My Wild Horse Story: Lona and Diablo

Submitted by Lona Patton, Wyoming

I've been an adopter for many years and have a passion for America's Living Legends, in the wild as well as domesticated once-wild horses. I adopted my first two mustangs under my parents in 1977 and have been smitten with mustangs ever since.

This story is about my most recent adoption, Blue Diablo, born in the early evening hours of April 14, 2018 on the Green Mountain herd management area in Wyoming. 

Little did I know when I photographed him on the day of his birth, that I would be blessed to become his adopter on March 21, 2019.

On March 20, my daughter and I drove to the Rock Springs Wild Horse Corral to each adopt a mustang to add to our mustang family waiting at home, also in Wyoming.  We had only recently learned about the new Adoption Incentive Program, and used that excuse to convince my husband to let us adopt again! The funds would help buy our annual supply of hay, to feed all 6 of our mustangs, including our newly adopted family members. We each adopted a yearling to add to our herd at home.

Diablo has been an absolute pleasure and dream to work with. He is so smart, inquisitive and willing to try new things - I couldn't be any happier with him!  My older 26-year-old mustang from Adobe Town HMA, Metawa, has been instrumental in helping me teach and mentor Diablo. In a year or two, Diablo will have some big (horse) shoes to fill as I slowly retire Metawa to light rides only as he ages.

Metawa has been my Soulstang for 24 years now, I adopted him on May 18, 1996 as a 2 year old stallion at a satellite adoption in Buffalo, Wyoming...but that is another story for another day. 

Learn how to adopt a wild horse or burro of your own.