THE HORSE GAZETTE
saving mustangs to save ourselves
By Ingrid Edisen © 2010
A friend of mine had a
something wonderful is bound to since 2004. There are hundreds
education. Once Texans are aware
and understanding of wildlife and Describe if you could a “poster
saying whenever she encountered a
happen. Two-hundred-and-sixty of reasons why we began Texas
of the ways we can conserve
natural resources. We are applying child” mustang.
rare person--”they broke the mold
people enjoyed the group’s first H 0asis™, but the two largest
water and refine our water laws,
for grants, hoping to receive the Every mustang has its
when they made him (or her),”
2
Mare-y Christmas Barn Tour in are over-appropriation of Texas’
we can become true stewards of
necessary funding to implement own story, but the most recent
she’d say.
late December in the Austin area waterways, and the Bureau of
our land and sustain the wildlife
these and other projects. Most “poster child” is Sally II. Texas
The small core of in-
with the proceeds slated towards Land Management’s (BLM’s)
we cherish.
importantly, Texas H 0asis™ H 0asis™ rescued this three-year-
dividuals associated with non-
2 2
saving more mustangs. Using a mismanagement of mustangs.
The third mission of
needs acreage to provide for the old mare, along with her month-
profit Texas H Oasis™ certainly Texas H 0asis™, and the one
2
novel idea first pitched by Polly Over-appropriation is
2
mustangs on a significant scale. old filly, from a ranch that could
fall into that category. Their link
Powell, five barns acted as host excessive usage of Texas’ wa-
closest to my heart, is the creation
The ultimate goal is a five-thou- not longer afford to feed her or 41
with horses is their group’s mis-
barns in one afternoon. Demos, ter, which depletes our springs,
of mustang refuges. Mustangs are
sand-acre eco-sanctuary in west other starving mustangs. She was
sion to help save the American
free food, and music hallmarked aquifers, and rivers, and devas-
part of the American heritage,
Texas that provides a refuge for a hundred pounds underweight,
mustang; however, the group has
the event as the large crowd tating the wildlife that depends
an icon, a treasured symbol of
the mustangs and other native had never been seen by a veteri-
a larger scope, too. Saving animals
traipsed from barn to barn. The on them. Texans need water for
American freedom and indepen-
wildlife and is used as one huge, narian or farrier, was distrustful
and raising environmental aware-
five host barns were Bel Canto, municipal, industrial, agricul-
dence. Many recall the 80s when
outdoor environmental education of humans, was protective of
ness is second nature to founder
Graymar Farm, Royal Kings, Red tural, and recreational usage, but
the Bureau of Land Management
center, which offers nonformal her first foal, and had never been
Dr. Karen Hulene Bartell--in the
Barn, and Oakhaven. most of our major rivers have
(BLM) killed thousands of mus-
training in land restoration, water touched. For me, a person who
midst of our interview she asked
Karen Hulene Bar- been over-allocated, leaving not
tangs because of “over popula-
management, mustang steward- had never been around horses
her husband, Peter, to stop along
tell, who holds PhD degree a drop of water for wildlife. As
tion.” I swore then that, if ever
ship, and wildlife conservation. To until six months before Sally II
the roadside to help a slider turtle
in Environmental Geography, the National Wildlife Federation
given the opportunity, I would
achieve this goal, Texas H 0asis™ arrived, let alone mustangs with a
get to the other side. In his “real”
2
Texas Master Naturalist (MN) states, existing Texas water law
do everything possible to prevent
depends on volunteers and spon- wild streak, she was a challenge.
life, when he’s not saving turtles,
certification, and has a vastly does not ensure that the rivers
that annihilation from occurring
sors. Her little filly was the opposite:
her husband is a computer special-
varied resume of project-related will keep flowing. Our springs
again. The BLM’s threat to kill gentle and people friendly. What
ist and choir director at church.
experiences, explained how the are drying up, as are our wetlands
the thousands of mustangs in its
Is there any organization like I did, under the tutelage of Nancy
The other members of the Board
group came into being. and estuaries. Without water, our
“warehouses” in 2008 prompted
this in the US? Sutherland, a horse woman par
have also extensive educations and
wildlife will perish. We have a
Texas H 0asis™ to incorporate.
2
Texas H 0asis™ is none, was ground-train the filly
eclectic backgrounds: Attorney
2
When did you start Texas responsibility to make the most
Texas H 0asis™ rescues, ground-
2
unique because of its three mis- while the mare looked on, learn-
Polly Powell is a farm owner, and
H 0asis™ and why? efficient use of water supplies, so
trains, and finds homes for these
sions: to provide environmental ing by osmosis. I spoke gently
professors Andrew Zwarun and
2
We incorporated Texas our environment is sustainable.
mustangs. Texas H 0asis™ may
2
education, restore / manage the to Sally II and was able to elicit
Jolynn Archer have a strong thread
H 0asis™, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Texas is blessed with incredible
be small, but we’re saving these
land and water resources, and some response by teaching her
of reaching outside of themselves.
