Tuesday, May 30, 2017
5 WILD HORSE MYTHS: Alt-Facts Lead to Deadly New Budget for Mustangs
Budget 2018
calls for killing all wild horses and burros in Bureau of Land Management holding pens. That's about 44,000 equines according to BLM and roundups continue. BLM records show more mustangs "gathered" in the first three months of 2017
than were captured in all of 2016.
Few voters want wild horses killed, but they’re bombarded by myths
which infer there's no choice.
Read more »Labels: animals, BLM, books, education, government, livestock, mustangs, Nevada, phantom stallion, politics, rodeo, rural, terri farley, West, Wild at Heart, wild horses, writing
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 10:15 PM
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Wednesday, November 23, 2016
WILL WILD HORSES BE THANKFUL FOR YOU?
My friend Palomino is in South Dakota at a failed wild horse rescue. The horses will go to a slaughter auction if they're not rescued by December 1.
PLEASE READ TO THE END TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP!
".. we have saved
about 25% of the horses so far. When you look at how many are still
out there, your heart breaks. But, for the horses that have been saved, it is EVERYTHING. The situation is fast coming to a close, and I can't imagine it being a happy one. We officially have 7 days left. It is terribly
painful to get to know these horses and realize that we won't be able to
save them all.
The
stallions are fighting non stop as we break their hearts. Every time
we steal their families, they fight more and it is obvious they are
hurting. They run the fence line, screaming for their families.
My heart is breaking and it makes you
physically ill. Every night when your head hits the pillow, it all
comes crashing down. Knowing how many of these horses will probably be
slaughtered, the stallions especially, is too much to bear.
These horses never ever did anything to deserve this. There is too much pain here to cry away, but every morning you get back up and start over.
We
will keep fighting until the bitter end and bring home as many horses as we have funding for.."
Here's how you can help:
1) Make a $50 tax-deductible donation here: http://www.chillypepper.org/donate--support.html
2) Under
comments write WILD AT HEART.
When Palomino notifies me, I'll send you FREE autographed books:
WILD AT HEART: Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to Save Them
and
"Wild One" PHANTOM STALLION #1
If you’d like the books
personalized, please indicate the first name of the recipient
3)
Because this donation helps fund emergency rescue, this offer ends
December 1, 2016 or when I run out of the (30) books I bought from my
publisher -- specifically to donate!
Labels: books, donate, foals, horse slaughter, mares, Palomino Armstrong, phantom stallion, stallions, Wild at Heart, wild horses
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Terri Farley @ 11:08 PM
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Sunday, May 15, 2016
Book Kids are Wild at Heart
Q&A with Terri Farley

Meghan Goel of BOOK PEOPLE, an independent bookstore in Austin, Texas, interviewed Terri Farley about her new book
Wild at Heart and the fired-up kids that inspired her.
Meghan Goel: Why did you write this book for kids now?
Terri Farley: I had to write
Wild at Heart before it was too late. I’d been writing
The Phantom Stallion fiction
series since 2002 and young readers fell in love with the West’s wild
horses. In my stories, I could write happy endings for mustangs, but if
round-ups continue at the current hectic pace, my readers might never
see mustangs running free. And oh, do they want to! Kids from all over
the world write to me, vowing to come West just to see them.
Like most adults, kids don’t know that mustangs and the lands they
roam actually belong to them — the American public. Wild horses captured
by the government are not going from homes on the range to greener
pastures. Often, they go to Mexican slaughter houses.
"... the story of our wild horses has a lot of dark shadows but
kids aren’t yet afraid of the truth. Faced with facts that hurt, they
want to know why...
and they want to know how they can help. My book got
its sub-title – Mustangs and the Young People Fighting to Save Them —
because I want to empower kids – not crush their hopes.
Kids are relieved to learn the young people I interviewed for
Wild at Heart are
not perfect. Some of the featured young people were able to turn their
own pain from abuse and bullying to empathy and action for the mustangs.
Other kids in the book use their skills – singing, social media skills,
and understanding of animals – to make a difference. No matter how much
these kids may struggle in other aspects of their lives, when they
stand up for wild horses, their courage is contagious.
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| Young people's courage is contagious |
MG: What do you hope kids will take away from
Wild at Heart?
TF: I hope I show them they’re worth having the
author of a book come to talk with them. That may sound strange, but
just today, in Austin, two little girls asked me why I was so dressed
up. When I told them it was because I was coming to see them, they were
giddy.
