The Touch of a Mustang

06/18/2026

There is a saying attributed to the Cherokee," "If you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream."

As with many life truths, it offers profound guidance for our relationship with horses. If we would listen when they softly communicated, they wouldn't respond with strong and sometimes dangerous reactions trying to be heard.

But we've grown up and now live in a world where listening has been discouraged, even punished. We see kids who are restless and unhappy in school and we put them on medications instead of questioning what child would want to sit in a desk hour after hour. We have horses who buck or bolt, and we get new hardware to "control" them.

Our culture loves control, but we've forgotten how to listen. We can hardly stand to live in the quiet it requires.

We have to speak up, even if we have no idea what we are talking about. Quiet is awkward, unconventional, weird.

We have to advocate for ourselves for fear that someone might take advantage of us.

We don't want disrespectful horses, children, or partners—there is no place for listening.

We fill our minds with constant noise so we don't have to feel, so we don't have to listen to our mind, our selves, our intuition—so we can ignore it all.

And it works for a time, until it doesn't. And then the screaming begins.

The horse bucks, or bites—because we weren't listening.

The child acts out—because we didn't listen when they tried to tell us what they needed in a quieter way.

Our body screams—because we didn't rest when we knew we were tired, instead we downed another energy drink and we wonder why we feel terrible and why our bodies no longer want to work for us like we believe they should.

Our emotions beg to be given room to breath, but that seems weak and out of control, so we push them down and mental illness rises up.

I shouldn't be surprised, but I always am, that the principles that unfold in the time I'm working with and thinking about horses almost always have even more powerful implications in the human world.

This was meant to be a post about horsemanship, but the truth is, our relationship with horses is really about our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. The way we interact with horses is a mere reflection of our approach to the world at large.

If we would start to listen, to ourselves, to our horses, to the people we love; if we would would stop all the noise for a minute and listen to our intuition, then so much of the screaming would stop. The screaming that feels overwhelming and unending.

But that scares us, because if we listen, it might not be what we want to hear. If we listen we might not be able to claim control. If we listen, it might change us, and change is scary.

The mainstream horse world doesn't value listening (though I truly believe this is changing). Who, when they began their life with horses was ever taught, "Stop, listen to your horse. Don't go in with an agenda. Go in with curiosity." If you were, truly you were privileged because that is a completely different perspective from the loudest voices in the industry, where horses are lazy, disrespectful, should have no say in the relationship, and control is a foundational principle.

There are unending questions to trainers about how owners can change their horses, unending therapy sessions about how individuals can change their children, their partners, their life. There is theory after theory, and strategy after strategy that is rattled off.

But what if, instead of trying to take action, to fix things, to regain control, we stopped for a minute, and tried to understand.

What if we just listened?

06/16/2026

Everyone likes to wave the flag of conservation in the face of wild horses. "They aren't native!" is the rote memorization they religiously cry. "They destroy the land." "They mess up the ecological balance."

As I've talked about the wild Brumbies in Australia being gunned down by the government from helicopters, the retort is, "They are hurting the natural flora" as construction for a multi-billion dollar hydroelectric plant absolutely demolishes the same area.

I came across a video just yesterday, urging people to comment against the "non-native" wild horses of America as the Bureau of Land Management asks for public input. "They drive away wildlife." "They steal water sources." "Culling would be the best option, but that won't happen with all the crazy advocates." (So, good job Mustang advocates.)

But these are all just words that have been carefully laid out to advocate for an agenda that doesn't fit the wild horses. It's all a script they have been given to shout every chance they get.

I don't have all the answers, but I do have a deep knowing. Creation, in whatever form you believe, put these horses where they are today, and their presence in the world benefits humankind, but what do history and science actually say?

It turns out, the more I learn, the more evidence piles up that so many of the rote conservation scripts shouted from the anti-wildhorse rooftops are lies.

Let's take a look at a real-life case study.

In the mid-20th century, the wild horses of China, the Przewalski wild horses, in the Xinjiang and Gansu regions became extinct. But in 1985, China began to reintroduce them. Why would they do this when so many other countries are trying to rid the land of them?

Some incredibly wise individuals believed reintroducing the region's wild horses could heal the land. Their intention was to restore ecological balance and combat desertification across China's grasslands. Desertification is when productive, fertile land loses its ability to support life. It can no longer sustain vegetation, hold water, resist erosion, or provide food for animals. In short, it's bad.

