Vision Statement
The Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center is a public, not-for-profit 501c3 educational institution whose purpose is to:

* Inform visitors of the historic significance of the local mustang herd and of the other wild horses across the West.

* Provide visitors with an unforgettable aesthetic experience, viewing live mustangs in a magnificent setting.

* Enable visitors to learn about the dynamics of a mustang herd, the social interactions within individual bands, and the mustang’s place alongside other wild species.

* Preserve and promote a genetically viable herd of Colonial Spanish American horses in the Pryor Mountains.

About the Horses

The Pryor Mountain Wild Horses are unique.

Cortez once said “…Next to God, we owed the victory to the horses…” in discussing his conquest of the New World. The Pryor Mountain Wild Horses are the descendents of these important horses. They are truly horses with a heritage.

Early on, locals realized that there was something special about the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses due to their interesting characteristics. It wasn’t long until it was realized that the wild horses looked like Spanish horses. Since then, the herd has been extensively studied; and it has been confirmed that they are descended from Spanish horses. There are three main reasons this confirmation is based on: History, genetics, and phenotype.

The history of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses is not well known. There are accounts of the wild horses being present in the late 1800’s, and many people believe that there were wild horses in the Pryor Mountains in the early to mid-1700’s. At the Center, we believe the herd is descended from Spanish horses brought to the area by different Native American tribes, especially the Crow. Many other share this belief, though some other plausible explanations have also been proposed. Starting in the mid-1990’s, studies were done on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses to determine genetic traits of the herd, such as their level of inbreeding and what type of horse the herd was most genetically related to. From these studies, it was determined that the herd has high genetic diversity, meaning they have low levels of inbreeding. It was also determined that the herd has genetic traits consistent with Spanish horses and that the herd lacks genetic traits that would have originated in draft or thoroughbred ancestors. Around this same time, there were also studies on the phenotype of the herd. That is, these studies were concerned with determining if the wild horses looked like Spanish horses. These studies confirmed that the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses indeed had colors and conformation consistent with Spanish horses.

Because of the above reasons, we and many others believe that the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses really are descendents of Spanish horses. They are a type of horse today known as the Colonial Spanish Horse or the Spanish Mustang, which is considered a rare and endangered breed.

Link: http://www.pryormustangs.org/

The Cloud Foundation, a Colorado non-profit corporation, grew out of Ginger Kathrens’ knowledge and fear for not only Cloud’s herd but other wild horses in the West. “I began to realize that we were losing America’s wild horses,” Ginger says. “They are rounded up by the thousand, losing in an instant what they value most–freedom and family. I realized that even Cloud and his family were in danger.”

“In Cloud’s remote mountain wilderness we have a perfect opportunity to step back and watch nature call the shots. Predators and daunting weather are limiting the herd size—naturally,” she states. “Yet, human over management is jeopardizing their future survival. We could lose Cloud and his herd forever, unless we’re willing to stand up for them now.”

The non-profit Cloud Foundation is dedicated to preventing the extinction of Cloud’s herd through education, media events and programming, and public involvement. The Foundation is also determined to protect other wild horse herds on public lands, especially isolated herds with unique characteristics and historical significance.

Link: The Cloud Foundation

From our Man from Snowy River legacy to the opening of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games the horse is synonymous with the outdoors Australian lifestyle and none more so, than the Heritage Brumby Horse.

The Australian Heritage Brumby is a unique equine and epitomizes the spirit of freedom, roaming through rugged bush land and the harsh outback areas of Australia where they are free to run wild and survive in extreme conditions. The largest numbers range freely throughout the Northern Territory, Queensland and northern Western Australia as these States contain the most undeveloped and least populated areas of Australia.

Contrary to the perceived belief that the Heritage Brumby is a diseased, inbred animal not worthy of preservation, they are, in fact, exactly the opposite. Free ranging horses in the wild look after themselves very well. DNA testing of horses from Guy Fawkes, NSW has shown less inbreeding, (less than 5%) than is found in the modern thoroughbred industry. Horses from the Northern Tablelands for example, are mostly Galloways, they have strong bone, sound conformation, their feet are excellent and they are highly intelligent, thinking animals with well developed perception, sight, scent and hearing.

