The Mustang Discovery Ride Project will be visiting West Taylor’s Wild West Mustang Ranch September 20 – 22. West Taylor has dedicated his life to not only discovering how to communicate and train the wild horses, he also discovered and learned about himself. West practices and teaches the profoundly effective science-based horsemanship. West was part of the documentary “UnBranded” in 2015 and has been working with connecting with Mustangs at his Utah ranch.
The Mustang Discovery Ride Team will be arriving in Loa, Utah on September 20 and will host a “Meet the Mustangs” event on Wednesday September 21 at the ranch, located at 355 North SR 72 Loa, UT 84747, starting at 3:00 PM. There will be a film screening at 5:00 PM, of the Robert Redford produced documentary, “The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses”. An open discussion about the film led by Mustang Discovery Rider, Lisanne Fear, will be held after the screening. This event will be open to the public for FREE, donations to the Mustang Discovery Ride will be appreciated.
Documentary director, Julianne Neal, will join the team in Loa. Interviewing, Lynn Thomas, LCSW, Co-Founder/President of Horses For Mental Health. Horses For Mental Health, for the documentary, addressing and discussing some of the stress and mental health issues arising from being on the trail for over a year with rider, Lisanne Fear. Thomas is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, receiving her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Utah in 1995. Thomas plans to spend some time on the trail with Lisanne.
Horses for Mental Health is working to expand the role horses play in mental health and personal growth to realize our vision of a world where all mental health needs are met – together. Expanding the role horses play in mental health and well-being is a solution. Horses for Mental Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to increase awareness, public engagement, funds, and access to programs incorporating horses for mental health and personal growth.
Neal will also interview, Rod Mayes, MS, LAMFT, Director of Mustang Program, Equine Therapist at Three Points Center in Hurricane, Utah. Equine Therapy for Troubled Teens, highlighting their Mustang program for the documentary. Mayes will be joining the MDR team as they head across Utah for a few days.
Three Points Center’s therapeutic model helps adopted youth develop their emotional regulation capacity, rebuild familial relationships and create alternative memories. These children have experienced trauma in the form of abuse or neglect, (physical, sexual or emotional).
Three Points Center has built its equine program around the North American Wild Mustang in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF). Wild mustangs have spent most of their lives untouched by humans and have for centuries, been able to hone their ability to read their environment in order to survive.
When humans enter their environment, mustangs’ sense if they are calm and balanced, or troubled and on-edge. They sense and react to the emotional presentation as well as the inner feelings that may not outwardly be demonstrated. Using the wild mustang as a partner in the therapeutic process, raises the bar of the equine therapy experience.
At the center, youth learn to train wild mustangs and prepare them for public adoption. The process of gentling these wild animals adds value to both the horse and the youth. The process creates many positive opportunities and memories which the youth can draw upon as proof that they can be successful, and they are stronger and better than they believed.
The Mustang Discovery Ride team is moving West on the American Discovery Trail with some new adventurers joining the ride. We have opened the ride to riders who want to have a “Long Riding’ experience. If you are interested in riding along for one-week or longer please contact us at lisa@equusfilmfestival.net and we will send you the information kit.
There are currently 53,000+ wild horses in holding pens across America. Each and every one deserves a loving home. Can we inspired you to want to adopt one of these living legends?
Join us if you’re interested in adopting and want to find out more!
The Mustang Discovery Ride will take us on a journey across the United States, coast to coast, on American Mustangs. Rider Lisanne Fear, along with guest riders, will cover 12 states taking 12 months of riding, with the assistance of their support crew. Starting in Delaware in September 2021 and ending their journey on the California coast in November 2022.
The EQUUS Film & Arts Fest highlights and rewards the diverse and creative efforts of those who pay artistic homage to the horse. Every horse has a story, it’s our mission at the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest to share those stories, through film, art and literature.
Save the dates! EQUUS Film & Arts Fest 2022 will take place both “Virtually” and “Live” in Sacramento, California, December 1 – 4, 2022.
Visit our website at www.equusfilmfestival.net and like us on FaceBook and Twitter.
The Mustang Discovery Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a wild ride across America to inspire adoptions of living legends. We are working to help people discover how truly incredible these wild horses are, trekking with our favorite companions, 5,000 miles across America to inspire the adoption of 5,000 mustangs. https://www.mustangdiscovery.com/
JA Media Productions is a boutique creative studio in South Carolina, specializing in podcast production, documentary shorts and content creation. Services include creative direction, social media, remote content creation and production. For more information, please contact Julianne Neal at jamediaconnections@gmail.com.
CONTACT: Lisa Diersen 630-272-3077
lisa@equusfilmfestival.net
PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST