Monthly Highlights
Volunteer Highlight!
This month we talked to Jodie Jensen-Feist. Jodie has volunteered for Wild Horse Connection’s rescued foal care duty, LRTC’s Technical Large Animal Rescue team, and as a documenter/spotter for American Wild Horse Campaign’s fertility control program. She has a very special talent for capturing incredible action photos, when no one even realizes she’s taking pictures.
Jodie also has a special relationship with a 30 year old rescued mare from the Virginia Range. The mare had an old injured foot and her hoof was growing incorrectly. She’s a tough old mare, with many signs of her advanced years and long life. After decades of wild living, she has plenty of reason not to trust humans, and as Jodie says, “She can go mustang really fast!” But she trusts Jodie almost exclusively.
Tell us how you got involved in wild horses?
I would drive my grandson and dog along Highway 50 to see the horses, at least once a week. I was driving home and saw this little woman in between a bunch of horses. I thought she was feeding them, so I waited and she explained the fertility program. Turns out she was darting for the program. She asked me if I would like to volunteer. Of course I said yes!!! That “she” is Lynn Eley, who is now one of my closest friends.
What is your favorite part of volunteering?
I couldn’t pick a favorite thing, I absolutely love all of it- friends, who now seem like family, and horses who have saved me. I feel so fortunate to be where I am and can’t imagine my life getting any better.
Why are wild horses special to you? What do they represent to you?
I have always been drawn to horses. When I was 5 years old, I would sit on my mailbox and pretend it was a horse. I had a friend that had horses and she told me I needed to learn how to fall. So I threw myself off our 6 foot tall fence. When I was a teenager I was told I could have one. The first thing I said I wanted was a mustang. It didn’t work out that I could get one. All through my adulthood I would take trail rides, just to be close to them. I would sit in a field of mustangs for my birthday. There is no truer example of Mother Nature, than a horse. They are peaceful but fierce, kind hearted and powerful, beautiful and graceful. All the noise and troubles of life go quiet when I am with a horse.
What is/was your day job?
I am on disability because of a rare connective tissue disorder. Volunteering has given me a whole other perspective of what I’m capable of and what I can’t do, someone else picks up the slack.
Do you have a favorite memory from the range that you can share with us?
My favorite memory was rescuing Creedence! Although Tracy ran with him to the truck, as me and Debbi protected her from the mare. Then he was placed on my lap and we drove to Comstock Equine Hospital. Creedence Clearwater Revival was playing on the radio which is how he got his name. I was there when he finally took his first step! Definitely my best day!
What other animals have you seen on the range?
I haven’t seen any large animals, mostly rabbits, mice and a scorpion.
Aside from horses, what is your favorite animal?
Elephants and dogs.
If a theme song played every time you go out on the range, what would your theme song be?
The only song that comes to mind is from The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life what would it be?
Cereal with milk and a banana on top.
What’s the next place on your travel bucket list?
I want to stay in an igloo and watch the northern lights, or Greece.
The Brothers Royale and Cloud Dancer
By Deborah Sutherland
The handsome brothers Royale and Cloud Dancer were born almost a year apart. Their dam was the beautiful pinto mare called Princess Mitten, Rapunzel’s daughter. Their sire was the handsome bay stallion named Boyer.
When I saw Royale for the first time, he was sleeping in the shadow of his mom who was standing watch over him in the canyon. He was a cute little bay foal with the big white blaze. When Royale was rested, he stood up and I watched him follow Mitten as she and Boyer grazed on fresh spring grasses.
They weren’t aware yet that danger loomed in the canyon for Boyer’s small family. Marlin had been following Boyer’s band for several days. This soon led to a deadly fight between Marlin and Boyer after which Boyer was found deceased. It was a sad day for Mitten and little Royale but they were taken in by Marlin and life went on.
Less than a year later Cloud Dancer was born. I was so excited when I met Royale’s brother for the first time. The tiny pinto Cloud Dancer was peeking out from under Mitten’s chin just a few hours after he was born. They were near the springs under the shade of the trees and cuddled for a while before setting out for the lower part of the range to eat. I watched the wobbly Cloud Dancer follow his mom down the hill where Royale joined them in their journey for food. Mitten was such a good mom to Royale and Cloud Dancer and as the three walked off together I realized that Royale looked like his sire Boyer and Cloud Dancer looked like his mom Mitten, both very healthy and handsome!
The brothers and their mom continued to live in Marlin’s band as he gathered more family members, but for some unknown reason Royale left the band at a young age and was seen living in Apache’s band before he became the handsome bachelor that he is today.
Soon another tragic event happened to their family. One dark night their mom Mitten, along with three other band members, were hit by a car on the highway and died. (This was before the fencing was up along the highway). Cloud Dancer was there that night but wasn’t seriously injured and this forced him to become a bachelor at a young age. We were all worried about him but I soon found Cloud Dancer with some bachelors and he seemed to be doing well.
Today Cloud Dancer lives in Sherwin’s band and I finally saw them last week after a long harsh winter but I didn’t see Cloud Dancer! However, I thought I saw another very handsome pinto stallion with them that I didn’t recognize. So I hiked across the range to photograph this “new stallion”. When I got back to my jeep I realized that the “new stallion” was really Cloud Dancer in disguise who had rolled in the mud! He totally fooled me and others as well, and we all had a good laugh.
Royale and Cloud Dancer have survived many tragic events in their young lives but both have grown into healthy, handsome stallions. They have not strayed far from their birth place and are always a joy to see on the range.
