calypso

Three dowager Queens of South Steens have been returned to their rightful place of honor at Skydog. Though not their native HMA, it is the same Oregon sagebrush ecosystem with all the familiar scents and sounds of home.

The South Steens horses are popular, extensively photographed on the range. They have a following that gives them names and tends to be proprietary, which is why we haven’t followed this herd. These mares are the mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers of famous mustangs. Once rounded up, however, they were forgotten and left to languish for nearly two years in the Burns corrals, their names replaced by numbered tags around their necks.

Slated to disappear into the black hole of long-term holding, they would never have been seen again had someone not told Kayce at the Burns corrals that Calypso is the mother of Renegade. Knowing how much he means to us, Kayce shared this news and we are so grateful to her. We had never known his mother’s name, nor what had become of her, but as soon as we heard she was there, we headed over to identify her. Ever since Renegade passed away, a golden eagle frequently appears around his family at Skydog. When we found a golden eagle perched at the entrance to the corrals, we knew we were being guided to save his mother. Giving her safety, a soft landing, and protection for the rest of her life is a true tribute to her transcendent son.

Calypso is in her twenties and was closely bonded with two other senior mares at the corrals. Photographer Shannon Phifer identified one as Chardonnay. The second, we have named Cloud. We believe they are related because they never leave each other’s sides. In every way golden girls, they all have champagne-colored coats with variations in the blazes on their faces. They loaded and unloaded easily, without pressure, Calypso first with Chardonnay, then Cloud right behind her. We gave them time to decompress in the tree-covered hills of a 40-acres pen before attending to their hooves and general intake health procedures.  

Calypso can be distinguished from her friends by a skinny blaze. She seems to be the most adventurous, the leader of this band of three. Confident, she holds her head high with a quiet strength. She makes the most eye contact with humans and is first to draw nearer. With great emotional intelligence, she thinks and processes quickly, essentially vibrating on the highest frequency. She must have been the fiercest, most incredible lead mare in the wild with her lead stallion, Jackpot - whom we’ve seen, thanks again, to photographs by Shannon Phifer.

After adding Stargazer, Curly Girl, and Libby to this band, we released them onto 1200 acres that Blue Zeus and his family share with a herd of long ears. A momentous occasion: Red Desert Nobility met the Queens of South Steens. Their first encounters were marked by the usual drama with Blue Zeus and his loyal lead mare, Nike, chasing the Golden Girls off. That was the end of it for Libby, who headed straight back to her pen. Nike, however, had a change of heart and decided to welcome these mares. She has been graciously integrating them into her family and it looks like this arrangement will work out for all.

Calypso is named for a mythical Greek being, who was so enchanting that Odysseus lingered with her for years before continuing his long journey back to Ithaca. Our Calypso has been on something of an odyssey herself that was fraught with danger and tragedy. It ends, as Homer’s tale does, with an emotional homecoming and reclaiming what is rightfully hers.

Mustangs & Burros Need Your Help

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon, or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and Senators and urge them to support these bills:

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3475 in the House / S.2307 in the Senate). This bill will shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 3656) This bill will prohibit the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in the management of wild mustangs and burros on public lands, and require a report on humane alternatives to current management practices.

Ejiao Act of 2023 (H.R. 6021). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches, stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs, and defund the Adoption Incentive Program.