HORSE: CALAMITY JANE
DOB: 1998 AGE: 06
STATE OF ADOPTION: OKLAHOMA
LOCATION OF ADOPTION: TELEVISED SATELLITE ADOPTION
HMA: BUFFALO SPRINGS, WY
COLOR: BLACK
MARKINGS: NONE
HOW MANY HORSES HAVE YOU ADOPTED: 01
SEX: MARE
ONE WORD THAT BEST DESCRIBES "CALAMITY JANE": GENUINE
When I was 7 years old my brother and I spent the summer on our aunt and uncle’s ranch in Wyoming, and that was when
I saw my first mustang. Oh what a site! He was, a Grulla stallion with a mass of mane and tail, which was quickly shortened
with a cowboys’ sharp pocket knife. My brother Shawn, my cousins and I were told to get int the sheep wagon for safety
while my uncle prepared the wary old horse for his first ride. That horse put up a huge fight. I had never seen a horse buck
so hard. His image stayed with me all these years.
Then in 2002, "Spirit" Stallion of the Cimarron came out. The horse in the movie sure made me think back to that grulla
stallion that I had seen when I was a child. After that I decided to find out all that I could about adopting a wild horse.
After filling out an application through the BLM, I was qualified, and ready to adopt my first mustang.
I soon received my first catalog for an upcoming satellite adoption. I decided on a little, black four-year-old mare that
was described as being gentle and saddle ready. I was able to adopt my mare for $150.00! Later that same day my husband Rick
and I watched a special on National Geographic about the Wyoming Honor Farm (a holding facility for wild horses, where prisoners
care and train wild horses) and was amazed to see my mare on television! About two weeks later she arrived at the BLM facility
in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and I picked her up and brought her home.
We spent the fall and winter getting to know each other and when spring rolled around I sent her to our good friend, Dave
Martinez to continue her training. Calamity Jane came home after 60 days with an A+ on her report card.
Since then we have been many places from horse shows to rodeos, parades, and trail rides. People are always surprised when
they find out that Calamity Jane is a mustang. (That freeze brand always catches their eye). Since our wild horse originated
from those animals brought to the New World by early Spanish explorers I chose to breed Calamity Jane to my Spanish Andalusian
stallion Anzuelo. Calamity Jane is due to foal late Spring of 2005.
Calamity lives her life in a genuine, honest fashion everyday. Steadfast and kind. I am so proud to call her my friend.
~ Carrie Fraizer ~
(Above photo: Carrie Fraizer and Calamity Jane at a photo shoot in Ada, Oklahoma. Top right photo: Carrie and Calamity
Jane at the same photo shoot in Ada, Oklahoma. Both photo’s courtesy of the BLM).
You might notice these two if you read horse related magazines. In the December 2004 issue of "Horse Illustrated"
the two appeared in an ad promoting the adoption of wild horses.
Carrie and Calamity Jane have ridden trails together and with friends and they share a mutual friendship.
Calamity Jane is around 14 hands and one day Carrie and Calamity Jane were enjoying a trail ride along side one of their friends.
Her friend was riding a large Appendix horse that was approximately 16 hands. They had come up to the edge of a river and
her friend mentioned that her horse would cross the river if another horse would cross first. Carrie asked Calamity to cross
and Calamity walked up to the edge, carefully examined the river and refused to go. Carrie asked Calamity again, and again
Calamity refused. Carrie told her friend that’s it if Calamity isn’t going there is a reason why. Her friend decided
to cross the river a few days later while riding with another person and the water was deep and was up over the other
horses chest. This is a trait that the wild horse displays, they will generally do whatever you ask of them, unless they sense
any danger and if they detect danger and they do not want to go on, there is a reason. Trust and respect this instinct as
you want them to trust yours.
~ Michelle Shipman ~
