Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Onufer.
Hi Liz, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started riding horses at the age of 8, got my first job in a barn at 10, and was given my first horse at the age of 12. My love for horses has never waned. Growing up in NJ, I had heard about the wild mustangs in the West and the opportunity to adopt one. I was captivated and dreamed of adopting and training my own wild mustang.
Thirty-eight years later, the dream came true. In 2022, I adopted a wild horse from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and began a journey of a lifetime. I had no idea how this one little wild yearling, who I named Beau, was going to change the trajectory of my life. The process of earning this horse’s trust from first touches to riding was such an incredible experience that I felt called to do more for the mustangs.
I recognized I could be a part of the solution by training the wild horses and finding their adopters. For a lot of people, even experienced horse people, adopting a wild horse can be overwhelming. Since 2023, I have gentled 20 mustangs and supported new mustang owners in their journey. Of those 20 mustangs, I have adopted seven as part of my forever herd.
In May 2025, I walked away from my 20 year career in education to commit full time to the mustangs’ care and training. I recently received 501c3 status for my organization, Desert Gemini Mustangs, so I can build and grow a sustainable program for the mustangs and their adopters.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Mustang training is certainly not a smooth road! Some days it feels like one step forward, five steps back when working with wild animals and teaching them to live in a human world. My heart and spirit is incredibly invested in every mustang who works with me.
Tragically, Beau, my first mustang died in May 2025 at the young age of four. I was so devastated that I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue on this path. But my other mustangs who I loved dearly and had committed to were there for me. They needed me and helped me get through the grief and recognize I could not give up on my dream.
In February 2026, I broke my femur in a riding accident. I questioned if these were the risks I wanted to take in my life. And again, the mustangs were there waiting for me and not letting me give up on myself. The mustang’s entire life is ripped away from them when they are removed from the range, yet they adapt and choose to trust and succeed in their domestic life. Over and over, the mustangs have inspired me to be strong and resilient.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Desert Gemini Mustang’s mission is to be a part of the wild horse solution through the care, training, and adoption of mustangs in need. Our purpose is to provide an individualized approach for each mustang to set them up for success in the domestic setting and offer comprehensive education for the mustang community.
Currently, over 60,000 wild horses are standing in BLM holding facilities waiting for adoption. Many other mustangs have been adopted without the support and resources needed for a successful transition to domestic life. We are here to serve mustangs in need with individualized care and training.
We specialize in putting the mustang first. We meet every mustang where they are and create a custom training approach to meet their individual needs, temperament, and timeline. Our training is based on current brain science and nervous system understanding to build a safe and healthy partnership with each mustang. We do not abide by a single program or style. We allow each mustang to guide the training techniques we use. My 20 year career teaching high school and college sets our work apart from others. My expertise in learning theory and experience building relationships carries into all of the work with the mustangs and their adopters — prioritizing the individualized approach and safety, while maintaining rigor and providing the resources needed to succeed. I am a passionate teacher, a lifelong learner, and true horse lover.
As we grow Desert Gemini Mustangs, we need support for the mustangs’ care and training through sponsorship, adoptions, or visits to the ranch. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization and have opportunities for everyone to be engaged, whether they are simply curious about wild horses or dream of adopting their own.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Walking with a once wild horse into the high desert summer sunset — the colors are awe-inspiring, and I am beside a horse that chooses to trust me. It’s a depth of relationship with our natural world that I have not found anywhere else.
Supporting mustang adopters in creating a safer and stronger relationship with their horse. Teaching fills my cup, and I find great joy in helping people to experience the same depth of trust and connection with their mustang that changed my life with my own mustangs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://desertgeminimustangs.org/