"In the best of all possible worlds, my words will help them to be stubbornly devoted to the natural world and each other."
Kids don’t live in the past, so I search for up-to- the-minute facts
on everything to do with wild horses. The scientists I interview admit
they’re generous with their time because they want to give young
readers access to non- politicized facts.
To read the complete Q&A and more about WILD HORSES click
here Labels: Austin, BLM round ups, BookPeople, books, children's books, HMH books, horse slaughter, independent bookstores, Meghan Goel, mustangs, phantom stallion, public lands, school visits, Texas, Wild at Heart, wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 11:43 AM
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Saturday, April 16, 2016
Texas, Books & Friends!
Dear Readers,
In just 3 days I'll be in Houston, Texas at the Texas Library Association conference! It's the biggest library conference in the U.S. and the only place my presentation received a standing ovation. To be fair, I was talking about the real Phantom Stallion, so what did I expect?
This time I'll share the stage with my WILD AT HEART editor Julia Richardson (she read my first Phantom Stallion book & said -- "Hey, this could be a series.") and photojournalist Melissa Farlow.
CPE#306: SBEC 1.5; TSLAC 1.5
WEDNESDAY
Back Bones, Not Wish Bones: Inspire Tweens and Teens to Stand Up for Issues
10:15 - 11:50 AM
Fiction and non-fiction can inspire youth to take on a cause. Provide
the launch pad that vaults young people over barriers to fight for
issues. Hear an example of advocating for a cause and receive hands-on
experience with tools and resources to help lead teens toward action.
Terri Farley and Julia Richardson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books
for Young Readers; and Melissa Farlow, Melissa Farlow Photography.
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| Melissa Farlow was charged by the real Phantom Stallion & turned it into art |
Labels: Back Bones, HMH books, Houston, Julia Richardson, librarians, library, Melissa Farlow, Not Wish Bones, phantom stallion, reading, Texas, TLA
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 11:16 AM
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Friday, February 13, 2015
Born to Be Wild
MEET THE PHANTOM
STALLION’S SON: RAIN CLOUD
The real Phantom Stallion wasn't alone when he was rounded
up from the Virginia Range of Nevada. His mare Shy and a dark gray colt came with him. All three were saved from slaughter by people with hearts for horses.
A girl named Amber fell in love with the colt and named him Rain Cloud and adopted him.
Rain Cloud stayed in his native Nevada, but his mother and father, the Phantom and Shy were freed into the Wild Horse Sanctuary in California. If you want to see their day of freedom, click here for video
Rain Cloud lived in Nevada even after Amber left for an out-of-state school Amber's mother Margaret took care of the gray colt, who was slowly turning the silvery moon color of his sire. Rain Cloud. He got good food and water, and a domestic mare took over as his substitute
mother.
After a few years, Margaret invited me to meet grown-up Rain Cloud.
By now he was pure white with black mane and tail. He had kind eyes, a proud
stride, and a wild stallion attitude. He reminded me so much of his sire.
With Amber gone, Rain Cloud had fallen out of the habit of listening to people.
In the picture at right, you can see he's turned one ear to catch my voice, but he had no real intention of doing what I asked.
A few months later,Rain
Cloud's substitute-mother mare had died of old age. Rain Cloud was not a happy guy. He needed a wild horse adventure, but he couldn't be set free He needed training to live among humans and he was so lucky
that Palomino Armstrong happened to be in town on the weekend Margaret
decided it would
be best for the grown up colt to go to California with Palomino.
COMING SOON....
Rain Cloud in California or What Do You Mean I'm Not the Boss?
Labels: Chilly Pepper Miracle Mustang, mustang, Palomino Armstrong, phantom stallion, Rain Cloud, Shy, Valentine's Day, wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 11:52 AM
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Saturday, September 06, 2014
What are the TOP THREE REASONS to Write Middle-Grade Fiction?
What are the TOP THREE REASONS to Write Middle-Grade Fiction?
The Student * The Teacher *
The Wild Horse Story
If you like reading other people's mail, you're in luck.
I was so giddy-happy over this letter, I wanted you to read it, too! T.
Mrs. T,
How are you? I am doing well. I've recently gotten a job as a speech therapist
at an elementary school. I am writing because you helped get me out of a
tight spot today. :)
I had prepared
materials for my student (she and I were going to read together) and rhat was great except I
left them at home. And I didn't
realize this important fact until the girl entered my classroom.
