madison

Madison was a 21-year-old, sale-authority, three-strikes mustang. She was found at the Bureau of Land Management’s Palomino Valley corrals in Nevada. Emaciated and scrawny, covered with bite and kick marks, she was being bullied and pushed off the hay by other horses. Her prospects were not good: long-term holding with a large group of horses that pick on her, or a kill buyer who would send her to slaughter. She was originally rescued by Rancho Relaxo. Caitlin Cimini (@boochases) tells her story:

We sent two of our board members out West to experience wild horses on the range, as well as the BLM holding facilities. It was amazing for them - and for me, getting all their updates and videos. We didn’t go with the intention of pulling a mustang, but one of the board members fell in love with a mare in holding. Clearly, she was a senior. When they asked the wrangler about her, he said, “Are you sure? She’s old. Why would you want that one?” For us, that was even better.

We realized very quickly that she was a wild girl at heart. At this point in her life, she did not want to be told what to do. She didn’t want to make friends with humans and was stressed by people trying to interact with or gentle her. Sometimes that’s their personality, it’s what they feel in their heart. There’s no changing them, it can’t be “broken” out of them - and why would anyone want to do that? We would have done anything to give this horse her heart’s desire, so I reached out to Clare and said, “She would thrive with you.” I was nervous because I know Skydog gets request after request. I didn’t think this was going to be possible, but it was. It took a heavy weight off our hearts as we didn’t know if any other place would be proper for her. You have to be very careful about other rescues, but Skydog had rave reviews and references. Personal friends of mine had visited and worked with them. There wasn’t one red flag. It could not have worked out better for Madison.

Marlene Dodge, a woman with so much experience handling wild horses, loaded and hauled Madison to Skydog from Reno. A wise and trusted advisor, Marlene delivered the very first wild horses to the Oregon Ranch for us. At the time when Caitlin reached out to us, we were just a few years in. Clare had been following Rancho Relaxo in awe of the work they were doing. The collaboration of three female-run horse rescues for the good of this mare came to the attention of Rancho Relaxo’s massive following. This brought us more followers and donors so we could save more mustangs. We appreciate their support and we love to do the same for other sanctuaries that aren’t as big or well known, but where we know they give the very best care to their rescues.

Quite often, when we’re told a horse is wild, we find that they really aren’t, but Madison was as wild as they come. She cannot be far enough away from humans, even with all the space we have in Oregon. She deserves endless respect and admiration for the wild life she loved before she was rounded up. It was so rewarding to restore her health and freedom on one thousand acres with Goliath’s family, where she is close with all the mustangs, including the grand old man himself.

Madison was named for Daryl Hannah’s character in Splash, which suits her strength and other-worldly beauty.  Hannah does important work for the environment. She is a wonderful friend of Skydog and was one of the exexcutive producers of our documentary Blue Zeus. Her love of nature, horses, animals, and Mother Earth is an inspiration.

#skydogmadison

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 US canned hunt ranches and stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs.