If you are interested in adopting this horse, please submit an Adoption Inquiry via AAE's website; No texts please: https://www.allaboutequine.org/how-to-adopt.html. Adoption fee subject to change based on training; see website for all current information.
Martina and her very young filly, Valentine, came to AAE from the DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary in March 2018. Valentine was only days old. AAE had been supporting DreamCatcher's herd reduction efforts since April of 2017 after the long illness and passing of their Executive Director, Barbara Clarke in November of 2016. Martina was thin and hungry with baby in tow, but she knew where to go. She showed up at the DreamCatcher barn with Valentine after not coming down for the Winter from the large acreage in the Fall. Sadly, winter conditions at the sanctuary are fierce (for California, anyway), and AAE got a call. Martina is a BLM branded mustang. She appeared to have minimal human contact when she arrived.
Martina was a great mom, but not the least bit interested in humans. She was given lots of time to be a mom and replenish her body. Initially, she was very confident, and avoided humans like the plague. With intermittent rounds of human interaction, her curiosity and interest in humans grew. Martina spent several weeks at the Monty Roberts International Learning Center as a part of the Advanced Course for Horsemanship. She was very resistant to humans, so her stay was extended. They continued gentling efforts for weeks, and made some progress, but she still wasn't too interested in humans. She also had tremendous difficulties with any handling around her ears.
After returning to AAE, she has had intermittent handling with intermittent breaks. She's made very slow progress, especially with limited interaction in light of our move and transition to Pilot Hill. Martina is very happy in her herd. She can be approached and haltered in a small space, with patience and a slow approach. Her hooves can be trimmed with sedation. She's nervous and protective, but she tries to understand what's asked of her. Though she is coming around, Martina has been challenging, and she needs a very dedicated person experienced with mustangs to understand her and continue her progress. She will likely do better in an environment where she is out of a herd, has few distractions, and she's working daily with her own person. A calm, quiet, pocket pony type might help build her confidence. Her person should have no agenda, and no timelines, simply establish trust, build confidence, and take their relationship wherever it goes. He or she must be ok with a non-riding companion horse, if that's the best she can do.
Martina's filly, Valentine, was an amazing little, well, big girl. She was fiery at first, and learned to avoid humans with mom, but as her stay at AAE extended, she evolved into a really lovely big girl. She loved playing with the other kids in the herd, she loved human interaction, and she was an all around great little "package"...confident, curious, athletic, and a little character. She was adopted into a very loving home after her family lost one of their beloved horses. She has another horse she pals around with, and she's very loved...and huge!! Martina is current with dental and hoof care, vaccines, and deworming, and has a microchip.
In general, there is a lot of activity around AAE including foot traffic in and out of paddock/pasture areas, mucking with wheelbarrows, grooming and care activities, and weekly farrier visits. There are various resident animals, as well as various wildlife in and around paddock/pasture areas. AAE is on a busy road with high speed vehicles, trucks, and sirens. Tractors and trucks are used in and around pasture/paddock areas. Therefore, horses at AAE are accustomed to a more active environment as opposed to a quiet/sterile environment.
