For the love of Horses

Horses are about one of the most beautiful animals ever created. I don’t think that many would dispute that notion, however, their prowess, speed, and enduring spirit has been cultivated, harnessed and exploited by human

ingenuity for thousands of years, unfortunately resulting in millions of horses perishing in this partnership of convenience. But not in all cases. Many love and cherish their domesticated equine partners and these horses thrive. My concern is for the one’s that live wild in the lands of western North America, the Mustang, icon and enduring spirit of the west. I believe that these wild horses have earned a place of sanctuary on public lands where they can live free and flourish unencumbered by the demands of human interference. Unfortunately, the concerns of commerce have created competition for

grazing rights on western lands. In order to establish advantage for existing wild species the carrying capacity of the environment is considered and the numbers of grazing animals is restricted. The question is whether the

mustangs of North America qualify for a wild status designation instead a feral nuisance is being debated. Currently, mustangs are being systematically rounded up from public lands all across the western landscape of North America and placed in holding pens under the care of government agencies. Here they may languish for years until they are either funneled into adoption events, auctioned off, or, for the lucky few, repatriated to the wild. Sanctuaries, funded by private donations, help mitigate the suffering these animals endure by providing a caring environment where mustangs can exist with minimal human contact limited to health monitoring and

augmented seasonal feeding. These sanctuaries depend on private donations to keep them funded and operating on a level consistent with

humane practices. In order to support this effort, I paint mustangs in their natural environment with the intention of donating a percentage of the sales of each painting toward mustang rescue sanctuaries.