HORSE SANTUARY

Neda DeMayo believes the American Wild Mustang should be a symbol of our freedom as much as the Bald Eagle. "They've carried us into battle. They've carried us across continents. They've made it possible for us to get more food," said DeMayo. Wild Horses are among the West's most lasting legacies-descendents of horses that were abandoned by cowboys and Indians, miners and ranchers.

In 1971 Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. The Bureau of Land Management was charged with protecting the herds, but it wasn't told how many to maintain. So in 1972 the BLM began rounding up and adopting out thousands of the proud creatures to private individuals, in part it says, to balance the competing interests of cattle that also graze on the land. Horse lovers, like DeMayo, are critical of the BLM adoption programs, which split up natural family groups. She argues it is detrimental to the wild horse. That's why in 1997 she founded "Return to Freedom," (RTF) also known as the American Wild Horse Sanctuary.

"We work to try to keep the herds intact and relocate them from their capture on the range directly to the sanctuary. We release them onto the land together so they can live out their lives together," said DeMayo. She creates a natural environment for wild horses on 300 breathtaking acres near Lompoc.

"We've had horses taken here that people said were dangerous and needed to be killed," said DeMayo. She said these people were simply ill equipped to care for them. She rescues some horses from government lands where they had little human contact. As a result she relates to them differently. Traditional horsemanship requires the animal to adapt to the human world. Instead, she meets the wild horse on his terms. She has a gentle, non-threatening way of allowing the horse to choose to be with her.

In addition to providing a safe, respectful haven for these majestic animals, DeMayo enjoys sharing her passion with the public. She teaches what she calls "companion walking" to visitors.

The Sanctuary program is non-profit and welcomes donations. Feel free to contact RTF at 805-737-9246 or look it up on the Web at www.returntofreedom.org.