Jake Harvath aims to bring awareness to wild mustangs in need of homes with the Year of the Mustang.

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By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews

PACKERTON — Jake Harvath and his two mustang horses stopped for the night at a family farm in Packerton during their cross-country voyage for Year of the Mustang on Thursday, Aug. 22.

The Year of the Mustang is an initiative to “…bring awareness to the plight of the American mustang, wild horses that were once a symbol of an untamed country but now struggle to keep their place in it,” writes Harvath on his GoFundMe page. According to Harvath, there are 50,000 mustangs in government holdings that can no longer live in the wild due to dwindling resources. Harvath wants people to see that mustangs are worth adopting.

When Harvath was 14 years old, he was an apprentice horse-trainer. That’s when he was gifted his first mustang mare, Belle. At 16, he started dreaming of a long-distance trip on horseback. At first, he discussed riding across Utah with his friends. By the time he was 18 or 19 years old, he had formulated a plan for a cross-country journey.

During the Year of the Mustang, Harvath and his two mustangs, Eddy and Denver, will travel 6,000 miles across 25 states, from Utah to the Atlantic Ocean and back. He has already reached the New Jersey shore, traveling approximately 20 miles per day, and is making his way back to Utah before winter.

Harvath rides horseback on one of his horses, while the other acts as a pack horse. He rotates daily. According to Harvath, the mustangs have been extremely adaptable to their changing environment. During uninhabited parts of his journey out west, Harvath camped and the horses ate weeds.

“They’re great at making off the land … their ability to adapt to feed — this isn’t for all wild horses, but for most — is far superior to most domestic breeds. I wouldn’t do this with most domestic horses … Their ability to adapt has been one of the most interesting things about this trip,” said Harvath.

Once in more populated areas, locals have been generous with putting him and his mustangs up for the night.

Kosciusko County resident Amy Pitt was following Harvath’s journey online. When she heard that he would be going through Kosciusko County, Pitt asked her friends at the Colbert Farm if they would be willing to host him for an evening. They said yes.

“Over the 22 years we’ve lived here, we’ve felt like God let our place be used however it needs to be used,” said Candy Colbert, who has a family farm with 15 horses. “It’s neat to be on the side of life where you can encourage someone in their dream they’ve had since they were a kid.”

“I’ve met so many people who have done so much to help us,” said Harvath. “Connecting those dots and finding those amazing people has gotten us through thousands and thousands of miles. A big part of the Year of the Mustang project for me is showing off America and its people in a unique way in places people don’t always think of.”

Harvath has documented his travels on his YouTube channel, including visiting Times Square, crossing the Delaware River and riding through a summer storm in Pennsylvania. According to Harvath, this will be the longest continuous horse journey ever done in a year’s time in the United States.

“My favorite part is being on the back country, being with my horses, covering country. If I could do anything in life, I’d just cover empty land all day. Those are my favorite moments. There are moments that are the best memories, like hitting the beach (in New Jersey) after all those months from Utah was pretty cool,” said Harvath. “I like to say how proud of my horses I am. They’ve traveled over 4,100 miles in just over 10 months and their physical condition has maintained incredibly … These guys are really showing the value of the wild horse.”

Harvath urges people to learn about wild horses and the issues associated with their diminishing habitat.

On Aug. 23, Harvath, Eddy and Denver will ride to Mentone.

Follow the Year of the Mustang on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook.