Latest / The Touch of a Mustang / What It Really Takes to Rescue a Horse with Rescue Ranchito | Episode 57

Transcript

What It Really Takes to Rescue a Horse with Rescue Ranchito | Episode 57 · The Touch of a Mustang

0:00
What is rescue to us? Rescue is the transformation of
0:03
these animals into safe, happy, healthy beings that can then go
0:08
on to be a safe companions and partners.
0:10
And so the initial rescue, I, I don't even really call that
0:14
rescue because that's just the. Initial.
0:16
Save. Yeah, it's the initial save to
0:18
us. I do think that a rescue
0:20
community needs to be held to higher standard, that it's not
0:23
enough just to donate and then save them from loading onto a
0:27
truck. Yes, that's that's great.
0:30
But then what next? You should be able to see that
0:32
process all the way through and be able to know their story.
0:35
We're all about transparency and about telling their stories so
0:39
that really people can connect to how far they've come.
0:42
And that to me is is rescue. There are healers on this planet
0:47
with the power to soften the suffering of mankind if they
0:51
have remained in the recesses of the world, abused, discarded and
0:55
labeled as trash. This is the touch of a Mustang.
0:58
I am your host, Shalise Clough, and I'm here to tell the story
1:03
of wild horses, Mustangs, and the humans who are discovering
1:07
and sharing their gifts while working to protect their
1:09
well-being and preserve their spirit so this divine power
1:13
won't be lost. Join us on this quest with the
1:17
Wild Mustang. Aaron and Casey, thanks so much
1:25
for being here today on the Touch of a Mustang podcast.
1:29
To start with, can you guys introduce yourselves to the
1:31
audience and tell us a little bit about the work that you guys
1:34
do? Absolutely.
1:34
So I'm Aaron and this is my sister Casey.
1:37
And we founded our rescue, Rescue Ranchito 3 years ago now.
1:42
We just recently passed our three-year anniversary.
1:46
Congratulations. Thank you.
1:48
Yeah, it's exciting. We have been in the sort of
1:50
rescue horse worlds, excuse me, since we were girls, but this is
1:54
like our official sort of, you know, heart souls work out there
1:58
now for three years. So yeah.
2:00
And we we focus on Mustangs and Burrows who are wind up in
2:05
really precarious situations. Auctions kill pens.
2:09
And we do help with owner surrenders too.
2:12
But we generally focus on the Mustangs and Burrows that, yeah,
2:15
are, are in the auction system. What?
2:17
LED you to head that direction. Well, we are the origins.
2:22
The story of our rescue work really begins in the kill pens
2:27
of Buoy Livestock Auction. We were inspired by several
2:31
rescues that would go on the ground, document what was
2:35
happening and try to help as many horses and and animals as
2:38
they could. So Aaron and I just kind of felt
2:42
like, well, we can do this too. We've been rescuing all of our
2:45
personal horses and since we were little girls have been
2:48
rescues from off the track thoroughbred to, you know, kill
2:52
pen and you know, so we've always been and even our dogs
2:55
and cats are all rescues. So, you know, we've always it's
2:58
really resonated with us to, you know, help where we can.
3:02
And so, so we, we were like, well, and Aaron was to want to
3:07
like kick this off. And you know, she's the, the
3:09
brave 1. You know, she has said, let's
3:11
just do this. Let's do this as our life's
3:14
work, like let's do a non profit, let's do a rescue.
3:16
And so we were just like, yeah, let's do it.
3:20
But it was a learning curve because we show up at these kill
3:24
pens and the need is just so immense that we really just felt
3:28
like, how do we do this? You know, because you could
3:30
really just become so overwhelmed so quickly.
3:33
Yeah. We kind of started out just
3:36
casting a wide net, you know, kind of whoever resonated with
3:42
us, we were trying to pull and help and being a small rescue
3:45
just starting out, it was just not sustainable to just kind of
3:49
pull whoever. So that's when we really started
3:52
doing our soul searching and saying like, hey, like if we're
3:54
going to do this, we have to have a focus and we really need
3:57
to kind of have a lane, if you will.
4:00
So that's where we decided to focus on the the BLM Mustangs.
4:04
It's like. Such a crazy space.
4:07
The, the kill pens as, I mean, I'm sure everyone can imagine
4:11
they're just sort of intense. This particular one down in, in
4:15
Bowie, TX. I mean, you can have, I mean,
4:18
horses are run through there all month long, but once a month.
4:21
So the first weekend of every month they run a public auction
4:23
and they, I mean, they can have, I mean we, we went for what, 6
4:28
months I believe. And I mean, they can have 7-8,
4:32
100 horses that run through the auction every month.
4:34
So just generally on its face, that is just, you know, walking
4:38
into a space with that many horses is just, you know, as a
4:41
horse person and a horse lover, you're just sort of like, what
4:44
in the world is happening here? And then on top of it, this
4:49
facility is also a kill pen, meaning that they they actively
4:54
ship horses to Mexico. And so they kind of get one of
5:00
our original sort of inspirations behind what we
5:03
decided when we first started. She always says they end up, you
5:07
know, at this particular place for a reason, these horses,
5:12
which is, Needless to say, no part of their own, but they do.
5:15
And so for us, I think like what Casey was alluding to, like kind
5:19
of casting this wide net being a small non profit was kind of was
5:26
not like the best idea, but we we tried it just because, you
5:30
know, we, we can only we're rescued.
5:32
So that is different than a sanctuary, meaning once we
5:37
rescue an animal, we will rehab it in whatever way that looks.
5:41
And then we either train or retrain and then we adopt them
5:45
out versus say like a sanctuary, that animal, then we'll stay at
5:48
that place at that rescue for the entirety of their life.
5:51
So that means, you know, once we bring an animal in, they have to
5:55
kind of have a path forward to eventually end up somewhere like
5:59
a really, you know, where we can get into that as we go along.
6:01
But, you know, we have a rigorous sort of screening
6:04
process of where all these animals go.
6:05
But so, you know, when you end up kind of rescuing, they were
6:10
all amazing. Every single animal that we
6:12
rescued in that summer are are dear to us and all are doing
6:16
great. But a few of them were like sort
6:17
of unrideable, which you know, is a little bit harder for us to
6:21
to adopt out. So anyway, it was just kind of
6:24
this amazingly, just the most crazy learning experience I've
6:27
probably had. And I'm so it was pretty crazy
6:30
to, you know, as we joke, it's like the learning curve was just
6:33
like a, a Cliff of not only just what is happening literally on
6:38
the ground, but you know what, what is rescue?
6:42
What is it? Because at first, you know, it's
6:45
like, well, save its life. That's it.
6:47
That's, that's the end of the story.
6:49
That's what you have to do. That's why, right.
6:52
And, you know, I'm sure, you know, we've all seen that on on
6:55
social media. You know, that's like kind of a
6:57
big thing on social media, if you will.
6:59
Like kind of. This this sort?
7:01
Of, you know, dramatic, you know, and it is dramatic, don't
7:04
get me wrong. Like dramatic push to raise
7:07
funds to save an animal. And that is amazing and all well
7:10
and good, but you know, speak, you know, preaching to the
7:13
choir. Like there's so much more that
7:15
comes after that. So and that is sort of what we
7:18
kind of got into learning like, you know what, what comes after
7:21
bidding on them in the auction ring and then paying for them
7:25
because there's like a lot, it's like so.
7:27
And you don't. Yeah, Excuse me.
7:29
You don't really see, I haven't seen a lot of that on social
7:33
media or whatnot. Like what happens after this
7:35
horse leaves the killer pen? Like what is the path for then?
7:38
You think someone has them that hopefully is good and hopefully
7:42
they're fine. Unfortunately that's not always
7:44
the case. There are rescues that have
7:47
ended up in really bad situations or not been honest in
7:50
their. Public.
7:52
Yeah, yeah. So yeah, maybe talk a little bit
7:55
more about that. What, what does rescue really
7:59
mean? Because yeah, like you guys say,
8:01
it's more than just we raise the fun.
8:04
They're leaving the kill pen. It's a much longer process that
8:08
yeah, I think you're right, a lot of people don't see.
8:10
So walk us through that. Yes.
8:12
So we can take one of our Mustangs, will it for example.
8:15
So in July of 2020, we were at the Bowie Livestock auction and
8:22
we came across this Mustang who we named Will it.
8:26
He was actually owned by one of the barn riders at the auction,
8:30
So somebody that will ride the horses through for a fee.
8:33
And he was basically traded a lady for this horse because Will
8:39
it was just too much horse for Will it for this lady.
