Stay Wild!

At the AWHC booth on Day 2 of the Western States Horse Expo, 05/10/19.

Judge Hears Arguments Against Sale of Devil’s Garden Horses

Animal protection groups urged a federal judge yesterday to block the sale (without limitation) of wild horses removed last year from the Devil’s Garden Plateau WHT, which was set to begin on May 13.

Plaintiffs believe the animals could be sold for human consumption. That they might end up in pet food or other products apparently was not a concern.

A public-lands rancher attending the hearing said the horses drain resources that cattle and other wild animals need to survive.

The report did not say if any oil or mining companies had intervened in the case.

Free-Roaming Horses of Lincoln National Forest

Near the town of Cloudcroft, NM with Rocky Mountain Hobo. Not a WHT.

Nevada Rescue Loses Specialty Plate Funding

The Nevada DMV has stopped producing the ‘Horse Power’ specialty license plate and ended the transfer of funds it generated to Horse Power, a non-profit organization that rescues injured wild horses. The action was prompted by the group’s spending habits, according to a report dated 05/03/19 by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The organization’s web site is down for scheduled maintenance as of 6:45 PM PDT.

Inmate-Trained Horses Available Soon at Wyoming Honor Farm

The BLM announced today that wild horses and burros gathered from public lands in Wyoming would be available for adoption May 17 – 18 at the Wyoming Honor Farm in Riverton. Gentling techniques will be demonstrated on the first day.

The announcement noted that placing excess animals into private care will keep western rangelands healthy and productive.

Given that the animals serve no useful purpose and bring in no economic return, why would they be worried about productivity?

Because those lands host other animals—the paying kind—such as privately owned cattle and sheep. Never mind that they were set aside for wild horses and burros, that was a long time ago.

Park Service Denies Media Access to Mesa Verde Roundup

The Park Superintendent said news coverage would not be allowed, consistent with the wishes of personnel doing the work, according to a report dated 04/30/19 by the Pine River Times of Durango, CO.

Public observation is often refused when bait-traps are used to gather the horses, but critics say access to government activities such as wild horse roundups is protected under the First Amendment.

Photographer Claims Man Was Shooting at Heber Wild Horses

A woman says she saw a man shooting directly at the horses on 05/02/19, according to a report posted today by the White Mountain Independent of Show Low, AZ. The incident was reported to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and a deputy arrived on scene. The man said he was only shooting at a tree stump and was allowed to leave.

More Criticism of Proposed Wild Horse Management Plan?

A guest column dated 05/02/19 in Drovers, a publication for the beef industry, says the plan should be rejected for several reasons, and any path going forward should have contraception as its centerpiece.

How exactly does that qualify as opposition? It doesn’t. It’s resignation to the ranching agenda, acceptance of the overpopulation narrative.

Fertility_Control_Puzzle_Solved-1

The proposal will reduce wild horse and burro numbers by 70% on lands set aside for the horses and burros, so they can be replaced by privately owned cattle and sheep.

It’s absurd, but nobody wants to talk about it. What are they afraid of?

PSA_178-1

R3C Saddle-Started Horses Available at WSHE

BLM provided more information yesterday on the inmate-trained horses to be offered for adoption at the Western States Horse Expo in Rancho Murieta, CA. Bidding starts at 1:30 PM on 05/12/19. A training clinic will be held at 4:00 PM.

Mustang Monday

On Sand Wash Basin HMA with Steve Hostetler.

Found a Wild Turkey’s Nest

The eggs gave it away, a bit larger than chicken eggs. Not really, the hen suddenly flying out when I was about three feet away did. Not unusual for this is the time of year, been hearing the toms since March. Gobble, gobble, gobble.

The nest was hidden on a hillside among wild oat and thistle about five feet tall.

Snack Time at Sunset

No wild horses in this video, just the domestic type. Filmed 05/02/19.

Western States Horse Expo Starts Next Week

The venue has changed! This year the event will be held at the Murieta Equestrian Center, about 26 miles east of Sacramento. The schedule features clinics by Madison Shambaugh (Mustang Maddy) and Joe Misner (Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center), who will be bringing more inmate-trained mustangs for adoption.

Snack Time

Horses eating some rice bran and hay pellets just before sunset on 04/30/19.

Private Sanctuaries: End-Game of Wild Horse Management Plan

Much has been written in recent days about the proposal, how it will reduce wild horse populations by 70% in the next three to five years and how population growth in the remaining herds will be suppressed by contraceptives and sterilization.

But what the plan’s supporters really want to see—most of them beef producers operating on public lands—is the transfer of all wild horses to private sanctuaries.

And now, an editorial by an Arizona rancher (and brother of a former supreme court justice), is making the rounds in some news outlets, pitching the idea to the public.

“Without a doubt, private wild horse sanctuaries can be a win-win for wild horses and horse lovers. With more sanctuaries in place, perhaps the BLM can concentrate on ways to keep the free-roaming wild horses from overpopulating the open range.”

Recall that the Public Lands Council, a cheerleader group for the ranchers, wants HMAs and WHTs abolished (fourth bullet item below).

Public Lands Council Anti Horse Agenda-1

With the BLM largely divested of the wild horse ‘business,’ it can dedicate more resources to their for-profit enterprise.

Thus, the proposed management plan will put a smile on the faces of public-lands ranchers, not wild horse advocates.

Privately owned cattle and sheep should be raised on private lands, not wild horses and burros. The proposal must be defeated.

Placitas Wild Horses Find New Home at Mustang Camp

Temporarily, that is. They will be trained and adopted out, according to a report posted today by KRQE News in Albuquerque. Volunteers needed.

Understanding ‘Rancherspeak’

In an editorial published today by the Mesquite Local News, the writer, commenting on a proposal announced last week for managing wild horses and burros on public lands in the western U.S., states

“Currently the animals in many herd management areas are so overpopulated that they are starving and damaging water resources. Grazing land needed by cattle and other wild animals is depleted.”

TRANSLATION: Wild horses are robbing too much forage from the poor ranchers, on land set aside for the horses. The horses need to go.

Can’t get much more absurd than that.

Truth is, these people have never accepted the WHB Act and have worked steadily towards its nullification.

Backers of proposal, which will reduce wild horse populations by 70% on western rangelands, were mostly beef producers and a few animal protection groups.

There were no supporters from the oil and gas industry. Nobody from the timber industry stepped forward. Mining companies were silent.

Beauty Matters: It’s OK for Some Things to Be Useless

Reposting this video for the form-follows-function crowd, such as the public-lands ranchers, who believe that wild horses, unlike livestock, should be removed from western rangelands because they serve no useful purpose and bring in no economic return. Pay attention to the remarks from 14:44 to 15:45.

“People need useless things.”

New Wild Horse Management Plan to Amend WHB Act?

The announcement last week by the American Farm Bureau Federation said no but an article posted yesterday by Wild Horse Education says it will, not by legislation, but through the appropriations process, similar to the Burns Amendment.