Bronze the Reservation Mustang Colt's Story:
THOUSANDS of mustangs are rounded up off of Reservation land each year, incentivized by the US government. In 2023, over three thousand Reservation Mustangs were rounded up from one Wyoming reservation alone!! They are wild, undocumented, untracked, and cheap to get in mass numbers- making them a number one pick for kill buyers who's only intention is to fill their trailer and take a load of horses across the border to be slaughtered in Mexico for personal profit.
When we chose two mares from the group to save, we had no idea that Sedona had a yearling baby on her side as well as the baby in her belly. Once we learned this boy was her son and had been captured too, we had to try to get him as well so we don't split up the pair! We were told that he is still nursing even though his momma is so skinny and very pregnant with Copper.
This colt was rounded up off the Hopi Reservation in Arizona in Late April 2024.
If you have driven through any Reservation land in Arizona, you have likely seen many wild reservation horses and the state they live in. These are some of the most barren lands out of the entire country and life here is hard for both the people & animals. These horses are usually skinny, if not emaciated, and they have to compete with the reservation cattle and sheep that the people rely on to make their livings on the already sparse resources available. 200 Horses have been sold to a kill buyer out of New Mexico in trailer loads of 25 in March & April 2024 alone by the man capturing these.
Bronze is the most curious little fella with a quirky personality! He is always playing with his little sister Copper and their best friend Tawny. He is the first of the group so far to come up and sniff me, and I'm suspecting will be the first of the group to want to experience some human connection and scratches! Time will tell. We look forward to watching this youngster grow and mature into a beautiful young horse!
2026 UPDATE:
If you would’ve told me that THIS scrawny colt we rescued in April 2024 would grow up to be one of the most breathtaking wild horses at Nirvana….
I would’ve laughed out loud! 🤣
He had messed up stifles and couldn’t even get around the best in the beginning…we worried it might be a detrimental issue and would get worse as he grew bigger. He was wormy, skinny, and coated in dull winter hair. But, despite how the prognosis seemed, as he’s grown he’s only gotten stronger as he gets more and more acreage available to him he has built up the strength in his back end and is completely sound!
Now, he’s out with the big herd, with his whole family, enjoying the wild life! He is still curious about people but has never been touched (outside of medical stuff or necessary care) to this day. He’s wild, just like we like them ❤️
I hope you find as much joy in these beautiful photos as I do.
What an incredible gift it is to steward the little ones and watch them grow into the strong wild souls they were always meant to be 🐴
Right now he is still with his family band… but it won’t be long now until he ventures out and gathers a band of his own 🥹 Go little Bronze, GO!
Thanks for being on this journey with us ✨ ESPECIALLY those of you who remember the day we brought Bronze and his family home!
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