Bonnie is a petite, strawberry roan Hart Mountain mare who was born on June 18, 2003. Bonnie is shy but incredibly alert, paying close attention to everything in her environment. Bonnie has delicate facial features, and large, endearing eyes.

Her mother is Jewel, a beautiful Hart Mountain mare and her sire is Freedom, who arrived to Return to Freedom’s sanctuary in 1998 from the Hart Mountain Refuge in southeastern Oregon.

In 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Service removed all wild horses and burros from the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southeastern Oregon due to pressure from hunters to manage the refuge for pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep. The roundup was conducted on horseback and 279 horses were removed from the Refuge. Twenty-five horses were relocated to Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary in their family and bachelor bands.

Hart Mountain is named for the heart-shaped brand used by the pioneer ranchers Henry C. Wilson and his son-in-law C.G. Alexander. Their ranch was located in the Warner Valley at the base of Hart Mountain.
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, and large, wide-set eyes. Their beauty compliments the strong bones developed after generations roaming the remote and rugged high desert.