‘Think Like a Horse’ Goes to the Olympics

Foals represented 15.2% of the burros gathered. Of the adults, 59.1% were male and 40.9% were female, not what you’d expect to find in a sample of n = 313 adults taken from a simple random process centered at 50% males / 50% females.

There were 63 burros in the unaccounted-for category at the end of Day 156.

Gather ops are not open to public observation.

Supplemental statistics:

AML: 478
Pre-gather population: Unknown
Forage liberated to date: 2,214 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 1,845 gallons per day
Forge assigned to livestock: 7,333 AUMs per year (estimated)
Burros displaced from HMA by livestock: 1,222
True AML: 1,700

Conger Roundup Day 3

The incident began on August 11. Gather stats through August 13:

Horses captured: 59
Average take: 20 horses per day
Capture goal: Unknown
Removal goal: 296
Returned: 0
Deaths: 0
Shipped: 27

Foals accounted for 25.4% of the horses gathered. Of the adults, 40.9% were male and 59.1% were female.

Body condition scores were not reported.

Day 3 ended with 32 unaccounted-for horses.

Supplemental statistics:

AML: 80
Forage assigned to horses: 960 AUMs per year
Pre-gather population: 355
Forage liberated to date: 708 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 590 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
Horses displaced from HMA by livestock: Unknown

RELATED: Conger Roundup in Progress.

Advocates Have Answer to Wild Horse Problem?

If we get rid of them they can stay. That’s the mentality of Wild Horse Connection, surrogate on the Virginia Range for the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses.

Specifically, from their web site, “If you work with us, follow the laws, and leave the management of the horses to WHC, then we can keep the horses where they belong.”

They’re PZP zealots, and their ruinous darting program is the centerpiece of a story published today by Courthouse News.

These idiots are also feeding the horses. It’s like Salt River 2.0 except there’s no river.

WHC Arrogance 08-13-21

Remember, you are inferior and the advocates are superior, in all ways. Shut up and do as you’re told.

West Douglas Roundup Day 19

The incident began on July 26. Gather stats through August 13:

Horses captured: 457, up from 431 on Day 17
Average take: 24 horses per day
Capture goal: 450
Removal goal: 450
Returned: 0
Deaths: 11, up from 9 on Day 17
Shipped: 337, no change from Day 17

The goal has been reached and gather ops have concluded.

One death occurred on Day 18 and another on Day 19, both attributed to pre-existing conditions. The death rate climbed to 2.4%. The summary at the gather page shows ten horses lost but the daily reports yield eleven.

Body condition scores were not reported.

Foals accounted for 19.3% of the horses gathered. Of the adults, 42.5% were male and 57.5% were female.

Day 19 ended with 109 unaccounted-for horses. Field work will likely continue until all animals are shipped. None will be returned.

Other statistics:

AML: 0
Forage assigned to horses: 0
Pre-gather population: 450
Forage liberated to date: 5,484 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 4,570 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
Horses displaced from HA by livestock: Unknown

RELATED: West Douglas Roundup Day 17.

Woman in Minnesota Sees What Advocates Can’t—or Won’t

Check out this letter to the Morrison County Record of Little Falls, MN.

Send your donations to her!

Western Horse Watchers believes that all of the off-range corrals and long-term pastures could be emptied three to five times over by ending public-lands ranching in wild horse and burro areas where it occurs.

There would be no excess animals, no overpopulation and no need for PZP darting.

Virginia Range Darting Program Coordinator Still Not Named?

Somebody needs to step up. How about one of the Sand Wash advocates who won’t acknowledge the presence of livestock in the HMA?

Maybe one of volunteers at the Salt River Wild Horse Darting Group, eager to get away from the tyrant and make a name for himself?

A bureaucrat said there are too many wild horses on the Virginia Range so it’s time to get off your butt and do something about it.

Apply here.

Progression of Injuries VR 07-30-21

Unexpected Petroglyph at Lagomarsino Canyon?

We know what it can’t be because they didn’t exist at the time.

Lagomarsino Rock Image 08-13-21

Image from video of Lagomarsino Petroglyphs by storiesbyalex.

Pintos and Petroglyphs on the Virginia Range

A story posted yesterday by Nevada Appeal describes the rock art at Lagomarsino Canyon, north of Virginia City, believed to be as much as 10,000 years old.

As a bonus, you might see a few wild horses getting in and out of there. (No paved roads, 4WD recommended.)

The coordinates of the site are 39.442980, -119.567228, according to Google Maps.

Contacting WHW

Please check your email address before hitting the Submit button at the Contact page.

Western Horse Watchers can’t respond if it’s not valid.

Conger Roundup in Progress

The incident started August 11, according to the gather page, with 19 horses captured, including nine stallions, seven mares and three foals. No deaths were reported.

