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 ....

FUNDRAISER for ISPMB (Intern. Soc. for the protection of mustang and burro)

On April 14th we were invited to haul COPPERSMITH TAG #900 to Estes Park, Colorado to participate in a Fundraiser for the OLDEST Wild Horse sanctuary in the country. Founded by WIILD HORSE ANNIE and now in the hands of KAREN SUSSMAN, ISPMB' 400 horses on 700 acres are located in the middle of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in Lantry,SD. This event was organized by renouned Wildlife Photographer WELDON LEE and his wife LORI. 50some participants gathered and listened to compassionate stories of WILD HORSE encounters, communication, history and rescue.  A substantial amount of money was raised to support the extensive and ever-growing Hay costs.
Karen Sussman detailed her heritage Herds, but also eluded to the fact that numbers in the sanctuary needed to be controlled and that some of the horses were for sale.

Topics, like adoption, Bait-trapping etc were raised and the question session brought some interesting details. Mostly though the public gathered to adore and touch and relate to the glorious life mustang outside the gathering. COPPERSMITH TAG #900...my 2011 Extreme Mustang from the Ft. COLLINS MUSTANG MAKEOVER. The weather was harsh and wintery and the drive home a little questionable. Patricia Burge and my little dog Shawnee made it home safe.

Remember 2007: www.abenteuerreiter.de

In the beginning of 2007 I received a call from Germany. On the other end was a man who was looking for mustangs. He was an adventure rider and had already ridden from Patagonia (South America) to Mexico on 4 Criollo horses. He had not been able to bring the horses across the border because they had been exposed to a disease that prohibited import into the US.
During the conversation we discussed a plan to pick up 4 mustangs from the Canon City program and train and condition them at my Strawbale House in Red Feather Lakes, CO. from where he and his then new Partner would set out for the US segment of the Continental Divide Trail Ride (continuation).

This is their diary in German on their website 

In April I picked up Guenter Wamser and Sonja Endlweber from the Denver Airport and took them to my home in the Rockies. 3 interesting months followed. As it says, we picked up the 4 mustangs on June 22nd. At the time the two adventurers still lived in my house preparing equipment, mapping the schedule, weighing each individual item and practicing GPS navigation...The location of the house proved perfect, since the extra altitude would guarantee good condition for both horses and riders and the adjacent Forest Service Land was a great practice ground (So the cappucino was served in the morning and then they headed out pretending to be on the Continental Divide until the good smells of lunch drifted across the meadow and the horses were hobbled high-lined or staked for the night.) Gradually I urged them a bit more into the landscape, the tent was pitched next to the paddock, the nights started to be glorious and the bears stayed away for the time being. For Sonja and Guenter this was also a new adventure. They had just met during a christmas presentation of Guenters previous ride through South America and they were on their first love and live adventure (with Sonja being new to training and trail riding). The 4 year old MUSTANGS were amazing: DINO; LIGHTFOOT,ASAPACHE, RUSTY took to the new life with vigor, even though rounded up in different parts of the country, from different HMA's they had spend some time living together in Canon City. They settled in among my mustangs and the  beautiful spring grass was a wonderful reward for their sacrifices since being captured.

Guenter Wamser, Leni the dog and Asapache the mustang

I enjoyed their thorough and compassionate approach to both the animals and the land and felt this to be a "LEAVE NO TRACE", very worthwhile "RENEWABLE RESOURCE" adventure. It felt just right to support a dream that did not cost much in the way of monetary funds but took a WHOLE LOT OF COURAGE and determination...Now, 5 years later, this illustrious group of travelers, Horses dog and man and woman are still spending a good couple of months each year strutting north, currently getting ready for Alaska ...In the winter months they retreat to Germany and Austria and enjoy great cuisine and the Vienna Philharmonic and give slide show and power point presentations to all the dreamers who did not find the moment to jump off the train....(this will provide the necessary funds to continue, all in all 18 years now for Guenter Wamser). The horses take their earned rest, overwintering in Canada ( now between 9 and 10 years old) Each time I see Fran Ackley from Canon City (during the Mustang Makeover or some other mustang event, we chuckle and admire these animals who have proven to be the perfect mounts for this expedition into the UNKNOWN...

Guenter bringing the horses up to the house from the Forest Service Land.

 I would like to point your attention to all the other wonderful ride opportunities coming up. And consider participating with your favorite mustang. This is our opportunity to show the full potential of these horses and allow them to perform in what they feel most comfortable in: WILDERNESS

I love to see mustangs in my corrals...add these to my own 7 (I now have one for each day of the week)

Please go to these links to find a ride that suits you:....sorry there are no links...but luckily so, there are 188 Horse Management areas in the US, PUBLIC LANDS where wild horses live. We will be riding one of these during the Maybell Colorado: SOMBRERO ROUNDUP (rounding up dude horses from winter pasture) on May 3,4,5 and 6.
There is also a beautiful ride planned along part of the Santa Fe Trail in the fall at the Cimarron Sky Dog Wild horse sanctuary in Watrous NM.
FIND YOUR OWN closest wild horse area and take time out. INVOKING THE PAUSE, battle NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER and claim your spot in the sun amongst our wild horses.

Sonja and Guenter just before the outset...

More to follow:

Mustang Riders practice April...

MUSTANG RIDERS OF NORTHERN COLORADO

NEXT COLORADO EVENT: APRIL 14 - Benefit for the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE AMERICAN MUSTANG AND BURRO

ARAGON V will be present for tactile experience: TO TOUCH A MUSTANG

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HORSE MARKET: THE SUMMIT OF THE LIVE HORSE>>>

The primary horse market is a breeding enterprize - producing 100 horses for every 5 stakes winners and disposing of the remaining 95...

