Lacy the sea (ok, pond) monster reminds you that if you have an area of difficulty with your Mustang (or domestic equine), don’t give up just yet.

Most people who meet the now 9yo Divide Basin WY mare, one of the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs, comment on how willing and well behaved she is. This is true. What’s also true is that I’ve put 7 years of work into her AND me.

Lacy was a 2yo unhandled spitfire when I first picked her up for gentling. All things considered, she was mostly good.

When she wasn’t, she would rear. She reared about a great many things, including not being allowed to go back to her friends, ditches and water.

Lacy hated all water that dared to exist outside of a trough. Her signature move was to rear and throw herself down. Not over backwards, down on the ground like a toddler at the grocery store. Big drama. We worked through it each time.

After the first few months and many conversations she stopped throwing herself down. The rearing and jumping so the scary wet stuff wouldn’t touch her feet took longer to move past.

I remember the last half rear at 11,000ft when she was 4yo. I had just started riding her bareback a bit before adding the weight of the saddle. We needed to get across a creek to go above treeline. She was having none of it.

We took the time to cross the creek and she never reared again. Was I frustrated and scared sometimes during those first few years, even though she was doing great with most other things? Absolutely.

We got past it with persistence, patience and practice. I didn’t ignore, shy away from or sugar coat potentially dangerous behavior.

We’ve been crossing all manner of creeks and puddles effortlessly or nearly so for several years now.

Earlier this summer we encountered our first fast moving, fairly deep river. I asked, she went in. Two days ago we celebrated our first time riding into a pond deep enough to swim in and enjoyed playing in the water in just a halter.

I hope that gives some of you hope to keep moving forward.

That being said, if most things aren’t working right and you or your horse are in danger because of it, get help now.

If you don’t know how to address or move past the roadblock you’re facing, feel free to reach out. Maybe we can help.

#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildtowilling

#adoptamustang#mustangtraining#horsemanship#dontquit#summer#makingmountainmustangmemories

Some lesser known ways – based on some feedback I’ve been getting – Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy serves the Mustang community is through empowering Mustang adopters and those who are considering adopting via internships, workshops/private and semi-private clinics (at your facility or ours) and remote coaching.

With the large numbers of horses getting adopted unhandled via the IA and in person adoption events, supporting wild horses and their humans as they navigate the gentling journey is more important than ever.

If you’re interested in either feel free to reach out via PM, email, text or call.

Kyle Dobson has been with us as an intern for a week and a half now (time flies). He’s a veteran from Oklahoma who wanted to learn more about gentling Mustangs as part of building Pathfinders, an organization he started to help veterans, first responders and wild horses (3rd photo).

He’s been incredibly helpful and he claims he’s been learning a lot. Based on the progress he’s made with the wildies we’ve assigned to him, I’d say so. Today he made his first distance catch with the neck rope and put the temporary halter on a spicy young mare.

Kyle is pictured here with Nemo (pinto) and Rohan (dark bay). Both geldings are available for adoption.

Halter and lead rope: Rowdy’s Ropes

#BLMmustang#DevilsGardenMustang#wildtowilling#veteran#wildhorseswillingpartners#nonprofit#makingmountainmustangmemories

I passed the civics, reading and writing test as part of the naturalization process yesterday. I’ve rarely if ever had that much fun taking a test.

Especially in light of the fact that just 8 days prior I took – and passed – the National Counseling Exam. That one was decidedly unfun.

This country offers new citizens an opportunity for a name change upon naturalization. I will be changing my last name to Schaefer, my maternal grandfather’s last name.

Wolfgang Schäfer was an endlessly quirky, painfully outspoken, forever young at heart, relentlessly active and knowledge-hungry math professor, story-teller and adventurer.

I wouldn’t be who I am or likely where I am if it wasn’t for him. It’ll forever hurt that he didn’t live long enough to see me find my happy place in life, and that I wasn’t allowed to say goodbye before he passed.

Anyway, when you see my name change on social media, the website, etc, that’s why. I’m excited to trade my A number (alien registration number ) for an American passport, and I’m so grateful to belong here rather than merely being allowed to stay.

