The three mustang foals from local horse sanctuary Return to Freedom continue in their education at Midland. Anna Moiseyeva '13 works steadily with Holitopa, the small three year old filly. “Holly,” as she is known, is a quick study, but not without a few challenges along the way. She is headstrong, but willing and friendly. Anna has been patient and quiet with this filly and Holly is now leading very softly on the lead rope, without pulling or tossing her head. Holly is also allowing her feet to be picked up, albeit tentatively. Emma Lichtwardt '13 and tiny Runner are an excellent pair. Working very slowly, Emma has developed a trusting relationship with Runner, who is the least confident of the foals. While Runner is not quite ready to have a halter on and is somewhat suspicious of a lead rope, she does willingly follow Emma around the paddock and is learning that a soft grooming brush on the face feels great. Sunny Pang '14 continues progress with fearless Spotted Bird, or Bu-ding (Boo-DING), which means “Patch” in Chinese. Bu-ding is loading into the horse trailer quite confidently, and learning to turn on the forehand and on the hind quarters.

The foals have arrived! Sunny Pang '14, Emma Lichtwardt '13 and Anna Moiseyeva '13 have bravely chosen their favored youngsters for 6 weeks of intensive groundwork. Return to Freedom has again generously allowed the use of three young Choctaw mustangs for Midland’s unique class. Anna will work with Holitopa, a very small three year old filly who is quite naturally inquisitive. Sunny attached herself to tiny Spotted Bird, a year old gelding who has had a little bit of handling, but still has much to learn. Emma has a bit of a challenge with Runner, a stocky yearling filly who is friendly, but tentative. 

Choctaw horses are an important breed to Native American plains tribes, most notably the Choctaw Tribe. These strong, small horses were and are valued members of tribal culture, and have been bred for their striking coloration, natural friendliness towards people, and ease of training.

Return to Freedom Sanctuary in Lompoc, CA is dedicated to preserving the diversity and habitat of America’s wild horses. On a bright winter afternoon in November, Heads of Horses Becca Rantanen '12 and Alba DeCarlo '12 hosted a horse-themed field trip to the sanctuary. Celeste Carlisle drove Dan Brownstein '13, Kendall Cook '13, Sunny Pang '14, Alba and Becca to meet Spirit, the mustang used as a muse by Dream Work’s artists for the animated movie, “Spirit: Wild Stallion of the Cimarron.” After hobnobbing with the equine superstar, we made our way to the pasture where the Choctaw herd lives and talked about conservation efforts afoot (“ahoof”?) in the wild horse world. Mostly, though, we hung out with the tiny foals and friendly mares and took a deep, quiet breath before returning to campus for final exams.

In early 1997, a white Arabian gelding from Morro Bay found his way to Midland School. Wrote his owner to the director of the horse program, “I wish to donate him because I no longer have time enough to properly exercise or care for him, and I wish him to have a good home where I know he will be happy.”

Aladdin adapted well to the Midland pastures and the other horses. He became a valuable and favorite member of the horse program, and carried students through their paces in the arena or on trails to grassy mesas, springs, and through cool, riparian corridors. He worked for 13 years as a school horse, and then retired in the summer of 2010 to a quiet, oak-dotted pasture and the company of another Arabian horse elder, “Khardin.” 

Aladdin’s advanced age caught up with him this winter and he lay down for the last time in the tall, green grass. Ben Munger ‘79, Sunny Pang ‘14, Gillian Kinnear ‘04, Celeste Carlisle, and Khardin were there to quietly send him on his way.

We called Aladdin “Our Unicorn,” with his delicate, graceful body and wise countenance. He did indeed have a good home and was happy. We miss him.

On a lazy Saturday afternoon in December, riders Becca Rantanen '12 (on Tango), Nayana Hummingbird '15 (Max), Jordan Swidenbank '15 (Menja), and Sunny Pang '14 (Dessi) set off with Celeste Carlisle (Nari) towards Sedgwick Reserve for a winter horse camping trip. Climbing steadily towards the Sedgwick Gate at Figueroa, the riders broke into an open meadow to rest before crossing into the Reserve. Out of nowhere, a stunt-flyin’ helicopter buzzed low overhead, sending the horses spinning and the riders scrambling to dismount and hold onto their worried steeds! (A car commercial was being filmed on Figueroa Mountain Road…)

Now on the Reserve, the riders picked their way through lichen-covered oak trees and onto soft grassy mesas towards the newly-restored barn at Sedgwick’s main office area. Upon arrival, Reserve Manager Kate McCurdy helped the group get their horses settled into a large paddock for the night. Saddles were left on the straw floor of the barn, bridles were hung on gates, and tired riders made their way to the tent cabins. But…the researchers staying in the original Sedgwick house had left a day early, so Kate offered the use of the heated, rambling, historic ranch house!

Derek Harwell '88 arrived with the “camper’s” supplies, and they set about making dinner over an industrial stove in the kitchen. Kate joined the group for taco salad and brownies, and told them about the Sedgwick family’s history at the ranch. The rest of the evening was spent laughing around the wood burning stove.

Celeste shares, "Sunday morning, Kate lead us out on her horse, Bandit, and Derek joined us for part of the ride on his mountain bike. A UC Santa Barbara graduate student – using Sedgwick to study the effects of drought on oak trees, no less – saw us riding on the trail and told us about his oak project.  A great ride, a great place to ride to, and a great way to utilize Midland’s neighboring lands – we’ll be going back for more!"

