In the Heart of a Mustang will be released soon!
My newest book which is titled "In the Heart of a Mustang" is about a boy who is told that his father was a brave and virtuous man, a soldier who traded his life to save the lives of countless others. He was the man that Hunter needed to emulate. The only problem is the whole story is a lie, all of it. The truth, which Hunter discovers as he begins his sophomore year of high school, is that his father has actually spent the boy's entire life in jail, paying his debt to society, but not mending his ways.
Meanwhile, a wild mustang mare is rounded up by the BLM. The spring rains had been sparse, the forage on the plains even more so. The mare and her herd are rescued from certain starvation and placed for adoption. In a sandy corral at Promise Ranch, a home for troubled teenage boys, the boy and the mare meet. A weathered, old cowboy brings them together - a mentor for one, a trainer for the other.
The bond that forms between boy and horse becomes one that saves the lives of both.
The wild mustangs that roam the western United States are descendants of Spanish or Iberian horses that were brought to the US in the 16th century. The modern horses are now a cross with Quarter Horses, draft horses and any other horse that has been lost or let loose. They are now considered a breed of their own.
The name mustang comes from the word "Mustango" which means "ownerless beast" or "stray horse."
They are popular as riding or ranch horses due to their stamina and speed. In addition, their study legs make them less prone to injury. They come in a variety of colors. Mustang Sally, the star of "In the Heart of a Mustang" is a dun...a light tan body with black mane, tail and legs. See her picture on the cover:
In the book, I give you lots of information on how the horses live and how to train them.
Here is part of what you will learn:
The horses live in grassland areas of the western United States. They must remain on public land that is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM.) They are allowed to run free on 34 million acres over several states.
The mustangs live in herds. Most herds consist of 1 stallion and 8 mares with their young. Each herd is led by the stallion and one mare (I call her the "Alpha Mare.")When in danger, the mare leads the herd to safety while the stallion will stay and fight.
These horses are protected under the 1971 "Wild Horse and Burro Program." It has been updated and amended many times since then. The BLM has set the appropriate management level (ALM) at 26,217. As of March 1, 2015, there were 58,150! As of July, 2015, 47,000 mustangs are being held in holding facilities at a cost of $43 million!
In the book, Smokey, the ranch hand at Promise Ranch, adopts 12 mustangs. The adoptions in Arizona take place in Florence, AZ at the state correctional facility. There are generally around 500 horses and burros available. Adoptions take place on Fridays by appointment. It costs $150 to $700 per horse paid to the correctional facility and another $125 for a BLM fee. You must be pre-approved to make an appointment. You can call the BLM at 602-417-9421 or by downloading the app here:
BE WATCHING FOR THE RELEASE OF
IN THE HEART OF A MUSTANG.
I'LL ANNOUNCE IT HERE!
No comments:
Post a Comment