Mustang Advocacy

Did you know that Colorado was home to 5 of the 177 wild horse Herd Management Areas in the United States?

Sadly, in 2022, the Piceance – West Douglas herd was “zeroed out” by the Bureau of Land Management and 145 were lost to disease while in short term holding awaiting processing and adoption events. We are left with Little Book Cliffs, Piceance – East Douglas, Spring Creek and Sand Wash Basin.

"To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world."
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Painted Ladies of Sand Wash Basin - Scenic (pictured below at the Sanctuary), Razzle, Dazzle and Felicity (from left to right, in the wild)

They have been a fixture since Dazzle’s birth in 2009, until their capture and adoption in 2021-2023. with the addition of Scenic, they are four generations of mustang mares – icons of the American West.

The Sand Wash Advocate Team’s (SWAT) mission is herd documentation, fertility control, range support, education/promotion, and to be a voice for the mustangs.

Scenic and Razzle were both born before SWAT’s herd documentation began, but we know that Scenic’s daughter was Vogue and Vogue’s daughter is Razzle. Her daughter, Dazzle was born in 2009 and her daughter, Felicity was born in 2014. Since then, Razzle, Dazzle and Felicity have chosen to stay together, while Scenic would spend time with them before moving to another band then returning.  This behavior is highly unusual for wild horses in that, they generally will leave the band they were born into around two years of age – fillies and colts alike – to start their own family bands.

You can help provide for the ongoing support of these beautiful mustangs by making a tax-deductible contribution by clicking the donate button below.

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