2
organization, two years ago, natural resources, but, as Texans,
icons of the American West.
create eco-sanctuaries for mus- to whinny or follow me when I
Dr. Zwarun is knowledgeable in
in January 2008, but we have we need to be stewards of our tangs / wildlife. Other groups whistled until touching her was
soil sustainability, and educator
been organizing environmental resources. One of the missions of
What has the response been
may support one or even two of no longer off-limits.
Archer works with seeing eye
education and outreach events, Texas H 0asis™ is restoration of
so far?
the missions, but it is the merg- When the filly was
dogs.
2
helping restore the environment, the land and water resources; the
In a word: overwhelm-
ing of all three missions that weaned, I began holding Sally II’s
You put this group of
and assisting animal refuges second mission is environmental
ing. People from various walks of
will effect change. If people do food bowl in one hand, and touch-
dedicated volunteers together and life have come forward to assist in
not understand the issues, they ing, then grooming, her with the
every way imaginable. I believe
will not help: first and foremost, other. Finally, Larry Hileman, a
that an enormous part of our
environmental education needs mustang trainer, was able to put a
population wants to do something,
to provide that training in order halter on her, and she began lead-
wants to help the mustangs, but
for people to take action. Next, ing, backing-up, and performing a
isn’t sure how. Texas H 0asis™
2
Texas is blessed with a wealth of few tricks. The miracle occurred
provides the means. Volunteers
natural resources, but those are when I, by coincidence, met the
are needed to help with train-
dwindling. We need to restore our Browns, who happen to be excel-
ing/socializing the mustangs;
land that has been overgrazed and lent horse people. Within seconds,
assisting with the environmental
JMK Superwoman
conserve our water resources to Sally II was sniffing Art’s hands
education; writing grant applica-
sustain our environment. Third and endearing herself to Denise.
• 2008 AQHA/PHBA Filly tions; event preparation, and a and most importantly, as stew- They adopted this sweet-natured,
• 2008 Go for the Gold thousand other jobs. Supporters ards, we have a responsibility to intelligent mare.
Futurity winner are needed to sponsor Texas care for our mustangs and other Then restarts the next
• 2009 AQHA Grand H 0asis™, individual mustangs,
2
wildlife. To my knowledge, Texas round of rescuing another and
Champion
and special events, such as our
H 0asis™ is the only nonprofit another mustang, ground-train-
2
• 2009 Dixie National Class
recent Mustang Mare-y Christ-
501(c)(3) organization in the US ing them, finding good homes for
winner
mas Bar Tour. Texas H 0asis™
2
to combine these three missions to them, and rescuing more. Texas
is growing due to the needs of
effect change for the better. H 0asis™ is saving the mustangs
2
so many mustangs, and land is – two at a time.
needed for expansion.
What does your office consist of Another aspect of sav-
so far (support staff, etc.)? ing mustangs that Karen has found
What are the future plans for
Texas H 0asis™ is an is what the group calls “second
Texas H 0asis™?
2
2
all-volunteer nonprofit 501(c)(3) generation mustangs” since some
Texas H 0asis™ has
2
organization that depends 100 per- of the population they work with
ambitious plans, but it needs
cent on donations and volunteers. are brought into civilization in
volunteers and sponsors to suc-
Every penny donated is put into utero via pregnant mares. Re-
ceed in helping the mustangs. In
rescuing mustangs, improving cently their group was brought
addition to the mustang refuge
the environment, and providing in to help with a large herd of
in Driftwood, we are creating a
environmental training. The “of- starving horses based in the Cuero
bird and wildlife sanctuary. We
fice” consists of a small board of (near Houston) area, too. They are
want to expand the environmen-
officers and directors that donates rescuing two more mares from
tal educational aspect to include
their time, energy, and resources this herd and are offering them
tours, using the principles of
to spearhead the various projects for adoption.
Project WILD
®
, which is a K-12
and meet to discuss the goals and
environmental and conservation
progress. The “support staff” con- Contact info: http://
education program that empha-
sists entirely of volunteers.
www.texash2oasis.org/, hulene1@
sizes awareness, appreciation,
austin.rr.com
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17555 Old Evans Road • Selma, TX 78154
830-996-1105 (Ranch) 210-218-4511 (Cell)
210-651-6375 • www
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