Wild Horse Torn From His Family Finds New Freedom at Proud Spirit Sanctuary

Journey, a resilient wild mustang, faced the trauma of being torn from his family during brutalroundups. Despite the hardships, he found solace and freedom at Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary, where he now thrives as a leader of a small herd.

Journey was just a baby mustang when he was first trapped. Separated from his family, he faced the awful onslaught of low-flying helicopters, as they ran him and his friends at breakneck speeds over dangerous terrain into traps. Confused horses ran into barbed wire fences or collapsed from the trauma of the high-speed chase. Journey was caught and imprisoned in a holding pen with others like him.

Free-roaming horses like Journey have survived on their own for decades on nearly 798,000 acres set aside for them by the U.S. government — the land is known as theTwin Peaks Herd Management Areaof northern California and western Nevada.

However, cattle ranchers pressure the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) tocurb the horse population, resulting in brutalroundupsof inhabitants. TheWild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971allows the Bureau to remove "excess" horses from public lands to allow livestock to graze.

TheBLMhaslong defended its actions, saying that the roundup helps "to maintain the ecological health of our nation's public rangelands" and that it is "committed to increasing its use of currentfertility controlvaccine ... "

Horse lovers, however, find theroundupsto be cruel and some of thesterilization experimentsconducted by theBLMon mares inhumane — and they advocate for an alternative.

After his first roundup, Journey was released and entrapped a few more times before he was permanently taken away from Twin Peaks. He endured the terror of recurringroundups, an unimaginable horror for a young colt.

Life in the pens and designated pastures is no picnic. These horses, who have known nothing but independence, suffer in captivity with no room to run, and they often struggle to find shade. They've not only been separated from their families and range, but they're also fearful of humans, whom they have never encountered before.

With the public's taxpayer money,BLMkeeps up to50,000 horsesin long-term holding facilities for years, instead of releasing them back on the range. Many don't survive the capture and captivity.

Areportby theAmerican Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation)stated that wild horse deaths are attributed to diet and metabolic failure, a result of physiological changes induced by the trauma of the roundup, poor conditions at the holding pens and traumatic injury "including broken necks, spinal and pelvis injuries, fatal hoof and leg damage sustained in the helicopter stampede."

Some of the wild horses are auctioned; Journey was among those who was gelded, branded and prepared for adoption. From the cooler temperatures of his homeland, he was shuttled to the heat of Florida. Many wild mustang buyers aren't aware of the consequences of managing unhandled horses. With a lack of knowledge comes the inability to properly care for an animal.

Journey changed hands until one day, when he was emaciated and depressed, a kind woman bought and nursed him back to health.

She then alerted Melanie Sue Bowles, the founder and director ofProud Spirit Horse Sanctuary, in Arkansas, in 2011. Bowles didn't hesitate one second before agreeing to take Journey, who was about 4 years old at the time.

Proud Spirit is one of the longest-running sanctuaries for abused, neglected and orphaned horses in the country. With help from her husband, Jim, Bowles has come to the rescue of more than 300 horses in the sanctuary's 25-year run.

Once arriving at Proud Spirit, animals are treated with the respect and attention they deserve. They are at liberty to roam the grounds and live the rest of their lives in peace. There are no holding pens, adoptions or pony rides. Beautiful, healthy and carefree horses live happily as part of a herd at Proud Spirit.

Arrangements were made for Journey to travel from Florida to Arkansas. More than 320 acres of rolling hills near the Ouachita Mountains awaited him. When word spread of the need for transportation funds,Sara Gruen, author of "Water for Elephants," offered to cover the cost for Journey to make it to his forever home.

"I truly believe the horses in their care know exactly how lucky they are," Gruen added.

Despite being a wild horse and having had multiple prior owners, the love and kindness Journey receives at Proud Spirit has transformed him into a gentle and calm mustang.

"We brush his mane, trim his feet and halter him now, just like any of our horses," said Bowles. "We have to make sure he allows us to touch and handle him, to take care of him for health reasons."

Journey, who turns 10 this year, currently lives in Proud Spirit's new home in Lincolnton, Georgia. He is the leader of a small herd, roaming unimpeded on 175 acres. Proud Spirit is home to 48 rescued horses, nine dogs, a couple of cats and two pigs.

He may have lost his family before, but Journey will never know that heartbreak again, thanks to the good-natured people who ensured his freedom.

Learn more athorsesofproudspirit.com. To follow Journey and other horses, visit Proud Spirit'sFacebook page.

Originally posted by the Dodo