Lady Grey, Pipsqueak & Mr. Bojangles
Three Appaloosa mustangs landed in a kill pen in Texas, where they hovered nervously together. Their thin, bedraggled condition was testimony to the hard road they had travelled together.
Lady Grey was born at the BLM Burns corrals to a mare from the Warm Springs HMA. A grim beginning to life, she would have sensed her mother’s sadness over the loss of family and freedom. Completely cut off from her native Oregon habitat, the foal could not have imagined the big skies and beautiful, open spaces that her long, strong legs were meant to run.
Lady Grey was adopted out as a yearling along with Mr. Bojangles, who has the same backstory. We suspect he may be Chief’s brother as he comes from the same herd and possesses that same light-hearted goofiness, which balanced Lady Grey’s serious reserve.
At some point, someone must have bred her because she had a confused, frightened baby, Pipsqueak, at her side. The trader said he would sell them separately, which would have been devastating to both, so we made sure that will never happen. Mr. Bojangles was not the biological father, but he took on a protective role. When donors saw that, they wanted us to bring all three to Skydog as a family.
Pipsqueak was utterly terrified of humans. A bundle of nerves, she stayed right beside her mother, as if she anticipated being dragged away at any moment. Lady Grey’s mane was matted solid with prickly burrs. She was thin and had trouble gaining weight in the beginning, but that changed with proper nutrition.
Our incredible volunteers in Malibu worked their magic. Mother and daughter soon relaxed enough to start nursing again. Pipsqueak accepts human hands offered in kindness and loves cookies, gentle scratches, and equine massage.
The family recovered on the slopes in Malibu, where Boots the Mini-Mule flirted with the girls through the fence. When they were ready for Oregon, they chose separate paths. Mr. Bojangles immediately set about collecting mares in Sheldon’s herd. Lady Grey and Pipsqueak found their happiness in Cruiser’s family. Pip loves being wild with her best friends, Jojo and Tupelo Honey. Lady Grey still needs a little extra grain, but is so happy being out that we deliver it to her, rather than bring her in. Confident and strong, they are all finally living the life they were born for in the place they were meant to be.
Lady Grey, Pipsqueak & Mr. Bojangles currently have sponsors
By committing annually to a $100/month sponsorship of a mustang or burro, you help us enormously by supporting our existing rescues so we can continue saving more. To learn more about becoming a sponsor and see which animals need them, please click the button:
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.
Ejiao Act of 2025 (H.R. 5544). 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.
See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at canned hunt ranches in Texas & Oklahoma, bringing an end to the BLM using Sale Authority to funnel wild equines into the slaughter pipeline, and stopping production of Premarin & other drugs made from pregnant mare urine.