Curly Horses at Palomino Valley

HMA of origin unknown, possibly Fish Creek. Photo taken 02-08-20.

Youngsters at Palomino Valley

From Eagle roundup, probably between six and twelve months old. Very skittish, stayed at far side of corral. Photo taken earlier today.

Captives at Palomino Valley

Mares from the Eagle roundup. Lots of wind and dust. Photo taken earlier today.

Laramie County BOC Meeting Agenda Posted

The public hearing set for today regarding changes to setbacks around Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations is item 17 on the Board of County Commissioner’s agenda.

Laramie County BOC to Consider Rule Change This Week

The Planning Commission and residents near Burns, WY have given the wrong answer, so now the pressure shifts to the Board of Commissioners, who will consider the rule change on February 4.

Facilities of the type proposed by Equine Elite must get approval from residents within three miles but an amendment requested by the company would reduce the distance to one mile, cutting many of the stakeholders out of the decision-making process.

The facility would hold up to 5,000 wild horses captured by the BLM and the BLM would pay Equine Elite an amount per horse for each day they are held. The horses would receive vaccinations and be transitioned to domestic life, according to a report posted this morning by the Cheyanne-based Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

With the funding of the ‘Path Forward’ in December and now with the loss of four HMAs in Wyoming, more corrals are needed to accommodate wild horses displaced from their home range—so their food can be sold to public-lands ranchers.

Western States Horse Expo Returns to Rancho Murieta

The Western States Horse Expo runs from May 7 to May 10 this year, at the Murieta Equestrian Center, twenty miles east of Sacramento, CA.

Refer to the preliminary schedule to see what’s planned. Tickets are $75 online for all four days or $20 online for one day.

Laramie County Planning Board Rejects Proposed Amendment

Commissioners voted 3 – 0 last week against a proposed rule change that would have decreased the setback distance around concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)from three miles to one mile. Refer to item 03 in the meeting minutes for details.

Residents near Burns, WY who opposed the large-scale holding facility still have a voice in the process.

The recommendation will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration. You can listen to the discussion starting at 36:30 in this recording.

The proposed CAFO would have a capacity of 5,000 wild horses—to be forced off their home range with thousands more if the disastrous ‘Path Forward‘ is put into practice.