Bait trapping successful with the stallion Marvel

We successfully captured a lone stallion in Mesa Verde this fall, using bait trapping techniques to minimize any stress or trauma. Marvel, the little white foal named in 2019, is now a young stallion and was evidently driven from his band because he was frequenting the campground and the Park needed to remove him. After weeks of habituation to water and hay in an open corral, there was no drama when the automatic gate was closed — he just continued eating. After being quarantined for the requisite thirty days, Marvel was transported to a private ranch. Marvel is remarkably calm and engaged for a “wild” horse, no doubt due to the low-stress capture methods used and the fact that he has not learned to fear humans. A one-day clinic was held at the ranch with Dr. Patricia Barlow-Irick, who demonstrated to participants the first steps of her positive reinforcement training method. Dr. Irick has tamed, trained, and adopted more than 500 wild horses and has written several books describing her scientifically based step-by-step protocol. During the clinic, several participants were able to hand feed Marvel, who had never been touched by anyone. While he is still wild, he is far more comfortable with people than most wild horses gathered by conventional methods, and he showed himself to be curious, engaged and a quick learner. This is testimony to NMACO’s belief that low-stress baiting, habituation, and capture can facilitate more successful domestication and adoptions.

Traveler, the beautiful grey stallion in the Spring Creek Basin Herd was a magnificent and iconic representation of the wild horses who roam the west. Photographers and tourists came to the Disappointment Valley hoping to catch a glimpse of this amazing horse, who was known throughout the west. At the time of the last BLM round-up in 2011, BLM officials agreed that Traveler would remain wild and free.

However, Traveler was mistakenly gathered with others and hauled to Canon City to be gelded and put up for adoption. Pati Temple, (NMACO president at the time and now deceased) was determined to rescue Traveler. She lobbied tirelessly for his return to the herd area, and many others joined in to advocate for Traveler’s release.

Ultimately, BLM agreed to return him to the herd area, on condition that he would need to stay in quarantine for several weeks. Pati and her husband David created a small sanctuary for the stallion and kept him safe for the allotted time. As soon as possible, they returned Traveler to his home and mares in Disappointment Valley, where he lived for the remainder of his life.

Traveler was aging in the past few years – it was estimated that he might have been around 30 years old. He disappeared last year not to be seen again. However, maybe we can believe that perhaps Pati and Traveler are now running free together through the Valley they both loved.

Local Mustang Rescue and Rehabilitation

It does not take long for a horse lover to drive by neglected horses before they simply have to do something. Such was the case with Chief and Royal. Two NMACO members had watched the thin and mismanaged horses, with no shelter and inadequate food, and learned that they were mustangs gathered from the Jicarilla Forest in New Mexico. NMACO stepped in and purchased the mustangs. They were transported to a member’s ranch until a permanent home could be found, where they were fed, vet checked and cared for with shelter, shade, pasture and gentling work. Happily, a local home was found for the two mustangs, who could thus remain together to be trained for driving. Today, Chief and Royal continue to progress and bring their new owner friendship and joy.