The primary horse market is a breeding enterprize...

SAVE AMERICAs WILD HORSESand uncompromising

WILD HORSES ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL...Cimarron Sky Dog wild horse sanctuary

This is a wonderful historic excursion on behalf of the wild horses, produced by Jackie Fleming, who founded and manages the "CIMARRON SKY DOG WILD HORSE SANCTUARY" in WATROUS, New Mexico. Several epic rides have taken place, where mustangs continue their historic calling to carry our sorry....aces... across the Continental Divide into endless valleys and across ravenous streams...a wonderful quotation from this video, which is with haunting images and music, narrated with the dreamy british accent - that evokes OUT OF AFRICA. Quote from Josiah Gregg:...Pioneers and settlers describe the elegance of the mustang as they saw them "AT LARGE ABANDONED TO THEIR WILD AND UNTAMED GAIETY"...and continues in describing the risk of loosing the domestic stock when surrounded and invited by the mustangs..."WITHIN HOURS WILL ACQUIRE THE INTRACTABLE WILDNESS OF THEIR UNTAMED COMPANIONS."
youtu.be:Rw_QWapEhYQ
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO

SERIES OF 5 Radio Interviews on CASTLEROCKRADIO on mustangs..

The month of April was dedicated to increasing awareness of MUSTANGS on the Kim Jones Baker Show on CASTLE ROCK RADIO. All interviews are archived and available.
The guests include Ginger Kathrens, CLOUD FOUNDATION, CO- Carol Walker, WILD HORSE PHOTOGRAPHER, CO. Jennifer Hanckock (MUSTANG HERITAGE FOUNDATION, EXTREME MUSTANG MAKEOVER,TX), Gabriele Moritz (Brent Winston) EXTREME MUSTANG TRAINERS, CO. Fran Ackley (Colorado Head of BLM and CANON CITY WHIP PROGRAM). To listen to my interview on 3/27
go to: www.castlerockradio.com
click on Archive
scroll down to the Kim Jones Baker show
and select a date (3/27)
The show is approx 1 hour long and with the composition of the different guests presents a well rounded picture of the situation.

MUSTANG RIDERS OF NORTHERN COLORADO....on Facebook

Mustang Riders of Northern Colorado 2012www.youtube.comMusic- "Jessica's theme" from the movie 'Man from snowy river', please enjoy!!

We are a citizen initiative to support protect and promote the AMERICAN MUSTANG.
Our first aim is to enhance and illustrate the beauty and importance of these horses on OUR PUBLIC LANDS. This can only be accomplished successfully if the general public goes and visits and puts their EYES on them. The legal term would be CLAIMING OUR HORSES and establishing STANDING on our wild horse areas. Find your favorite or nearest WILD HORSE areas (HMA) and GO THERE. (In the course of this activism no child is left inside - we fight Nature Deficit Disorder (Richard Louv) and we will document the individual bands and band members, which in turn will make removal a PERSONAL OFFENSE and LOSS. If we can establish a loss to the quality of our RECREATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS, these horses will have a better chance. Since their is no proper CENSUS and the BLM refuses to implement modern measures, we will have a grassroots chance to prove them wrong by overinflating the numbers.

Northern Colorado Mustang Riders....upping the ante...

Coppersmith #900 is back with my band of mustangs...NOW

A year has passed and I have stayed in touch with the young man that adopted my Mustang Make Over horse last year. Coppersmith 900 was bought to work and serve as both a wrangler and then dude horse on a resort ranch here in Northern Colorado. Come spring 2012 (just about a year after I picked him up in Canon City) as the season of recreational riding starts I joined Justin and Coppersmith for a couple of trail-rides. It was very apparent that I missed the Bay with the beautiful eyes. And as the weeks progressed the life circumstances for his new owner changed also and we decided that I should have the young horse back to do some more growing up before entering into an all season work schedule.  That was about 10 days ago.
I now have 7 horses - ONE FOR EACH DAY OF THE WEEK - Aragon, my sunday horse, was upset yesterday (Wednesday) when I picked him from the pasture, but I explained: "You are my Mustang Riders of Northern Colorado" and my "DEMO"(presentation) horse (and we had a presentation at the Ft. Collins SERTOMA club).
Veedawoo and Silhouette are going to be the major Poudre Wilderness Volunteer Horses this season, giving them plenty to do on the trails of the ROOSEVELT NATIONAL FOREST.
Galicio (still not 4 years old) is in middle school. His attention level is good for 30 days then he needs to go to pasture and grow into his body, which is shooting up...
Escalante and Coppersmith are "in training" and both get the brunt of my attention currently to see where  they stand and what potential lies hidden under the thick winter coat.
Ruigoord appreaciates hanging out with Patriach Aragon and seeing the pastures green before his favorite lady comes from Arizona to ride and spend some time in Colorado. He also looks forward to schlepping the youngsters around that will show up at the strawbale house in summer.
I will be turning 60 this year and feel that my life is about as fullfilled and wholesome as it can get...

Mustang presentation with Linda Hanick for the Overland SERTOMA CLUB in Ft. Collins (april 4th)

I would like to live on a sanctuary close to a Wild Horse area, and have the chance to observe horses in the their original environment but also have access to their wonderful talents as riding companions...

My sweet Bay with the eyes of a doe