Challenge Painting #198 Rescue Honey at Alder Hill Farm in Missouri

Update on Honey,
The Branson Mustang At Alder Hill Farm.

"Waiting for Motherhood"
Honey a Branson Mustang
4 by 6 inches Watercolor
by Linda L Martin Artist
SOLD

Last winter we followed the attempts of the Alder Hill Farm Staff to capture three abandoned horses running loose on a 200plus acre abandoned subdivision near Branson, Missouri. After several attempts to catch the horses, it was discovered by accident, that the horses were not abandoned. They actually belonged to a family that basically kept these adult horses as pets, much like people keep dogs.

As it turned out the three horses were two brothers and a sister from the family’s adopted BLM mustangs. The young mare 3 years old  was the last of the offspring. Her name was Honey.

The first thing Alder Hill did was to geld the two stallion brothers, Sprit and Prancer. ( Ages 8 and 10 respectively). Their younger sister was brought in and, after a brief time in quarantine, to make sure she wasn’t contagious or had any illness, Honey was released in to Alder Hill Farm’s  herd  to grow up and just be a horse. Very shortly after her arrival at Alder Hill Farm, an appointment was made to take Honey to the Vet .  She  was to be checked for pregnancy. If the  breeding was recent then the pregnancy would be terminated because she was a full sister to  the two possible stallions. 

Honey standing behind her dominant Brother Spirit when
Alder Hill Farm Staff was called in to rescue what the community
thought were abandoned horses. It turned out
that their owners just didn't have time for the horses.
Being mustangs, the three decided to take care
of themselves.They found their way out of their rickety pasture
and into the lush grass of the abandoned development.
Photo courtesy of Alder Hill Farm Rescue.

As it turned out the pregnancy was too far along to  terminate, So  Honey will have a foal. Since there  is no certainty as to when the foal will come, the best guess is that it will be here sometime in  November. According to Leslie Maxwell, preparations are already underway to  give Honey and her new baby  a comfortable nursery.

Honey will at some point be available to adopt, but not until after her foal is born and weaned and Honey undergoes some under saddle training.  Right now Honey has very basic skills to make it safe to handle her and keep her healthy.

Because of the large number of surplus horses currently in the USA, Alder Hill Farm’s policy is to not allow breeding of the mares they adopt out and to geld all stallions to make sure they don’t breed. However, in the case of Honey and any other horse surrendered to the rescue,  the safety and well being of the horse is their first priority.

When Honey has her foal  I will paint that story too.

If you would like to know more about Alder Hill Farm in Missouri and the horses they have available to adopt please go to  http://www.AlderHillFarm.org.