Angel is a beautiful Palomino mare born wild and free in 2013 on the Red Desert Complex, Wyoming.

On October 16, 2020, Angel ran alongside her six month old colt, Little Romeo, and the rest of her family band, as the BLM removed them from their home in Arapaho Creek within the Complex. On that day, Angel was separated from Little Romeo, her stallion Misun, her home and her freedom. Separated from her family, she was sent to government corrals to await placement into long-term holding. Angle’s shy colt, Little Romeo, barely six months old, was sent to holding corrals far away with dozens of other younger horses to await an adoption event. It was a sad site to see the foals trying to nurse from each other in the cold Wyoming winter.

On November 12, 2020, BLM completed the removal of 1799 horses from the Wyoming Red Desert Complex.

Thanks to two guardian angels, two photographers who have followed her band on the range for years, RTF was able to find and adopt young Romeo with his younger sister Rose and older sister Isabelle, in March 2021! Soon afterwards RTF was able to find and adopt their uncle Hotah who remained close to the band. The four of them are now safe at Return to Freedom’s sanctuary! Having arrived scared and wary, Angel’s colt Little Romeo is the most timid of the three but takes comfort with his sisters even though they push him around!

In August 2021, RTF was again able to send the photographers to the holding corrals in search of the whole family band. We were able to find and adopt Angle along with 5 mares from her band—their new 2021 foals born in the holding pens, and their band stallion Misun! On the way home to Return to Freedom’s sanctuary where the whole band will now be able to live out their lives, they were reunited with their band stallion Misun! Angel kept pushing Misun around the first few days making him earn his way back into the band! Of course his new foals who were born in the government corrals , had never met their fathere and were completely enamoured with him and followed him all over!

Your Sponsorship has a significant, positive impact on Angel’s life!

Photography by Meg Frederick