Monthly Highlights
Volunteer highlight
Meet Bob Holleman! Like many volunteers on the range, Bob moved to an area with wild horses and they captured his heart. He helps in so many ways, from monitoring horses and fixing fences for Wild Horse Connection, assisting the rescue team, and is a certified darter for the fertility control program.
Tell us how you got involved in wild horses?
I saw wild horses in Lockwood, where I moved to 5 yrs ago, and was curious as to how they were taken care of. I found a number for Wild Horse Connection and called. My wife and I quickly got involved.
What is your favorite part of volunteering?
My wife and I do a lot of volunteering. We like helping out in ways that we can. It's our way of giving back and sharing all the various abilities we have. The reward is in feeling I was able to make a difference.
Why are wild horses special to you? What do they represent to you?
First & foremost, they represent freedom to me. I love their strength & determination to survive no matter what life throws at them. I feel their unique majesty and the simple wonder of God's creatures when I am with them. I truly care & feel connected to them.
What is/was your day job?
I am a retired Navy Seabee (construction division of the US Navy). I am also a retired builder, business owner, rancher & farmer.
Do you have a favorite memory from the range that you can share with us?
Every time I am out on the range is a favorite time, but my most impacted time was once when we had a mare that had to be put down. She had just lost a foal and couldn't recover from the birth complications.
As we waited for law enforcement to arrive (about 3 hours), I sat on the ground with her and just rubbed her and talked to her. She laid at my side quietly, I could feel her happiness at the birth of her baby, sadness for the loss of her baby, hurt for her own pain, exhaustion, and her own realization that her life was coming to its end. She felt peace to be lovingly comforted by another of God's creatures (me) in her last moments. I felt honored and humbled to share those moments with her. And peace to know she wasn't alone at her end.
What other animals have you seen on the range?
Bighorn sheep
Coyotes
Snakes
Mule (hinny)
Okay, aside from horses, what is your favorite animal?
Dogs
If a theme song played every time you go out on the range, what would your theme song be?
Don't Fence Me In
Since you are also a fertility control darter, which horse has been your toughest to dart/photograph. Why?
The ones on the top of the mountains. I have to hike up to get to them. And be careful not to spook them (or fall) at the same time.
Does pineapple belong on pizza? Yes or no?
No
Warrior Horse, Triton
by Margaret Dziolek, originallly posted on Wild Horse Connection’s Facebook page.
Triton…once a lead stallion of a band of 16, was beaten up so badly by other stallions who stole his entire band. Triton’s injuries were life threatening and we thought he might not survive the infections. We had volunteers monitoring him daily, sometimes checking on him several times a day.
Triton lost his band, and almost lost his life, but never did he lose his will to live or the fight that drives you forward… one day at a time… and one more day after that.
Triton is a warrior… a survivor… he wears his battle scars proudly. Triton is, once again, a force to be reckoned with. Be like Triton!
Photos L to R, top to bottom: Marc Crumpler, Margaret Dziolek, Margaret Dziolek, Lisa O’Sullivan
Shaggy’s Offspring Buckley and Jamille
Deborah Sutherland continues our series on Shaggy’s band!
A year after Sutro and Krista were born Frosted gave birth to a handsome buckskin colt who was named Buckley. Fergie also had another foal several months later, the sweet filly named Jamille. On spring and summer days I would watch Buckley and Jamille walk together side by side following their dams and family band.
Sutro and Krista are still with Shaggy and their dams even though they are older now. All four siblings play, eat and travel together under the watchful eye of Shaggy. They are living close to Apache’s band in the Virginia Range, the stallion who stole one of Shaggy’s mare Sissy and her filly Sunflower from him just several months after Sunflower, Sutro and Krista were born two years ago! (That is the next story)