But what really happened when horses were reintroduced?

I was shocked by this because so many people claim otherwise.

The reintroduction of the horses led to environmental recovery.

As we see around the world, horses have an ability to adapt brilliantly. In the United States, many of the herds live in the most uninhabitable areas of the country and thrive.

With the reintroduction in China, they proved that the horses actually benefited the land. The horses grazed by removing just the top of the plant, leaving the root intact and encouraging growth. Mustangs also do this. How do I know? I have seen this firsthand as I watch my horses eat.

The heavy hooves of the horses also broke up the hard, crusty ground, allowing moisture to enter.

Additionally, horses fertilized and reseeded the land with their manure as they traveled across hundreds of miles. Shockingly, because we always hear the opposite, this did not destroy other life, but helped native birds, insects, and desert rodents return to the land. It began to restore a healthy ecological system.

Wow! For everything we have been told about horses destroying the environment, there is strong evidence to the contrary. Evidence that, for some reason, we never hear about

Oh. And one more thing: the horses participated in natural mitigation against wildfires by consuming dense, dry vegetation, so that a fire wouldn't.

Take note, Western States land management! In the areas where there are hundreds of wildfires every year, we have a natural process with a natural resource that all we need to do, is bring together.

So, yes, all those ready to publicly oppose horses on public land, please make your case that removing them from the land will likely make it less usable and more unstable. Native species may disappear rather than thrive. Wildfires may increase. This really doesn't sound like a winning argument.

Actually, why is there any argument at all when this is what science shows us?

06/15/2026

From the age of just 6-years old, inspired by Mustang Annie, George Brauneis George Brauneis has been an advocate for Mustangs.

But like most stories with these horses, he wasn't just helping them. We don't talk about it enough, but adopting a Mustang creates a symbiotic relationship.

Help a Mustang and it will also help you🙏🏼

Don't miss the latest episode where George and I talk all about the work he's doing. Link in bio👆🏼

06/15/2026

An Open Letter to the Bureau of Land Management in Response to Call for Comments on Wild Horse Management:

First, thank you for caring about our wild horses and our land. For not gunning down Mustangs, as Australia is doing with its Brumbies. They are symbols of freedom in this country, where it is one of our foundational values.

Wild horse management should not be looked at as a problem, but rather as an opportunity. It has significant potential to improve our country, but it will require a multifaceted approach that goes beyond the benefits of wildland management alone.

1. Properly assess Appropriate Management Levels (AML) in Herd Management Areas (HMA). We have new technology to utilize, as well as a better understanding of the environment. A neutral third party should conduct an independent audit of what the land can truly sustain, based on the information we now have and accurate wild horse numbers. This is our starting point.

2. Once numbers are in place, work towards those management levels in humane ways through trapping and contraception, using practices that have been shown to be effective in the HMAs where they have been successfully done. Trapping self-selects for horses most likely to thrive in the human world, as the most feral horses are more likely to evade the traps.

Utilize new technology that can administer contraceptives in areas that are hard for humans to reach. Contraception through darting can also be administered by Veterans, many of whom are suffering in the civilian world and in search of a new purpose, thus providing a natural transition from military life while utilizing their unique skills to continue to better the country.

3. In collaboration with the forest service, release Mustangs into areas with high fire danger that need mitigation, eliminating a great deal of kindling, such as dry grasses. This could be either a permanent relocation or a trained herd (my Mustangs come easily when called) that relocates throughout the country.

4. For the horses that are gathered, we now have a national treasure and a natural resource to help humanity, and they can be managed and utilized in the following ways.
A. Continue adoption into private homes using the many methods now in place. Continue to fund programs that allow experienced horsemen and women to gentle and even saddle train these horses for private homes, making them more widely available to the public. Continue to invest in programs where these horses are valued, such as east of the Mississippi and in countries like Germany, where they are rare and unique and have very good lifelong outcomes. Put policies in place that prevent Mustangs from being sold to kill pens—particularly immediately after adoption and offer rehoming options for placements that find they aren't suited to the unique traits of Mustangs.