So just to make conversation (as I scrambled to come up with something
interesting) I asked her what she liked to read about most. Her response was
instantaneous-horses!
I was thrilled and relieved.
I may be 23, but I still have the good ol' Phantom on my Ipad! So needless to say
we had a great session. We were both engrossed in The Wild One. We were
able to address her speech issues AND she can't wait to come back next week!
Anyway I won't keep you any longer. I just wanted to write to let you know I had
thought about you and I appreciate the Phantom's run to the rescue!
Labels: phantom stallion, reading, speech therapy, student, teacher, wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 6:58 PM
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Friday, December 20, 2013
Dear Readers: You win
Dear Readers,
You emailed hundreds of times, asking me to take you back to River Bend Ranch. So, I wrote a short book doing just that. And then I wrote more and more. The novella that I gave you last Christmas has about 30 new pages.
Of course you know that Sam has a secret name for the Phantom, but did you know the PHANTOM HAS A SECRET NAME FOR SAM, TOO?
Here's a peek at
PHANTOM, THE PROTECTOR.
It's been a year since an avalanche sealed the Phantom's herd in Wild
Horse Valley. They're living on dwindling resources, when a sudden thaw
allows the wild horses to escape through a secret tunnel.
Back on their home range, they gallop toward a trap full of tasty feed.
The corral sits on land belonging to convicted felon, Linc Slocum. His
plan to build a fly-in golf course does not include wild horses, so he's
working with BLM to strip the lands bordering Riverbend Ranch of
mustangs.
Samantha Forster wants to work with her best friend Jen Kenworthy, her
pal Jake Ely and his brother Seth to free the mustangs legally, but
when the Phantom protects his family by facing a hotshot helicopter
pilot who only cares about his paycheck, how far should Sam go to help
the horse she loves?
How to Order
Order ebook from Amazon for 99 cents!
Kindle-format books can be read on iPads, iPhones, and Android devices using
Amazon's free Kindle apps, as well as
dedicated Kindle devices. Other formats coming soon!
Labels: ebook, phantom stallion, Phantom the Protector
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 9:16 AM
3 comments 
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Teachers & Librarians: Free books for you
Dear Teachers and Librarians,
Multiple copies of the Phantom Stallion and Wild Horse Island foreign language
editions pictured here are sitting, unloved, in boxes.
The French translations are soft cover and I have no Spanish editions, but the books shown above are
free
to good homes !
Education Tip: When I do school visits, I bring along American originals
and foreign editions. Then, because cover art differs so from country to
country, I ask students to compare/contrast cultural perceptions of today's
American West. Even the little ones love looking for clues
to make matches.
If you’d like to check your libraries for HarperCollins copies
you already have, these books are, from left:
TOP Row: Phantom Stallion 2, 3 and Wild Horse Island 1
MIDDLE Row: Phantom Stallion 3, 4, 8, Wild Horse Island 2
BOTTOM row: Phantom
Stallion 4, 6, 5, 6
Feel free to shoot me a personal email farleyterri@aol.com from your school or library email address if you’re interested.
Have a wonderful school year,
Terri
Labels: foreign language editions, librarians, libraries, phantom stallion, teachers, wild horse island
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 2:17 PM
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Thursday, August 01, 2013
Red Sauce and Sanctuary
Dear Readers,
Carmine's Restaurant of New York City is opening in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The news made me glad, even though I've only eaten at Carmine's once. Portions were gigantic and the lasagna and pizza were great, but that wasn't the point.
I ate at Carmine's a week after September 11th.
I've always been a nervous flier, so I took the train across the country with my friend Lynda Sandoval --fellow writer and former cop. We were there to see the cover of the very first PHANTOM STALLION book, but we saw a lot more.
The cover was beautiful, but the City felt sad and tense until we got to Carmine's.
Lynda got a recommendation for the place from an officer patrolling the streets.
Rumor was that Carmine's fed emergency workers for free, so we supported the restaurant with our tourist dollars.
Tables around us were packed with firefighters, police officers and EMTs from all over the country and no one looked grim. Elbows on tables didn't look casual. They supported cheeks that needed soap and water, heads that might have plummeted from sheer weariness into plates of spaghetti. But there was quiet laughter and there were smiles.