8:43
She basically gave this horse to this barn rider and he just
8:47
immediately to basically brought him to auction and said like,
8:50
I'm going to sell them. So he just said he's been he's
8:54
had 60 days of training. He sorry, hold on.
8:57
Training, training. Quote UN quote training, Yeah, I
9:01
mean which fair enough. God, think about kids having 60
9:04
days of education, like that's nothing, right?
9:06
So like, you know, and he's like, oh, he's been known to
9:09
jump, jump 6 foot round pens. And so it's like, wow, so
9:12
already we were like, what type of pressure is being used on
9:15
this horse for him to feel like he?
9:17
Needs and if I may interrupt, Yeah, he when we first saw him,
9:20
he was getting him out of that pen and he almost jumped at it.
9:23
And the Bowie pans are 6. Feet.
9:24
That's the horse. We're like, so we, so we're
9:27
like, that's the horse for us, you know, cuz we just felt for
9:32
him deeply and we just immediately felt a connection.
9:34
So we're like, we're gonna get this horse.
9:35
And so we, we brought him, you know, he quarantined in Texas
9:39
and then we brought him back to, we were located in Utah at the
9:42
time. We've since relocated to
9:44
Southwest Colorado. We that's what there was a Utah
9:48
connection and that. Yeah.
9:49
So we, we we're, we're lived our whole lives in Utah, but we've
9:53
just recently moved to Southwest Colorado.
9:55
But we were in Utah at the time. Yes, yes.
9:58
OK. Yeah.
9:59
Outside of Durango. OK.
10:02
So, but yeah, so we were like, OK, well, how hard can this be,
10:06
right? Like.
10:07
You know you rode him. Yeah, he rode him.
10:10
We ride. And that's when you guys
10:13
realized you were jumping off a Cliff.
10:14
Yeah, it's a whole rescue thing. Yes.
10:17
So, you know, we do a few things with him and and we were very
10:21
naive and our work happy to say he's like happy to say, but he
10:25
ended up bolting on me. I fell off.
10:26
I almost broke my leg. It was pretty intense.
10:30
So at that point we were like, OK, this is so much more
10:33
complicated than we think. You know, this is very, very
10:36
tough. So we then started to just like
10:39
dive into like, what is what does Willett need to become like
10:43
a safe horse, like a happy, healthy horse.
10:46
And that really has taken us on a journey.
10:47
We still have Willett to this day.
10:50
You know, he just finished up with another 60 days of training
10:53
with a 9090 with an amazing gal. And he's doing so, so great to
10:57
the point where now we can take him back and we can get him on
11:00
the trails and get him feeling comfortable.
11:02
But it was so psychological for him.
11:05
And I think that really opened our eyes to the Mustangs that
11:08
end up in the auction system and how much baggage and trauma that
11:12
they do carry. You know, these are like
11:14
formerly wild animals that have kind of traded hands.
11:18
Like they trade, they've been traded.
11:20
They've had, you know, inconsistent training, different
11:23
styles, different approaches. And then they just end up in
11:26
this kind of like auction pipeline.
11:29
It's just like, and you know, and they don't have any family,
11:31
they don't have any like, you know, sense of place.
11:34
It's just like incredibly, like you see them in these incredibly
11:38
intense situations and then you get them back and that they're
11:41
these powerful animals that like really have, there's so much to
11:44
unpack. So that's just one example
11:46
though. And so, you know, you take on
11:48
these animals and like, wow, this has been a two year
11:50
commitment and it's been the best thing.
11:52
We love him dearly and he's going to find an amazing home at
11:56
some point when he's ready and he's safe.
11:58
But, you know, it's just it shows you like much they've been
12:02
through and how much they need to get to a place where they're
12:05
like actually safe partners that can, you know, because like when
12:10
when we do give them the time and the training that they need,
12:13
we consider it an investment in their future.
12:16
Like then they become these safe partners.
12:18
Yeah, we're willing to stay with them till they get to that point
12:21
and whatever they need. And if anyone's wondering how
12:24
tempted we are to keep every single one, it's high.
12:27
I know that probably part of the hard part sending them on, but
12:30
we have a dear. Girlfriend.
12:32
Helmet, you feel is like a good. Fit, who has a sanctuary and
12:34
she's like, I don't get it. I don't know how you do it.
12:36
I'm like, it is not easy, I'll say.
12:38
That so you know, to just closing out the the point that
12:41
you brought up is, you know, putting Willett's you know, we
12:45
we fundraised for Willett on Instagram, on social media
12:49
saying like this horse needs help.
12:50
Please donate. And we raised, you know, maybe I
12:54
think a, you know. 3500. At most for him and you know,
12:58
he's probably been a $10,000 investment for us, which is, you
13:02
know, again, what we have signed up for.
13:05
When you say what is rescue to us like rescue is like the
13:09
transformation of these animals into like safe, happy, healthy
13:13
beings, you know, that can then go on to be like safe companions
13:17
and partners. And so the initial rescue like I
13:21
don't even really call that ask you because that's just.
13:24
Like the initial. Save.
13:25
Yeah, it's the initial save. And so to us, I do think that
13:30
the rescue community needs to be held to a higher standard that
13:33
it's not enough just to donate and then save them from loading
13:38
onto a truck. Like, yes, that's that's great,
13:42
but. Then what the first step of
13:43
many? But then what next, you know,
13:46
and so, and you should be able to see that process all the way
13:49
through and be able to like know their story.
13:51
You know, so we, we have kind of our we're all about transparency
13:56
and about telling their stories so that, you know, really people
14:00
can connect to like how far they've come, you know, and that
14:04
to me is like is rescue. So it's, it's been a learning
14:08
curve and, and it's been amazing, but.
14:11
Yeah, these horses are end up here for a reason and and it
14:14
really is the unpacking of that that you know, we rediscover.
14:18
And just like any of the horses at you know, that are at any,
14:22
any facility, any kill pen or whatever.
14:24
But even the, the domesticated horses, you know that, who
14:27
knows? It's probably, you know, pretty
14:29
rare to know their history. And, you know, to me it's just
14:33
even, you know, sort of magnified with a Mustang
14:36
because, you know, we can have that discussion if you want, but
14:38
they are different than a domesticated horse.
14:41
You know, they just are. And so in fact, knowing their
14:44
history would actually be really great because you can know, like
14:47
how many hands have they been through?
14:48
Did they just go from holding to to a pasture?
14:52
I mean, you know, there's a lot of, you know, different.
14:55
Different. I spent my make things click why
14:58
why reactions are happening and whatnot.
15:00
But yeah, it's it's it's pretty wild.
15:03
And you know, another quick story is that we just pulled a
15:06
BLM Bureau out of a kill pen who did it was microchipped.
15:11
He was like literally days away from like starving to death.
15:14
You can check out his stories on our Instagram.
15:16
But was just he's an absolute skeleton.
15:19
But you know, we go back, we did trace his brand back to he was
15:24
you tell the story. He.
15:25
Was Yeah. So he, well, the whole thing was
15:27
crazy because the kill pen had his paperwork, which again is a
15:31
whole other topic which is critical.
15:33
If they're BLM, they have to be titled.
15:35
So they had a title which said that he was four.
15:38
And again, people can go look on our Instagram.
15:40
I got to be honest, he does look a lot younger than that.
15:42
He's just looks probably because he's a skeleton.
15:44
Anyway, so then our vet looked at him and his teeth are a
15:47
little wonky. So the vets like he's maybe 2-1
15:50
and a half, 2 1/2. Anyway, so we scanned him for a
15:52
microchip to ensure in fact he does have one.
15:55
And so now the BLM has a resource online where you can go
15:58
in and put either a freeze mark number or microchip in and then
16:02
they can kind of give you, they'll give you like the
16:04
location history of where they've been anyway.
16:06
So he is, yes, he is 4 and he was actually born in facility.
16:11
So his mom was rounded up pregnant.
16:14
And then he was born actually at the Florence, AZ training
16:18
training facility, which is a, which is a Correctional
16:20
Facility. And then he was moved to Axel,
16:23
which is a large holding facility in Utah, a private
16:26
holding facility in Utah for both boroughs and Mustangs, and
16:29
then was sent to some sort of adoption event.
16:32
In 2024, and so from 2024 to basically now, he was starved to
16:38
death and didn't feed him and he did not feed him.
16:40
And then he ends up in the kill pen after all that.
16:43
It's just, it really is wild to see like what happens to our BLM
16:48
Mustangs and Burroughs, like, you know, once they're adopted,
16:51
it's just like anybody's guess. You know what what happens to
16:55
him and we all know kind of the horror stories.