B. Continue to build the prison programs, using existing programs as templates, as well as Canon City, which was successful for a long time. These programs have a two-fold benefit—bringing horses into private homes and helping with prisoner reform. Inmates who participate in the program consistently have lower recidivism rates. Researched recidivism rates for those who have participated in the program range from 15%, while it is 35%- 60% for the general population. This saves costs down the line, as fathers return home and former criminals gain skills and become healthy citizens, to name a few benefits. These programs are worth the cost for the benefits they provide to society alone, while also mitigating the challenge posed by excess wild horses in captivity.

C. Utilize similar methods to bring these wild horses into contact with the broader population for the benefit they provide in terms of mental well-being, mindset development, and general life skills. More Veterans leaving active military service can be transferred into positions, phasing them out of military life (a common reason Veterans have significant struggles when leaving service), where they train wild horses to be safe for the general public and run programs utilizing Mustangs. There is substantial evidence that working with Mustangs has helped Veterans escape the su***de epidemic.

D. Integrate Mustangs into mental health and community impact programs across the country. Some areas in which this can be done include:
i. The Veterans Administration (VA), with a focus on Veterans suffering from PTSD, suicidality, and other mental health struggles.
ii. Youth programs, particularly in inner cities and communities where there are high levels of youth delinquency, through foster care organizations and other areas in which youth are most vulnerable. This can be both voluntary and judge-mandated, connecting youth with powerful mentors as they learn essential life skills. Create a Mustang barn in every community possible.
iii. Integrate Mustangs into schools to be utilized to help students who are challenged with autism, ADHD, and other disorders, which often create additional struggles in the learning environment, and which horses have been proven to help in the treatment. Mustang could additionally be utilized in physical therapy programs across the nation.

Community impact programs will likely pay for themselves long-term as we improve outcomes for high-risk individuals, particularly Veterans (who leave a struggling family behind when su***de is successful), prisoners (who can break generational crime and return into homes as a positive influence), and at-risk youth.

The American land has provided the answers for a society that is struggling with high mental health, crime, and su***de rates. There are programs already across the country that utilize horses in this manner, and there is more than enough room for the 60K+ horses now in holding, as well as others that may need to be gathered.

5. Finally, for the horses that are left free, particularly in well-known areas, integrate the incredible experience of viewing wild horses into the landscape of American tourism, benefiting local communities and those privileged to experience horses in the wild.

There is an army of civilians already engaged in each of these activities on a private scale, who could be contracted by the government to expand current programs and develop new ones. We have both the answers and the resources to make this happen and ultimately provide benefit to the horses, the land, and the American people.

Sincerely,
The Touch of a Mustang

Please share if you agree and to raise awareness. What would you add? How can America's wild horses be protected and preserved while benefiting humanity?

Submit your comments to help direct the future of wild horse management in ways that will benefit the horses and humanity: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Participate-Now/?id=5c14510a-cb5d-f111-bec6-001dd8029ed0&ppid=F8129444-CA5D-F111-BEC6-001DD8029ED0

06/14/2026

This practice changes me in all the best ways.

Horses are an incredible catalyst for mental change in humans, IF we can soften our ego. If we can step outside the belief that we must know everything, or that we are in some way superior, it changes a lot. If we go in with the belief that our time with horses is a place where we can dominate, it does the opposite. It creates high tension and stress for both parties, removing the ability to discover.

I recently came across an incredible practice for personal perspective and growth, one that will be equally beneficial in your relationship with your horse.

One aspect that limits our growth in both horsemanship and life is a closed-in, deterministic perspective. Language such as "that's just how I am," or "this horse is (fill in the blank... stubborn, naughty, lazy)" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What we say is exactly what we manifest.

But we don't have to believe we have all the answers, because the truth is, we don't. Life (and horses) is a process of discovery, not a test or demonstration of our expertise.

And there's a simple way to shift your mindset — step outside yourself and observe. You can do this with or without horses, but for the sake of this discussion, let's apply it to our relationship with our horses.

Take a minute. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself going out to spend time with your horses. Step outside of yourself and into the perspective of your horses. Consider what they see when you enter their world.

Mine is easy when I take on their perspective. I'm often rushed. Checking off a to-do list. Even if it's just to feed them, mentally, I am going from here to there. Throwing hay in, checking water, taking care of the other animals, and disappearing.

And when I step back and look at it from a broader perspective, I see a woman trying to accomplish a lot. I don't blame her. That's what she's been told. It is how she has been conditioned.