Another thing:

This is a professional platform. I ask that whatever you wouldn’t say to me in person, or whatever you wouldn’t say to your male or female physician, mechanic, or insurance agent, you don’t say on here, to include comments, DMs, replies to stories, texts and emails. Especially if you don’t know me personally.

Not every thought in our head needs to be expressed via our outside voice or busy keyboard fingers. If this German, soon to also be American, can manage to have some kind of a filter, so can you. We’re not known to sugar coat much and I sure don’t.

I want this to be a friendly place, for you all and for me too. Rant over.

Packing picture featuring the Shepherds (fun fact: Schäfer means “shepherd” in German), Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs Lacy and Tiny, and yours truly from earlier this month.

PC: Marcos Costa with 4 Corners Back Country Horsemen

#PSA#progress#makingmountainmustangmemories

What we do at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy is mostly kindergarten and elementary school for wild horses as they find their way in the domestic world.

We’ve had some incredible Mustangs this year. Some took to doing “people things” like fish to water. Others, usually the more sensitive or “high octane” ones will try their heart out to do what’s asked but need extra time to relax into it.

With horses like that – Nash here, grey 4yo Antelope Hills WY Mustang gelding , being one of them – it’s extra important to focus less on teaching lots of new things or expecting significant progress all the time, and more on breaking tasks down and getting the basics solid in order to set them up for success and a good life with humans

That looks like actually teaching them to relax their bodies and minds, to look to the human for guidance, to self regulate, to think and respond rather than react their way through a tough spot.

There’s a big difference in a horse – Mustang or domestic – that will merely go through the motions or tolerate something and one that’s truly ok and engaged with what they are asked to do.

It pays to take the extra time to get the foundation right in order to pave a smooth path forward rather than ignoring little things that later come back and cause bigger issues down the line.

Example: Rushing to ride a horse before he’s truly ok with touch EVERYWHERE, accepts tack, yields softly to halter pressure in and outside of a safely enclosed area and is relaxed about picking up all four feet, can get excited and calm down again, and stay responsive at all gaits from the ground.

If you’re experiencing difficulties with your Mustang or have questions about the gentling process, we offer in person – at your facility or ours – as well as remote coaching.

Nash and several other gentled Mustangs are available for adoption. Check them out here:

PC: Our intern Kyle Dobson

Halter and lead: Rowdy’s Ropes

#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildtowilling#adoptamustang#makingmountainmustangmemories

That’s what wilderness travel is like with a horse dog human herd.

Horses looking to the dogs to find a barely visible trail. Dogs waiting for the horses to create a path through tall grass or snow. Horses or dogs finding and pointing out water to the rest of the herd.

The horses going out of their way not to trample humans or dogs in dangerous situations.

Horses and dogs looking to the humans for guidance and safety.

Interdependence is key in the backcountry. Fellow travelers, two- and four-legged alike, rely on each other.

On our last pack trip I said something to the effect of “These kinds of trips show exactly how stupid animals aren’t” as the Mustangs and Shepherds were confidently finding their way back to camp without guidance, after only ever having been on a particularly hard to discern trail once before.

Grateful to have these experiences with our Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustang herd:

Lacy (9yo dun Divide Basin WY Mustang mare, my riding horse)

Echo (2yo dun Twin Peaks CA Mustang filly, following along loose in this video)

Griffin (bay Devil’s Garden yearling Mustang gelding, also loose)

Tiny (15ish yo sorrel Salt Wells WY Mustang gelding, on this trip camera woman Tay Martin ‘s mount)

With trips and videos like this we hope to inspire and encourage others to make their Mustang dreams come true.

If you’re looking to adopt a gentled Mustang, check out our available Mustangs here:

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Guffey, Colorado. Thanks to reputable haulers, shipping out of state can be arranged.