They'd seen horrors and knew they'd see more, but they could help. Helping others helped them. You could see and feel the frail satisfaction.
Carmine's Restaurant is opening in Las Vegas. I'll go there the first chance I have and try not to cry.
Labels: Carmine's, Lynda Sandoval, New York, phantom stallion, September 11
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 11:27 PM
0 comments 
Monday, June 24, 2013
Top Model has a Heart for Horses
SOJOURNER MORRELL MINGLES WITH MUSTANGS
Top model has a heart for horses

Sojourner Morrell is a professional fashion model from the U. S. The daughter of a British father and Swiss mother, she was the first
women ever to be accepted into the prestigious Spanish Riding School of
Vienna. She got into modelling by sending her pictures to various
agencies when she started studying at the New York University. She is represented by Wilhelmina Models in New York, Marilyn Models in Paris, and Why Not Models in Milan...and if you believed in stereotypes, you'd insist she's NOT a young woman who'd travel across the country to hang out with wild horses.
And you would be wrong.
Sojourner and her friend Christophe (more about him, tomorrow) are ricocheting around Northern Nevada because Sojourner loves horses and wanted to see Nevada's mustangs.
Lucky me! I was tagged by the Cloud Foundation to make that happen and was excited to give Sojourner copies of PHANTOM STALLION books in French and English.
Over lunch with Shannon Windle of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, we made a plan to find wild horses and talked about world affairs.
It was an eye-opening day in many ways. I so admire people -- like Sojourner and Christophe -- who are fluent in several languages. Really. We discussed American politics, mad cow disease, the treatment of mustangs by BLM vs. Nevada Department of Agriculture, at-risk teens, dressage, old-time Nevada divorce ranches and Cajun cooking.
Following a back road through pine trees, we visited wild horses that had been rescued from kill-buyers in Fallon, Nevada. This rowdy bunch galloped around, putting on a Wild West show to prove they were still every inch MUSTANGS.
Next, we found wild horses that well-meaning people have been hand feeding. It was nice for our visitors to see them close up, but as Sojourner said, "They're very accustomed to humans. That's not good, is it."
I took a few snapshots with my phone, but Christophe is an internationally renowned photographer, so when some of HIS photos pop I'm, I'll alert you.
In the meantime, you should know that Sojourner is determined to find a way to use her considerable skills to help save wild horses and I have a feeling that something magical may happen.
Watch for updates! Terri
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Sojourner turns the tables, photographing wild horses near a Reno neighborhood
|
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| Shannon Windle and Sojourner Morrell under wide Nevada skies |
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| Sojourner loved the buckskin's coloring, but she was scoping out mustangs as dressage prospects. About ten minutes later, she spotted a black mare with the right conformation. |
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| Look over Sojourner's shoulders and you'll see wild horses saved from slaughter. "Blustery" would be an understatement for the stormy afternoon, but Sojourner kept asking to see more horses! |
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| Want to see the story that goes with this photo? click here |
Labels: fashion, Hidden Valley Wild horses, mustangs, phantom stallion, Shannon Windle, Sojourner Morrell, Spanish Riding School, terri farley
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 2:40 PM
1 comments 
Friday, January 18, 2013
PHANTOM novella Contest Alert!
The Phantom Stallion novella, part six, launches at 2 a.m. tomorrow
(Saturday the 19th).
Look for a contest.
Best,
Terri Labels: contest, novella, phantom stallion
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 6:22 PM
0 comments 
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Virginia Range Stallion on film
Dear Readers,
The real Phantom Stallion roamed the Virginia Range before he was captured.
The Nevada Department of Agriculture -- unlike today's Dept. -- offered wild horse advocates the chance to save him.
Please listen to these two news reports (there's some repetition, but it's totally worth it to watch the horses!), and hear what good publicity this stallion is for the state of Nevada. Then, ask yourself why the Governor doesn't understand.
PHANTOM STALLION news report #1The Capture
PHANTOM STALLION news report #2 The Release
I hope the vision of this amazing mustang inspires you to new ideas & solutions for our horses.
Enjoy!
Terri
Labels: capture, news, phantom stallion, release, Virginia Range wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 1:14 PM
0 comments 
Thursday, December 27, 2012
International Horse Lovers!
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| Art by Phantom Stallion reader |
I want to thank readers from TEN countries who've already read PHANTOM STALLION, Protector -- Parts 1 and 2.
Try to guess WHICH 10 countries before you scroll down this page for the answers!