16:57
And when you can adopt one for what, $125 or even purchase this
17:02
one for $25. And then of course, we all know,
17:05
like I'm sure people listening know at least a little bit about
17:08
a Mustang. Like that is an endeavour, you
17:11
know, and I wouldn't recommend, even though they might be quote
17:14
cheap, I wouldn't recommend, you know, wild untamed Mustang as
17:17
someone's first sort of course, or or, you know, because, you
17:21
know, so I can see how they go from even with the best
17:24
intentions. I can see, you know, how they
17:27
fall through the cracks because it's just it's just yeah, it's
17:30
just not set up well before, you know, safeguarding them
17:34
definitely after they leave like BLM hands to the holding for
17:37
sure. It's not really set up that well
17:39
to safeguard them. So anyway, and and, you know, at
17:41
the and just to bring it back to Bowie, because that is where our
17:44
initial sort of origin was. There's lots.
17:47
I mean, there are more Mustangs than you would think there
17:51
because I was, I was surprised kind of going in not yet having
17:56
a Mustang focus. How?
17:59
Many are there so. Sad, but not surprising when you
18:04
can acquire them cheaply and they are not.
18:07
They're not cheap time wise, they're not cheap.
18:10
They cost as much as every other horse, take a lot more time, a
18:13
lot of times to get them to what a lot of people want, which is a
18:17
horse to go out and jump on and Oh my.
18:19
God, it's. Immense worry about anything
18:21
with. It's immense.
18:22
It's immense. Yeah.
18:24
Yeah. Yeah.
18:24
And I think one key to what you guys have talked about is the
18:28
value of putting training on a Mustang because really they are
18:33
low value horses. They're easy to acquire.
18:35
You can acquire them cheap. They don't have value in our
18:39
world until they become acclimated to the human world
18:42
and they can give humans something back.
18:44
I mean, it's sad wants to nobody wants, a lot of people don't
18:48
want it to be that way. But the reality is that, yeah,
18:51
they're kind of easy come, easy go and a lot of difficulty to
18:55
get it to something that someone is going to value and want in
18:58
their lives. And so anyone who has a Mustang
19:00
in any capacity, if you can put that training on them, make them
19:04
good with humans, that to me just makes a huge difference in
19:08
how safe they're gonna be throughout their life.
19:10
Absolutely yeah, yeah, cuz I mean even look at Willett who
19:15
bolted on me if that was anybody else but us.
19:19
Back to auction you go. Because it's just.
19:21
Like or sell him to someone else.
19:24
And then what you know, like, and you know, obviously growing
19:27
up, you know, we had all these animals and then, you know, we
19:29
would kind of pass them along to the next owners and and not
19:32
knowing, right. But like, you know, you go to
19:34
auction now and you like see ponies and you see like it's
19:37
just, it's like, where do they go?
19:38
So even like, OK, will, it wasn't for us.
19:40
So we not us less, but you know, we pass them along to the next
19:44
person. That is like, no, no, no, I got
19:45
him, I got it. Do you?
19:47
Cuz then like then I don't know where he ends up.
19:49
So like that whole process is kind of scary how you kind of
19:52
lose track. But I think with the Mustangs,
19:54
yeah, easy to acquire, but really, yeah, like really an
19:57
undertaking. And so I think, yeah, OK, yes,
20:01
we are advocates for, you know, having wild horses be wild.
20:06
I think you know that is. Such a, you know, involved and
20:10
nuanced topic in and of itself in terms of like how that should
20:13
happen and what's the best practices and all that.
20:15
But OK, just like complex. And also largely out of a lot of
20:19
people that love Mustangs control, you know, like there's
20:22
only so much we can do. It's not like, right.
20:24
I know I've had people kind of attack me like you took them off
20:27
the range. I'm like I had no.
20:30
Yeah. Yeah, right.
20:31
There are times I look at my Mustangs and I'm almost like, I
20:34
wish you guys were still free because you can just see the
20:36
wildness in them. And as a yeah, it's so beyond
20:41
our control. And as a side note, like I wish
20:43
the 70,000 and holding could kind of go back to a rewilded
20:46
type scenario in like a large land sanctuary type.
20:50
But like, you know, those sanctuaries are.
20:53
Full and there's no room. So it's like what do what do we
20:56
do with all these animals? So yeah, truly like that, like
21:01
you said, I mean, we we humans have gotten involved, you know,
21:05
at that management level think, you know, we're kind of stepping
21:09
in as also humans being like, well, how can we?
21:13
Transform that exists. Like transform some of these
21:17
Mustangs lives to be better and yes, yes, they do have to be in
21:22
a domesticated human world. And yeah, we loved it.
21:25
You know, like that's not my favorite, but it is what it is.
21:27
So work out. Yeah.
21:28
Like we're trying to work within what is the reality, which is,
21:31
yeah, we have what 65,000 Mustangs and holding.
21:35
And then just the flow that we've seen recently into kill
21:39
pens and such. I feel like there's been an
21:42
uptick, which again, is a whole other topic, which you know, but
21:46
so basically what we've decided is if you love Mustangs, there
21:49
is an issue. We're small, where can we kind
21:53
of, you know, sort of help them? And so that this is where we're
21:56
at. And so even, you know, if we can
21:58
adopt 2 to let's say, let's just give ourselves some credit, two
22:01
Mustangs a year, that seems crazy low, but one it takes from
22:05
anywhere from six months to infinite, you know, like an
22:08
infinite, we have no idea how long it'll.
22:09
Take to do it well, right? I mean, you can bring one in,
22:12
try and flip it, pass it off to someone else quickly, but then.
22:16
The question, you know. Is it going to be successful?
22:18
Are they going to be able to handle this horse that you know,
22:21
a lot of horse owners from information I read, a lot of
22:24
them are very short term. You know, they kind of get into
22:27
it, get excited about it is work, it costs money, it's not
22:31
easy. It makes everything in your life
22:33
harder. You really have to have a
22:34
commitment or it's just going to be another flip.
22:37
And I mean, I think you guys probably see those results with
22:40
the yeah. And it depends that right?
22:44
These horses just, they're just getting offloaded.
22:46
And I, I, you know, even as so if we're at, if we're at
22:50
auction, we're very selective, even with the Mustangs that we
22:54
would take in like we're for example, like we're looking for
22:57
Mustangs that are human oriented.
22:59
Like will you allow you to approach them and pet them?
23:02
Our halter broke like so we aren't even really touching the
23:06
like unhandled, unhandled Mustangs that are coming through
23:09
the auction system because, well, I mean, we, we had
23:12
infinite money. We would, of course, but you?
23:15
Know that takes that takes a lot of infrastructure you know
23:18
itself to do that. Correctly and safely and not
23:21
being a sanctuary. Like we can't take on Mustangs
23:24
who might not be able to, like, graduate our program, if you
23:27
will. Yeah, but like, you know,
23:28
because we don't have anywhere to put them.
23:31
Yeah, though of course they're always safe with us.
23:33
And then if they stay with us. But then we would be done with
23:36
our Yeah, we would have to like say, hey, OK, that's it, we're
23:39
done. And so we want to and.
23:41
I think that's it's a reality we all have to look at like what
23:44
can we take within our capacity that's not again putting them at
23:47
risk? You know, can we rescue one or
23:49
two and keep them safe for life? Are we going to try and rescue
23:52
10 and they're safe for a year and then it all falls apart.
23:55
We can't sustain. And if it starts all over again,
23:58
which and my mind is almost perpetuates the cycle of
24:01
suffering with that Burrow like years and years of not eating
24:05
like how much more suffering is that then I.
24:07
Know. Other situations not, yeah, not
24:11
easy to think about or whatever, but sometimes you know, debt is
24:16
a mercy versus long term suffering.
24:19
Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's another yeah
24:21
thing in the rescue sort of this like kind of larger scale
24:25
rescue. It's like not dying.
24:27
Is it Like that's like they're not going.
24:31
Trust me, shipping to Mexico is not the way I would choose for
24:33
any animal. No, right?
24:35
Again, something like none of us want to have.
24:38
No, if we could stop. It versus saving but then you
24:41
know what happened truly what is happening to that animal after
24:44
or do they have are they thriving?
24:46
Are they, you know, right, So. And especially horses who are
24:50
just so I mean, all animals are incredibly sensitive, but horses
24:54
are just so, you know, they suffer so immensely, you know,
24:58
when they are kind of just like past around and are not in like
25:02
safe hands and are treated roughly.
25:04
And like just like kind of sickening to like think about
25:07
what a lot of these Mustangs go through.
25:08
And you do wonder like is, is being alive when you're
25:13
suffering like that. And so I think euthanasia in the
25:16
rescue world does need to be talked about more.