Looking from the outside, this conditioning to achieve and to do has activated high levels of anxiety. Why? Because doing and achieving have always equaled acceptance in the human world. It is what has so often given her value. Each check off the to-do list has been conditioned to lower the anxiety. So when I'm moving on autopilot, without thinking, it strengthens my conditioning.

As my horses view me, it's not with judgment. Simply acceptance.

The mindset carries over when I spend dedicated time with horses. I have an agenda. Something I planned to get done. That was always how it was, but I can see that I have also changed, and it's no longer always this way (though sometimes it still is).

As I again step out, looking at myself from a farther removed perspective. I can see the learning that has taken place. When I first got my Mustangs, it was all about doing, but that has evolved. I've come to see the value in spending time together in the same realm, because, truthfully, though we live in close proximity, we exist in entirely different worlds much of the time. I've learned how to enter their's and let go of the human world.

There's so much more I can explore in my personal experience. But the key to it all is this: As I view myself from my horses' perspective, I can see the many spots that keep our relationship held where it is.

Stepping outside yourself to view yourself with compassion and curiosity gives you beautiful, kind, and understanding insights. They aren't judgment, but they are information as to how you can move forward, towards the life that you are seeking and the relationships you deeply desire.

As you do this, your findings will be different. You might see someone deeply passionate, but afraid. Someone who feels inadequate and so can't let her guard down. You might find someone who constantly has to prove their worth and struggles to let go of their ego.

The details vary, but the story is often the same — we have built-in mechanisms that we have nurtured to face the world with bravery and to protect ourselves. When we step outside ourselves, we can recognize those conditioned responses and regularly take small steps to make changes, to soften, to move through life in greater wisdom.

If we are willing to open ourselves to this vulnerability in the time we spend with our horses, and to consider how they might view us or how a compassionate mentor would, we learn a lot about ourselves. It changes both how we feel about ourselves, our horses, and our potential. As is so often said, they are a mirror we can use to observe ourselves, which brings about incredible understanding, and allows us to change for the better if we choose.

06/13/2026

Instead she is safe and will be cared for and protected until the day she dies.

Not all wild horses are so lucky.

Thank Penny Sharpe, Australian Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Heritage in New South Wales.

What a joke!

06/08/2026

In just 2 days, June 9, the Australian government plans to gun down these horses from helicopters in the name of environmentalism.

An icon of the Snowy Mountains may soon be gone. They shoot first and ask questions later and right now they don't even know how many Brumbies are left.

Despite clear evidence that the wild horses help the ecosystem, the horses are out and a $12 billion dollar hydroelectric project is in, destroying the Snowy Mountains May country day by day.

Despite concerns and evidence from experts, locals and those who love these wild horses, the government moves forward ignoring the proof all around them that what they are doing is wrong.

Unless the voices for these horses are amplified, they may be no more. Like, share, contact authorities if these horses deserve a place in Australia.

Listen to Episode 78 of the podcast to learn more and be sure to follow to learn more.

05/31/2026

In the final episode of the Horses for Mental Health May campaign podcast series, Kathleen, co-founder of Samson's Strength Sustainable Veterans Project, Inc a 501-c3 and I talk about what happened over the course of the month and the stories we discovered that will stay with us.

There is a growing movement in the horse world to recognize the value of horses in a new way, which will give more horses a place in our world as we utilize them, most powerfully in their completely natural state, to guide humans to find healing from the wounds, trauma, and struggles they carry.

It's hard to imagine a better win-win situation for humans who are desperate for answers and horses who are regularly being sent to slaughter.

Deep and sincere thanks for all those who opened up and shared their work and their stories this month💗

What if the thing you need to begin healing is to spend time with a...

05/30/2026

So much in the world today is artificial and distant.

Not with horses. From their touch, to their breath, when you enter their world it is all tangible and real.

They are never too busy. They ask little. When you enter their presence in peace, you are welcomed.

Episode 76 with produced in support of for May's campaign.

05/28/2026

The relationship between horses and humans is not just healing, but unique.

They touch us in a way that other places in the world fail to reach. They allow us to open up in ways that feel impossible, but so easy by their side.

shares his beautiful story with horses on the latest episode (76) of the podcast.

This episode was produced in support of project for May's campaign.