Best, Terri
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Labels: international readers, phantom stallion, Phantom Stallion novella, Phantom the Protector, wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 8:54 PM
0 comments 
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
PHANTOM STALLION novella coming Christmas Day

PHANTOM STALLION: The Protector
Part One
Dear Readers, please return to my blog on December 25, 2012, for the first installment of my new PHANTOM STALLION serial story. Holiday hugs, Terri
Labels: novella, phantom stallion, serial story, The Protector
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 4:30 PM
0 comments 
Thursday, December 13, 2012
FOR THE LOVE OF WILD HORSES
For the love of wild horses...
 |
| The real Phantom Stallion - photo by Melissa Farlow |
By Susan Skorupa, Reno Gazette Journal
It seems like poetic justice -- or at least good karma -- that
novelist and wild-horse advocate Terri Farley ended up living in
Nevada.As a girl in Southern California, the future author of the
24-book
Phantom Stallion young-adult book series learned to ride despite
a severe allergy to horses. By the time she was 8 years old, she was
writing about horses, pecking out her first story -- about a wild pinto
named Pagan -- on her grandmother's Selectric typewriter.
As an adult, she moved to Reno with her husband, journalist Cory
Farley, where one of the first people she met was Wildhorse Annie --
real name Velma Johnston -- a fellow horse advocate who died in 1977.
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| San Francisco rally for mustangs, photo by Anne Novak |
After years as a high school teacher and writer of romance fiction,
Farley started on the
Phantom Stallion book series, giving her a clear
identification among her young readers as an advocate for the West's
iconic horses.
Today, Farley continues to write and to champion wild horses.
Her efforts include being a party in a lawsuit filed last year, but
later dismissed, aimed at stopping a U.S. Bureau of Land Management
practice of rounding up wild horses and moving them to long-term holding
facilities.
Where did your love of horses come from?
Part of it was, I lived in suburban Los Angeles. I did not get around
horses often. I was practically terminally allergic to things with
hair. Once a month, my parents took me to a stable. Between the hay,
dust and the horses, I would end up in the emergency room. They (my
parents) would suffer with me. I outgrew that, and began to hang around
horses more.
What came first, the advocacy for wild horses or the book series?
I'd always cared for wild horses "» so one grew out of the other.
When we moved here, I realized this was the wild horse capital of the
world. They were not that far away; I could actually go out and see
them. When writing romance stories, there were threads of the horse
subplots. My agent said, "That's what you should write about. You can go
see them, then you can write about them as something symbolic."
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| Young readers / Horse Expo, Sacramento CA |
I was on a cattle drive, and I thought I saw a white horse -- this
was really the birth of the "Phantom Stallion" series. I went back and
looked (for the horse), but there was nothing there. But I thought,
"What if it was a white stallion that came and went so quickly?" I
thought it would be one book, but found an editor who bought a trilogy.
Then, it was eight, then 10, now there are 24 books in the "Phantom
Stallion" series.
I understand the your fans keep in contact with
you on wild horse issues through mail, email and other electronic media.
I love it. I guess if I had a legacy in books and horses, it would
not be a bad one. They (young readers) are ready to take action. I have a
blog, a newsletter, 3,000 are on it. "» Kids can see they don't have to
just stand and complain. They can do something. If that becomes a habit
(for them), that will make me very happy.
PhantomStallion.com
Select, Sample, Purchase books: PHANTOM STALLION : http://amzn.to/Z3GJQt
Labels: BLM, love of horses, Melissa Farlow, mustang, phantom stallion, round-ups, terri farley, Velma Johnston, wild horse Annie, wild horses
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 2:29 PM
0 comments 
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Writers' Dream Benefits Wild Horses
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| At the Wild Horse Sanctuary, horses roam in family herds |
Have you always wanted to write?
Begin your book on the ride of a lifetime
June 15-16: Writin' Riders, With Author Terri Farley
Swing into the saddle for this two-day ride and learn to think, brainstorm and create
in the company of wild horses and
Terri Farley,
the best selling author of the PHANTOM STALLION and WILD HORSE ISLAND
series for HarperCollins. A one of a kind opportunity for writers in a
one of a kind setting!
See flier for additional details. Cost: $475
| There's a good chance we'll see Scar (the dark horse), a stallion known for standing his ground. |
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| Lunch on the trail |
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| Murphy, a veteran Wild Horse Sanctuary saddle horse |
Can you imagine a better holiday gift?
