For the Love of Aria

02/17/2025

💔Mystifying Monday💔

Mystifying: Something that is difficult to comprehend or explain, leaving one confused.

We said no over 50 times last week. We said no to being able to “save” other horses when asked💔 And we will have to keep saying no until the equines already in our care are supported. I truly don’t know how other organizations take in equines every week responsibly. But we cannot. And what I don’t understand most is how people only want you to “save” them but don’t support them after they come to us. So we will keep fundraising for the two fillies at Wild at Heart Farms LLC - Equine Gentling💕 And for the ones safe and loved at Stormie Acres🩵 Why? Because their lives are just as important as the ones we were asked to take last week💜

We still need to raise $2500 to meet our goal❤️ Maybe if we don’t “move on” to other equines, people will realize why we have to keep saying no😭 Maybe not. None of it makes sense to me so I won’t pretend to have the answer. What I do know is their lives matter too🥰

We are a 501c3 so your donations are tax deductible. EIN 84-2492909

You can also donate at:

PayPal and Zelle: [email protected]

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fortheloveofaria

Venmo:

https://account.venmo.com/u/fortheloveofaria

To use a credit card please go to:

https://www.fortheloveofaria.org/donate

Mail cash or check to:
For the Love of Aria
PO Box 952
Kiowa, CO 80117

02/16/2025

Yesterday our favorite foster family said goodbye to our last dude ranch horse who came to us in 2022 as we were changing our mission🤍 Cricket and Crockett had the best retirement ever with Erica and Jace and we are so very grateful for them and their family🩵🩵 Now the boys are together again💚

It has been a week of loss in many ways and we will let another gelding go out on a good day tomorrow🥹 Because that is our promise from day one with these special souls💙

So today I’m thinking about all the lives that have come together to make all of this possible🥰 And of course the horses mean the world to me🖤🩶🤍🤎

But the humans? The humans are the only reason this works and I am constantly humbled by the ones who surround us❤️

All of us and you all know what we are signing up for when we allow ourselves to fall completely in love with those we will most likely outlive. But we do it anyway💕 So today please send your love to this amazing family and know everything we do is only possible because you all choose to be on this journey with us💜

02/15/2025

Help us help the ones already safe and loved🩵💜

02/15/2025

Who wants to join us in our own backyard💜

The Bureau of Land Management will host a wild horse and b***o adoption April. 11-12, 2025, offering horses and b***os at Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock, Colorado.

02/14/2025

💜Happy Valentine’s Day💜

Love is Love🩵

We have many bonded geldings & bonded mares as well as moms & babies (many who are now grown up) here❤️ Sassy and Peanut our b***os are one of our only couples but they are also bonded with senior mustang Spirit😍

No matter the relationship, LOVE is in our name and we celebrate it all in anyway we can as often as we can🩵💜

B***os Peanut & Sassy, Charlie & StellaLuna, Sand Wash Basin mares Robin & Oda, Nevada mares Meli & Catori, Mom Elsa with her c**t Sven, Moana with her filly Tala and Sand Wash Basin mare Lark with her adopted filly Journey are all by WilsonAxpe PhotoAdvocacy🥰

Sand Wash Basin gelding Watson with his adopted son Silverstorm (Stormie’s son) and Sand Wash Basin geldings Blake and Aramis by Stacy Cushing McClure🥳

Sand Wash Basin Hawk and Schatzi the day they were reunited here at Stormie Acres🩵🩵




***os

02/14/2025

💕Filly and Five Dollar Friday💕

The two fillies from Cedar Mountain with Wild at Heart Farms LLC - Equine Gentling have names🙌💖

The buckskin is now Cedar as named by our Patreon and Sponsors💗

• Cedar symbolizes strength, resilience, and longevity
• Cedar is associated with nature and a connection to the outdoors
• Cedar is connected to the cedar tree, which is known for its beauty, durability, and distinctive scent

And the bay filly is now Tessa a nickname for Tissaia as named by Mackenzie after she got her tag off🤎🖤

• "To reap abundantly" or
"cherished and loved dearly" may also be meanings of Tissaia
• "Revival and new beginnings" may also be meanings of Tissaia

And today we want to get their second month (March) of gentling and training covered with our $5 Friday🩵💜

Giving young mustangs a solid foundation before adopting them to forever homes is the best thing we can do so they never end up in a bad situation❤️ And we truly cannot bring in anymore until we get these two girls a forever family❣️

And we are hoping we can get an equal amount for the mustangs, b***os and donkeys already safe and loved at Stormie Acres. So our goal is $2800 and we will continue this one until we reach that goal🖤🩶🤍🤎

