WILD HEART MUSTANGS™
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This original print "Black and Blue" by Mary A. Lainhart is available for purchase in the SHOP.
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MOONSHINE LADY #missionmoonshine
by Rob West
Rob West with Moonshine Lady
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After competing in my very first Extreme Mustang Makeover last year in Topsfield Massachusetts, there was no doubt I found my true calling as a horseman. It just doesn’t get any better than this. I am given a lump of clay to mold and sculpt the way I see fit, until I have a masterpiece to present 120 days later. As with most things, there is the downside. I can’t afford to keep all the mustangs I train. This is very hard for me, and many of my competitors to swallow. We take these scared wild animals and we ask for their trust. And guess what? They give it to us. Somewhere at some point during a late night training session, I look my mustang in the eye and make them a promise. I promise to watch over them, even if they go to live with their new owner. After all, they give me everything they have to offer. I should do the same thing for them. Little did I know I would have to make good on this promise, and it turned out to be the adventure and story of a life time.
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On April 30th 2016, I picked up my new project mustang for the Virginia Extreme Mustang Makeover, in Knoxville TN. She was a stunning strawberry roan with beautiful blonde mane and tail that would make any girl jealous. Her flowing blonde mane reached all the way to her knees. She was very fine built, and underweight. But man did she look majestic, and confident. We finally made it all the way back to Long Island, NY on May 1st. I released Moonshine into her private round pen, and she entered it like a boss. She looked like she owned the place. Later that day, I approached her cautiously while to my surprise she approached me also. I was shocked. I attached a lead to her halter and began some simple pressure and release type of training. She was beyond docile and so sure of herself. At one point, I walked her to the mounting block, and stepped up. She stood quietly, and I slipped on to her back with just a halter and lead. She began to walk around like it was nothing. To say I was amazed, would be putting it mildly. This is a wild mustang after all.
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Moonshine was a pleasure to train, and quite frankly made me look like a rock star because she was so willing and easy to work with. Everyone that met her, loved her. Especially my daughter Autumn. Autumn volunteered to ride her any chance she got. On one occasion Autumn passed the chance to ride Moonshine. When I pressed her for a reason, her eyes filled with tears as she said how much she would miss her after she gets auctioned off after the Challenge. I convinced her to not let that stop her from loving her while we had her with us. The bond between them grew stronger each day as my bond did as well. Moonshine shared a pen with Belle, my Massachusetts Makeover mustang. They became best friends quickly. So, I had a big mound of guilt to swallow. I felt like I was just tearing apart a happy home. But, I had to be a big boy and do what’s right. That meant I would let Moonshine Lady sell after the challenge. |
On the first day of the competition we went in our first class. I forgot to back my horse when I was supposed to, and that landed us in second to last place with about 30 horses entered to start my weekend off. I was so upset with myself. Moonshine had been a little hyper, which threw me off my game a bit. It seemed devastating. How could we recover from this . All this work, money and time for nothing. All of a sudden a voice in my head said shut up and grow up. There is no future in the past, so cowboy the hell up. We took 3rd and 5th in the next two classes to leave us sitting 7th overall and qualified us for the top ten Freestyle competition. I was so proud of my girl. She truly moved under me like a finished horse. Moonshine didn’t disappoint in her freestyle performance either. We left that crowd cheering on their feet in that stadium. When the dust had settled, we had gone from second to last, to come in 5th overall. What a comeback.
Rob West and Moonshine Lady at the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition in Virgina 2016
Now comes the auction. Not my favorite part. Moonshine sold to a man from Virginia for $3,400. I stood by her stall waiting to meet her new owner. He never showed up. I went to the office to ask where he was, and he had left. I was beside myself. Why wouldn’t he come meet me, and ask about Moonshine? The next day I was told a wealthy man had bought her, and that Moonshine would want for nothing. I felt a little better, but still very upset. I helped load her on to the haulers trailer, along with Autumn, as I wept and hugged her goodbye. Mike promised to keep me updated on Moonshine for the next week while he had her at his place.