25:18
I mean, that's a whole another topic.
25:19
But it's not something that like keep them alive at all costs
25:23
because that being alive is the gold standard.
25:26
No, not at all. Like when we're no.
25:29
So when we're when we're at the auctions, we just tend to say,
25:33
OK, what horse is going to be most likely to go on and be a
25:37
successful like horse in the human world?
25:40
Have a good life. Because like, you know, if we
25:43
can choose that one, then we they can graduate and then
25:46
another horse can come into their spot.
25:49
So we're, we're very selective about who we pick and who we
25:52
think would like do well. And so once we pick that horse,
25:55
we will kind of take him back to our, our facility and just let
26:00
them like chill, like decompress.
26:02
Like we'll just mess with them a little bit like we're low, low
26:05
pressure, brush em, groom em, like just get to know, get to
26:09
know em. Like let them get to.
26:10
Think that's one of the most underrated steps of getting any
26:14
kind of course and bringing it into your life is like, give
26:17
them remats. If you will in it, yeah.
26:19
Which is not necessarily always medical.
26:21
It can be just like mental rehab, you know, like totally.
26:23
Yeah, or just a time to acclimate.
26:26
Like it's a totally new world if you think about it.
26:28
They are stuck in these little boxes and then it's like, oh,
26:31
all of a sudden everything changes and you're in this new
26:34
place and we just want you to act perfectly.
26:36
And yeah, we're going to jump. Panicle and be everything we
26:39
want you to be without any consideration for you might be
26:43
experiencing. Yeah.
26:45
So like that, that. So that's really big for us and
26:48
it allows us to get to know them and then they can get to know
26:51
our herd and. Yeah.
26:53
That's an important, we learned. So much at that point as to like
26:56
what would be the. Right, next step for them when
26:59
that time comes, which is training and then Eric can speak
27:02
yeah and as you can imagine that training step when they're
27:06
ready, which you know can be anywhere from.
27:09
Usually we give them at least a couple months, but a couple
27:12
months to whatever, whatever. We have a little cute grey pony
27:17
Mustang from Bowie. He's from Bowie Livestock, but
27:20
he is from the Confusion Mountain or No Confusion HMA in
27:23
Utah. That was a new one to us.
27:25
I. Haven't heard that one.
27:27
Either yeah, I know and he is adorable and cute and we just I
27:29
mean he's like so friendly and so like human oriented, but he
27:33
is a mess. He's just, yeah, like if you
27:36
were to like, he just seems like kind of an anxious guy.
27:39
And again, who know he's sick. So who knows what happened
27:41
beforehand, But so we kind of did send him to training.
27:44
It went, everything went great, but it just didn't progress
27:48
because our the really wonderful trainer who was who has a good
27:52
match for him. She was just like, I feel like
27:54
she was like, I don't know if he's ready.
27:55
And I think she was great. So I love that she was like,
27:58
he's not like, I love that. Like, please do not keep these
28:01
Mustangs if they're not a good fit or you know.
28:04
Let's not just be pouring money. And so something that's not
28:08
progressing now, that's going to benefit everybody, yeah.
28:10
Or just like stressing them out. But anyway, she was like, well,
28:13
I don't know, like if it if it, if this is his time or if it
28:17
we're not a good match. So anyway, we're just like, you
28:18
know what? So he came back and we've been
28:20
hanging out with him again. I'm like, he's just not ready.
28:22
So he gets to do whatever Dunlan wants to do for the foreseeable
28:27
future. And I do think as like woo woo
28:30
as it sounds, I do think we will know like he's ready because
28:33
that's how it was with Will It like Will, it was ready.
28:35
We're ready. And he did great at training and
28:37
now he's back. But he took, yeah, a year and a
28:39
half, right, hanging around. So, yeah, you know, I do think
28:42
that that is a piece that is a gift to us because we get to
28:46
know them and they get to like truly decompress but and show.
28:50
Us who they are. But then like kind of this like
28:53
gift to them as well, which is like, you don't, you don't have
28:56
to be anything right now. You can just, you know, because
28:59
we all know you. Can be a horse.
29:01
Yeah. You can go be a horse well
29:02
adjusted Mustangs that just have that calm energy.
29:05
And we all know those Mustangs that like literally you like
29:07
look at them wrong and they'll like, you know, they're, they're
29:10
always on edge and like, you know, like you just kind of make
29:14
the wrong move and they're kind of they're out of there.
29:16
And and you know, like that would not be a horse that I'd
29:18
say, OK, this horse is ready for training because like they just
29:21
need a minute to like regulate. Yeah.
29:26
Well, and you have to wonder, like, how long term their fight
29:29
or flight instinct has been going on, you know, and they're
29:31
getting rounded up. Like these are all things that
29:33
feel like on the verge of death to them.
29:36
Yeah. Like they are fighting.
29:37
Like in these situations when, you know, they go from roundup
29:40
to a trailer to holding pens with horses, they don't know,
29:44
to, you know, an adopter who may or may not know about them or to
29:47
a different holding pen. So.
29:50
I know. I think the impact of everything
29:53
that we're like, it's no big deal.
29:54
They just took a trailer. It's like you do that, that's
29:58
not fun. That's scary, especially when
30:01
you have no clue what's happening.
30:02
Yeah. So, you know, in all that we
30:05
have also kind of embraced this like need for like, you know,
30:08
holistic health with them and like ulcer control.
30:11
I mean, like, you know, these poor animals are probably just
30:13
like riddled with anxiety. And, you know, so anyway, we we
30:17
have like kind of a whole protocol that we use when they
30:18
come in, but then they get whatever time they need.
30:21
And then from there, we, it's been that has also been kind of
30:25
a steep learning curve, but also like, kind of like a deep
30:28
dedication with Casey and I to find trainers that resonate with
30:32
us, but then also do good work. And so we have, you know, to be
30:37
quite honest, I wish we had more, but we have, you know, a
30:40
few that we really, really love and do really well and do well
30:44
with different types of Mustangs.
30:45
So because, you know, restarting, restarting a Mustang
30:48
is, is actually a whole endeavor versus say, starting fresh from
30:53
say an untouched Mustang. So it just.
30:56
Requires another element. It just requires.
30:59
Kind of a different level of skill and you know, and empathy,
31:03
it's like it's like an empathy that where you can really just
31:07
listen so intently as to like what they're telling you.
31:10
And I think it's it's such a skill.
31:13
And you know, we do have an amazing female trainer.
31:15
I mean, I we love the men trainers, but you know what I'm
31:18
saying? Like it is an intelligence like
31:20
that is so we look for because you know, you can really screw
31:24
it up and like you kind of have one shot to do it right, You
31:28
know which. Is goes back to the point where
31:30
but but like like with this one trainer, she was like he he's
31:34
not ready to move on and we were like great, he's coming back
31:37
like perfect. Appreciate you not taking our
31:39
money, but also like that you're listening to him and that he is
31:42
like telling you it's a no go from me.
31:45
And so she was like, you know, no.
31:47
So we're like, we'll we'll grab him and I agree with her.
31:49
He is not ready so right and so like.
31:52
Part of our, our, our focus on training is that we stay like
31:55
deeply involved and we're always kind of, you know, checking in
31:58
and making sure that they are progressing and they're doing.
32:00
But then we have like two other Mustangs, Crow and Coulter, And
32:04
we, they were both from, one was from Mckillpen, the other from
32:08
the Centennial Livestock Auction in Fort Collins, Co.
32:12
And they were just kind of like, they didn't have training, but
32:15
they just had great heads on their shoulders.
32:17
They were just like calm, like confident, like really just
32:20
solid guys, you know, but they just had no skill set, no
32:24
education. So we're like, OK, let's send
32:27
these guys to this other trainer rehab in Arizona who you know,
32:31
is, is great and just kind of no nonsense, just kind of, you
32:34
know, saddles them up, gets them on the trail, you know, but like
32:37
they'll they kind of both of them were they would buck under
32:41
saddle when you would get on them, which is, you know, the
32:43
why as to why they're at the auction or the kill pen.
32:47
You know, you always find it out and it's like, OK, you get them
32:50
under saddle and they buck. And so this is particular guy
32:52
rides it out and is, I know there's some opinions about
32:56
that, but you know, it was really actually quite a minor
32:58
behavioral issue that he just kind of ironed out.
33:01
And then they set set like unbelievably minor, unbelievably
33:05
minor. You know, they just just needed
33:06
to be correct, like just shown away.
33:09
And then now they're both what happened.
33:10
To them, they get out of. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
33:13
And so like in that case, it's like, OK, amazing.
33:15
And then now they're on the trail.