Antelope Roundup Day 10

The incident began on August 2. Gather stats through August 11:

Horses captured: 814, up from 456 on Day 8
Average take: 136 horses per day
Capture goal: 2,200
Removal goal: 2,200
Returned: 0
Deaths: 4, no change from Day 8
Shipped: 514, up from 343 on Day 8

The death rate dropped to 0.5%.

Foals accounted for 17.2% of the horses gathered. Of the adults, 45.5% were male and 54.5% were female.

Body condition scores were not reported.

Day 10 ended with 296 unaccounted-for horses. The contractor is probably holding them on site.

Data quality has been good.

Other statistics:

AML: 789 (four HMAs involved)
Forage assigned to horses: 9,468 AUMs per year
Pre-gather population: 6,032 plus foals
Forage liberated to date: 9,768 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 8,140 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: 72,946 AUMs per year (estimated)
Horses displaced from HMAs by livestock: 6,079 (12% of off-range holding)
True AML: 6,868

RELATED: Antelope Roundup Day 8.

UPDATE: The average daily take should be 81.4, not 136.

West Douglas Roundup Day 17

The incident began on July 26. Gather stats through August 11:

Horses captured: 431, up from 390 on Day 15
Average take: 25 horses per day
Capture goal: 450
Removal goal: 450
Returned: 0
Deaths: 9, up from 8 on Day 15
Shipped: 337, up from 296 on Day 15

Another death occurred on Day 17 due to pre-existing conditions but no details were given. The death rate is 2.1%. The summary at the gather page shows eight horses lost but the daily reports yield nine.

Body condition scores were not reported.

Foals accounted for 19.0% of the horses gathered. Of the adults, 42.4% were male and 57.6% were female. The gap between stallions and mares continues to widen.

Day 17 ended with 85 unaccounted-for horses. The operation will likely conclude in another day or two.

Other statistics:

AML: 0
Forage assigned to horses: 0
Pre-gather population: 450
Forage liberated to date: 5,172 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 4,310 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
Horses displaced from HA by livestock: Unknown

RELATED: West Douglas Roundup Day 15.

Beaty Butte Roundup Delayed

A news release dated August 10 said the incident will begin on July 7.

Beaty Butte Roundup Delayed 08-10-21

An email to the BLM rep was answered thus: Roundup delayed until late August.

The HMA, known as Beatys Butte, lies within the Beaty Butte allotment.

Any Privately Owned Livestock in Sand Wash Basin HMA?

You might conclude that the answer is ‘No’ based on this story by 9News of Denver.

An emergency roundup, set to begin on September 1, will remove 733 wild horses from the area, according to the latest schedule. Not enough food and water. Pay no attention to the condition of the horses in the story.

The horses share the land “with Sage Grouse, Elk, Deer, Pronghorn, Coyotes, Mountain Lions, Badgers, Golden and Bald Eagles, along with Dirt Bikes and ATV Riders,” according the local advocacy group. No PZP darting either.

Clearly a wild horse heaven.

AIP Lawsuit Moved to Colorado

A case brought by the American Wild Horse Campaign, Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary, Evanescent Mustang Rescue and Sanctuary Inc., Clare Staples and Carol Walker has been transferred from the District of Columbia District Court to the District of Colorado, where a similar case filed by Friends of Animals is pending, according to a report posted today by Law Street Media.

Adoptions and financial incentives are downstream programs. They help the ranchers, not the horses.

Antelope Roundup Day 8

The incident began on August 2. Gather stats through August 9:

Horses captured: 456, up from 361 on Day 6
Average take: 76 horses per day
Capture goal: 2,200
Removal goal: 2,200
Returned: 0
Deaths: 4, up from 2 on Day 6
Shipped: 343, up from 211 on Day 6

Two horses were put down on Day 8 due to pre-existing conditions, bringing the death rate to 0.9%.

Foals accounted for 18.6% of the horses gathered. Of the adults, 45.3% were male and 54.7% were female.

Body condition scores were not provided.

Day 8 ended with 109 unaccounted-for horses. The contractor is probably holding them on site.

Other statistics:

AML: 789 (four HMAs involved)
Forage assigned to horses: 9,468 AUMs per year
Pre-gather population: 6,032 plus foals
Forage liberated to date: 5,472 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 4,560 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: 72,946 AUMs per year (estimated)
Horses displaced from HMAs by livestock: 6,079 (12% of off-range holding)
True AML: 6,868

RELATED: Antelope Roundup Day 6.

UPDATE: The average daily take should be 57, not 76.

Senate Infrastructure Bill Omits Anti-Slaughter Provision

The version passed by the House banned the export of horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter for human consumption, but that language was dropped in the version passed today by the Senate, according to a news release by Animal Wellness Action.