After a week and a half I received a message on Facebook from a fan of Moonshine's performance in Virginia. She asked if I was aware that she was missing? The words hit me like a punch in the stomach. Immediately I messaged the new owners to call me right away, and they did. She had been missing for 5 days at this point. She had jumped the pasture fence when she felt pressured by a gelding that was showing off and rearing too close to her, and just walked quietly into the woods in a very densely wooded farm community in VA. The new owners went right after her on four wheelers but she was gone without a trace. I asked if there was a place for me and my horses there so I could join the search. They said yes. Two people volunteered to come with me right away. Mike Simonetti and Colleen Brennan and myself loaded up in my 4 horse trailer and headed south. |
Colleen, Rob's friend, helping search for missing Moonshine Lady in Virginia
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We arrived on day 7 at about 2:30 am and stalled the horses, unpacked, and hit the hay around 4 am. We were up and saddled by 5 am along with friends Tres Waugh and Pam Young who lived about an hour away. Tres competed with me in Virginia, and became a quick friend. We made a game plan and headed out. Pam and Tres headed north, Mike and I headed different directions solo, and Colleen headed out with Douglas Seal, Moonshine's new owner. Doug's daughter Tiffany Seal had been out looking endlessly for days. They were both truly upset and embarrassed by the whole mix up. The truth is, it could have happened to anyone. Mike headed South and then East, while I went East and then North to the main river and water source that I thought might attract a thirsty horse. I was riding my thoroughbred Jet, while Mike rode a new horse Cinche, and Colleen rode her 140 day out of the wild mustang Shirley Rose. Shirley was outstanding, and truly proved herself as a first class mustang. When I reached the river, it was gorgeous with paths on each side. I had travelled miles to get there and rode along for many more. The paths disappeared, as Jet and I took to the center of the river as our new avenue. With mountains on either side, the river was rocky. Luckily I put pads and shoes on Jet before leaving. We pressed on until about 1:00 pm and I was looking to head back. Finally I saw a path up the mountain. It was up an embankment about 3 feet high. So I ran towards it so Jet could jump, and just as he went to leap, we sank in mud right up to his belly. I leaped off him and sank to my hips. We were in quicksand. He struggled and thrashed but only became more stuck. I used the saddle to lift out and on to hard ground 5 feet behind us. I pulled his reins, but he couldn’t free himself. He groaned and layed his head down. With no help to be found I had to not panic and think. He was in about 2 feet of water, so I rocked him by using the saddle horn to try and free his legs. Once I did that, I grabbed his breast plate and bridle, and began to yank as hard as I could like a deranged maniac. One inch at a time, I moved my horse about 5 feet until he reached hard ground. I yelled and smacked his butt. With one huge motion he was up and on hard ground. Both of us covered in stinky mud, but alive and only a small scrape on Jets leg from scrambling. We found some deep water and I washed us both down, and journeyed forward. We found a tiny path and made our way back home at about 2:30 for lunch and rest before heading back out.
The search for Moonshine continues...
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As we saddled up for round two with daylight burning away, Tres and Pam asked to talk to me in private. I was intrigued to see why. Pam said “I don’t know if you believe in this or not, But my friend is a horse psychic”. I think I rolled my eyes, but then again what could it hurt to hear this. She said Moonshine wasn’t taken or hurt. She was hiding in the deep woods, and slept with a herd of deer at night because she is scared. She knows you’re here Rob, and she is waiting for you only to find her. She is North of the farm by a water source. Oh yeah, she loves her name by the way. This time, I headed out with Colleen. We have been friends since I was 16 and she was 13, and now both in our 40’s. It meant so much to have such good friends turn their worlds upside down at a moment’s notice and help my girl. We covered tons of ground, but no clues and no sightings by anyone in 7 full days. We saw some beautiful countryside, on some magnificent horses, but where the hell is she? |
That night after hosing down and feeding the horses, we showered and went out to eat. I felt guilty going to a restaurant while Moonshine was alone and scared. We had a great meal, at an awesome steak house while talking about the day’s events, Moonshine Lady, and the game plan for tomorrow. We had to leave tomorrow night, so the next day was all we had left. Things looked hopeless. We managed to get about two hours of sleep that night. I woke at about 5 am again to find Mike getting ready also. We fed up, and sat down for some fruity pebbles. We joked and laughed a bit while we went live on Facebook with our morning shenanigans. We also discussed our game plan. We had pondered the idea that she could be stolen, hurt, or even killed. I decided to focus on what I could control. Let’s say she is still just loose and wandering. It's hard to imagine that nobody has seen her or a trace of her in 8 days now. To me, that only meant one thing. She wasn’t far, and she was hiding. I looked on my cell phone at Google maps, and found a pond west of us. I said this is where I am going and then North to the river and follow it more West. Mike was heading East. Colleen was heading out also. I found the pond, but no hoof prints. I headed North up a four wheeler path that led to the powerlines. When I got there to the top of the hill, I saw an awesome sight. It was a pile of horse manure from a horse that wasn’t moving, on a well beaten path. I immediately called Mike. As I told him about it, he headed my way. As he spoke, I heard a crack of a twig deep in the woods. I said I heard the crack and had to go. As I rode towards the noise, and trying to put my cell phone away there was a louder and closer crack. I looked up to see a white flash deep in the woods, but it was gone. What was it? A deer maybe? And like magic, all of the sudden, Moonshine turned right towards me from the darkness of the thick woods. I had begun recording her walking towards me. She heard me talking to Mike on the phone, and came to my voice. As I videotaped her, I called her name. My voice cracked and I just lost it crying my eyes out. It was the most beautiful moment in my whole life with horses. I saw the love and trust as she looked at me as if to say, "what took you so long. I was scared. " I have never felt chills up my spine before that day, but it felt like electricity flowing, and it lasted about a half hour. We rode out of there, and back to meet everyone. I met Mike first, and then Doug and his girlfriend. When Doug saw us, he said something so nice. He said, “Now that’s a cowboy”. I’ve never gotten a nicer compliment in my life.
