Time flies by...season to season...

Here I find myself in winter...snow up to ankles...blue skies...and crisp days to say the least! Just finishing up a move 3 miles from our present dwelling place, we have finally nested after 2 weeks of hurried business of packing and unpacking. Our days of being 'gypsies' are hopefully coming to a close upon this latest move for a time...I hope, lol.

I have taken a short excursion to The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary this week to help a friend move a horse trailer and to visit with a little sulpher BLM filly who has stolen my heart over a month ago.

Gabriele, trainer at the sanctuary for the spring/summer season asked me on a visit if I would go and just 'sit' in the corral making my presence known to this little black filly. I eagerly entered the corral to a nervous flighty and hazardous little one. For the next two days I spent my free time between painting on location at the sanctuary introducing myself to the little one.  As I stood in the middle of the corral she flew dust and rock flying in circles around me and snorting all the way...Finally after about 4 'sit in's' with her she began to settle a bit and even approach me...our distance closed from several feet to about 28 inches before I had to make my way home back to Colorado. It was hard to leave those eyes that pierced deep into my heart with wonder of why I was there and what I wanted from her. We connected, though I still hadn't made physical contact with her, the connect was there, I had her full attention and her eye never left me while in the corral with her. I could sympathize with her as she mirrored my own heart.

I have aptly named her 'Esperanza' as she is a spanish sulpher girl, and felt that the spanish name was fitting. She is a wild little one who has endured the trauma of a helicopter round up, being sorted and seperated from her band, her mother and her familiar landscape to the confines of a metal trailer in the hands of a human, to whom even now she greatly fears. Her name Esperanza translates to 'Hope'. For me, she is symbol of hope for all mustangs who have suffered, and endured the trauma that she herself is yet to heal from.

She is a cute little black with red highlights in her mane...but as I came home with pictures of her, I see a miriad of color reflecting off her.  She has defiently won my heart. I am hoping to bring her home and show her the other side of humanity. It won't be an easy task, it will take discipline, patience and determination on my part to win her heart. She is full of fear, wondering who this little blond woman is that continues the trek to visit with her in the Black Hills. The sanctuary adopted her from the BLM along with another sulpher filly and she ran the range there until she was brought in with the hopes of training. Harmful to herself as her fear over-whelme's her good reason, lacking confidence and assurance...this will be my effort as we plan to bring her home in the future and give her a new life, not as glamorous as living wild and free on the range before her experience of being rounded up, but hopefully she will settle into a peaceful state of mind, and enjoy the purpose she will find as the 'Running Horses' mascot and symbol of all that she represents.

A step of faith for me, and for her...as we work together learning to trust, to give and to recieve. Stay tuned as 'Esperanza's' story continues to unfold.

'Esperanza'...spanish for 'Hope'...the light literally dances off this little young one...she has captured my heart...and I hope to capture hers.