THE PRINCIPLE AIMS OF SAVE THE BRUMBIES Inc. are:

To see humane, controlled management and the abolition of shooting of wild horses in national parks and public lands Australia wide.

To maintain the unique genetics of the brumby for future generations.

To ensure no captured horses be consigned to sale yards or abattoirs.

To establish permanent wild horse sanctuaries as a fitting memorial to those Guy Fawkes horses that were slaughtered so cruelly. This will forever be a black mark in Australian history.

Where possible to run adoption programs so that the public can home one or more of these horses.

To see legislative changes, in line with other nations who value their wild horses, (in the US the Mustang has been protected for over thirty years) as the only viable, long term solution; thus giving the Australian Brumby protection into the future.

THE HORSES HAVE HELPED TO BUILD THIS NATION, THEY HAVE FOUGHT FOR US AND GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN WAR, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN CONTROLLED AREAS OF OUR PUBLIC LAND, PLEASE GIVE THE BRUMBIES YOUR SUPPORT.

Link: Save the Brumbies, Inc

The Mustang Heritage Foundation is committed to:

* Supporting and advancing the repositioning of wild horses (hereafter referred to as mustangs) as a positive horse owning experience in conjunction with the BLM

* Assisting in creating a more marketable product through improving selection and expanded and enhanced training programs for critical mustang age groups

* Attracting potential adopters and assisting the BLM in turning prospects into adopters

* Providing information and education about mustangs and burros, their care, nurturing and use as athletes and companion animals

* Identifying and providing opportunities to become involved in the mustang and burro experience through adoption, volunteering, sponsorship and philanthropy

Link: Mustang Heritage Foundation

An aggressive wild horse removal campaign is currently under way by the U.S. government, at the cost of millions of taxpayer dollars. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) removal policy is contrary to the spirit of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act (PDF). The Act was the result of an unprecedented public outcry and unquestionably reflects the will of the American people; its intent was to preserve wild horses and burros as part of our national heritage.

Over the past 30 years, under pressure from special interest groups and in blatant disregard of the public’s wishes, the BLM has systematically favored subsidized livestock grazing on public lands to the detriment of wild horse populations. The Burns Amendment, slipped into the 2005 federal budget without so much as a hearing or opportunity for public review, was the last nail in the coffin of federal wild horse protection, opening the door to the slaughter of thousands of these living symbols of our Nation’s spirit. A few months later, while in the process of rounding up another 10,000 horses supposedly due to poor range conditions, BLM eased public land grazing restrictions for private cattle.
The AWHPC Coalition is calling for a Congressional inquiry into the government’s wild horse management policies, and coordinating a grassroots campaign in support of:

• the review of scientific findings that contradict BLM’s claims of wild horse overpopulation and negative impact on the range;
• a moratorium on round-ups until actual numbers of wild horses and burros on public lands have been independently assessed; and
• implementation of in-the-wild management, which would save millions of tax-dollars.

For a few politicians to continue dismissing this issue as “emotional,” simply because the American public deeply cares, is a slap in the face of democratic principles. Special interest groups do not hold a monopoly over sound public policy. The American public has enough common sense to see that
scientific data, ethics and fiscal responsibility all fall squarely on the side of America’s wild horses.

Link: American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

Our equine rescue residents have come to Chez Chevaux, directly or indirectly, from a racing career, in varying levels of health and condition. However, all ex-racehorses have experienced lives quite different from those of the average pleasure or performance horses. Their training has been intensely focused and competitive. Successfully transitioning these horses into a “normal” equine environment requires time, experience, and an individual retraining regimen. The most difficult retraining cases and pathetic examples of neglect we have seen have resulted from horses who went right from the race track to inexperienced first time horse owners.

