Internet Wild Horse Auction and Divisive New Mustang Management Plan
03/07/2010
Onaqui herd near Dugway, Utah. Courtesy BLM
If your Internet-savvy kids have been begging for a pony, you might want to block the Bureau of Land Management’s website. The agency, which is responsible for wild horses and burros, is holding an online mustang auction beginning March 10. The animals up for bid go for a minimum $125 per horse ($250 for mare-foal pairs), and they’re currently living in the agency’s holding pens.
Big name celebs like singer Sheryl Crow have adopted mustangs. But Ms. Crow has joined a number of horse advocates in speaking out against Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s controversial new plan to try and decrease free-ranging wild horse populations. Essentially, the scheme calls for large-scale roundups. Despite protests, federal officers rounded up 2,500 wild horses in December; in February, land managers delayed another roundup of 600 more until after foaling season.
The conflict is set to come to a head on April 30, the Reno Gazette Journal reports. On that day, "a federal court will hear arguments from wild-horse advocates that the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management are violating the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act by rounding up horses and putting them in expensive holding facilities."
Alexa Schirtzinger reports on the issue, including the plan's inclusion of aggressive fertility control and managing sex ratios in free-roaming herds, in the March-April issue of Audubon:
On December 28, despite widespread protests and an unsuccessful lawsuit, the federal government launched a roundup of 2,500 wild horses in an attempt to keep the iconic animals’ numbers in check. Using helicopters, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials forced mustangs in Nevada into holding pens before putting them up for adoption or sending them to long-term federal corrals. While the agency has removed horses a few hundred at a time for decades, this latest move was part of an aggressive new strategy Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced in October 2009 to ramp up roundups and relocate two-thirds of the estimated 37,000 free-ranging horses in the West to newly constructed pens in the Midwest and East.
The BLM insists the approach is essential for managing feral herds, which can double their population in just four years. The creatures can wreak ecological havoc, stripping habitat of vegetation that other species, like sage grouse and pronghorn antelope, rely on, and exposing themselves to mass starvation (see “Horse Sense”). Furthermore, demand for mustang adoption has plummeted—from 5,700 in 2005 to fewer than 3,500 last year—creating a glut of 34,000 horses in BLM holding pens. “It’s mythology that horses will maintain their populations on their own,” says Brian Rutledge, director of Audubon Wyoming. “In that process we lose all the other sagebrush denizens.”
The proposed policy, which will cost $64 million and requires Congressional approval, has enraged some activists. Chasing horses with helicopters is “government-sponsored cruelty,” says Ginger Kathrens, head of horse advocacy group Cloud Foundation, who thinks the proposed “Sala-zoos” just constitute more costly pens for the free-ranging animals.
BLM spokesman Tom Gorey says the “more salient” aspect of Salazar’s plan involves addressing population growth rates at their source. By removing thousands of horses now, says Gorey, ultimately the agency won’t have to add to holding pens and will round up only as many mustangs as can be adopted. Financially, that’s crucial: Holding costs took up 70 percent of the $40.6 million BLM wild horse program budget last year.
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Protect our horses now from BLM ! GIVE THEM BACK THEIR LAND
Wild horses are not over populated or starving those are BLM LIES so they can remove them and replace them with 9 MILLION PRIVATE WELFARE CATTLE that destroy our public lands, wildlife and water and cost us up to 1 BILLION per year. Wild Horses are native to North America and are good for the land and grasses ( ask the National Acadamy of Sciences). The VERY CORRUPT and CRUEL BLM also COWARDLY ABUSES & profiteers off our beloved majestic Wild Horses, stealing over 24 million acres of land from them-their homes , and then routing them to brutal abuse at rodeos, imprisonment in feedlots, death in slaughter houses.NO MORE WILD HORSE ROUND UPS -SEND CORRUPT BLM THIEVES TO PRISON FOR KILLING OUR HORSES AND, BLATANT CORRUPTION, DESTROYING OUR LAND , WILDLIFE, AND WATER, LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND CONGRESS.
