Nobody's Horses: The Dramatic Rescue of the Wild Herd of White Sands

Descended from the greatest horses of the American West, the wild horses living on the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico were national treasures and living legends. But in 1994, after years of suffering through periodic droughts, food shortages, and all the dangers accompanying life on a military weapons–testing site, scores of horses suddenly died. And almost two thousand more were in such dire straits that they were unlikely to survive. Large-animal veterinarian Don Höglund was called in to organize and lead a team of dedicated cowboys, soldiers, and other professionals in removing the surviving horses and their offspring to safety.

 

Nobody’s Horses tells the dramatic story of these noble animals’ celebrated history, their defiant survival, and their incredible rescue. Amid the constant danger from unspent munitions on the ground and missile testing in the air, cowboys, Native Americans, and ranchers—all of whom cared deeply about the fate of the horses—clashed in a battle of wills. And, of course, there were the horses themselves—wild, extraordinarily powerful animals, not easily managed or moved, who would become known to their rescuers as fascinating, individual characters.

 

Filled with history and heroism, adventure and rivalry, and, ultimately, the alliances between horses and people, Nobody’s Horses will stir the emotions and imagination of horse lovers, humanitarians, and anyone who loves an uplifting tale of second chances.

Don Höglund is a doctor of veterinary medicine who has provided consultation and equine training services for the Pentagon, the Walt Disney Company, and many others. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.