We are a 501c3 so your donations are tax deductible. EIN 84-2492909

You can also donate at:

PayPal and Zelle: [email protected]

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fortheloveofaria

Venmo:

https://account.venmo.com/u/fortheloveofaria

To use a credit card please go to:

https://www.fortheloveofaria.org/donate

Mail cash or check to:
For the Love of Aria
PO Box 952
Kiowa, CO 80117

02/14/2025

It’s all about the climb💜

Senior Colorado mustang gelding Chief and I had a beautiful conversation today🩵

As I shared all of the exciting things happening he reminded me to not forget how far we have come and also how far we can go🥰

We have new mustang adopters ready to come to all of the in person adoption events with us this year in Colorado and we will attend the Delta auction in April❤️

And we have a special announcement about a new event with us and Anna Twinney Holistic Horsemanship in Montrose right before the BLM adoption event in Grand Junction in June so stay tuned🖤🩶🤍🤎

02/13/2025

🩵💜Thursday Thoughts💜🩵

Not my own thoughts but had to share as everyone here (horse, b***o, donkey and human) has had to learn to Believe and Begin Again❤️

this isn't how I planned for my life to look like," I whispered to myself under as I walked to my car

"tell me about it," an eavesdropping cloud replied to me from above

I looked up and watched
the cloud billow between looking
like a dove and an open hand

the cloud continued:

"I used to be a snowfield in Montana.
I used to be a dewdrop kiss on a lily.
I used to be a puddle in a parking lot.
I used to be a river in Mexico.
I used to be a glacier.
I used to be a waterfall mist in a jungle.

I used to be so many things."

"doesn't that make you sad?" I asked the cloud

"it used to - but not anymore," the cloud replied while wrapping herself around me like a scarf. "I don't think either of us were created to stay the same form our entire life."

"I’m not sure I can let go of my old life," I sighed.

"oh you simply must," the cloud whispered in my ear. "because once you release what you used to be and embrace who you are meant to be now - something amazing will happen," the cloud said

"what's that?" I asked while looking at my hands that were beginning to billow and shapeshift.

"you'll start to float."

and with that my feet lifted off the ground

~ john roedel

https://www.facebook.com/share/15FUUNUwoK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/12/2025

Update on West Douglas mare Bella from Wild at Heart Farms LLC - Equine Gentling💖

02/12/2025

🖤Wild Wednesday🖤

Four months ago today we met Piceance East Douglas mare Amara at an adoption event in Florence, CO❤️

She came home with b***o Isabella and the two stayed together so Amara could settle in. And then we brought in our Sand Wash boys Blake and Whistler who are playful and full of so much joy🤎🖤

And all of that helped! But she still didn’t want to engage with humans and when I would walk into the training pen she would run away. I could get eye contact from very far outside the pen. So we turned her out and her transformation has been incredible🙌💖

Some scared wild ones need to know what is coming next by working with them. And some just need a minute to remember how to relax. And no two are the same. So we try all the ways. And we trust they will let us know and use their voice to tell us if we got it right or wrong. And 💯 of the time, they tell us🩵💜

Thank you Stacy Cushing McClure for documenting this girls journey with your camera and your heart💕

02/10/2025

Konnie Fries’ training page for all of you waiting🙌💜

With a decade of experience, I am dedicated to an approach that prioritizes the well-being and trust of Mustangs. My mission is to create a safe and nurturing environment that allows a transition into domestic life with confidence and security.

02/10/2025

Dear Isabella,

“It was enchanting to meet you
All I know is, I was enchanted to meet you”🥳

My short chapter in your story will be the honor of a lifetime for me. Barely four months ago we met in Florence and on Friday when I took you to your forever home the irony of driving through Canon City where you were held until the fateful day we met was not lost on me. I took you away to bring you back through but this time on the way to your new beginning. No more wondering where you would go. And the numerous changes you navigated with grace will inspire me to trust as you did that there was a bigger plan in place. You arrived here with two other b***os and two mustangs and the very next day the two b***os and one of the mustangs left. And although I told you they were going home I still worried you would wonder what happened to them. Yet you seemed fine. Then you stood strong beside mustang mare Amara as she stood terrified of what was coming next. And it was beautiful to watch you calm her. Then you met our resident b***os Peanut and Sassy and senior mustang Spirit and it was if you had been friends all your life. And once again I was in awe of you and how you just loved everyone you met and how everyone loved you. And then your family came to meet you. And watching the four of you together brought me to tears in the best way. Sometimes you just know you are witnessing the beginning of a love story. And then you met donkeys Rhythm and Cade and our mini mule I called Fiddler just last week. Then we loaded you in a trailer and after a very long ride you met my new friend Madison. And things didn’t go exactly as planned so your family came to get you and you even navigated that with grace and kindness. Then you were home with donkey Layla and two new horse friends. You somehow knew it was all to get you to your happily ever after💕