33:17
Culture's adopted. There's just like, it's so it
33:19
was like it's, it's it's they're so different, you know, like in.
33:23
Yeah, such a range of needs and personalities and what feels
33:28
comfortable to 1 and is easy for one and more difficult for
33:31
another. Yeah, right.
33:32
And so it is like, constantly, which of course, I mean, not to
33:34
say that this is going to be easy, but, yeah, like a constant
33:37
reassessing and like, you know, making sure that everybody is
33:42
where they need to be because, yeah, we just like to do, like,
33:46
the detriment of our own, like, mental health.
33:48
It's like we just can't. They cannot be in the wrong
33:50
spot. They cannot, you know, suffer
33:52
one more second. We love to push them.
33:54
Like, they're allowed to like, learn skills and like, be
33:56
pushed, but not to the point where, you know, they're like
33:59
our babies, you know? Come on.
34:02
It's good they're in current hands now that are watching out
34:05
for them. I.
34:05
Mean yeah, like we will, you know do anything for them so on
34:09
that note, it will because, you know obviously we have I know
34:12
like the adoption piece well, I think it's confusing for people
34:15
because they're like how do you do that?
34:16
Because they're your you know so I get that, but it is actually
34:20
it is really hard yes yes yes, we're very attached but you know
34:23
Speaking of Coulter, who's this really beautiful tall he
34:26
actually looks like a thoroughbred.
34:27
He was born in facility as well, but his mom is from Antelope HMA
34:31
in Nevada. But he's just it's like this
34:32
really striking kind of tall, skinny Mustang and also all the
34:37
Mustangs look so different. That's also clear.
34:39
We should actually do like a lineup and show all the
34:40
different shapes. Yeah, they're.
34:42
Definitely. Range.
34:44
Yeah. So we have a Centennial
34:46
livestock auction which is in Fort Collins, Co And in fact, we
34:50
were bidding for him against a kill pen gentleman from up that
34:54
area. And so he's like a traitor and a
34:57
flipper and a kill pen. But anyway, so we we got him and
35:00
he was like broke to ride according to the literal like
35:03
broke to ride on his paperwork. That's it.
35:05
Yeah. And so we got him, he had, I
35:09
think what he had six weeks or so of like actually probably two
35:12
months of kind of decompressing. And he was not I'll, he was
35:15
actually, he was a little bit skinny.
35:16
But anyway, he did great. And then I decided to get on him
35:19
because he's broke to ride, broke to ride.
35:21
I'd never take that at face value.
35:23
There's another quote and. Everybody needs to assess the
35:27
horse on your own before you you.
35:29
Decide. What a horse can handle.
35:32
I'm 43, but I mean, I spent most of my childhood in the dirt with
35:35
my pony, who was KZ2, you know, who was not trained?
35:39
Not trained. I mean, I'm no like, like
35:41
stranger to falling off, but I am older now and I would prefer
35:44
not to. And anyway, he, I mean, he
35:46
bucked me off. It was not like a vicious thing.
35:48
But anyway, so we were like, oh, not broke to ride or, you know,
35:52
maybe not issues anyway, So he went to our trainer.
35:56
Yeah. So anyway, he went to our
35:57
trainer in Arizona and really like like immediately progressed
36:02
to to riding on the trail and just one of our kind of
36:06
dedicated from the beginning followers reached out and said,
36:10
I think this is my horse. I've been looking for what
36:12
years? Yeah, she'd been looking for
36:14
years. Big Mustang gal like loves
36:16
Mustangs. And so anyway, long, like lots
36:19
and lots of back and forth, lots of talking.
36:21
And our big thing is like if you are so dedicated, like you'll,
36:25
you'll come visit no matter, like if they're in Alaska,
36:27
you're going to go visit that horse.
36:28
And you know what I mean? Like you'll go what I mean.
36:30
Yeah. She got on a plane in your
36:31
commitment because you're going to need it now like.
36:33
This is this is nothing compared to like what it will.
36:36
Be I can speak louder than words.
36:38
Yeah, actually, excuse me. She got in her car and she came
36:40
down. She's in actually in northern
36:41
Utah. Anyway, it was just like the
36:43
most beautiful like kind of love at first sight, even though I
36:47
can like totally write it because he's amazing.
36:48
The horses name is Coulter. Anyway, so it was really great,
36:51
but you know, the it's just a long process of us kind of
36:55
screening people and meeting them and talking to them.
36:58
But then on top of it, it is like this kind of dedication on
37:01
their part to continue to show up.
37:03
And show up while they're in training too.
37:05
And like, you know, like jump on them, like go on a ride, get to
37:08
know them. Like make sure it's a good fit,
37:10
make sure you're comfortable. With super smart.
37:13
Yeah. So we, you know, and that's how
37:15
we kind of like try our best to ensure that these homes are
37:18
going to be like great homes because it's like, it is such,
37:21
like you were saying such a commitment, It's such a
37:24
lifestyle change. It's such a dedication, you
37:28
know, and so we, we really, but it's also like the best
37:33
dedication and lifestyle commitment.
37:35
It is truly like, you know, to have your very own Mustang and
37:39
to like, you know, set, set sail into the mountains.
37:42
And you know, there is this kind of like, you know, incredible
37:47
emotional and spiritual component to it.
37:49
Like where, you know, we call them like our guides to the
37:51
wild, like, you know, they, they take us out and we get to like
37:56
experience nature and the outdoors, like with a animal
38:01
that was born, born there. And it's just like, it's,
38:04
there's nothing like it, nothing like it.
38:05
And so, you know, if you can open your like heart and mind to
38:10
to them, you know, it, it unlocks like truly something
38:15
next level within yourself. So, you know, that is something
38:18
that we really do like to convey with, you know, our
38:21
storytelling, because, you know, again, we're a small rescue.
38:24
So storytelling can kind of amplify the work that we do.
38:27
And so, you know, we're always trying to find ways to like,
38:30
Hey, how can we like tell, you know, Willett story?
38:32
How can we tell a culture story? How can we, you know, you really
38:36
show like this full transformation arc of like where
38:41
they've come from and you know, like how far they've come.
38:45
And it's just like, I don't know, like if we can get people
38:47
personally invested and emotionally invested in their
38:50
stories, we've done our job, you know, because you can just see
38:53
how. Like magnificent, like these
38:56
animal and special these these animals are and I know like a
39:00
lot of your guests say it because then I know you talk
39:02
about it a lot, yourself included.
39:03
You know, we both had like pretty profound experience over
39:07
and over, but you know, kind of origins like a profound
39:11
experiences with Mustangs and I think and and we grew up with
39:15
really amazing domesticated horses, like off the track
39:18
thoroughbreds. And yeah, I just, there's just
39:21
something about the Mustang that it's.
39:23
And I think, if I may, women and Mustangs to boot.
39:28
I just think there's like this really beautiful, like, yeah,
39:31
gritty wildness that we like women just sort of an Alien
39:34
Wheels like. 3 for a minute. Yeah, like freedom, you know,
39:39
like, no, but. And so I know like, yeah, Will
39:43
it in fact is the Mustang that sort of changed Casey's entire
39:47
sort of outlook on how how, you know, on how we want to move
39:50
forward. And then I had a Mustang.
39:52
Kind of, yeah. I mean, tell.
39:53
Us about that, like what how did you guys get drawn to Mustangs?
39:57
Because as you know, we've talked about, they're not the
39:59
easiest horses to build a life with.
40:02
Yes, I know it's true. And like, we laugh all the time
40:04
because like, like sort of horse rescue is kind of a wacky niche
40:08
and then Mustangs or even wackier.
40:13
And then, you know, like we've, we've just really narrowed
40:15
ourselves down to like, you know, the wackiest, the
40:17
wackiest. There's something people that
40:20
choose Mustangs, like there's someone that draws them in about
40:23
like, whether they know it or not, they're wanting to
40:25
challenge the ones that stick with it.
40:27
You know, a lot of people are like, yeah, I saw them do
40:30
something crazy. And I was like, that was the
40:31
Mustang for me. Yeah.
40:33
It's a typical story when you're like.
40:35
It's nothing to do with me. And like, yeah, that's my.
40:39
Right. Yeah, So, yeah, gosh, Coyote was
40:42
our first Mustang. Actually, you sent me his photo.
40:46
He was at some guy's house in That's the other thing, finding
40:50
Mustangs like for sale on Facebook.
40:53
Well, any horse for that matter. But anyway, so many I can't so
40:57
many Mustangs like get traded on.
40:59
Anyway, not a not a huge kind of write up about him.
