Thursday, April 19, 2012

A perfect time for a PORTRAIT of a WILD PONY WAY LOVER: PATRICIA BURGE



        
Photo and Text by John Stephen Hockensmith
FIERCE GRACE (Tony Stromberg photo of SUNDOWNER, ancient stallion at the Cayuse Ranch, Spanish Mustang Registry, Oshoto, Wyoming - taken probably in 2003)


Sundowner and Patricia Burge (photo by JOHN STEPHEN HOCKENSMITH author of SPANISH MUSTANG, the history of the Spanish Mustang)

 At the Fundraiser for ISPMB in Estes Park. It was snowing on April 14th....Coppersmith and Shawnee with us .
Last year (2011) before the Extreme Mustang Makeover - practicing with Coppersmith to stand on a pedestal at the Spirit Dancer Ranch, where the Mustang Riders practice each Sunday.
With the Mustang Riders (here on Marvin, reserve champion of the 2010 Extreme Mustang Makeover)
2011  Ft. Collins: During a protest at the 40th anniversary of the ACT of CONGRESS for the protection of the mustangs and burros and the life and work of WILD HORSE ANNIE.

Today my friend and photographer/author John Stephen Hockensmith posted a paragraph about a very special lady, that I have known for over 15 years now. Her name is PATRICIA BURGE: We started out being Mounted patrol Poudre Wilderness Volunteers and since we live one Canyon apart here in Northern Colorado exchanged on a regular basis in regard to horse-upkeep and we took every opportunity to ride together. At the time I rode a Thoroughbred and she rode a Shagya Arabian. We both loved Icelandic Horses and Frisians and like everyone tried to experience them all. All said and done today she has one (famous) Fell Pony, two spanish mustangs, one POA, one miniture and one otherpony...- And somewhere in time I took her up to OSHOTO to visit the Spanish Mustang Registry and that changed the course of life and activity a bit....I can't recall the exact chronology, but we have been through a lot together: Witness of the 2009 Little Bookcliffs Roundup, Trip to Pryor, the town and then to the Wild Horse Herd, combined with stopover in Lovell, countless rides in our function as Forest Service volunteers, in parades, in our membership with the Northern Colorado Wild Horse and Burro Partners and now the Northern Colorado Mustang Riders and the involvement with the Extreme Mustang Makeover. We have encouraged each other and ennerved each other over mustang issues and suffering and through all I realize that there is not one other individual that I have spent quite that much time always addressing the same question: WHEN CAN WE RIDE and HOW ARE THE MUSTANGS..So today I wanted to join John Stephen and express my gratitude to PATRICIA BURGE, the concert pianist, who donated the music for the little video about the mustangs, whose EARTHSONG sounds through the Roosevelt National Forest. Patricia Burge, the teacher, who still today (fridays) drives to town to teach some promising future virtuoso, Patricia Burge, who is still saving animals (horses, wolves, and any other critter in need). Patricia Burge who lives with her beloved husband Dick Vessel in the WILD PONY WAY ....

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