“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”

~ Lilo and stitch

Hello and Happy New Year to everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! 

Is everyone ready to get back to work Thursday?!

I want to start by saying THANK YOU to each and every one of you for all of your support over the last couple of years!  We ARE making a difference, and I am so proud to be a part of this organization with all of you! 

I also have to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who answered our calls to help us meet our 2024 fundraising budget! WE DID IT!!!!  We met our goal! THANK YOU!!!

Now – let’s talk about Ohana….

Today I am sharing this photo with 2023 Filly Bluebell, 2020 Stallion Boomer and 2020 Mare Misty Blue.

I have been watching Boomer and Misty Blue since they were born in 2020.  The late stallions Thunder and Sidekick’s bands were usually pretty close to each other.  Even when Xander took over the band, the habit of being close to Sidekick’s band remained. 

It always seemed like Misty Blue was sneaking over to spend time with Boomer and his brother Amite from a very young age. 

Since Misty Blue gave birth to Bluebell last year, I can’t think of a time when I have seen Xander’s band over this last year when Boomer and Bluebell have not been together.  The love these three horses have for each other is very clear and extremely beautiful.

We don’t know who Bluebell’s sire is. The good news is that during the roundup, the park collected MORE DNA – that is more than the 98% of the herd that they had in March of 2024 when they released their report on the horses.  Hopefully when they get that DNA, they will answer some of these “Maury Moments” we have for some of the sires like Bluebell’s!  Is it Xander?  Amite? Boomer?  Someone else??

As we watched these three the other day, I was reminded of another memory that has held in my head for a few months now.

I didn’t take as many pictures during the roundup because it literally made me sick to my stomach.  The horses running, trying to find a way to escape, the screams coming from inside the handling facility, the running, fighting, and confusion among the horses was a lot to take in. 

I was watching Xander’s band in the pasture at the handling facility the first day of the roundup.  Mare Pale Lady, who knows all too well that there was nothing good coming out of the horses being rounded up like this, was searching frantically for a way out.  Younger horses like Xander, Boomer etc, had never been through a roundup, so they were taking Pale Lady’s lead.  I watched as Boomer, Misty Blue and Bluebell stayed close together.  At one point, the three stopped running with the rest of the band in circles and Boomer just stood like the strongest stallion I had ever seen, in a protective stance, directly in front of Misty Blue and Bluebell.

There was no question in that moment that those two girls are his family. 

Ohana.

These amazing wild horses understand that.

Mare Dolly and her family were another interesting group to watch during the roundup. 

Dolly has been trying to find a band to belong to after Flax.  She has been with Illinois, Cagney and most recently, she is back with her son, Stallion Anzar.  Her two daughters, Starlet and Summer, have been with Illinois.  They were part of Illinois’ band as the roundup began.  Once they were rounded up, the two girls managed to get to their mom and the rest of their brother’s band.  They went where they felt protected.  They knew that with their mom was the best place to be during such a confusing time. 

Once the horses were released, Starlet and Summer found their way back with Illinois.  Dolly has remained with Anzar.

Ohana.

Even those young girls get it.

I get accused a lot of “humanizing” the wild horses.  I honestly feel that maybe it is us humans that need to be more horse-like because these horses are nothing like us humans, that’s for sure!

As humans, I am not sure we could replicate or even fully understand the deep respect horses have for each other – even if you can tell they don’t like the other horse they may have encountered!  

They without a doubt love each other very deeply.  It’s sad for me to find Sidekick’s old band and see Mare Mist standing all alone.  Sidekick was always close by – that is if they weren’t so close they were touching each other.  The same was true for Frosty and Red Face.  Satellite with Crow and Lightening.  Thunder in the middle of Pale Lady, Winter and Angel. Those moments when you can just feel the love. 

And then they mourn. 

Ember’s Girl spent a lot of time being selective on who her next stallion would be after Mystery died.  I think Frosty is still trying to find her new place without Red Face.   I came across a picture the other day from this year of Stallion Cloud standing across the river not far from where Mare Chubby and their daughter Miracle died.  I thought maybe he was visiting with them and in my heart, I have no doubt he has many times over the years. 

I share this with you today because THIS is what we are fighting so hard for.  These literal families of horses who are asking for nothing more than to live their lives wild and free in the only home they have ever known. There are no vet bills. No cost for hay or a need to haul water.  They have what they need and know how to survive just fine in the rugged badlands of North Dakota. 

I have an overwhelming number of meetings in the next couple of weeks as we try to get more support for our legislation. 

This legislation HAS to pass – the horses deserve it!

For clarification, the park did NOT allow the horses to stay.  They were FORCED to allow the wild horses to stay by public outcry and local pressure – a BIG THANKS to all of you!

When Governor Burgum tried so hard to reason with the park and negotiate a solution, the ONLY solution the park ever offered was for the state to take ownership of the horses and relocate them to a state park. 

Yes! – Governor Burgum offered the park ANY resources the state of North Dakota had, and the park countered with “take these horses please”.  That story came directly to us from Burgum’s Chief of Staff. 

I’m sorry, if the park wasn’t willing to work with a governor offering ANYTHING the park needed to keep and properly manage the wild horses, how can we trust that they will honestly work with anyone else?

The state of North Dakota has a vested interest in these horses.  As the LEAST visited state in the US – they know the horses bring people here.  North Dakota wants people to come here. 

No one understands that better than the North Dakota Department of Tourism!

The Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation wants people to come here too!

The Medora Chamber of Commerce also wants people to come here.

We expect that list to grow as our meetings continue. 

Someone shared with me that there was a conversation on another page about what a long process passing legislation is. 

OMG no kidding! 

This particular piece of legislation is something I have personally been working on with Holly and our state legislators since about March or April.  It will be over a year from start to finish by the time this session is over. 

We don’t get the luxury of just showing up to testify or crossing our fingers to hope it passes.  This state legislation is critical to the work we are doing for federal protection, so we are pounding the pavement hard to get anyone and everyone we can onboard to make sure this bill passes. 

Included in the “anyone and everyone” will be each and every one of you very soon! 

To be clear, IF we can’t get this passed this year, we don’t get another chance until 2027! AND this will also significantly impact any opportunities that may come up for federal protection for this herd.

This first day and first week of 2025 is extremely busy already!  Please understand that in moments when we might get quiet here. I promise to do my best to keep everyone updated on what is happening and will ABSOLUTELY let you know when it is time for you to help and how you can best do that!

Today, I also got to spend some time catching up with our advocate friends at Oregon Wild Horse Organization.  I have been finding that there is something very special about spending time with our advocate friends either on the phone or in person.  We are ALL tired and need to help hold each other up and encourage each other so we can all keep going!

If you have not checked OWHO out, please do!  They were instrumental in helping us over these last few years as we fought to get the wild horses in TRNP to stay in their home.  They are doing some amazing things, as usual, including fighting to save the historic Kiger herd.  We have to start coming together as advocates or all of our wild horses are truly doomed.  Please check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OregonWHO There is also a link to their website and YouTube channel on there as well!

Our friends at OWHO will also be part of our virtual summit!  Have you signed up for updates yet?  OVER 200 advocates have!!! We have about 30 speakers confirmed over 5 days – starting with a Wild Beauty watch party on Thursday January 30th!  You can see the current list of speakers and get more info on our website: https://chwha.org/2025-wild-horse-summit/ We will start working on our schedule soon! 

Thank you all for your continued support!  We are looking forward to doing more amazing things with you in 2025!!

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