EPSON MFP image

EPSON MFP image

Payette was adopted from the BLM in November of 2007, he and his mom had been previously adopted at the August 2007 BLM adoption in Boise Idaho by a family who thought a “mare and foal combo” would be fun, but the mare was around 7 years old and would not let them get anywhere near either of them so after a few months, they called the BLM to please come get their horses.  Payette and his mom were penned with a group group of  other returned horses and the BLM ask me to come take a look and some pictures as they knew that our chapter had a number of mustang owners.  Wife Linda asked me if I was taking my horse trailer and “I said No, I don’t need anymore to feed at this time”, she just smiled.  Payette stood out from the group as he was standing in the middle of the corral alert, head high and curious, the rest were hiding as a group in the corner.  I took some pictures and told the BLM that I would show them to the chapter, and I might be interested in that colt in the middle of the corral with the white face.  The next day I picked him up and paid the $25 dollar re-adoption fee.

In March of 2008 when he was around nine months old he became the star of a horsemanship & Packing clinic the chapter held at the “Circle G River Ranch”.  Here he is working with David Hays DVM at a clinic on ground training young horses.

Over the next couple of years Payette continued his training as both a riding and packing horse.  He went ponyed on a number of rides to learn how to ride in the trailer, cross water and bridges and to get along with other horse, he did well on all of his lessons except getting along with unfamiliar horses.  At the age of four I started riding him, I wanted to let him grow out a bit as (me and my saddle = 250lbs).

For the next 16+ year he did everything I asked of him, a true mountain horse in every sense of the word.  In the spring of 2024 on wet clay he hurt his left hip and could not bare his weight on his left hind leg.  After a number of vet visits and over 2 months stuck in a 24×36 foot corral it became obvious that he was not going to heal up and was retired.  This last week I watched him slowly limping up the pasture during feeding time and notices he was now also having issues with his front legs while walking.  It was time to say goodbye to my friend!