The Little Spirit Orphan Project

Wild horses (Mustangs) are an important part of American heritage. Northern New Mexico is blessed with a few of the remaining herds of these majestic animals left in the United States. Not far from our Ranch property one can encounter and view some of these beautiful animals roaming freely, but always struggling to survive on overgrazed lands, crisscrossed with both dirt and paved roads, and fenced to greatly hinder the horse's normal movement across the Mesa's. Additionally, far too many of the dwindling herds are captured and sent to slaughter; injured/killed on highways, or left to starve on lands no longer suited for their continuing health and survival.

San Cristobal Academy is fortunate to have two staff members--Judy Barnes, Office Manager, and Jessica Grimes, Barn Coordinator--leading an aggressive effort to "make a difference" in not only the lives of our students/families, but also the horses that live in our stables and graze the ranches and extensive BLM land surrounding Taos.

Infused with incredible passion and energy to find some creative means of combining our current equestrian program with a program to protect and aid wild horses in distress, Judy and Jessica made it their mission to start a bootstrap rescue program targeted at providing powerful learning and growth opportunities for interested students, all while saving a few young foals struggling to survive without their mothers.

The as-yet-unnamed program's official first act came from a rancher who had observed a wild foal without its mother, in declining health and in need of immediate rescue. Judy and Jessica asked some of the interested students to climb in a truck and run out to see if they could help. The foal was transported back to the Academy and both staff and students did everything humanly possible to save the foals life. The students named the foal "Little Spirit".

Everyone on the staff was taken back by the intense level of interest, caring and commitment put forth by the students. Their desire to look outside themselves and participate as a group in attempting everything possible to nurture this animal back to health was way beyond what staff expected. The story ended sadly as this horse was found too late, but it sparked a community wide interest in formalizing what is now called The Little Spirit Orphan Project, aptly named in honor of Little Spirit.

The equestrian program at San Cristobal has always offered students a powerful, life-changing experience in working with something much larger than yourself; but yet, still very vulnerable and mistrusting of human motives. Earning the horses trust is never easy and can take months. Horses provide a powerful living metaphor for transformation, change, and one's ability to adapt and learn how to live a sober, successful life as an adult.

The staff at SCA believe strongly in the goodness and values reinforcement that comes from doing something that "makes a difference" in our communities, in our student's lives and in the future of our planet. The Little Spirit Orphan Project is in itself a metaphor that speaks to the individual journeys of our students and families. The path to recovery is often found in looking outside oneself and finding that deep seed of caring for someone or something else bigger than we are.

Judy Barnes, in her time away from San Cristobal, dedicates her life to running the Spirit of the Wild Horse Foundation. She lives and runs the SWH Foundation from her private ranch located on top of Wild Horse Mesa in Southern Colorado. The mesa is home to 150 wild horses and provides a healthy, safe, sanctuary for the herds to come and go as their wild, natural instincts dictate. You can read more about Judy and see some of her beautiful photography at www.spiritofthewildhorse.com.

Jessica Grimes is a lifelong lover of horses and brings her incredible passion and experience to her role leading the SCA Equestrian Program. Prior to joining SCA, Jessica was a youth counselor. She is dedicated to teaching important virtues and life principals through horsemanship skills. Her education ranges from Liberal Arts, Ballet, Modern Dance to Holistic Health and the Healing Arts.

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