BLM Wild Horse & Burro ProgramDouble Devil Wild Horse CorralsOutback Trading Company LTD.Rowdy’s RopesBest Ever PadsThe Colorful Cowgirl

#BLMmustang#DevilsGardenMustang#wildtowilling#wildhorseswillingpartners#adoptalivinglegend#explore#mountains#adventure#backcountry#wilderness#adoptamustang#makingmountainmustangmemories

This sweet, drafty boy who reminded us so much of Gus (Same age, HMA, gather. They could absolutely be related.) has found his person and has started his new life in California

These little clips were taken during his last couple of weeks here with us at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy

We’re so happy for him and his adopter and excited to hear about his future and the adventures that await.

We have several gentled Mustangs – 1 to 5yo – currently looking for their humans. Feel free to check them out at

w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h . o r g , let your friends know who are looking and tag us on social media when you see someone searching.

We’ve been finding incredible homes for the wild horses in our care, let’s continue to do so. We appreciate your support, likes, shares, comments and donations so much.

We often have Mustangs that either need a little extra time to fully embrace life with humans or to find just the right person and situation. Thanks to you we can accommodate that!

Rope halters and leads: Rowdy’s Ropes

#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildtowilling#bettertogether#nonprofit#adoptalivinglegend

#makingmountainmustangmemories

This sweet, drafty boy who reminded us so much of Gus (Same age, HMA, gather. They could absolutely be related.) has found his person and has started his new life in California

These little clips were taken during his last couple of weeks here with us at Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy

We’re so happy for him and his adopter and excited to hear about his future and the adventures that await.

We have several gentled Mustangs – 1 to 5yo – currently looking for their humans. Feel free to check them out at

w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h . o r g , let your friends know who are looking and tag us on social media when you see someone searching.

We’ve been finding incredible homes for the wild horses in our care, let’s continue to do so. We appreciate your support, likes, shares, comments and donations so much.

We often have Mustangs that either need a little extra time to fully embrace life with humans or to find just the right person and situation. Thanks to you we can accommodate that!

Rope halters and leads: Rowdy’s Ropes

#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildtowilling#bettertogether#nonprofit#adoptalivinglegend

#makingmountainmustangmemories

That’s a bit how life has felt recently. Wonderful, unexpected, dramatic and a bit crazy.

Lots of great new wild horses, experiences, and opportunities, the tragic loss of our 2yo DG filly Cedar after a pasture accident, Lacy catching a bug, me getting Covid for the 3rd time – so annoying – and this past Thursday taking the NCE (National Counseling Exam) at long last. 4hours , 200 questions while sweating bullets, with hours upon hours of studying leading up to it.

It’s been a wild ride and I apologize for the balls I’ve dropped along the way. It’s nice having a little more headspace now. One more important test (immigrant stuff) coming up.

I appreciate everyone who’s supported, cheered me on and been patient with me through it all.

These photos are from the last day of our July pack trip. We were “just going to do a quick ride”, because we wanted to be back at a reasonable hour to pack up camp, ride out, sort our things and drive home. All during daylight hours, obviously. No problem, right? Ha!

We looked at this and then at that, and finally, while I was harvesting some particularly lovely bay boletes – yay for wild mushroom hunting – Tay Martin started acting rather strange and ran off into the forest, only to return with an enormous moose shed.

Once she was able to speak rather than squeal and sing, the question of “how do we get this thing down to camp?” arose. I offered to carry it if we could protect it (and me) a bit.

Taylor’s wilderness treasure traveled down the mountain cradled in my arm and wrapped in a sweatshirt. No trail, so it was looking at the app, directing my mount, climbing over deadfall and dodging low branches. Sounds safe, doesn’t it?

Not to mention the two loose young Mustangs and two German Shepherds that also all needed to be herded to our destination.

The first picture is me peeking over the shed, Divide Basin Mustang mare Lacy surrounded by the youngsters, Denali on a mission to go somewhere. Not pictured, Ranger, Taylor and the remaining Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustang Tiny (Salt Wells).

We rode out of camp at 8.40pm that night (second picture) with the moose shed (3rd pic) secured under the lash rope atop Twin Peaks, CA Mustang filly Echo’s load. We arrived at the truck around 10pm. That was some kind of a ride, but we made it out in one piece. Mostly. SOMEONE had a sad headlamp and steering malfunction, yet is blaming 400lb yearling Devil’s Garden gelding Griffin for pushing 1200+lb Tiny into a tree, resulting in a bruised (human) knee…

Here’s to embracing life, good friends, good horses and slowing down to take it all in!