41:01
Basically it was, I don't know anything about him, literally
41:04
like nothing. But I'm going to throw a saddle
41:06
on him and then take him to the Billings Livestock auction,
41:09
another really massive sort of, you know, horse sale in the
41:14
country. Used to be a big exporter to
41:15
Canada that has decreased a little bit in numbers because
41:18
most of the exports are happening on the Mexican border.
41:20
But so Casey sent him, sent the photo to me.
41:23
And I'm like, I don't need like, no one needs another horse at
41:25
the moment. We didn't have any like facility
41:27
for horses and I was like, we're not looking for this and like,
41:30
you know, no, we don't know anything about him.
41:32
So I'm going to go get him and for sure this is a good idea so.
41:34
This is your first Mustang, yes? OK And we grew up in Utah, so
41:38
like in the West and like, so we know wild horses just generally
41:43
like literally from being wild. So, you know, we have an idea.
41:46
OK so I go get him and he is. Barely.
41:51
I mean, the lady like led him from a very tiny, that was it.
41:56
I was like, once I saw him in that pen, I'm like, well, I'm
41:58
taking him because he's like in, you know, this tiny little pen.
42:01
And so I was middle of winter, middle.
42:02
Of winter in like Cody, WY so it was just like 0° in the wind
42:07
chill so I was like OK, well whatever I'm going to take him
42:09
barely. We get him in the trailer but it
42:10
was yeah anyway, you know kind of Fast forward he is yeah.
42:14
He is older. So he was by 14 when when I got
42:19
him yeah Say that he yeah. He had had plenty of trauma.
42:24
I don't know I mean who knows right Who knows what they've
42:27
been through especially when they're a little bit older like
42:28
that and have been out of holding for a long time but he
42:31
was yeah very weary of humans and I knew nothing like we had
42:35
another rescue horse Lola, who who was just like always loved
42:39
us like always came right up to us you know so this was like I
42:42
just I mean I'm not that naive but you know I was like, wow.
42:45
He really does not want and of course he like let him out in a
42:48
pasture too, which was my bad because that was a whole
42:50
endeavour. Because then he's just like out
42:52
there, you know, Like he. Was like fine.
42:54
Anyway, it's sort of, you know, so there was like a nitty gritty
42:57
of like figuring him out generally and like literally how
43:00
to care for him. But also it's sort of overlapped
43:03
with my daughter was sick. I'm going to cry.
43:05
Let's go down. That's fine.
43:06
Was very sick. She had, she had cancer, like a
43:12
kidney cancer, yeah, which is just at 18 months, which like
43:16
took the whole family by surprise.
43:18
She's doing great now. Yeah.
43:19
So. So what should I do?
43:20
Get a totally unhandled horse while and daughter you know a.
43:24
Good time. Yeah, but anyway.
43:27
Honestly, maybe. Good distraction, but also like,
43:31
just, you know, like with the Mustangs, like, they're just so
43:34
like, present and, you know, honest and real and so like,
43:38
yeah, he really, like, helped me, yeah.
43:41
Like not be like, in this trauma state.
43:44
And I like, well, Oh yeah. Actually, we sent him to a
43:46
beautiful sanctuary with another older Mustang.
43:48
And it was like, the best gift I could give him because he did
43:51
not need to be dealing with humans anymore.
43:53
But I mean, I miss him. But yeah, he just like, yeah.
43:56
I truly credit him for like, you know, getting me through that
43:59
and in turn, like, you know, ensuring my like, kind of like
44:02
cementing my passion for helping Mustangs, you know?
44:05
Yeah. So, yeah.
44:07
And, you know, I mean, like that trauma of going through that
44:10
experience, you know, and then what Coyote had been through in
44:14
his life, you know, the trauma that he carried, I think there
44:17
was just like this like immediate, like recognition, if
44:21
you will. And and it was just like really
44:23
beautiful to see like Aaron have that connection with him.
44:28
And I think it would have, there would be no other kind of soul
44:31
that could have like kind of guided you through that
44:34
incredibly scary situation. And so, yeah.
44:38
It's like they, they just are these like the gifts to us, you
44:41
know, And so like, you know, we kind of led the podcast with
44:44
like, oh, man, like the, the, there's, this is like such a
44:47
difficult undertaking and it's expensive and they're like
44:50
complicated and this and that, but it's like, also like, you
44:53
know, being able to like walk this life with them and being
44:57
able to like have, see their transformation against all odds,
45:01
you know, like they've been through such the, the cruelty of
45:04
like man, the cruelty of humans, but then yet they're still
45:07
willing to like, forgive and like, let us in and show us like
45:12
their resilience. And the resilience is like, is
45:15
truly like they have given us the greatest gift.
45:18
So like, we'll just do whatever, whatever it takes to like
45:22
protect them because you know, they protect us, You know, they,
45:26
they, they truly like, you know, get us through like everything
45:30
that we're we're. Going and like Casey I think was
45:33
like, I'm being a little bit silly but slightly on the fence
45:35
about the whole Mustang thing. And then she met Willa and it
45:38
was like, got it, I'm on it. Yeah, 1 hold her in.
45:42
I talked to so many people who are like, you know, I found this
45:46
Mustang. I, you know, made this crazy
45:48
leap. And then it's like these things
45:50
come up in life and it's like it was the thing that helped me get
45:53
through. Or the other thing is like the
45:56
stories where it's like, you know, you see this horse who
45:59
knows what they've been through and they can still find peace
46:03
and forgiveness and they keep going, you know, and it really
46:07
can reflect into our lives that, you know, like, hey, maybe they
46:11
understand and like, look, they're they're doing OK and
46:15
like gives us. Like could you?
46:17
Learn her and peace, you know, to keep kind of walking through
46:21
the hard things that life brings because suffering is sadly just
46:26
a part of life is there for everybody.
46:28
Yeah, exactly. And actually we were.
46:30
My daughter, who's 7, spends a lot of time with us, of course.
46:34
And she has actually kind of developed a bit of a connection
46:37
with Dunlan, the little grey Mustang who's kind of back for a
46:39
little bit. And we had just like, it was
46:41
actually, well, it's funny in hindsight because everything's
46:43
fine. But he like kind of nipped her
46:44
the other day yesterday. And she kind of, it kind of like
46:47
kind of dysregulated her. And so we were kind of like
46:51
trying to talk to her about it. And we're like, honestly, like,
46:54
it's not gonna be the commas Chillas Mustang sister.
46:57
Like, it's gonna be the one, you know, like, it's gonna be the
47:00
little teacher. Like, maybe that's what he, you
47:03
know, we're just trying to help her, you know, move past it.
47:05
But I think she liked that. Like, she was like, OK, OK.
47:08
And I was like, what about Coyote Kula?
47:10
Like he you could hardly catch him.
47:11
You got like maybe the more complicated.
47:15
I have a Mustang who's very uncomplicated and she's I will
47:19
take her any day too. So don't get me wrong, but maybe
47:22
those? Courses are great.
47:24
It's like, yeah, I. Hope her any day as well.
47:26
But the teachers can really be the ones that have are a little
47:31
bit feisty or a little bit, you know, you hate to put that on
47:36
them, but a little bit of baggage, you know, because
47:37
that's Ken Mirror, you know, because my daughter at 7 has
47:41
some baggage that she probably unconsciously needs to work
47:44
through as well. So I'm like, maybe we just, you
47:46
know, he's he's got a few things.
47:48
Maybe you guys are meant to be, you know, partners.
47:51
Yeah, we'll see. She was into it.
47:53
She like. Yeah.
47:54
And I do think that they kind of help us see our strength also
47:57
like, hey, like I can do this, I can work towards this.
48:00
It's hard whether that's rescuing are just owning the
48:03
most thing. If you have that commitment, you
48:06
kind of realize like I can dig a little deeper than maybe I
48:08
thought that I could. That is actually that's funny
48:11
issues. That's what we were saying to
48:12
her. Like you can cry, Oh my God, cry
48:14
away, cry away. But like, maybe while you're
48:16
crying, you also, like, continue, you know, like, pull
48:20
from somewhere deeper and like, continue on while you're crying.
48:24
Do it, Yeah. Yeah, I love that.
48:27
Women are good like that. We can, we can do it all at the
48:29
same time, man. We can cry.
48:30
We'll also. Yeah.
48:32
Anyway, So yeah, the Mustangs are yeah.
48:34
While we feel like, you know, intellectually the need is there
48:38
and somebody who has their best interests at heart, we also are
48:41
like very emotionally, you know, connected to to them and.
48:46
Yeah, they've changed. Our lives changed.
48:47
Our lives, Yeah. And in fact changed our whole
48:49
operation is just totally family based.
