Month: September 2018

Florence Intensifying, Banker Horses Threatened

The models have bent the track slightly northward, compared to Saturday, putting the wild horses of the Outer Banks in the region of onshore flow.  Refer to this map from the NHC.  The hurricane has reached Category 2 status, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.  It is projected to reach Category 4 at landfall (winds 130+ mph).

Depending on the size and strength of the system, areas impacted by the storm surge could extend well beyond North Carolina.

Not only is flooding a danger to the horses, the risk of getting hit by flying objects (torn from structures) is considerable.

RELATED: Florence Now Hurricane.

Florence Now Hurricane

The storm is now aimed at Wilmington, NC, according to a story published today in the Charlotte Observer.  The NHC cone appears on this page.

The wild horses of the barrier islands, especially those at Shackleford Banks, would be in the northeast quadrant of the hurricane, based on today’s projections, which brings the onshore flow (storm surge).

These horses have been on U.S. soil longer than the mustangs of the American west and are thought to be descended from those brought to the New World by Spanish explorers.

RELATED: Florence to Drench OBX?

More Joys of Country Living

Crack in PVC adapter at check valve.  Leak stops when pump shuts off.  The corrugated plastic sheet deflects the spray away from electrical equipment.

Fortunately, the defect was upstream of the check valve.  If it was downstream, the system would continually lose pressure and the pump would be running frequently to refill the tanks.

Make sure your horses have enough water before attempting a repair!

Saddle-Started Horses Available at R3C Next Weekend

Ten to twelve inmate-trained horses will be offered for adoption September 15 at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove, CA.  Refer to the BLM news release posted earlier today.  Bidding starts at $300.

Joe Misner, on the right in this photo from the 2018 Western States Horse Expo, coordinates the R3C wild horse training program.

RELATED: 2018 WSHE – BLM Mustangs.

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Volunteers Determine Breeding Patterns for Corolla Horses

Refer to the story posted today by the Charlotte Observer.  The contraceptive of choice is PZP and it’s applied to mares aged five or less and fifteen and older.

A few miles to the south, at Shackleford Banks, fertility control was stopped in 2009.

What’s the difference?

There is a rule in the unwritten code of wild horse advocacy that says you don’t participate in anything that results in fewer horses on the range.  Fertility control, however, seems to be an exception.  The code word is ‘humane management.’

National WHB Advisory Board to Meet Next Month

A news release issued today states that the National Advisory Board will meet in Salt Lake City October 9 – 11 to provide recommendations to the BLM on the WHB program.

The subject of the conference will be wild horses and burros.  The stated reason for the meeting is the adverse effects of WHB overpopulation on western rangelands.  The real reason for the meeting is the adverse effects of WHB on public-lands ranching.

The Board will visit a nearby HMA on the first day, presumably one that hasn’t been gathered this year (will be hard to find in Utah).

The last two days will probably be devoted to freeing up more forage for livestock, on lands set aside for horses and burros.

It’s not about saving money.  It’s not about saving an endangered species.  It’s about an unelected bureaucracy catering to a special interest against the wishes of the American people.

RELATED: Zinke: Treat Wild Horses Like Cats and Dogs.

BLM Ends Pancake Gather

Bait trapping ended 09/04/18, with 89 wild horses removed from the Pancake HMA, according to a news release issued today.  Three deaths were reported and no animals were returned to the range.  A foal was euthanized on the first day due to injuries received when she was kicked by another horse inside the trap.

The gather was delayed for several weeks due to unfavorable weather.

Captured animals were taken to the Indian Lakes off-range corrals in Fallon, NV, where they will be placed into the WHB adoption program.

Livestock grazing has not been allowed in the area since 2000.

RELATED: Emergency Gather of Pancake Horses to Begin Next Week.

Muddy Creek Gather Starts Next Week

The roundup originally planned for August will begin on September 11, according to a BLM news release issued yesterday.  The removal target is still 149 animals.  The gather will be open to public observation.  Visitors are advised that low flying helicopters will be involved in the operation

The Muddy Creek HMA covers 283,400 acres in central Utah per the announcement and has an AML of 125, for an aimed-at population density of 0.44 animals per thousand acres.

The HMA description says 208,810 acres.

Captured animals will be taken to the Wild Horse Facility in Delta, UT, where they will be prepared for adoption.

Gather stats and daily reports can be found at this page.

The announcement did not indicate if livestock were present on the HMA.

RELATED: Wild Horse Gather Set for Muddy Creek.