Though he has since passed away, one of our first stallions to arrive at the sanctuary was a four-year-old red roan we named Mystic. He was captured at the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Oregon, along with 275 other horses, and came to us with three bachelor stallions in 1999. Nine mares arrived from Hart Mountain about the same time and everyone was soon reintroduced.

Herds are established when mares choose their stallions. And just to prove what a looker Mystic really was — all nine of the mares chose him! Mystic lived happily at our sanctuary for 15 years with his nine mares, epitomizing the concept of a lifelong refuge.

As for the other three stallions who arrived with him, Maverick became a socialized horse. The other two stallions, Roanie and Narcozi, now roam the hills in Mystic’s absence and challenge each other from time to time to take Mystic’s place at the top of the herd.