48:51
Like our parents, our mom and dad are highly dedicated to the
48:56
entire endeavour. You know, they're like, our dad
48:59
is not a horseman per SE, but he like loves the Mustangs.
49:03
He'll, you know, it's just, it's really fun how they have.
49:06
Yeah. Like they really have
49:07
transformed all of our lives by far and away for the better.
49:10
Even our move out of southern or out of northern Utah to
49:13
southwest in Colorado, we all did that as a family.
49:16
Wow. You know, my family, Casey's
49:18
family, my mom and dad, like we all went and I think it was just
49:21
like this beautiful thing that we all needed.
49:23
So they've, yeah, they've made us our lives better.
49:27
And hopefully, you know, we can give back in some way.
49:30
That's an incredible support system to have.
49:33
You know all but my both. Of our partners too, they are
49:36
both incredibly supportive and yeah like no roadblocks from
49:41
anyone in our family, which we're very grateful for cuz it
49:43
is a lot. I mean, as you know, just having
49:46
a horse is a lot, let alone a rescue.
49:50
We're yeah, for sure. Absolutely.
49:52
And it's, yeah, been pretty rad. What are some of the ways you
49:55
feel like they've changed your life other than what you've
49:59
already shared? Yeah.
50:01
Yeah. Are there?
50:01
Is there more? I mean, I resonated when you
50:04
said, like, strength, I would say, like courage, you know, to
50:09
just kind of like meet them where they're at and to, like,
50:11
not be afraid of them, but to just like, recognize that, you
50:16
know, they've been through a lot, you know, just like deep
50:19
empathy instead of, like fear. Yeah.
50:23
I think that's been like a real like lesson, you know, And then
50:27
also like absolutely like emotional regulation and just
50:32
like self-awareness, like there's no, no one better than
50:36
the Mustang to teach you that because like you immediately
50:39
recognize like the energy that you're like that you're
50:42
embodying and then like transferring to them and like
50:45
there's really nothing else that can like mirror that as like
50:49
intensely as a Mustang, like not even domesticated horses.
50:52
So, you know, I think that's something that I've learned from
50:56
them that I just take into my life in general because I'll,
50:59
you know, any just like any day thing that kind of stresses you
51:03
out, you know, you're just like that much more able to recognize
51:07
and then just like kind of bring it back down.
51:10
They're almost like a practice ground for real life.
51:12
Yeah, you can figure this out with the Mustang.
51:14
You're going to be a little bit better for the things that
51:17
you're not consciously thinking about, how to react to and.
51:20
Then I think like lastly for me, but I think my sisters also
51:24
taught me this though, is that, you know, like just to like have
51:28
that side of yourself that is a little bit wild and untamed and
51:32
that is untouched by, you know, and untarnished by society, that
51:37
that's not a bad thing that that's actually like, you know,
51:40
truly what makes you unique and special in this world.
51:45
And like, you know, when we were talking about the move to
51:47
Southwest Colorado, we got more acreage.
51:49
We kind of just like live out a little bit more on the land
51:52
because like we want the Mustangs to have, you know, that
51:56
kind of sense of like, you know, feeling a little bit of wild.
51:59
Like even when we turn them out in the pasture, we that's like
52:02
kind of their space. Like we don't really mess with
52:04
them there. So, you know, like what we want
52:06
to give to them. We also kind of want to give to
52:08
ourselves, you know, like they've helped us kind of just
52:11
like really tap into like what's what's important to us, Like how
52:15
do we want to live? How do we want to exist in this
52:17
world? And I would say that you know,
52:20
to just kind of like especially for women, like you're kind of
52:24
wild side is like what is makes you like unstoppable, fabulous,
52:29
you know, essentially. So yeah, it's a.
52:32
Beautiful point because our whole lives were taught to
52:35
conform right and to to follow this path and fit in this box
52:39
and the chair nicely. Yeah, like we're from Utah.
52:42
So I always say keep sweet. That's like some strange, that's
52:44
Mormon, Mormon thing. Yeah, keep sweet.
52:46
You know, this is where you're supposed to be.
52:48
This is what you're supposed to do.
52:49
And I think, yeah, they they are good at that, I think for me.
52:52
There's different parts of us that make us so unique about
52:56
Yeah, we should be embracing and sharing and I'm like, that's
52:58
what makes the world beautiful on my.
53:01
Clavas But I think for me, like resilience would be probably my
53:04
biggest one with that like but just playing being wild animals
53:07
like that's pretty incredible that they are, you know, able
53:10
to. I mean, you know, we went out to
53:13
Saltwell's Creek in, in Wyoming and I mean, I'm like applause
53:16
for living out here, you know, like all the wild animals.
53:18
But you know, like, that's like a.
53:20
Pretty beautiful land that we've won.
53:22
Like just, you know, kind of display of resilience there.
53:25
But then, you know, for us like kind of meeting and encountering
53:28
these Mustangs that have, you know, had trauma and other, you
53:33
know, kind of poor experiences just to be able to come back
53:36
from that. And like, you know, like we're
53:39
asking them to give us a, a kind of a blank slate or a fresh
53:43
start. And it's like you do the same,
53:45
like, can I, you know, also dig deep and like, you know, just
53:49
generally speaking and like be, try be better, like, you know,
53:53
let things go. So, yeah, like resilience.
53:56
But also on the same note, I think they've really taught me
53:58
like horses to like the boundaries, you know, like they,
54:01
you know, like they're like, no, no, no.
54:04
And I'm like, so bad at that. I'm like, what do you mean?
54:07
Like yes, yes, yes, of course, Always, always.
54:09
And I'm like, wait a minute. No, I really you.
54:11
Picking up, you know. Yeah, like you watch the horses
54:14
out there and they're just, they're just, they're like no.
54:16
And then they move on and then they're like, no, I'm like, I'm
54:18
going to do that. You know, that's a no for me.
54:21
What else? Like, you know, I just or also
54:23
like, you know, you can't you like have to you do have to be a
54:26
little bit of a leader with a horse, you know, like you can't,
54:29
you know, as like kind and like like emotional as we are about
54:32
them and they are like. Our kids, you know, just like
54:35
being able to say like, no, I'm the boss like you need.
54:38
To or like let's just work together here.
54:40
Focus yeah, it's for the best pal.
54:42
They, I feel like they all just really come around if you're
54:45
like respect and compassion, but also like, no, no, no, we can do
54:49
it. Feel like that goes back to the
54:50
resilience thing. It's like, you got this, we got
54:52
this like, but again, that takes so much time because why would
54:55
they trust us? You know, right off?
54:57
Who are we to them? You know, So it's good to
55:00
endeavour for us to get to earn their trust, you know, and like
55:04
this little cute, his name's Ibis, this little donkey, that
55:07
rescue donkey, he is technically unhandled.
55:10
And so it's just like this every day we're like.
55:13
You're going to love us. Buddy, you're like, I swear like
55:16
this, like, you know, we're like kind of creeping, Yeah.
55:18
Creeping into his good graces. And honestly, it's going pretty
55:22
well, I say, you know, I mean, why would he trust a human after
55:25
everything he's been through in four?
55:27
Well, in one short year, because say what you will about the BLM,
55:31
they do not starve the animals. So it happened after that in a
55:34
short year. His almost.
55:36
Yeah. Anyway, I'm very glad that we we
55:38
intercepted him because yeah, it was very much in need
55:42
immediately. I would say we learned basically
55:45
where we are today, no doubt, is thanks to the Mustangs.
55:48
We have a couple of very cute domesticated horses too that we
55:51
shouldn't leave out. But you know, they're great.
55:53
I know we we'll always plug domestic horses also.
55:56
They're also awesome. We don't, we don't just like
55:58
them in the but you know. Yeah, very cool.
56:02
Are there any other lessons or insights that you guys want to
56:05
share before we wrap up from your experience and not skewing
56:09
or? Having us.
56:10
Thank you. And an opportunity to discuss
56:12
what we've learned, the work that we do, you know, because
56:14
obviously the guests you have on here are just incredibly like
56:17
accomplished, inspired, beautiful doing people that are
56:21
doing such cool things. And also just like the ability
56:24
to like long form discuss this. You know, everything's like such
56:28
sound bites these days. And even, you know, like, you
56:30
have to have like your like elevator pitch and like, you
56:33
know, it's like, like, it's just nice to be able to like.
56:36
Chat, chat. And discuss US like, you know,
56:39
where we're thinking and where we're at.