In December 2013 you won't hear: "Gee, I can't remember what you gave me last year."
Labels: phantom stallion, terri farley, Wild Horse Sanctuary, Writin Riders, Writing workshop
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Posted by
Terri Farley @ 3:30 AM
0 comments 
Sunday, November 11, 2012
WHY DO GIRLS LOVE HORSES?
Dear Readers,
Almost every time I'm interviewed about my PHANTOM STALLION books or about wild horses, people ask "Why do girls love horses?"
My mail and my life indicate that girls, boys, men and women all love horses, but maybe girls show it more.
Why do human love horses? Why do YOU love horses?
I want to hear your answers.
Then I'll share mine.
Happy trails,
Terri
Labels: girls and horses, horses, phantom stallion
Permalink to this blog post
Posted by
Terri Farley @ 8:10 AM
2 comments 
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Hundreds of Rescued Wild Horses Threatened by Ponderosa Fire
KTVU photo of Ponderosa fire
Two Northern California wild horse rescue organizations lay in the path of the 24,323 acre Ponderosa fire. For now, the mustangs are safe, but with the fire only 50% contained, experts worry about possible wind shifts, and most evacuation orders remain in effect.
Last Saturday, Palomino
Armstrong, director of Chilly Pepper Miracle Mustang
Rescue was in Dayton, Nevada with her husband Matt, preparing to educate visitors to the Wild Horse and Burro Expo in Reno, when they received a surprise call from their son Dalton.
A
lightning strike had ignited a fire near their Manton,
California home. The fire had spread to 100 acres. By the time Palomino and
Matt arrived home, the Ponderosa Fire had a name and it had grown to over
7,000 acres. A sheriff's evacuation order was in effect.
"We just had time to load up all the critters," Palomino explained. "Praise the Lord that
Shirley[ wild horse angel Shirley Allen, of Dayton] had 3 of the babies! We loaded
DaBubbles and Patches first, but the trailer's “baby door” wasn’t quite finished and
DaBubbles thought it was really fun to run out that hole. The goat would run into the trailer as Dabubbles ran out."
Under bright orange and red skies, with the fire " roaring like a jet
engine" as it bore down on the ranch, Palomino received a second call for
mandatory evacuation. They managed to load the claustrophobic Dakota,
and though Chilly Pepper was wary of entering a dark trailer with
thrashing horses inside, her faith in Palomino prevailed. With all cats,
dogs, horses and wily goat accounted for, they moved to safer territory.
It's not the first time these horses have been rescued. Chilly Pepper was found frozen in the snow next to her dead mother. HoneyBandit, known as the Million Dollar Mustang, was orphaned during the Twin Peaks round-up of wild horses and so badly battered trying to nurse from other mares, he was slated for euthanasia. DaBubbles was attacked by a mountain lion.
Palomino
is grateful for the help of friends and neighbors. She explained why
her family left without clothes and toletrie and ended up spending their
money on food for the animals. "It was snowing ash, and you just get this
really creepy feeling and it is very hard to think clearly."
The Wild Horse Sanctuary, home of the real Phantom Stallion, is in Shingletown, just a few miles away from the heart of the fire.
There, director
Dianne Nelson is braced for trouble, but "So far, the prevailing winds
have kept the fire from burning our way. The smoke is terrible, but the
flames have stayed off about four miles."
Dianne says the offers of help are comforting, but "you can't evacuate
wild horses." The 5,000 acre ranch provides sanctuary for hundreds of
rescued mustangs, and five years of nearby wildfires have actually created a "safe zone" around the ranch. In
addition, the sanctuary has many clearings, and, Dianne says, "Wild horses are smart. They head for open land."
Although the Wild Horse Sanctuary's mustangs are free to obey their instincts
and seek safety on thousands of acres, wild horses trapped and confined by
BLM are in small corrals throughout the West.
When BLM's Palomino Valley corrals in Nevada were threatened by July's Ironwood Fire, a BLM spokesman told KRNV reporter Karen Todd Griffin that the Federal agency would need 24 hours to evacate the wild horses.
Labels: BLM, mustangs, Palomino Armstrong, phantom stallion, Ponderosa Fire, Wild Horse Sanctuary, wild horses
Permalink to this blog post
Posted by
Terri Farley @ 11:01 AM
4 comments 