A Maverick Wildfire
- gvhorserescue
- Jan 2
- 3 min read
Kindred spirits grow up together at local horse rescue
People who know them both say Keyana Valdez and her rescue horse, A
Maverick Wildfire, have a lot in common. Both the 4-year-old filly and 12-year-old
girl are spirited and headstrong when apart but calm and focused during the
hours they spend together at Grand Valley Horse Rescue (GVHR) in suburban
Grand Junction.
Wildfire was born on a ranch in Silt. When her owner died, Wildfire and 12 other
yearlings from the ranch were sent to a dispersal sale in Delta. There she
sustained a grievous wound to her shoulder after jumping over a fence and
falling to the ground.
The auction house surrendered Wildfire to GVHR for healing and rehabilitation
rather than humanely putting her down. Besides receiving veterinary care for her
injury, Wildfire was treated with a coconut oil-based formula that left no scar or
granulated tissue known as proud flesh.
“This is Wildfire’s first real home,” said GVHR director Shelle deVergie Kareus,
affectionately known as Memaw. “Wildfire acts like she runs the rescue — too big
for her britches. So I put her between Simon, a 32-year-old gelding, and Hank, a
26-year-old gelding, to teach her some manners.”
Keyana joined the GVHR horsemanship training program three years ago, before
Wildfire arrived. At the time, Keyana was new to horses and unprepared for the
commitment of time and energy required to nurture and train them. “Horses are a
lot to take care of,” she said. “I’d never been on a horse before.”
Keyana took a 5-month break, then returned to the program “with a whole new
disposition,” said her grandmother and guardian, Carol Valdez.
After Wildfire’s previous trainer left the foster-to-adopt program, Memaw paired
the horse with Keyana to observe their chemistry. “Within 30 minutes, Wildfire
indicated that Keyana was hers,” she said.
Like the other budding horsewomen and -men in the all-volunteer program,
Keyana works wherever she is needed on the property. But training and riding
Wildfire is her passion, and Wildfire likes her best. “Wildfire gets jealous when I
go to another horse,” Keyana said.
“This has been the most impactful (activity) in her life,” said Carol, who regularly
appears on KAFM-FM 88.1’s “Kitchen Sink” program to publicize GVHR and
appeal for donations. “You get drawn into it out of pure love. What’s magic to me
is seeing this child so happy doing what she’s doing.”
Carol has witnessed how the patience and attentiveness Keyana learns while
working with abused and unwanted horses carries over into her life at home and
school. “She was a mediocre student, but this year she’s turned that around.”
Wildfire is the best horse I have ever met. She is a roan reddish horse and she's also very fun to play with. She loves to run in the arena and loves to roll. Wildfire loves apples, carrots, and horse treats. wildfire came to the rescue on June 3, 2023, she came from ranch silt when her owner died she surrendered to grand valley horse rescue (GVHR), rather than being sent to a kill pen. Me and wildfire has come so far that she picked me to be her girl and best friend. We also love working together. I enjoy caring for her and working with her, and she's worth it. We are getting to know each other very well. She's special to me because I love her and she loves me. Wildfire makes me feel calm and happy around her. I hope to adopt her some day. She's a great horse.
From: Keyana Valdez
GVHR is looking for sponsors for Wildfire at $25 per month.
Please check out GVHR's new logo and merchandise!
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This story about Keyana Valdez and Maverick Wildfire is truly inspiring. The bond between a rescue horse and a caring human shows how trust and patience can heal emotional wounds on both sides. I really enjoyed reading how their personalities reflect each other so naturally. Stories like this remind us that animals can change lives in unexpected ways. It also highlights the importance of rescue and second chances for animals that deserve love and care. Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt article. I always enjoy meaningful content like this while exploring communities online such as jai club where inspiring stories bring positive energy to readers everywhere.
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Such a touching story there’s something special about the bond between a young rider and a rescue horse. The way Keyana and Maverick mirror each other’s energy yet find calm together really highlights how powerful trust and connection can be. It’s inspiring to see how environments like Grand Valley Horse Rescue help create these meaningful relationships that benefit both humans and animals. Stories like this remind us how growth often comes through companionship. For those exploring engaging platforms and communities online, you can also check skyexchange art for more interactive experiences.
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