@returntofreedom: From the kill pen to a safe forever home: They’re here! Having made the journey from Florida, three rescued wild mares recently arrived at our flagship sanctuary in Lompoc, Calif. Thanks to the generosity of our donors — and a lot of teamwork — Olivia (grey) and her bandmates, Nesta (red roan) and Lulu (bay) will soon be reunited with Olivia’s mother, Cleopatra, ending years of separation and suffering. Their story The mares once lived wild and free on the Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area in Utah. In 2021, they were captured in a government helicopter roundup in which they were ripped away from their freedom and each other. In the years that followed, the four mares were sold repeatedly, survived neglect, and, having been dumped in Texas kill pens, narrowly escaped being shipped to a slaughterhouse. Red Bird Trust spotted Cleopatra at auction and saved her. They contacted RTF seeking a sanctuary home for her. We soon learned that three of Cleopatra’s family had ended up in Florida after going through multiple owners, enduring neglect and significant weight loss. What’s next After some time at our Lompoc, Calif., flagship sanctuary to ensure all are healthy, the four mares will be reunited and released to roam freely over the rolling hills of our 2,000-acre San Luis Obispo, Calif., satellite sanctuary. Help still needed We’ll soon be looking for sponsors for all four mares in time for the holidays. Whether they give $5 or $50, monthly sponsors provide a vital source of income for our nonprofit sanctuary. That enables us to not just provide daily care and veterinary attention, but also negotiate for the best prices on quality feed for all of the nearly 500 wild horses in our care, stretching donations to do the most good. #wildhorses #horse #sanctuary #horserescue #savewild

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Thursday 10 September 2026 20:18:27 GMT