NO MORE BLM CORRUPT KILLERS-KILLING OUR WILD HORSES- PROTECT THEM NOW AND PROSECUTE BLM. Here is usual fraud by BLM - also there is no wild horse overpopulation-arrest these brutal corrupt liars !!!!
Protect our horses now from BLM ! GIVE THEM BACK THEIR LAND -NO PRESERVES IN MIDWEST OR EAST !
Wild wife associations must
Wild wife associations must take account for this. I feel bad about beautiful horses!links building management
Get a clue, Audubon!
Audubon Magazine, hmmm, I thought your solid reputation was one based in reporting fact. Seems I was wrong. Did you guys miss the science that proves America's wild horses evolved right here on this continent? Or the old theory that they migrated over the land bridge, became extinct here but were re-introduced by the Spanish 500 years ago? Or the very latest where an intact frozen foal was found in the Yukon from centuries ago and on which DNA studies prove horses have always remained here in America?
I am disgusted to see such a "prestigious" journal publish the tripe you've published here about FERAL horses. You could have only gotten that adjective from the BLM or the cattlemen's association. FYI there are no feral mustangs. They are wildlife, NATIVE wildlife, and they already meet several qualifications to be an endangered species.
Where did you folks get your journalism degrees? From the Cracker Jack box?
Fix your mistakes now! The ENDANGERED NATIVE WILD HORSES deserve at the very least that much from you.
Stop ROGUE BLM
The ongoing BLM propaganda of "excess" horses and range deterioration are getting old. Not only are the round ups cruel and inhumane, the mass stockpiling of mustangs must stop. The Obama administration must craft a new policy to protect these animals and uphold the will of Congress, who passed the 1971 act. BLM has removed over 270'000 horses from their Western home and taken over 20 million acres of wild horse habitat. The whining about water/range deterioration/starvation are a huge deceptive propaganda to maintain their mission to annihilate the mustangs from the West. Other interests such as mining, livestock and illegal land sales are the true motive. With over 260 million acres of vacant land managed by the BLM, it is highly questionable why they keep lying to the public. No one whines about cows starving. The restoration of true western sanctuaries in their rightful habitat with adequate water rights (not monopolized by ranchers) could be established, where the returned native horse has been restored and allowed to enhance the native ecosystem while keeping wildfired in check. Ecotourism such as this would boost the Western economy and no enormous subsidies will be needed, as is currently the case with the public land's livestock industry. BLM is deceiving the nation and betraying all of us. One would think your outfit would catch on to the misleading propaganda - if not... go here:
www.idausa.org, or www.thecloudfoundation.org
The truth is exposed slowly. Nationwide protests are showing that the American people will not just sit back and buy the lies anymore.
One would hope you join the ship.
Come on Audubon Magazine, EDUCATE YOURSELVES!
Research your subjects fully before sharing such biased BLM press release rubbish! It's evident to those of us who take the time to research and read all materials on this subject, when someone has only read BLM material. Feral animals, overpopulation, starvation and destruction of the range are the key word tip offs.
Have you watched any footage, or looked at any photos of the latest "gather"? Did you see hundreds of starving horses? If they're starving how can there be several 20 + year olds gathered? Did you know it has been stated by independent experts that the range is in the best condition it has ever been in? Do you realize how destructive cattle are to the range? Why do you think they need to rotate cattle?
Why does your article not mention the 100 + equine lives lost in the latest "gather", the Calico Catastrophe? Why do you not question the humane treatment of these horses, which are supposed to be protected by law? How about the broken necks, running off of hooves, spontaneous abortions.....
Senator Barbara Boxer recently asked Secretary Salazar: "What techniques are used to estimate wild horse and burro populations, assess the genetic viability of herds, and determine appropriate management levels? Has there been any independent verification of the BLM’s techniques or data to ensure that they are based in sound science?
How does BLM ensure the humane treatment of wild horses and burros during roundups and retention in holding facilities? Has there been any independent confirmation of the humaneness of the BLM’s treatment of these animals? Are there any alternative methods for rounding up the horses that might be less disruptive to these animals and possibly make them more suitable for adoption?"
