Misun, meaning Little Brother in Lakota, is a beautiful palomino pinto stallion (now gelded) who was born wild and free on the Red Desert Complex, Wyoming in 2013. In the fall of 2020, the Bureau of Land Management completed the removal of 1799 horses from the Herd Management Area that was their home.

Misun was captured on October 16, 2020 at Arapaho Creek, also known as “the donut hole” which used to be recognized as a Herd Area but after the completion of the roundup in 2020, Arapaho Creek is no longer a recognized HMA. The Red Desert Complex encompasses 753,000 acres and has very harsh climate with rugged terrain. The horses are very diverse in color, type and size.

Misun was born to Bella and Romeo ( a beautiful chestnut pinto stallion who is presumed deceased), and grew up with his brother Hotah, sister Tata Wakan along with the rest of their band. The playful young colts were inseparable. As they matured, Misun developed his own harem and like his father Romeo, kept his mother Bella, sister Tata Wakan close to him. His sister, Tata Wakan remained very attached and protective of Misun. He also let his brother Hotah remain close by but on the periphery especially when mares were in heat and he’d chase Hotah off.

After their capture, Misun was separated from his family and sent to government corrals to be sent to long-term holding pastures.

Thanks to his guardian angels, two photographers, (Meg Frederick and Angelique Rea), who had followed him and his family band on the range for years, RTF was able to find and adopt three of Misun’s yearlings and soon after his brother Hotah and sister Tata Wakan. Although we also found Misun, he could not be released to us due to injuries he sustained in the government holding corrals and weight-loss. We were very concerned about him and had to wait, praying that he would recover and that the Bureau of Land Management would release him.

RTF was able to send the photographers back to the holding corrals in search of Misun’s mares. In August of 2021, We were able to find and adopt 4 mares from his harem band—along with their new 2021 foals born in the holding pens… who Misun had never met. Misun and his 4 mares with their foals all reunited on their way to Return to Freedom’s Sanctuary. This was only possible because of the generosity of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah who welcomed the mares and foals and then Misun to rest on the way to California from holding corrals in Colorado. The whole band will live out their lives at Return to Freedom’s Sanctuary along with his sister Tata Wakan, brother Hotah and another band they grazed near on the range.

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

Photography:
-Meg Frederick
On the range
Reunited with his mares and meeting new foals November 2021

-Angelique Rea
With his sister, Tata Wakan,
With his mare Dahlia and baby Rose
With his mother Bella and brother Hotah