#BLMmustang#DevilsGardenMustang#wildtowilling#wildhorseswillingpartners#backcountry#wilderness#adventure#makingmountainmustangmemories

This handsome yearling Devil’s Garden Mustang gelding didn’t let a rough start keep him down. Pippin was facility-born and rejected by his dam. Double Devil Wild Horse Corrals staff kept him alive and raised him, through ups and down, until he was strong enough to travel. No easy feat and a huge commitment.

He arrived here earlier this year with several of his friends to get an education and find a wonderful home. Pippin – now Joey – has the biggest personality and is willing to grab life by the horns. There’s a lot of resilience and spunk in that little red roan body.

Pippin was adopted and picked up by one of the experienced haulers we work with. He took the long trip from CO to MI in stride.

The Champion Farm sent us these photos and made our hearts sing. That little guy found horse heaven on earth and it appears he’s embracing it. I think he’s sure he deserves no less. Happy trails with your sweet boy Taylor, thank you for giving him such a wonderful home!

Thank you to our amazing adopters, supporters, clients, haulers and everyone else who makes what Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy does possible. This is what we do it for. Keep the updates coming!

We have several incredible gentled Mustangs currently looking for their humans. You can view them under the Available Mustangs tab at w i l d h o r s e o u t r e a c h. o r g

If you have questions, feel free to email, PM, text or call us.

We’re located in Guffey, CO. Hauling can be arranged and out of state adoptions to approved, suitable homes are possible.

#DevilsGardenMustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildtowilling#nonprofit#bettertogether

#makingmountainmustangmemories

That’s what I think horse packing and backcountry riding do for us: We feel alive and present.

In a world where we are often numb, stressed, irritated, anxious or distracted (but utterly comfortable because in many ways our lives are easy… We get heat, cool air, coffee, fuel and millions of items online simply by pushing a button), exploring the backcountry with horses pulls us out of all of that.

Packing is time and labor intensive, uncertain, dangerous and if you want to save on weight and maintain some level of convenience, comfort and safety for yourself and your stock it’s rather pricey too.

The payoff? Being in the moment for as long as you’re out there. Seeing things not many people see. Experiencing nature in its raw form because you’re immersed in it, rain or shine. Having your character, gear, navigation skills and your animals’ training tested. Slowing down to take it all in, because that’s all there is to do.

These photos are from the same day ride out of camp, taken a mere few hours apart. It was a hot, dry, exhausting first few miles. We almost turned back because the animals needed water and some time to graze.

The vegetation was poor and all but one of the intermittent streams shown on GPS were dry. The one that wasn’t offered two tiny spots of water. One was muddy, the other required that they push their heads into and under a bush to drink.

The trail was growing fainter by the minute. The dogs and horses were getting tired and the humans worried.

The app said half a mile to water, down some steep-ish terrain. We said to heck with it, we’re already here. So we went.I heard Marcos promise his geldings “paradise at the end of this trail”. I grunted. I was just hoping for flowing water and some grass.

Turns out he was right. I walked Mustangs Lacy and Tiny down the canyon. The trail was so faint and overgrown in spots and so narrow in others that I felt safer that way. At the bottom we found grass almost to the horses’ backs, all the water we could ask for and incredible scenery. A perfect lunch and cooling off spot for the weary two- and four-legged travelers.

Riding back we tried and failed to outrun a storm. Watching it approach, hearing the thunder and finally seeking shelter from hail and rain in a small grove of trees was intense, scary and beautiful all at once.

I’m glad for the experiences and memories and thankful that both Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy and groups like

4 Corners Back Country Horsemen are doing their part in keeping backcountry packing with horses alive.

#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildhorses#wildtowilling#horsepacking#packhorse#mountains#adventure#explore#backcountry#bliss#nature#horses#adoptamustang#makingmountainmustangmemories