Duchess, after causing all the horses to swear an oath of loyalty to each other, relinquished her leadership over them. She told them that "being lead mare of her own herd was quite enough, thank you", and left to find a territory for the Rosewood Tribe.
The other horses, left to themselves, began to argue over who would lead and who would follow. It ended with all horses present deciding to leave and decide without any outside influence whether to found a herd or join one.
The lands are quite delightful; they are untouched by humans, and the place has a rugged beauty that is enchanting to see, especially to the horses. But these first-generation horses, born and bred on farms, will have a hard time surviving; it is quite possible that only the very hardiest will make it.
Some notable horses of this era are: Duchess, a Morgan mare, who began the rebellion, and so created the era of the Haven; A Rosewood Home, a Hanoverian mare, who was Duchess's close friend, and who's disappearance inspired Duchess to rebel against her owners; Sam, an Arabian gelding, who volunteered to stay behind during the escape and tell the other horses where to go, at risk of his own freedom; , Flame, a Morgan colt, who is Duchess's son, who despite his young age managed to keep up with the rest of the horses, and who immediately volunteered to become a lone stallion instead of fighting over the position of stallion to a herd; and Singing in the Opera, a Thoroughbred mare, who in spite of her sassy, disrespectful nature was able to offer Duchess many helpful suggestions during the horses' travels.