Monthly Highlights
Volunteer Highlight - Meet Michele Einarson
Tell us how you got involved in wild horses?
While studying horse management in college, I became interested in herd behavior & horse psychology. When I bought my house in the Virginia City Highlands, my sister gave me a stock tank.
What is your favorite part of volunteering?
Seeing the horses and their interactions with each other while trying to not interfere with their wildness.
Do you have a favorite memory from the range that you can share with us?
Not from the range, but my first morning in my new house in the Highlands, I woke up to wild horses outside my window. My cat, Alice (lower right) was a little surprised, too!
What other animals have you seen on the range?
Just the usual: Jackrabbits, rattlesnakes, coyotes, birds of prey and maybe a cougar.
Okay, aside from horses, what is your favorite animal?
Cats
If a theme song played every time you go out on the range, what would your theme song be?
“Freedom for the Stallion” by Boz Scaggs.
If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I guess it should be salad. I’d be sure to lose weight!
What’s the next place on your travel bucket list?
On my horse riding the wild horse trails in my “neigh”-borhood.
Meet Sunflower
One of Shaggy’s Beautiful Daughters
By Deb Sutherland
One spring day several years ago in a Virginia Range canyon, I saw a tiny golden filly with a big sunburst star on her face safely wedged between her dam and the other mares in Shaggy’s band. She was brand new and curiously peeked out at the world between the safety of her family who grazed on fresh grasses as Shaggy watched over them. This bright little chestnut foal stood out from her other siblings who were born that year and was later named Sunflower. I watched this tiny newborn as she followed her dam, Sissy, up and down the hills and across high canyon ridges.
Sissy and Sunflower remained in Shaggy’s band until one fall day when Shaggy’s old bachelor buddy Apache finally stole them. Sissy and Sunflower made their new home with Apache and he took good care of them. Early that next summer Sissy gave birth to Sunflower’s sister, Sorine. Sunflower helped watch over her sister until Sunflower was of the age where other band stallions came around and tried to take her into their family.
For many months the band stallions Red Chief and Rooster fought over Sunflower. She was often seen going between their two bands. One summer day in the canyon where Sunflower was born, I saw that Red Chief had her again. Rooster’s band was also in the canyon that day and were grazing parallel to Red Chief’s family.
As the two bands lined up to leave the canyon and go their separate ways, Red Chief’s line headed west while Rooster’s family headed east. Sunflower, who was at the end of Red Chief’s parade, quickly sneaked over to Rooster’s line and I watched them disappear over the hill. Sunflower made up her mind to be part of Rooster’s family which she is still part of. It has been amazing to watch Sunflower grow up and become a beautiful mare who still brightens the range with her presence.
