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Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Ghost Dancer: this mustang mare survived First they took her freedom and family. Then, they put her in the stallion penI was on the range in January 2010, not far from the home land of Wovoka, the Paiute prophet whose vision began the Ghost Dance movement, when an ivory and adobe-colored Medicine Hat mare was taken from her home by a BLM helicopter round-up.
I saw her transferred to a government facility called Broken Arrow -- an ironic symbol for peace -- where she was accidentally penned with young stallions.
At this time, the Broken Arrow facility was open to the public. I visited the mare whenever I could and  brought her sage leaves, the scent of home. On days I couldn't go, friends checked on and photographed her (photos by Cat Kindsfather)  The mare bonded so quickly with a black and white pinto, I wondered if they'd known each other when they both ran free. Maybe their reunion, in captivity, was a bittersweet surprise. 
Eventually the Medicine Hat mare was moved to BLM's Palomino Valley facility and put up for sale. She was
not eligible for adoption because she was over 10 years old. This meant
she could be sold “without limitation”. That meant she
could have gone to a kill-buyer, but I was fortunate enough to outbid
everyone in an online auction. She was mine, but a bidder in Texas won her best friend, and the mares parted again.
The Medicine Hat mare was captured not far from the lands of the
prophet Wovoka. Inspired by the Ghost Dance religion and poem “Ghost Dance” by Sara Littlecrow-Russell, I named this resilient mare Ghost
Dancer.
The history I've read -- always iffy when it documents the lives of Indians -- says a dream showed him a circle dance which would cause the disappearance of the Whites and return the land to the way it was before their invasion, Wouldn't a wild horse, captured and ripped from her home, have the same dream?
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I freed Ghost Dancer in a 5,000 sanctuary with a young sorrel mare captured on the same day, in the same place.
 Labels: BLM, Broken Arrow, Fallon, Ghost Dance, ghost dancer, Medicine Hat, Nevada, sale authority, wild horses, Wounded Knee, Wovoka Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:43 PM 9 comments  
Saturday, May 08, 2010 Beauty in Exile  Ghost Dancer photo by Elyse Gardner Dear Readers, This isn't the first time I've shown you a photo of this beautiful Medicine Hat mare from the Calico Mountains, but it's certainly the worst. I'm going out to BLM's Fallon facility to check on her today. Best, Terri Labels: Fallon corrals, ghost dancer, Medicine Hat Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:58 AM 3 comments
Monday, April 05, 2010 Ghost Dancer: still there Dear Readers, The Medicine Hat mare with the magnetic mood is still at the Indian Lakes BLM holding facility in Fallon. She's shown here, photographed by Mark Terrell, just a few weeks after capture.  In these two photos -- one by Craig Downer and the other by Tara Kain -- she's been put in a pneumatic cage,vaccinated, hung with a red rope and numbered tag, then neck branded. You can see the freeze brand on her neck if you look closely. It will be there forever. She looks thinner, even though food is delivered at the fence.  I'm calling this mustang Ghost Dancer because she once roamed Native American lands and the Ghost Dance ceremony was one of rebirth. That's what I wish for these horses, a return to the range where their spirits can run free again.  Best to you all, Terri Labels: Craig Downer, Fallon, Indian Lakes, Medicine Hat, mustang, terri farley, wild horses Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 2:52 AM 4 comments
Sunday, March 14, 2010 The Medicine Hat is Missing Dear Readers, Three wild horse advocates searched for this captive horse today.  photo by Mark Terrell They couldn't find him. If BLM can't supply photo verification that he's still there, we need to know what's happened to him. Those of you who read my books know that I'm partial to sorrel horses like Hoku and sassy little bays like Ace, but this horse, because of his flashy coloring SHOULD be easy to follow through BLM processing. I will ask BLM if I can go out and search the corrals this week. You can see more photos of your mustangs in the feedlot in Fallon here I'll let you know what happens next. Terri Labels: BLM, Fallon facility, Indian Lakes, Medicine Hat, wild horses Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:18 PM 4 comments
Saturday, February 20, 2010 Saving a Stallion photo by Mark Terrell Wild Horses of Nevada Dear Readers, I'm in love with this horse, a Medicine Hat stallion, captive at BLM's Fallon corrals. Although I have very mixed feelings about naming wild horses, in my imagination he has a name. And a story. During the last two days I've been writing it. I can't seem to stop. I hope to keep track of him and see that he's set free in the spring. Do you know any stories about Medicine Hat horses? Please respond to this blog post if you do, and we can share what you know with other readers. Best to you, Terri Labels: BLM, Eagle Lakes, Fallon, Medicine Hat, mustang, phantom stallion, wild horses Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 10:25 AM 8 comments
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