| Are you considering the purchase of a horse? Try | | | | for it. Later you can wean them off it and they |
| adopting a wild horse from the Bureau of Land | | | | won't need it anymore once they trust you. |
| Management. They have an abundance of wild | | | | If you don't have time, just feeding them in the |
| horses that are sensitive and willing. Must be a | | | | morning and evening will eventually cause them to |
| person of practical senses to ensure safety. Kini | | | | trust you. I like giving wild horses a solid |
| offers readers her experiences and stories as an | | | | foundation with time. Especially if your an amateur |
| amatuer horse trainer to help others consider | | | | like me. (You can always use that excuse if the |
| adopting. See my website at for photos and | | | | cowboys start challenging your toughness.) |
| other info. In 1981, 25 years ago, I saw images of | | | | The High Rock herd area is located about 45 |
| wild horses cramped together in tight uninhabitable | | | | miles north of Gerlach, NV and 45 miles southeast |
| fenced in living quarters. It was a dreadful sight. | | | | of Cedarville, CA. and it adjoins the Calico |
| The horses appeared to be emaciated and | | | | Mountains. It is managed as 2 separate home |
| roughed up. I knew someday I just had to save | | | | ranges. That is where my "Big Boy " comes from. |
| one. My dream turned into action when I went to | | | | The Spaniards set up breeding colonies to develop |
| visit the wild horse sanctuary in Shingle Town, | | | | the Peruvian Paso, the Puerto Rican Paso Fino, the |
| California. | | | | Missouri Foxtrotter, the Rocky Mountain Horse, |
| 19 years later I adopted two wild horses. Pokey, | | | | The Kentucky Mountain Horse, and even the |
| my bay mustang , comes from a herd likely | | | | American Quarter Horse. Thousands of these |
| originating from historical ranching operations. This | | | | horses were released during the Great Pueblo |
| herd is made up primarily of blacks and bays with | | | | Revolt of 1680. Many scattered into California |
| some pinto individuals. It is in an area that is in the | | | | from Baja and Mexico and upward into Northern |
| middle of the Bitner herd area that lies in northern | | | | California. |
| Washoe County, Nevada about 40 miles east of | | | | Big Boy is "a big yellow horse". (His real name is |
| Cedarville, CA. and the Buckhorn herd area | | | | Ranger Benjii, a 6 1/2 hands Palomino w/ paint |
| located 40 miles southwest of Cedarville, CA in | | | | going up his hocks) He stretches his hind legs out |
| Lassen County, CA and Washoe County, NV. | | | | when I groom him. People have determined that |
| Some of the horses in the Bitner herd area | | | | those characteristics could be Fox Trotter. When |
| exhibit Spanish mustang characteristics. This area | | | | he escapes from me into the mountains I have |
| contains horses thought to originate from Spanish | | | | to hunt him down. I've been lucky that I can |
| stock, diluted with ranch stock and US Cavalry | | | | distinguish him among all of the other yellow dots |
| Remounts prior to and during World War I. The | | | | in the environment. |
| influence of the US Cavalry Remount program is | | | | We now have established a game called, "hard to |
| especially apparent in these horses. Predominant | | | | get" (horse trainers call it a "bad habit"). He wants |
| colors in this herd are blacks and bays with some | | | | to get caught, but he just has to make me run |
| pinto individuals. | | | | around for awhile. So, now we have a sports |
| To add to the multi-mixture of breeds, ranchers | | | | game that we play. Sometimes, I can see him |
| in several areas of Nevada, turned loose many | | | | with my perefial vision running back and forth |
| breeds including Shires, Percherons, Hambletonians, | | | | trying to get my attention. He does better when |
| Morgans and Irish stallions and mares to set a | | | | I pretend he's not there. Ranger Benjii is my |
| standards and patterns in the herds that roamed | | | | spoiled child that does no wrong. We see eye to |
| nearby. As the cavalry, ranchers or miners | | | | eye about alot of things. I have been reprimanded |
| demanded horses, many were trapped and | | | | by horse trainers for allowing him to lead me. |
| trained. | | | | When I first adopted my Big Boy from the |
| Pokey is small and she appears to be aloof. People | | | | Palomino Valley BLM, the officers highly advised |
| have noticed her outstanding gait. She seems like | | | | me not to. The Palomino Valley BLM is great. |
| she is about to fall asleep right at your feet. But, | | | | They really cater to their prospective adoptees. |
| by any means is not so. In her mind, she is a big | | | | They give you posters, pencils, magnets, |
| horse and she will provide a ride that you'd never | | | | postcards, coffee cups and they drive you around |
| forget. Once she senses that she can make you | | | | in their government trucks from pen to pen while |
| laugh, she puts on her best. Alert and attentive of | | | | you choose the horse you want. You must |
| everything. | | | | choose several. When you get back to the office, |
| Pokey has come along way from when I first | | | | you figure out the one you are going to adopt. |
| adopted her. At first she would charge at you if | | | | I chose my big boy because of the paint going up |
| you came into her space. Touching her face was | | | | his hocks. That was all that I could see. Nothing |
| the last thing. Once we had to tranqualize her to | | | | else. After they put him in quarantine for 30 days |
| put on a harness and that didn't work. So, I | | | | I went to pick him up. The officers advised me |
| turned my single horse trailer into a wild horse | | | | that he was too high strung and nervous. They |
| chute. It didn't have a roof on it and there was no | | | | took me to his pen so that I could check him out. |
| where she could go once she was tricked with | | | | It was the first time I really got a good look at |
| grain to get in. The wild horse teachers don't really | | | | him. He was trying to hop over 10 foot walls and |
| recommend that because they use other | | | | pacing back and forth like a lion. I told the officers |
| techniques. But, to me grain is a God's gift for | | | | that I had nothing but time with him and then I |
| training wild horses. My wild horses do anything | | | | took him home. |