Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke is an amazing mustang at Skydog Oregon. With four white socks, he’s easy for us to spot in a sea of bays. His father, Honor, a beautiful foundation stallion out on South Steens, passed his rich genetic inheritance to his son.

He was rounded up when he was two years old and was passed to several different homes that tried to train him, but he was one of those mustangs, who would not give up his wildness. His last owner wanted to get rid of him and said he would shoot him if we didn’t take him. In a year when we were focusing on owner and trainer relinquishments, Gunsmoke needed sanctuary and we thank our lucky stars that he came to us.

From the second he arrived, Gunsmoke was dreaming about life on the rolling hills that he could see beyond the barn. He was in good shape and needed no time to settle, so we didn’t hesitate to turn him straight out to his new space and herd. His introduction was breathtaking as he leapt out of the trailer and ran to meet all the new horses. He had all the mojo he needed and and knew all the right moves.

With spectacular body language, he met each individual horse with just the right energy and interest. He took a turn with Thunder and Francis in a special solo run. He greeted Baby Blue, who never wants to be left out. He gave Bo a little kick check to set boundaries and earned his respect. Then came the pawing and squealing with Traveller, the deep groin breathing with Gris. He had an answer to all of it, his responses were a symphony of equine wildness and beauty. Others might have been intimidated by this large group of mustangs, but he had no trouble holding his own. He came in peace and only wanted to play. Gunsmoke was truly one of the most confident and delighted horses to ever regain his freedom and a herd.

He had not forgotten the wild ways. We found him with Slash and Bo in Spring Valley digging holes in the dirt to lick. Many essential minerals that horse lack thru diet are found in the soil, as is the beneficial gut bacteria needed for optimum health. We decided to add bentonite clay supplement formulated for horses. It binds toxins, balances PH, and provides digestive support, while supplying critical minerals in a natural form that horses seek. We had to consult our vet about this, but Gunsmoke knew instinctively where to find it in the earth and how much he needed. 

It is hard to think about how close this magnificent mustang came to a bullet. A mindset that has got to change is that horses have no value if you can't ride or work them. The fact is they are sentient beings, who have been a partner unlike any other to humanity. They deserve our respect and and have earned the right to run free in North America, where they evolved as a species over millions of years. Gunsmoke is an absolutely beautiful horse and it doesn't matter that he doesn't want to be ridden. It’s the greatest gift to see him just being a horse in his natural habitat. He has so much to teach us if we are willing to listen.

I watched him as the summer settled in. Green grasses faded to golden brown. His herd looked like they were meandering through a field of corn with a lazy heat shimmer following their silhouettes. Cool water flowed in a stream fed by underground springs. The cry of a hawk broke the silence as it circled in the sky above. This is wild horse country. This is where every wild horse belongs and why we keep fighting to give it back to as many as we can.

#skydoggunsmoke

American Mustangs and 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 two Senators to urge them to support these bills. 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

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2025 (H.R.1661 in the House and S.775 in the Senate). This bill would amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the “Farm Bill”. There are several important provisions for animals in that omnibus federal law, including the Cat and Dog Meat Trade Prohibition Act. It is currently illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell, or donate dogs and cats, or their parts, for human consumption. The SAFE Act would extend the ban to equines and 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. 4356) The bill would eliminate the use of helicopters in rounding up wild horses and burros, and require a study into alternative methods for humanely gathering the animals.

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

A bill from the previous 118th Congress that we hope will be introduced again this session:

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.