Owning one of these horses is a real privilege.  They will give you the chance to grow as a horseperson but at the same time please understand that these horses were born wild.   A wild horse has more developed instinct and will ask more of you in how you communicate with them.  If you are just starting on your horsemanship journey make sure you have a community to support you with your horse and good infrastructure.  Stelkia Ranch offers a full range of services if the horse of your dreams is not at your same level.  We want these horses to succeed so please stay in touch and help us get you the right horse. 

Does your favorite horse seem on the short side?

When a wild horse is born he will spend his first winter foraging with his mother and spend a long time walking and pawing and working for everything he eats.  The second winter is even harder on wild horses as they are now without their mother’s milk.  The third winter the horse has some physical changes including to their teeth so the wild horse does not really start to grow into himself until the 4th year.   This is different than a barnyard raised colt who will be given feed and often supplements.   This means our horses do not stop growing until they are about 8-9.  Aaron will do his best to update horses in the catalogue with an estimate of what his experience tells him the horse will mature at.  This wild lifestyle ensures that the horse never grow faster than their musculature can support. The results make a horse that is sure-footed, sound and has a reliable endurance. 

Photo of Jane Stelkia on her horse Dandy in 1946