And inbetween all of that you became the first b***o I gentled. Or was it somehow you gentled me? I swore I could never get a b***o out of holding because I wouldn’t be confident enough to try. And then there was you. The one who said in all the chaos, “just try”. It was never the plan but you drew me in as you did everyone and you said “look at us learning to trust ourselves together”. And I know there will never be another you🥹 You were patient and kind and forgiving when I made mistakes and at a time when I felt like I was failing day after day you reminded me not a day went by that you and I didn’t “accomplish” something❤️ You were truly the bright spot in every day and those moments will always give me hope that even when the steps seem small, they are big in other ways💚

And then yesterday as I drove back across the slope to home I again went by Canon City. And I couldn’t hold back the tears. Honestly I cried so hard I couldn’t breathe. And it took me a minute to realize why. I’ll share a secret with you. I want to help every b***o just like you. And I knew they were still there and my heart broke into a thousand pieces. People will say you got lucky to be one of the three with no bids that day and end up with us. But beautiful girl, I am the lucky one😭🙏💜 And in your honor, I promise to help more. One at a time. And I will allow myself to feel sad for those still waiting. And I will keep going until I can help as many as possible find their way home too💛

Your chapter in my story will forever be a dream come true and you will forever have a place in my heart🤍🩶

You will forever be the one to remind me it’s okay to just try. And that love can move mountains even when you’re not sure of the next step. I was reminded slow is fast and you taught me if I rushed through any of it I would have to start again. So I slowed down. But not just with you. With life. And that allowed me to soak it all in. Our journey and all the magic happening around me. And more importantly, in me. You helped me navigate a tremendous loss and to keep going on my new path. No one else could have “walked” me through it all and I will be forever grateful you were the one🤍

And now as our chapter closes you begin writing a new one with Rebecca, Daniel and Emma💖 And I will be patiently waiting to read the rest of the love story I watched begin, here at Stormie Acres. All because I brought you home and you brought me new hope that I can do things I never thought I would even try. You my special girl have started a new chapter for me as well. I am grateful your forever family will not only honor you for who you are but literally give you a voice and a choice in everything. Every b***o should be so lucky. And every human deserves an Isabella just once in their life❣️

“There I was again tonight
Forcing laughter, faking smiles
Same old tired, lonely place
Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face
All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you”

All my love,
Gina

Thank you Stacy Jo Beck for walking along side me and giving me the courage to try something new. Now I understand b***o love in a whole new way and it started with your support and this once in a lifetime b***o❤️

02/09/2025

As I get ready to head back to my side of the mountain my heart is filled with all that is possible when we come together❤️

In November Madison Cano was doing a fundraiser to help eight donkeys in Texas so we reached out and offered to take a mom and baby donkey (now Rhythm and Cade) into our Charlie’s Legacy program and where that has all lead gives me hope for our future🥰 So this weekend I brought the first baby to her place and we are officially opening Aria’s Legacy Across the Slope💕 Madison has done rescue with her family for quite some time and is eager to learn more and we could not be happier for this new collaboration🩵 Spending time with her and her beautiful family is exactly what I needed this weekend and I cannot wait to be back🥳

And it gets even better! We are also partnering with Konnie Fries with Honeycomb’s Mindful Mustangship🙌💜

Konnie is a gifted mustang trainer who we have known for quite some time and we got to visit her at her place and I got to see some old friends as well as meet some new ones😍 As you know Sand Wash Basin Brave and Schatzi and their sattelite stallion Hawk was one of our favorite bands in the basin and Hawk and Schatzi now live with us🤎🖤🤎 and we have Brave’s son with his mare Ginger, now Nitro💙 Well Konnie has two of his siblings😵 Full sister Artemis (Brave x Ginger) and half sister Tabitha (Brave x Gingersnap)💕 It was so wonderful to see them after watching them grow up in the basin🥰 And Konnie also has a mustang from Salt Wells who has a strong connection to my mentor Anna Twinney Holistic Horsemanship💖 Meeting Tali brought me to tears and I can’t really explain it but she is incredibly special🖤

So here we are!! In a new place with new and old friends and the possibilities are endless🩵💜

B***o Isabella also made it to her forever family but she deserves her own post so I will share that later today🤍🩶

Please join me in celebrating FTLOA’s third location that will expand our possibilities and once again prove that we can do so much more when we come together with those who align with our values❣️

02/09/2025

As the sun set on the day and a new collaboration on the Western Slope, my heart is full and I cannot wait to share more tomorrow🌄