Pickens’ Labor of Love for Mustangs
There is no question that today’s generation is having the best time of their lives with all the modern amenities, comfort and convenience that advanced technology can provide. But, who can question the charm of the old world?
Imagine endless blue skies and red canyons as a backdrop for mustangs running wild and free. Envision living the Wild, Wild West dream camping in a teepee with your best buddies or family. Such, perhaps, was what pushed Madeleine Pickens, an erstwhile animal-rights activists and philanthropist, to create a haven for the American wild horses. She was brought into action when the Bureau of Land Management made it publicly known in 2008 that it is planning to euthanize some mustangs kept in federal pens. She adopted 600 of the native American horses from the wild and bought the 900 square miles (more than half a million acres) of land outside Wells, Nevada. This is a fat and is regarded as among the greatest and most impressive animal rescue ever.
Take a peek at labor of love, the Mustang Monument in Nevada, the sanctuary that Pickens built for adopted mustangs in this article “Horsing Around in Nevada” that you can read at Conde Nast Traveller – News Section.
“Pickens is no stranger to animal philanthropy on a grand scale: in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina she arranged to airlift 800 stray cats and dogs to new homes in California and Colorado. So far, she has saved 600 mustangs from the slaughterhouse, and they are now thundering in herds across the prairies. When the retreat opens this month, guests can take guided hikes through the canyons to see them, ride the mountain trails and explore abandoned mining towns.
Mustang Monument’s glamorous teepees are as far as you can get from a cowboy camp-out. Hand-painted in Native American style, they have wooden floors, supremely squishy beds, deep leather armchairs and hand-woven rugs, with 24-hour butler service. In the evenings, there are cocktails and wood-fired feasts, traditional pow wow dancing and folk singers performing Woody Guthrie songs among the pines: it all creates a Moonrise Kingdom sense of nostalgia in a beautifully art-directed corner of the world.”
The best thing about Mustang’s Monument is the fact that it is being shared by Pickens to those who want to live the Wild West fantasy. If you are among those with a soft spot for these animals or you want to live the dream, you can learn more about in the news written by A. Pawlowsk for the CNBC – News Section entitled Mustang Monument’s wild horses ready to welcome luxury travelers.
Mustang Monument, an eco-resort where guests share the land with the legendary horses of the West, officially opens this month, the brainchild of Madeleine Pickens, the glamorous, 60-something philanthropist and former wife of energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens.
“It’s wonderful to see them out here in the open,” Pickens told NBC News. “When some of them arrived here, they had babies by their sides. They’ve all grown up now and they’re living healthy lives.”
Her dream doesn’t end in adopting these mustangs and making a sanctuary for them. She also dreams of building a resort that showcases the West culture of cowboys and exotic Native American experiences with teepees and cottages. With the tamed horses, she wants guests to relive the West experience – watch these horses feed in the mornings, saddle and straddle the mild-tempered ones and get a close feel of them.
Those who prefer a milder adventure can go for “wild mustang safaris” on jeeps and Range Rovers. Get nostalgic and ride instead horse-drawn wagon trips, get into some roping lessons or join classes on Native American beading and making of moccasin footwears.
“The price point is certainly not for the average family traveler, but I think that it opens up a whole new market to discover in Nevada,” said Bethany Drysdale, a spokeswoman for Travel Nevada, the state’s official tourism agency.
Luxury cowboy experience? Forget Las Vegas… go for the real thing!
“I got into this business to rescue animals and to share the American story,” Pickens said. “I don’t think I ever thought I was going to be a hotelier. But it’s opened up a whole new world for me and I’ve enjoyed it.”