In Memory of Scout
 Author’s note: As I was beginning my draft outlines for Sunset’s End, I learned of the death of Scout, one of the most famous wild stallions who made the Yukon his home. I reached out to Friends of the Yukon Wild Horses , thinking a way to honor him and tell the world how he died would be to dedicate the book to him. I also asked them to write a tribute to Scout, to tell you about his life, and death.
Dedication to Scout, Scout was a beautiful chestnut stallion who called the Ibex Valley, just west of Whitehorse, Canada, his home. He was a very caring, good natured stallion, a favourite of many who follow the Yukon wildies. Scout was a doting older brother in his natal band, affectionate and playful with his bachelor buddies and eventually, when he won his first mare, a loving father and protective partner. Through social media, with his good looks and gentle ways, he became a star, much loved by many in the Yukon and all over the world. Yukon Wild horses originated decades ago from abandoned and escaped outfitter horses. They may trace their lineage all the way back to the Gold Rush days, over 100 years ago. They are small, sturdy horses, mostly pintos, bays and chestnuts, with a lot of draft blood. Superbly adapted to surviving long, hash winters, they are the most northerly wild horses in the world, making them very special. They are true survivors, holding on despite decades of persecution from landholders, hunters and the Yukon government. In late 2023 two horses were found shot, another badly injured, and the fact that wild horses have been shot in the Yukon for years and have no legal protections whatsoever came to light. The Public outcry was huge and the Friends of the Yukon Wild Horses Society was formed. By working together, Yukon wildies went from being classified as nuisance animals, fair game to anyone with a gun, to receiving basic protections, at least on paper. Scout, his mare Mystery, his adopted son Pippin and Mystery’s 2024 foal Fairwind were a beautiful little family, with so much love between them. Sadly in January of 2025, Mystery and the youngsters were observed alone, and shortly after, Scout’s remains were found on private land, in the same set of fields where horses had previously been found shot, where many horses have disappeared over the years. Unlike with the previous shootings, the authorities did go out to investigate Scout’s remains, although only after an email campaign by Yukon wild horse followers. The investigation was minimal, indicating that the Yukon government has yet to take wild horse deaths seriously. We do not really know what happened, but his death was suspicious. The society is now working hard to get proper protections for the horses, so that in future the authorities will take potential shootings much more seriously, as seriously as they take any other suspected illegal poaching. Scout was so loved, his beauty and kindness made him stand out from the rest, his death deeply affecting many of us. Hopefully by changing mindsets, the horses will eventually get the special wildlife status they deserve. They have stepped into the hooves of the sturdy Ice Age ponies that lived in the Yukon for hundreds of thousands of years, horses that only died out 4000 years ago, most likely due to human overhunting. The Yukon wildies have been here long enough to have adapted to their environment, they are some of the toughest horses on Earth. The Ibex Valley would be a shadow of its former self without them.
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