08/12/2025
It’s been just about a month since some of the Middle Ground crew joined the ranks of re-release🌻⛰️🌿
Watching them transition back into the wild has been fascinating. Unlike all the other Elsewhere herds, who were gathered and immediately re-released, the Middle Ground crew had each spent time in a domestic or semi-domestic setting. Most of these mares came in needing critical care, time to heal, or simply weren’t healthy enough at the time of gather to be released right away. They needed rest, rehabilitation, and the kind of patient, hands-on attention that only time and TLC can give.
This past month, I’ve been in what I can only describe as “herd dynamic nerd heaven.”
The first to go out were Loraine, Amelia, and Ferin. They gravitated around Cedar Ridge, where the fenced pastures are, choosing to remain near the other horses they could see across the fence line.
Next came Mouse and “the little red mares.” Though all of them knew each other from our winter set-up, the little red mares had been in a separate pasture at Middle Ground since late winter. They had arrived around the same time last year and formed a tight bond while rehabbing and raising their 2024 foals together.
Mouse’s journey was a little different. She had stayed with the older mare herd at Middle Ground until just a few months before the move, when she was turned out in the big pasture with the yearlings, Goose, and the little red mares. This gave her a chance to form relationships before re-release. Mouse is unique, she has spent her entire life in close proximity to humans. Like Ferin, she is part of an experiment to see whether a sanctuary like Elsewhere could offer horses who are dangerous or non-adoptable in traditional rescue settings, a safe place to live with human support but minimal direct contact.
When Mouse and the little red mares went out, they stayed along the pasture line for a day before the biger mares joined them. Still, they all remained in the Cedar Ridge range for the first stretch of their release.
Finally, after all the mares had settled into their new herd and established a pecking order, it was time for Redford to join them.
This was a special moment for me. Redford was gathered three or four years ago. Together, we returned to his homeland and wintered a top the mountain so I could gentle and start him under saddle for Rescued to Stardom. We competed, won the All-Around Champion title, and he was retired from riding. Old battle wounds, long since scarred over, left him with significant tissue damage that would have caused issues down the road and made a riding career uncomfortable for him.
But Redford’s true purpose was never something that could be taught. He is a natural leader, a steadfast protector, and an irreplaceable “band gelding.” He has served as a calming, stabilizing presence for countless incoming horses.
The moment he was released, he went right to work, keeping the herd close, watching over them, and subtly guiding their movements. For a few days, they stayed in Cedar Ridge before gradually venturing out to explore.
Herds in new territory often follow a predictable pattern: they travel out a certain distance, then return to a familiar base, each time extending their range until they’ve mapped out the area in their minds. During this exploratory phase, they can travel more than 20 miles a day. Redford led them in developing a consistent daily loop from Cedar Ridge up to the North Range and back again currently about 14 to 18 miles.
Mouse had a harder time with the high mileage and was eventually brought back to the fenced pasture with the yearlings and Goose. Once the herd’s range settles into a more typical 6–10 miles a day, she’ll have another chance to join them.
In my original post, I wondered whether these mares would stay together or split off when they encountered other sanctuary herds. Many of them have connections within those groups. Over the past month, the Big Mare group and Junie’s Crew have passed through several times. While they have co-grazed for a few days here and there, ultimately, the Middle Ground crew has chosen to remain together.
The biggest difference I’ve noticed in this re-release process is how long it took for them to begin exploring widely. Most mares gathered and released the same day start branching out within 3–4 days. The Middle Ground mares took much longer, perhaps due to their time in a domestic setting, but they have all adjusted beautifully. They are thriving, rediscovering the rhythms of the life they once knew.
To our supporters: Thank you. You make it possible not only to give sanctuary to disadvantaged horses, but also to study herd dynamics in a truly unique environment. What we learn here will help horses everywhere. 🩷
And yes, I keep forgetting to take real photos… so here are a few moments from the trail cams 📸
