This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
T is sanctuary is located on


4,700 acres on the Yellow Hills Ranch where the wild horses run free under the watchful eye of Sandi, who since her mother’s passing last November operates the sanctuary alone, living in that tiny rusty trailer with electricity but no running water. Our story though, starts back a few years; it was 1997 when Sandi was looking for a Spanish stallion to breed to her mare, Kat Dancing. At that time the USDA Forest Service was removing wild horses from the Jarita Mesa Wild Horse Territory and off ering them for adoption. Sandi saw the stal- lion, now known as Katzman Dancer, and fi led the required papers. Eventually she was awarded ownership of the stallion. Katzman Dancer is now considered to be the foundation stallion, having been DNA-tested and ranking very high with the original Spanish genetic markers. T rough subsequent breeding, “Monero Mustangs” was established. Katzman was Sandi’s introduction to the


Two herdmates enjoy a mutual grooming and admiration session. Photo by Helen Cary


Sandi and her mother sprang into action,


herd management practices of the Forest Service and, while they were well meaning, it was painfully obvious to Sandi and her mother that the removal and adoption of so many wild horses was causing depletion of the gene pool and could threaten the very survival of the herd. At the time it was estimated there were only 60 horses remaining of the original band. T e Spanish horses at Jarita Mesa Wild Horse Territory are direct descendents of the fi rst 1,000 horses Spanish explorer Don Juan de Onate led across the Rio Grande River in 1598 when he claimed the territory for Spain.


leasing land and adopting as many Jarita Mesa Spanish horses as possible. For the next few years Sandi spent every moment, when not at work with the Social Services, with the herd she and her mother were assembling. The vision of protecting the band of descendents of the original Spanish horse, and to create a genetically pure herd, was slowly taking shape. Within fi ve years the herd numbered nearly 30. Excited by the prospect of success, Sandi and her mother founded Monero Mustangs as a non-profit entity in May of 2003. The name “Monero” represents the geographic location where their dream became a reality. T is Italian word refers to the coal mines that supported the early set lers in the northern part of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. To Sandi and her mother it seemed as if the noble horses—whose gallant ancestors he


helped build a nation—might soon have a tiny nation of their own.


DREAM COME TRUE As the herd continued to


grow, so did the relationship Sandi enjoyed with the For- est Service, who got in the habit of calling when they had horses they knew no one would adopt, especially the older ones. T e Forest Ser-


continued next page WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US • December 2011 | 65


“To Sandi and her mother it seemed as if the noble horses whose gallant ancestors helped build a nation might have a tiny nation of their own.”


Sandi and Fergusson, Monero


Mustang’s


number-one tour guide.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100