Barack is a striking stallion who was born at Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary on August 5, 2007. Barack is a handsome blue-roan with a long thick mane and tail a prominent blaze on his chiselled face.

Both his father, Freedom and his mother, Adeer, were captured from the Hart Mountain Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Southeastern Oregon as young foals. Barack was raised in a balanced herd environment. He was educated by his parents, and the other matriarchs in the family band. Barack enjoyed playing with his younger sister Mycah and three other foals close to his age. He is a lot like his father in temperament, aloof yet acutely attentive when he needs to be.

The Hart Mountain Horses were gathered from the Refuge in 1998 as part of a complete removal of wild horses from that area by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Two hundred and seventy-nine horses were gathered on horseback and twenty- five were relocated to the sanctuary in their family and social groups.

The Hart Mountain horses are diverse shades of roan, bays and chestnuts. Hart Mountain is very close to Beatty’s Butte where the famous Kiger Mustangs were discovered who have strong old-world Spanish Barb markings and conformation. Some of the Hart Mountain horses show strong Spanish type mixed with other ranch breeds including quarter horse, Morgan and draft horses. Many of the Hart Mountain horses are a kaleidoscope of roan colors with thick long wavy manes and tails, curved black-tipped ears, large wide-set eyes. Their beauty compliments the strong bones developed after generations roaming the remote and rugged high desert.

Today, Barack is living in a large hill pasture at our Lompoc headquarters. Other band stallion, Sarge, also lives in this pasture but they have a common understanding keeping their distance. Barack is very happy with his harem band and enjoys his days roaming the rolling hills.