Foster Warriors™ Experience Calm From Their Visit With Wild Mustang Horses Rescued at Rugged Ranch
Foster Warriors™ had the privilege of spending a recent Saturday at Rugged Ranch in Topanga, CA, thanks to ranch owner Sarah Samson and her team, along with filmmaker Ashley Avis. Ms.Avis gave a short presentation to the group on the plight of wild mustangs in America and what her organization, The Wild Beauty Foundation, is doing to help them. We were also treated to a screening of clips from her most recent films, Black Beauty and Wild Beauty, (a narrative feature and documentary, respectively), and spending time with the horses at the ranch.
It's long been understood that animals, and in particular, horses, can have a profoundly positive impact on our mental health, whether dealing with a specific trauma, trying to overcome emotional or behavioral problems, or just looking to bring a sense of calm into one’s life. Horses have the ability to connect with humans on a level that isn’t totally understood.They sense when a person is troubled or hurting, and will often be drawn to that person, knowing that they can help. This is why we were especially grateful for the chance to connect our Foster Warrior™ youth with these majestic animals.
Foster Warrior Stephen felt a connection to the wild mustangs, noting that, like many foster youth “the mustangs have overcome uncertainty and trauma. They allowed us to pet them, and these gentle giants created a safe space for us. It was so calming and relaxing. What an experience.”
Before the day ended, all participants had a chance to write a postcard to their representatives in Congress advocating for the passage ofthe Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 3656). Those postcards were hand-delivered to Congress the following week by Ashley Avis. After writing her postcard, attendee Abril said that “I felt empowered knowing I was able to take a stand for horses rights.”
For more information about H.R. 3656 and The Wild Beauty Foundation, click here.