Twenty-five large truck and trailers, thirty-five serious trail riders, and six judges and their scribes pulled into Midland’s Green Gate staging area on a cold Saturday morning in December. The American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA) goals include creating an enjoyable venue of riding, scenery, challenges, camaraderie and fun. Riders negotiated six obstacles, and were judged on their horsemanship skills and their horse’s responses to those obstacles. A steep hill began the challenge, followed by a mud pit, a string of logs to trot over, a large branch which had to be pulled with a rope from the back of the horse, a gnarled and dead standing tree which had to be backed around, and a pasture gate – opened and closed from atop the horse. ACTHA generously donated the proceeds of the ride to Midland.  Thank you, ACTHA!

As a young colt, Wild Horse Wilbur was rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada. He was placed through the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program, but somewhere along the line, he became an “unwanted.” Wilbur ended up at an auction in Fallon, Nevada – last stop before the trailer ride to a slaughterhouse in Canada. Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue (www.wildhorserescue.org) pulled him out, along with 38 others, and brought them to their facility in Lancaster, CA for assessment and training.   A soft and gentle giant, Wilbur is a ten year old gray mustang/draft cross. He arrived at Midland on Tuesday, December 6^th and is settling in at the barn paddock. We look forward to many long trail rides and easy-going arena days with Wilbur! Welcome to Midland, dear boy!

Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center delivers state of the art veterinary care to Santa Ynez Valley’s horses. Fall riders took a field trip to visit the clinic in November. Christina Barnes, part of Alamo’s administrative team and a local horse trainer, spoke to the class about the digital x-ray machines, a horse-sized hyperbaric chamber, a bone scan machine, the facility’s therapeutic swimming pool, horses in intensive care, and one of the world’s largest MRIs! Inside a small, padded pre-surgical prep room, Christina described the process for anaesthetizing a horse and getting it to lay across a padded table for preparation for major surgeries.  

Said Heidi O. upon entering the very-lovely lobby, “I want to live here!” (No students commented on wishing to live in the hyperbaric chamber or in the surgery prep room, however…)

Horses and barbed wire are not a particularly suited pair, oftentimes getting tangled up with each other or otherwise troubled. Slow replacement of barbed wire fence lines in horse pastures has begun!   Midland students and staff identified the fences that received the most “pressure” from horses, and it is these lines of spikey wire that will be replaced first. Five foot “non-climb” horse fencing sparkles anew between the Rez and Rez Road Pastures.  “Cowboy gates” have been replaced with solid pipe pasture gates. A 14 foot alleyway will separate pastures so that horses in neighboring corrals cannot “visit over the fence.” This will also allow for better pasture management and rotation, as well as the use of cattle to assist with eating down the spring mustard growth!

Several years ago, local equine veterinarian Dr. Chris Pankau dismantled and donated an MD brand pre-fabricated barn to Midland.  In early September 2011, panels from this building were used to build stalls inside Midland’s beautiful redwood barn.   These stalls will make it possible to quarantine new horses, or tend to sick or injured horses. 

Saddles and bridles were moved across the alleyway and into a brand new tack room, also constructed this past summer by Jim Quick’s '68 amazing crew. Saddles now hang on wall-mounted saddle racks, and a cement floor enables students to keep a clean and tidy work area.  Additionally, horse-chewed and holey redwood boards were replaced along the barn’s outer wall.

Many thanks to Dr. Pankau for his generous donation, and to Jim’s team for their creative solutions and wonderful work on the redwood barn!

Midland’s horses are a terrific bunch, but there’s something special about a mule –indeed, Ranch Manager Ben Munger ’79 and Director of Horse Programs Celeste Carlisle had been discussing the possibility of a mule for Midland. Late Wednesday night, a wayward mule called Timothy arrived in style (American Horse Transportation’s air ride shipping semi with full-sized box stalls inside) from Enumclaw, Washington.

Timothy was an ad on Craigslist. “Sweet mule on feedlot. Shipping to slaughter in a week. Rides and packs.” An area code led us to assume that the mule wasn’t too far off, and we jumped on the opportunity to secure a mule for Midland’s riding program (pack trips, here we come!). Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that Timothy was actually on a feedlot in Central Washington!

Local wild horse sanctuary Return to Freedom organized the rescue, scheduling transportation and synchronizing efforts with other rescue organizations. Phantom Meadow Equine, a non-profit organization in Washington, acted as the clearinghouse for fundraising efforts. Local trash hauler Allied Waste of Santa Barbara donated a substantial portion of Timothy’s  “pull fee,” and many friends and mule aficionados sent donations to cover the cost of a health exam,  blood testing (necessary for travel across state lines) and transportation .

Timothy was hauled away from the feedlot the day before he was due to ship for slaughter. He spent two weeks with rescuer Peggy Gilmer in Enumclaw, Washington, readying for his two-day ride to Midland.  On Wednesday, November 30, he boarded a semi bound for Los Olivos.

Timothy is settling in.  He’s landed at his “forever home” now, and we’re proud and happy to have him!  He’s already good friends with Tango, Midland’s fearless and mischievous mustang. With the kindest eye around, and moves as graceful as a cat’s, we expect Timothy to be a popular fellow around these parts.

Welcome home, Timothy! And thank you to everyone who participated in getting him here!