People might not agree about much when it comes to wild horse management, but there’s broad support for horse adoption, and a young Wyoming mustang named Red Solo Cup is looking for a new home.
Horse trainer Sienna Hawk has a tradition of naming horses after songs. The late country music superstar Toby Keith’s song “Red Solo Cup” came on the radio when she was on her way to look at some mustangs captured in government roundups.
When she spotted a scraggly-looking little horse with reddish hair, it seemed perfectly fitting to name him after Keith’s ode to America’s favorite cheap drinking vessel.
Red Solo Cup is roughly a year old and has been through some basic training. He’s still too young to be saddle broken, but Hawk is convinced he’ll make a fine mountain trail horse someday.
“He’s very people-oriented. He wants to get out and explore,” Hawk told Cowboy State Daily.
Red Solo Cup will be among 16 mustangs up for adoption Aug. 22-23, during the Branded Bonanza at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island.
Horse trainer Sienna Hawk has worked with Red Solo Cup — a mustang from Wyoming’s White Mountain wild horse herd — to prepare him for adoption. (Courtesy Sienna Hawk/Forever Branded) 
Horse trainer Sienna Hawk has worked with Red Solo Cup — a mustang from Wyoming’s White Mountain wild horse herd — to prepare him for adoption. (Courtesy Sienna Hawk/Forever Branded) 
Red Solo Cup is a mustang rounded up last year from Wyoming’s White Mountain wild horse herd. He’s going up for adoption this month. (Courtesy Sienna Hawk/Forever Branded) 
Red Solo Cup is a mustang rounded up last year from Wyoming’s White Mountain wild horse herd. He’s going up for adoption this month. (Courtesy Sienna Hawk/Forever Branded) 
Red Solo Cup is a mustang rounded up last year from Wyoming’s White Mountain wild horse herd. He’s going up for adoption this month. (Courtesy Sienna Hawk/Forever Branded)
Controversial Background
Red Solo Cup came from the White Mountain wild horse herd near Rock Springs. He was captured last year during a roundup overseen by the Rock Springs office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The agency was put in charge of wild mustang herds under the 1971 Wild and Free-Roaming Horses And Burros Act.
Periodic roundups are the main method of controlling the number of mustangs running free on the range.
The operations are controversial. Some say that using helicopters to push the horses toward holding pens is cruel and can panic the animals, causing injuries or death.
Wild horse advocates question the need for the roundups. They claim that there is plenty of room for horses in Wyoming’s vast Red Desert and similar regions, so they should be respected as wildlife.
Others argue that the mustangs are a feral, invasive species, and their numbers must be kept in check to protect the rangeland environment and native wild animals, such as mule deer.
As far as Red Solo Cup’s part in all of this, Hawk said she doesn’t know anything about his past life on the open range – although he has a calmness about him.
“He’s fun. He’s pretty laid back,” she said.
Cooperating To Get Mustangs Adopted
Hawk works for Forever Branded, an organization dedicated to training rounded-up mustangs and preparing them for adoption.
The BLM recently formed a partnership with Forever Branded, aiming to get more mustangs adopted, agency spokeswoman Allegra Keenoo told Cowboy State Daily.
The agency hopes that events such as Branded Bonanza become more common in states across the West, she said.
“We’d love to see those (adoption) numbers amp up,” Keenoo said.
The Branded Bonanza event will include a competition, where the mustangs and trainers will get a chance to show off for potential new owners.
Hawk says she expects Red Solo Cup to do well – he’s been trained in being led with a halter, jumping over obstacles and other basic skills.
Mustangs Need Special Care
Putting mustangs through some training before putting them up for adoption increases the chances of success, for both the horses and their new owners, Hawk said.
Even people who have experience with domestic horses can quickly get in over their heads with mustangs, she said.
And going to BLM holding facilities to pick out horses that haven’t been vetted can be a dicey proposition, she added.
“It’s really hard to go to a holding facility where there’s hundreds, or even thousands of horses and try to pick one out, if you can’t even get up close to it,” she said.
Events like the Branded Bonanza let people get a good look at the horses, talk directly with trainers and find the best matches, Hawk said.
Given Red Solo Cup’s mellow personality and foundational training, he might be a good fit for a younger equestrian, she said.
Hawk appreciates that adoption events aren’t about the politics swirling around wild horse management.
“It’s just about the horses, for once. It’s not about the issue or the controversy. It’s about getting these horses into a good home,” she said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
