Jun 14, 20223 min read

Rocky - The Star of The Eagle Creek Band.

Rocky Eagle Creek Wild Stallion Blog -Photo Debi Wilcox

He made his way to the shade tree and faced his ending. His head turned upright and strong. His leg was broken beyond repair, and his next two weeks of life would have been suffering and a death nobody wanted him to endure. Rocky's dignity was preserved on June 12, 2022

Rocky was the Stallion of the Eagle Creek band, the Son of Rock Star. Most of us advocates became aware and involved in Alto to stop the round-ups of the wild horses after what happened to Rock Star. I still can't bear to think about Rock Stars' fate after the unlawful treatment of the wild horses in our area; Rock Star ended up in a Mexican slaughterhouse for $47.00.

This pain is still fresh in our memories, and we fight today because of what we witnessed with Rock Star; we will never let one of our Mountain Mustangs end up in the hands of the New Mexico Live Stock Board authority again.

Rocky the son of Rock Star, lived out his life on Eagle Creek in Alto, New Mexico, which flows in Alto Village, a small community in the Sacramento Mountains that borders the Lincoln National Forest and the Village of Ruidoso. His band was small but growing after 2016 and the 2018 wild horse trial verdict. The band now has become undisturbed by the New Mexico Livestock Board and thier local support to rid the mountain of Wild Horses.

Today in 2022, "The Alto Herd," the population is less than fifty horses, with three bands, Rockys Band, I refer to as the Eagle Creek Band or Ski Run Road Band. The other bands of the Alto herd since 2016 grew into the Fawn Ridge band, and The original Alto band moved into Ruidoso, while we have a healthy bachelor band, around five boys. The Wild Horse community has become more versatile with less interference from outside forces and has been able to migrate without barriers.

Rocky survived the round-ups and the round-up in 2016 by NMLB. He was left untouched and could live his entire life wild with many local admires, me being one of them.

One of my memories of Rocky was when one of the mares of his band died; he was left basically as a single father. He raised the orphan Toughy and kept a year old in line, and he had one older mare he protected.

Rocky wild horse instincts were so strong he could keep the young orphan alive. Once spotted in the wild, Rocky . was recognized for his beauty; he had a wavy thick mane and beautiful deep coloring of brown and black with strong, defined legs, and just a magnificent breed of the Mustang was what Rocky. embodied.

He had a soft temper with us humans and fierce devotion to his band; he accepted his fate as protector of his family. Rocky . lived in another world than the humans he lived amongst, and he lived with his wildness, which no man took away. He lived righteously on Eagle Creek and shared his life with us. We did not share our world with him.

I will always hold that gorgeous Stallion in the highest regard, as he has left a legacy for us to admire, respect, and protect.

If we can do anything in return for our love for the beautiful Stallion. We must fight to keep his band Wild and Free, a righteous response to his legacy, The Eagle Creek band.

Love you, Rocky forever.

Debi Wilcox, Wild Horse Advocate in Lincoln County