56:41
You know, Aaron and I are obviously think deeply about the
56:45
work. And you know, we've been
56:47
actively rescuing Mustangs and Burroughs for three years now
56:50
and we've learned so much. You know, we as a small rescue,
56:53
you know, we do want to continue to help Mustangs in other ways
56:57
as well. And so we are thinking a lot
56:59
about like storytelling and how we can kind of expand our reach
57:05
and into like, you know, telling their stories essentially.
57:08
So we are we are working on a podcast that we will be
57:12
releasing in the spring that, you know, really just brings
57:17
people into our world kind of a lot of what we talked about
57:19
today. But just, you know, like into
57:22
the kind of nitty gritty world of like kill pens, kill buyers,
57:27
traders, you know, auction houses, auction houses, the
57:30
rescues. Like, you know, it's just like
57:32
it's such a fascinating world that, you know, kind of on the
57:35
face of it, you think maybe one thing, but then you kind of dig
57:38
a little deeper and it's actually like such a entangled
57:41
interesting world. You know, also just like digging
57:43
into like the broader issue of, you know, why are so many
57:47
Mustangs being rounded up? You know, like that Desmond Tutu
57:51
quote, like where, you know, at some point where we want to stop
57:54
pulling bodies out of the river, you want to go upstream and find
57:57
out, you know, why are they falling in?
58:00
And so, you know, that's kind of where we're at on our journey is
58:04
that, you know, it just seems like the we were being and
58:07
rescuing and yet more and more and more.
58:10
In fact, more and more and. More seem to be ending up in
58:13
kill pens and in, you know, loading onto slaughter trucks.
58:16
And so you know, why, why is this happening?
58:19
Like these are these are protected animals.
58:21
These are like national treasures, symbols of the
58:24
American West freedom. These are horses that like live,
58:27
breathe, die on our public lands.
58:30
You know, why? Why are they meeting such like,
58:33
just gruesome fates? So, you know, we really want to
58:37
just start to investigate a lot of these issues on a bigger
58:40
level. And so that's kind of where
58:42
we're at. You know, we will, of course, be
58:44
continuing rescuing. We really appreciate people that
58:47
want to donate to, you know, our rescue cause and mission and
58:52
also our this storytelling endeavor to that we're embarking
58:55
on and. I think you'll put, I sent you
58:56
some stuff so we can put that in your show notes that people,
58:59
Yeah. We'll definitely include
59:00
everything in notes, but also, yeah, go ahead and tell
59:03
everybody like, the best places to find you, the best place to
59:06
support your work. All of that, I would say in
59:09
about like 3 weeks, we'll have a really beautiful brand new
59:12
websites. But you, you can go now too.
59:14
But we've been really, that's kind of been one of our current
59:17
undertakings on top of everything else.
59:19
But it's going to be great. So that is rescue ranchito.org,
59:23
RANCHITO, rescue ranchito.org. And then on social media, all,
59:29
all of the platforms. So, well, I shouldn't say all
59:31
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube are all just rescue at
59:35
Rescue Ranchito, Rescue Ranchito.
59:37
And then the donor box I find to be a little bit odd.
59:40
Unfortunately that's does better with a link, but I think you can
59:43
search rescue Ranchito on donor box and it'll take you to our
59:48
like 2026 fund that we're currently working on which we'll
59:52
just as we talked we've we've upped our numbers for what we
59:56
need per Mustang. So that is a kind of a fund
59:58
we're we're starting I think we're at like almost 7000 now,
1:00:02
but our goal for the year is 50,000 with. 10 to 12,000 per
1:00:07
Mustang, so that's. What it really does?
1:00:10
Cost so. But that is, you know, yeah.
1:00:14
But that truly is, you know, such a cool investment for
1:00:17
people because, you know, you can really be a part of like a
1:00:20
transformation of a Mustang from like a kill pen to, you know,
1:00:24
forever home and like, we really stay close.
1:00:27
To them throughout the whole process, and because we're so
1:00:29
small, all the adopters are like now friends.
1:00:31
Like they are dear friends of ours.
1:00:33
And not that I need to say this, but there's like a whole old
1:00:36
contract process where if at any point there's a situation that
1:00:40
comes up, they do not end up back in any sort of pipeline.
1:00:44
They come back to us. So that was kind of like a
1:00:46
critical kind of baseline for any horse that leaves our care
1:00:49
is that we're the first call if anything comes up because we'll,
1:00:53
we'll have them come back to us, right.
1:00:55
So they don't end up anywhere else.
1:00:56
Yeah, but you know, we we do, you know, when we do adopt
1:00:59
horses out for an Mustangs out for an adoption fee and you
1:01:03
know, being a nonprofit that goes 100% back into the next
1:01:06
Mustang. So we do want to I don't think
1:01:10
we'll ever be self-sustaining as in the adoption fee equals the
1:01:15
amount that we actually put in for training.
1:01:17
But if anyone who's listening is considering being a donor or
1:01:21
helping us contributing to our efforts, you know, this is like
1:01:26
a fund that you know, does self, you know, generate to an extent,
1:01:30
to an extent. And so.
1:01:31
You know, we do see. It as like an investment, you
1:01:34
know, you can really be a part of like not just the 1 Mustang
1:01:38
you're donating to, but future Mustangs that like come down the
1:01:40
line. You know, it is just like a cool
1:01:43
and we really stay close to like the people that help us out who
1:01:46
are donors that want to be part of the mission.
1:01:48
We do our We are a. Community and you know it's it's
1:01:52
just yeah I just really yeah it's.
1:01:56
Just awesome vibes, vibes. You have everyone that has kind
1:02:01
of come into our lives and all of that through this whole
1:02:04
process have been really wonderful people, necessarily
1:02:07
all donors or adopters, but just like people that are intrigued
1:02:09
by what we're doing. I have to say, like everyone has
1:02:12
been really wonderful. So if anyone just like has any
1:02:14
general questions like feel free to are we hi or hello at
1:02:17
rescueranchitoyeahhihi@rescueranchito.org. So please.
1:02:22
Reach anyone? Please reach out because.
1:02:23
Chat or even social media too like I would like that.
1:02:26
So happy to answer any questions or chat or you know if you want
1:02:31
to adopt the Mustang. Yeah, if you want a project.
1:02:34
In in two years when? They're yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
1:02:38
some point that's. Beautiful.
1:02:39
I mean, I just want to commend you guys for what you're doing.
1:02:42
I think it's really incredible and I love, you know, even
1:02:45
though it's small, it's important work and the way
1:02:48
you've gathered the people around you and you know, you
1:02:51
guys shared a lot of the realities of rescue, which I
1:02:54
think is important because you're right.
1:02:55
Everything comes in sound bites. And of course the stuff, you
1:02:58
know, we want to celebrate the good things or dramatize the
1:03:01
really hard things. And what we see down the line is
1:03:04
often a lot more tedious and boring and, you know, a slow,
1:03:08
slow, grinding pressure that just continues.
1:03:11
So Yep, Yeah, definitely not easy work.
1:03:13
But I think, as you guys have also expressed, completely worth
1:03:17
the effort and the strain and the, you know, unknown that
1:03:21
you're going into. And I love that you guys are
1:03:23
going to continue sharing your stories because I really do
1:03:25
think a big part of the solution is the more people that we can
1:03:28
get kind of feel that about Mustangs and love Mustangs.
1:03:31
Like, you know, that's where the solutions going to come because
1:03:33
like you and I, there's only so many horses that we can take
1:03:36
into our personal care. But yeah.
1:03:38
And like anything, you don't staff who have a Mustang to care
1:03:42
about a Mustang. So that's what you're obviously
1:03:45
your efforts. Are incredible in that way and
1:03:46
then hopefully you know just another kind of voice out there
1:03:50
just informing I think is great yeah yeah yeah no thank you
1:03:54
Shirleys and for all your work and also just for like a
1:03:56
beautiful conversation and space to just talk about what we love
1:04:01
yeah. Absolutely, yeah.
1:04:02
It was great having you guys and we'll definitely include any
1:04:05
information for people to get a hold of you.
1:04:07
And. Awesome.
1:04:08
See how that they can become involved in the work.
1:04:11
Thank you for joining us and learning about Horses That Heal
1:04:14
and the humans who help them. We hope you'll continue with us
1:04:18
on this journey. We'd love for you to subscribe
1:04:20
on your favorite platform and follow the touch of a Mustang on
1:04:23
any of the major social media outlets.
1:04:26
Please share with your friends anyone who loves horses or
1:04:29
anyone who might be struggling and could benefit from this
1:04:31
message. If you have felt the healing
1:04:33
power of horses or help them in their divinely appointed
1:04:37
mission, please reach out. We want to hear your story.
1:04:40
As we say goodbye, always remember that the horse is
1:04:43
always there to help you heal.