SAVE A LIFE Wild Horse Training Program
The “Save a Life” wild horse training program was started by the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo in 2005. It is a volunteer training program to gentle “Three Strikes” and "Over 10" mustangs for adoption. The first mustang was a little filly that had been to three adoptions in California and her only flaw was that she had been sent to three adoption events where there were more horses than adopters, and she was passed over. She became a “Three Strikes” mustang at age two with an uncertain future. Cathy Barcomb, partnering with trainer, Lynda Sanford drove to the Litchfield BLM facility in California and brought her back to Smith Valley, Nevada. She took to people that very first day and with only 28 days of training had her minimal training down, could side pass to the fence for future mounting and was wearing a saddle proudly. “Li’l Gal” walked out of her trailer and into the parking lot of the Expo without a care. She was such a remarkable horse with a great mind and love for people that we fell in love and couldn’t part with her. She now resides with Cathy and has a great future. She is the ambassador horse for the “Save a Life” program, receiving continued training with Lynda and is not just a bay mustang anymore. Showing her at events may help future adopters recognize that it isn’t just color that makes a great horse.
There were three horses in the 2005 Expo’s, “Save a Life” program. A trainer in California donated the training on one, and the Lawrence Family in Reno took in and trained another named Zack. The other two were adopted and went to their new homes after the Expo. Three lives saved and many more to go.
The mustangs in the program can be a young “Three Strikes” mustang (one that has been to three adoptions and not adopted) or an “Older” mustang may be trained as a backyard or companion horse. The “Older” horses can make great pets for those that don’t or cannot ride anymore and just want a mustang to love and take care of.
“Save a Life” will coordinate available mustangs with a BLM facility and make arrangements for a trainer to view the horse/horses. The trainer will purchase the wild horse at a very minimal fee and gentle it. If the trainer wishes to keep the horse the only requirement of the trainer would be to reimburse the program for any feed funding that was granted. This program works directly with BLM and the Expo.
Trainers will be approved for their gentling techniques to insure the safety of the horses and trainers. They must meet the BLM requirements for a facility to house ungentled mustangs and the trailer to transport the horse from the BLM corrals to the training facility, to the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo in August or other events.
Since this is a donation program, the trainer is responsible for all expenses the horse requires. The trainer is advised to call “Save a Life’ if a problem should arise and we will do our best to help.
The suggested minimum training for the Expo includes: walk with a lead rope, pick up all four feet, load and unload into a trailer, and stand for a vet check. If a trainer wishes to do further training they may.
We encourage the trainer to send us photos and journal the horse from pick up at BLM, during the training progress of the horse and to the Expo. This gets exposure for the trainer and also anticipation by the public for the trainer’s horse to be at the Expo. The journal will be an extra bonus to chronicle the horse’s experience.
The horses will be auctioned at the Expo and the horse and trainer will be promoted on the Expo website. If a horse does not sell we will do our best to help the trainer find a home for the horse. The better a horse is trained the better chance it will find a new home. The money raised for the gentled horses will help to fund wild horse rescue and adoption programs through the Expo and the “Save a Life” program.
Our goal is to make available gentled “Three Strike” or “Older” mustangs with an unsure future that weren’t just the right color, size or thought to be too old to gentle.
-Lynda Sanford, SAVE A LIFE Program Director
PO Box 3, 62 Deer Pass Road
Wellington, Nevada 89444
775-465-1333
MustangUpRanch@cs.com
 I recently bought a Sale horse Captured from The Sand Springs West HMA in Ely NV. NV0630 He was captured in Jan of 2006 but because he was over the age of 10 when captured (hes 11) i was able to purchase him. I was real leary of taking him on due to his age, and the fact that he was a wild stallion for 11 years, (gelded right before i got him) but i could see something in his eyes, he has a very gentle spirit, and decided that i was up to the challenge. His name is Kheiron, and he is one of the sweetest horses i have ever met, I have only had him home for 4 months now, and he has been easier to gentle than the 8 yr old sheldon mare i adopted a couple of years ago. He is a lover, not a fighter, and gets along with anyone, 2 footed or 4 footed. If there is anyway to make him a poster child for the older sale horses, or anyway you can direct me to a place to let people know that an 11 yr old wild horse can be as sweet as a 2 yr old, i would love to brag about him. I cant believe that a horse like this could have ended up at the slaughter house, just because of his age. My name is Shelby Bedard, I live in Madison Florida Kheiron is an 11 yr old gelding from the Sand Spring West H.M.A. NV0630 In Ely |
Although the primary motive is to help the horses, this program can also offer valuable showcasing of the trainers' talents, which can be used to recruit business for the trainer. People purchasing these animals may also want to pay the trainer to continue the training through saddle work.
Expo's first 'Save a Life" horse was "Little Gal" in 2005: "Little Gal" was, in 2005, a 2-year-old, healthy, beautiful 3-strikes horse who was purchased by Cathy Barcomb and trained by Lynda Sanford. "Little gal" is well-built, kind, & gentle in every way. The only thing "wrong" with her is that she went to three adoptions with more horses than adopters. Her conformation is excellent, her temperament is excellent, her health is excellent. This horse is an example of what's wrong with the new Sale Authority law. A horse so young and healthy should not be "3 Strikes and Out" of the adoption program!
- YOU CAN ALSO Purchase an older or "3-Strikes" BLM Horse or Burro direct from BLM. Call National BLM at 1-800-710-7597 or email wildhorse@blm.gov)
- ADOPT A COMSTOCK HORSE! Comstock horses are "on the clock" and if not adopted within 60 days of capture, they can be sold to anyone, including kill buyers.
- Call Lynda Sanford's "Save A Life Program"
775-465-1333 or email her at MustangUpRanch@cs.com
since January 26, 2007
