2 Central Coast girls raise wild mustangs as part of a rare program
Forty kids from across California had the opportunity to participate in a rare program called Devil’s Garden Colt Challenge, working to domesticate wild mustangs. What makes this program so special is the bond these kids develop with their horses.
Morgan and Maddie are teens from the Central Coast raising their wild mustangs, Bowie and Fiona.
“There’s no words to put in the bond that you make with a wild mustang. Because you’re the first person ever to handle it, I can’t think of anything to describe it,” said 17-year-old Morgan.
“She’s very special. I love her so much. [...] Once we kind of built that trusting relationship, she looks at me a little bit as her mom,” said 14-year-old Maddie.
The program got its name because the horses are initially from Devil’s Garden in Modoc County. Kids in the program are between the ages of 9 and 19 and acquire the horses when they are about 5 months old.
They’ve learned horsemanship and how to adapt to the wild horses and, most importantly, build their trust.
“She taught me so much patience. There was a lot of blood and sweat and tears shed throughout this whole thing. But it was so worth it,” Maddie said.
Both girls put a lot of work into their horses. They are the first and only people who raised them, making their bond unmatched.
“There are a lot of ups and downs to it. You have your good days, and you have your bad days. But you just have to push through it because, in the end, you are going to have a lifelong best friend,” Morgan said.
The program collaborates with the UC Cooperative Extension, the California 4-H, and Future Farmers of America.
Both Morgan and Maddie put a lot of work into their animals. They feed them, bathe them, and ensure they are always taken care of. The mustangs attend competitions and can even do tricks! Maddie’s horse Fiona can even jump through fire!
The girls are passionate about horses, and this program helped cultivate that passion.
“My great grandmother, I found out, actually was a horse trainer. So I think that’s where my love for horses came from,” Morgan said.