Students Observe Wild Horses at Lompoc Sanctuary

Fifteen-year-old Jade Adams often spent weekends during her childhood in New Cuyama, interacting with horses. However, even she hadn’t seen them like this before.

Adams was among a group of eight middle and high school students who participated in a “Teen Trek Earth Day Adventure” at the Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary in Lompoc. Organized by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, the trip allowed the children and their two chaperones to hike through the 300-acre sanctuary and observe wild horses in a natural setting.

“It’s nice how they’re all nice to each other even though they didn’t grow up around each other,” Adams said of the animals, many of whom were rescued from other areas. “They kind of took each other in.”

Her observation was the type of reaction that sanctuary volunteers and staff hope to elicit with the wild horse tours.

The children who participated sat on the hillsides during the tour, encouraged to observe how the horses behaved with each other and interacted within their social circles.

“Humans are the only species that don’t see nature as their home,” said Neda DeMayo, the sanctuary’s founder and president. “So, we’re trying to instill that in the guests who come here, that we’re part of it and that what we do affects all of us.”

The tour was led by Samantha Lovett, who answered questions during the hike and briefly interacted with some of the horses. Lovett, originally from Scotland and a former competitive horse rider in Europe, noted how her perceptions of horses have greatly changed during her two and a half years at the sanctuary.

“I think this is the best learning experience, and part of what Neda wants to do is teach people through the horses,” she said. “It’s a really interesting experience to watch kids learn and they come away with a really different understanding of horses.”

During the tour, Lovett shared the history of some horses rescued from black-market slaughter operations or other abusive situations.

“I enjoyed looking at the horses and seeing what they’ve been through and how they’re dealing with it nowadays,” said Jared Rohleder, a 15-year-old freshman at Righetti High School. “It’s really cool that they’re in a habitat like where they’re supposed to live.”

Lovett expressed hope that the horses’ tragic backstories would resonate with the kids on the tour.

“There’s a very thin line between human behavior and animal behavior, and the way these animals were treated on public lands compares to things in the past that have happened to humans,” she said. “These horses need voices, and the children who are the next generation are the horses’ best bet. So educating children on what’s an appropriate way to treat wild animals and care for them is a big part of our mission.”

The sanctuary, a nonprofit organization, offers several programs for children and adults to learn more about horses and ways to protect and save them.

The establishment will kick off its summer season with a “Wild Horses and Wildflowers” event on May 3, featuring music, food, auctions, and activities for kids.

DeMayo is also planning an Advocacy in Action program for this summer, through which kids can visit Return to Freedom and travel to Washington, D.C., to join other organizations in influencing governmental change.

“Even though the sanctuary is a wonderful place for the horses and it’s a great venue to educate the public, when the horses get here they’ve given up so much,” DeMayo said. “When the kids get to see that, it builds respect for, and an interest in our wild horses and our public land.”

Originally Posted By Lompoc Record