Man’s horse returns after running with wild mustangs for 8 years

Mongo and Shane. ((Photo courtesy: Shane Adams))

FIELDING, Utah. – A horse believed to be lost for nearly a decade has been reunited with his owner after running with a group of wild mustangs for eight years in Utah. Yes, it’s a Disney movie in the making.

Shane Adams lost his horse, Mongo, while camping in the West Desert of Utah, eight years ago. On one of the mornings, Mongo, who was tied up outside Shane’s tent, broke through and made a run for it.

Recommended Videos



Mongo spotted a herd of wild mustangs passing through the camp site and decided to join them on their journey, apparently. According to NatGeo, there are around 86,000 wild mustangs that roam the Western U.S.

Adams searched for Mongo for years, but eventually he gave up and moved on without his old pal. That is, until a few weeks ago.

The Bureau of Land Management was rounding up a herd of mustangs near a military property in September, and noticed one of the horses looked a little different. He had a brand that matched the one Adams reported missing eight years ago.

“It’s crazy he still acts the same, same horse,” Adams told KUTV. “Eight years of being wild and he acts like nothing ever happened.”

Mongo is now 18 years old, and is underweight from the wild lifestyle. Shane is working to get him back to his normal weight.


About the Author

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

Recommended Videos