Chez Chevaux’s owner, director, and trainer, Melodee C. Shelley-Bolmgren, has had over thirty years of experience as an instructor and competitor. She has facilitated numerous successful horse and human pairings in multiple divisions by focusing on and encouraging positive equine behaviors and educating effective riders.

Mission Statement

• To rehabilitate and/or retrain injured, neglected and/or abused Thoroughbred horses (with priority given to ex-racehorses) in order to secure their placements with permanent and appropriate homes.
• To accept donations of unwanted Thoroughbred horses for adoption in permanent homes.
• To improve the lives of Thoroughbred horses throughout the Pacific Northwest.
• To educate the public to recognize horse abuse and enlist their aid in stopping it.
• To offer assistance to Thoroughbred owners in times of natural or personal disaster.
• To engage in fundraising activities to accomplish these objectives.

Link: Chez Chevaux Thoroughbred Horse Rescue

The UHC grew out of the Unwanted Horse Summit, which was organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and held in conjunction with the American Horse Council’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2005. The summit was held to bring key stakeholders together to start a dialogue on the plight of the unwanted horse in America. Its purpose was to develop consensus on the most effective way to work together to address this issue.

In June 2006, the Unwanted Horse Coalition was folded into the American Horse Council and now operates under its auspices.

Current Unwanted Horse Coalition Member Organizations
* American Association of Equine Practitioners
* American Paint Horse Association
* American Quarter Horse Association
* American Veterinary Medical Association
* Carriage Operators of North America
* The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association
* Emerald Downs
* The Jockey Club
* Maryland Horse Breeders Association
* Masters of Foxhounds Association of America
* Minnesota Horse Council
* National Horsemen’s Benevolent Protective Association
* National Thoroughbred Racing Association
* Oak Tree Racing Association
* Pinto Horse Association of America
* Sourcce Interlink Media
* Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
* AHC State Horse Council Committee
* Carriage Operators of North America
* Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
* United States Dressage Federation
* United States Equestrian Federation
* United States Polo Association
* U.S. Trotting Association
* Wisconsin Horse Council

Link: Unwanted Horse Coalition

Our Mission: Return To Freedom is dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity and habitat of America’s wild horses through sanctuary, education and conservation, while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.

Sanctuary
Return to Freedom provides a safe haven to nearly 200 wild horses and burros Recognizing that wild horses live in tightly bonded herd groups, Return to Freedom became the first sanctuary with a focus on rescuing entire family bands. Designed to be a model program, we implement alternative and minimally intrusive management philosophies.

Education
Return to Freedom’s educational programs facilitate a direct experience with nature and animals through non-intrusive, sensitive observation. Through direct contact with the natural world, we hope to inspire a deep reverence for the communities and family groups that exist in nature. Our programs were created with the intent that, for things to change, a new human being must emerge. It is our hope that policy changes and legislation that have the best interest of wildlife species and natural habitats in mind will be supported through re-education.

In April 2002, DreamWorks chose Return to Freedom as the permanent home for Spirit, the Kiger Mustang that served as the model for the animated film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Here Spirit spends his days exploring large pastures and enjoying new friends. We are delighted to create a new home for Spirit where he can continue to thrive and inspire our visitors to preserve the heritage of these wonderful animals.

Read more about Spirit »

Link: Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary

While we can not take all the horses that we get requests for, we accommodate all that our resources allow. We rely entirely on private donations and must maintain a balance between adoptable healthy horses and horses that are non-rideable or sick. We occasionally place horses into a foster home type environment, but only if it is in the best interest of the equine. Most of our horses are at our ranch in Oroville, CA, with 24 hour monitoring by our trainers. They have 24 hour a day care of their needs. Visitors are welcome daily Sunday through Thursday by appointment.

We strive to save as many equines from abuse, neglect, slaughter and abandonment as possible. Our goal is to heal and gentle these previously damaged equines and adopt them into loving homes. Please open your heart to an equine that is waiting for a home. We step out in faith everyday that the funds will come in so we can continue to give these beautiful animals a chance at life.

Link: NorCal Equine Rescue
Link: NorCal Equine Rescue Blog

Link: Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue