled or ridden.  Horse slaughter is even more brutal than cattle slaughter because when the stun gun is shot at their faces intending to knock them unconscious, horses typically move their head and are not rendered unconscious.  Often, they suffer facial bone fractures when the bolt from the stun gun misses.  And, they are conscious through the slaughter process. 

MHBS started with a homeless, older burro, Rosie who had minimal handling.   Shortly afterward, MHBS purchased two "three strike" mustangs from the BLM (Traveler and Red Cloud).  Three strike mustangs are considered unadoptable and/or have been passed over for adoption at three events. Sometimes, they have been adopted out and returned due to difficulty in handling.

In later 2018 and early 2019, MHBS fostered a young horse that had been seized by law enforcement due to neglect and then a burro whose elderly owner could not longer care for her.  Both were owned by another equine sanctuary that needed help to care for them.  MHBS provided basic groundwork skills and colt starting for the foster horse and some basic handling for the burro.

All equines at our sanctuary are available for adoption.

Our First Adoption:  A two year old paint gelding!!! He completed colt starting and when three years old will be ready for training as a saddle horse.   We wish him a long and happy and healthy life with his new family!!

Red Cloud is  a handsome five year old sorrel gelding, about  14.3 hands.   Initially, he was extremely fearful and hard to handle.  Thus, his training took a long time.  Now, his ground manners are good and he is advanced in colt starting but is still nervous with new handlers.. Nevertheless,  a farrier, and a veterinarian can handle him.  He had soft tissue injury when he arrived and while it seemed to improve, he is showing pain behaviors again. 

His half brother, Traveler is a  handsome bay about 13.5 hands high.  He has Spanish mustang bloodlines.   He is willing, learns quickly and enjoys interacting with handlers and learning new things. He was started in training as a riding horse but he bucks a little and needs more work..  Generally, he gets used to new people rather quickly if they handle him gently.  Unexpected movement from a handler may still cause him to react.  He has not yet accepted a rider and bucked a lot in getting used to a saddle. 

Rosie is a  jenny about  12 - 15 years old and about 11 hands high.  She has a calming influence on the horses.  She and Carlita clearly enjoy each others company.   Rosie loves to be groomed and have her neck scratched.  She stands still for the farrier.  Rosie has a metabolic disorder but does not require medications, only a reduced sugar diet..  Her favorite treats are carrots.

1. Carlita is probably in her twenties.  She has founder in her right front foot but this does not stop her from guarding her feed bucket energetically or trying to steal food from someone else's feed bucket.. 

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Please donate to our organization to help these equines and to help more in the future.  

And, huge THANK YOU for our donors who we count on to keep the doors open.  

#Giving Tuesday is swiftly approaching.  Due to a hot dry summer, we need hay! We would like to acquire another horse or two next year, but need your help to make this happen. 

This past year has been very hectic.  It consisted of feeding, grooming, training our resident equines and all other care for them scheduling farrier and veterinary visits, mucking stalls, treating flea bites, parasite control).  And management of the fences and pastures, and rain water control in Spring.

In particular, we need a two horse tandem trailer or stock trailer, wagon to carry large bales of hay, more turn out blankets and monthly feed and parasite control. In addition, one mustang is in training as a saddle horse.  He spent a month earlier in the year but is very resistant in letting a rider on his back.  The second horse is not fully healed from a soft tissue injury and training is at a standstill at this time.

 EMAIL us at mustanghorseandburrosanctuary@gmail.com