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Real time video byRob West #missionmoonshine
Rob leading Moonshine back to the farm in Virginia
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Rob and Moonshine reunited...forever
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We got back to the farm and I collapsed on the grass with Moonshine grazing around me. She stopped suddenly, and just dug her head into me, and closed her eyes. I’ve never felt more love, then I did at that moment any other time in my life. I called my wife with the good news. She asked if I was bringing her home. I said No, she isn’t my horse anymore. Lori said she understood, but she just wanted her home with us. I just said I can’t. Afterwards I asked Doug if he would sell her back to me. Doug said he would rather not……………..but, "I think I should." He asked if $2,000 was a reasonable price for a horse he just paid $3,400 for? I just smiled. Thank God I had a four horse trailer. We headed home after a dip in the pool, and some lunch. We drove straight through to NY, and got home about 3 am. I woke Lori, and Autumn to come help me with my stuff because I was so tired. They both came out to find Moonshine Lady standing on our deck with me. Many hugs, tears, and kisses followed. I’ve gotten lots of attention, and many compliments about this, but nothing compares to seeing that beautiful strawberry roan at my barn. By the way. The horse psychic was spot on. I confirmed every single thing she predicted, except Moonshine sleeping with the deer at night. I couldn’t find the deer to ask them. To contact Rob West, visit his Facebook page at Rob West Equine Development or Rob West
Wild West Farms Located in Long Island, New York phone: 631.793.6345 email: nautiline@hotmail.com |
"BAD ASSES" MAKE GOOD IN THE 2016 GREAT BURRO TURNAROUND
by Heather Wilcox
In the past several years, Wild Burros have become a nuisance in communities in Oregon, Nevada, California, Utah, and Arizona. As their populations have increased and their graze-able rangeland has decreased, hunger has driven these animals to begin digging through trash cans and rooting around people’s homes, looking for food. Additionally, they’ve been known to forage near highways, which has caused car crashes and multiple donkey deaths. Emergency gathers have helped to keep the problem under control, but that has pushed the number of burros in government holding facilities to about 1100 animals. To get some of these donkeys into homes, this year the BLM has teamed up with the Burro Incentive Program (BIP) to hold the third annual Great Burro Turnaround.
Burro #9647 aka “Willow” in costume
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The Turnaround is based on the same concept as the Extreme Mustang Makeover (EMM). A group of qualified trainers are randomly matched with a wild burro and given 100 days to gentle their animal and teach it as much as possible. At the end of the allotted time, a competition is held to showcase the donkeys and the skills their trainers have taught them. Potential adopters watch the events and then participate in a silent auction where they can purchase their favorite burro donkey (or Burros) and take them home. As with the EMM, there are body conditioning, showmanship, trail, and freestyle classes. Additionally, the Turnaround features a costume class, where the donkeys are dressed in an outfit of their trainer’s choosing and paraded through the show arena for the amusement of all. However, in addition to providing a humorous interlude for the crowd, the costume class also demonstrates how tolerant and kind these animals are. |
Although 11 donkeys started in this year’s event, 9 eventually made it to the competition, which was held at the Oregon State Fair Mustang Show. The burros were a big hit as people from all over the State of Oregon got a chance to see a and pet a real “wild burro” and learn how special they are. Many folks had never seen a donkey before and had no idea that there were wild ones anywhere in the United States. After two grueling days of competition and “meeting and greeting” with fairgoers. The top 5 trainer/burro pairs received belt buckles and cash prizes. All the trainers received a gift and a participation ribbon. However, the real winners of the show were the burros. Each and every donkey was bid on and taken home. |
Burro #9647 aka “Willow” on Day 98
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As a final note, the Burro Incentive Program (BIP), which is run through Family Horses (A non-profit organization devoted to finding homes for BLM horses and burros.), provides a monetary incentive to Burro trainers. For each donkey tamed and adopted out, the trainer receives $500, although gentling aged animals can earn $700. More information can be found at: http://www.adoptaburro.com/
For more information on adopting a wild horse or burro from the Bureau of Land Management click here
For information on adopting a wild horse or burro from the Bureau of Land Management internet adoption, click here
For a Bureau of Land Management wild horse and burro Adoption Schedule click here
For information on adopting a wild horse or burro from the Bureau of Land Management internet adoption, click here
For a Bureau of Land Management wild horse and burro Adoption Schedule click here
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 50,000 WILD HORSES AND BURROS IN HOLDING FACILITIES. THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW. CONSIDER ADOPTING ONE OF THESE INTELLIGENT, ATHLETIC, VERSATILE ANIMALS.
If you know anyone who would like to share a photo of their Mustang, Burro, Mule or Donkey - have them send it to mlainhart@wildheartmustangs.com
We would love to have them. |