Meet the Horses
iʔ snkɬc̓aʔsqáx̌aʔ
Lily’s Story
Lily came to Sienna as a wild horse, a feral “wildie” or mustang, arriving with a colt at her side and another on the way, during a time of deep grief for Sienna, following the passing of her grandfather, Marcel Belanger. Although the Canadian government does not recognize horses as Indigenous, Syilx people have always been horse people, and Lily carries that lineage in her body.
In a way that feels more iconic than coincidental, Lily looks almost identical to Crimson, the horse Marcel gifted Sienna as a child and her first great love. Where Crimson opened Sienna’s heart, Lily arrived with an abundance of that same love, becoming one of Sienna’s greatest teachers in patience, forgiveness, and acceptance.
After more than eight years living wild, the shift into domestic life has not always been easy for Lily. Her insecurities often show up as reactivity and heightened sensitivity. In 2022, after returning home from time with a trainer, Lily and Sienna were involved in an accident that resulted in a fractured skull, loss of hearing to one ear, brain trauma and lingering effects for Sienna. Since then, Lily has softened back toward her wild nature, and their shared journey has become even slower, more careful, and more thoughtful, a continuing practice in trust, listening, and moving at the pace of the relationship.
Lily is now estimated to be between ten and fourteen years old and continues her slow healing journey alongside Sienna. She lives a good life with her sons on more than ten acres of open field. On this land, Lily teaches Crow and Gunner how to live well outside: which plants to eat, what to be wary of, and what can be trusted. She has offered deep medicine and, at times, has needed that same medicine herself. Lily is kind, gentle, and grounded. Sienna named her after one of her favourite flowers, the Sagebrush Mariposa Lily (Calochortus macrocarpus), known in the language as yk̓ʷyuk̓ʷps.
Crow’s Story
Crow came to Sienna as a young wild colt, a feral “wildie” or mustang, with his momma, Lily, at his side. Although the Canadian government does not recognize horses as Indigenous, Syilx people have always been horse people, and Crow carries that living lineage forward alongside his family.
From the beginning, Crow has been a calm, gentle soul whom Sienna has fallen deeply in love with. Their bond is quiet and steady, rooted in long hours spent simply being together: walking the fields, sharing breath, learning each other’s rhythms. It is a relationship mostly understood between the two of them, built on trust rather than hurry.
Crow has been with Sienna for five years now and has slowly begun his training. Each step is taken at a pace that honours his sensitivity, his wild beginnings, and the kind of life they’re building together. Sienna dreams of Crow working on the land with her, packing plants and supplies, moving along the paths of the food forest, and riding out on the range. In those visions, Crow is not just a riding horse but a partner, helping to carry the work of tending the land and moving between garden, pasture, and open country.
As Crow continues to grow into himself, these dreams shape the way Sienna works with him, always with the future in mind, but never at the expense of the trust and gentleness that have defined their connection from the start.
Crow is five and growing into a steady presence alongside Sienna and his family on more than ten acres of open field. Raised by Lily and Sienna on this land, he’s learned how to live well outside: which plants to graze, what to be cautious of, and where he can rest and feel safe. Crow carries his own kind of medicine, soft, grounding, and quietly attentive. He is calm, curious, and deeply bonded to Sienna. She named him “crow” for the way he had a relationship with a pair of crows and for how he watches, remembers, and moves through the world with a quiet intelligence that echoes the birds who share this territory. Crow, known in the language, is x̌áx̌a.
Gunner’s Story
Gunner is the youngest of the herd at four years old, born here on the land and raised domestic, though he often carries himself like a wild horse. He is the high energy in the group, the teenager, the rebel with a big heart, always moving, testing boundaries, and then circling back in close. Growing up alongside Lily and Crow on these ten-plus acres, he’s learning the same lessons about where to graze, what to watch for, and how to move with the land. Sienna holds the same dream for Gunner as she does for Crow: to train them as partners, a dream team, in her work, packing plants and tools, travelling the trails, and helping tend the food forest. Underneath all his spark and mischief, Gunner’s medicine is big-hearted, playful, and full of possibility.
Gunner carries the fire in this little herd. His energy comes in bursts, charging across the field, spinning, playing, testing every edge he can find before settling back into the safety of his family. Unlike Lily and Crow, he doesn’t yet have a name in the language that properly fits him. He was named for his energy rather than the land or plants around him, and Sienna is still listening for the word that will match who he’s becoming. If he is like anyone, it’s Coyote the trickster, mischievous, clever, always pushing at the line between trouble and teaching, carrying lessons in every bit of chaos he stirs up. In the language, a coyote is known as snk̓l̓íp.
Our Story
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Our Story *
Land-connected and raised in OKIB (Okanagan Indian Band), Sienna knew in her body that the wildfire would grow and threaten her new equine relatives. When she chose to defy her mother’s wishes and go to rescue them, the rescue moved both ways; the horses became part of saving her, too.
This story was created with support from TELUS STORYHIVE. STORYHIVE showcases independent films, series, and video podcasts that reflect the unique communities of Western Canada, offering production funding, training, mentorship, and distribution for new and emerging creators in BC and Alberta.
limlmt (thank you) to TELUS STORYHIVE and TELUS Optik TV for helping us share this story more widely.