SHAME ON YOU AUDUBON!! I will certainly cancel my membership and stop donations to support you
An example of biased, unresearched journalism
A "good" journalist's responsibility is to be the eyes, ears and voices of the public. People lose trust in magazines that print biased, unresearched articles, such as this.
Apparently, this journalist did not have the "balls" to cover this topic accurately and responsibly!!! Very disappointed in Audobon.
BLM: Fiscal Irresponsibility and Inhumane Practices
The BLM and Secretary Salazar play a broken record when they say the wild horses are "starving , multiplying like crazy, and need to be taken off the land." If that were the case, the healthy robust horses recently rounded up in the Calico Herd and other recent roundups must have been a real surprise! Your readers have a high expectation that you will verify science before publishing articles like this. The USGS Research (which Sec. Salazar announced before the Senate was the best science research group in the world), contradicts these fabrications--they verify that wild horses reproduce at a rate of 15-20%, depending on the severity of the environment. The USGS has also developed methods for the BLM (which they choose not to use) to complete population counts, within 95% accuracy. Instead the BLM continues fabricating inflated population numbers to justify removing excessive horses from the west. Equine geneticists have also concluded that the BLM is reducing herd sizes below genetic viability and more animals must be left in the herds to protect their future. The cruelty of these BLM roundups are barbaric at best, without concern for humane practices. Next time, use all the resources available for this complex issue, when discussing the wild horsees and burros that were protected by the 1971 Wild and Free Roaming Act, instead of taking for granted the BLM fabrications.
Get your story straight!
I live on the wild horse range and serve on one of the wildlife boards, so I'm getting more than a little tired of cluleless articles rife with errors.
This issue is not about internet adoptions, or removing all the horses, or letting the west be overrun with horses. It is basically about a complete departure from practical range science and about incompetent range management strategies.
By the way IDA didn't lose the Calico lawsuit as you reported. Judge Friedman lifted the stay on the gather in part of a negotiation where BLM agreed not to do anything with the bulk of the horses (e.g., geld the stallions) until final arguments could be heard.
One issue that is coming to light is that BLM appears to be using "soft" (made up) data from which their EAs and management strategies are derived. The agency is not fulfilling its monitoring obligations. Aside from potential adverse impacts on horses, wildlife and range ecology, this agency is spending millions of taxpayer dollars based on guesswork. And that's not even touching the slippery slope where range biologists say "cattle" and upper level bureaucrats say "horse" when assigning causes for range damage.
The chaotic performance of BLM in the Calico gather speaks volumes as to how incompetent and unduly influenced the management of our public lands have become. Some 700 horses they expected to gather apparently never existed. The mortality rate from this gather is atrocious. And the GAO reports that BLM's gathers don't materially help range conditions.
Secretary Salazar's latest and expensive "Salazoo" scheme is merely another distraction that will put off dealing with BLM's fundamental problems.
If you can't figure out what is really wrong with this picture, you need to get back to bird watching!
Wild Horses
Wild horses are a NATIVE SPECIES, as per DNA research by Drs. Fazio and Kirkpatrick. Since they evolved here over millions of years, they are a necessary and integral piece of the native ecology. They are actually beneficial to the range, as per research by renowned wildlife ecologist, Craig Downer. Welfare cattle vastly outnumber wild horses and they are degrading our public lands. BLM practices are cruel, inhumane and a colossal waste of millions of tax dollars. Furthermore, the welfare cattle grazing program cost the American taxpayer 123 million dollars last year. Your magazine needs to get the facts straight. I am very disappointed in this article. The horses were LEGALLY granted grazing rights and protection in 1971. BLM has already STOLEN over 20 million designated acres from them. They belong on the western range, not in "Salazoos" back east, where rich grass will cause them to develop metabolic syndrome and laminitis. Remove the privately owned cattle and leave OUR American wild horses alone.
BLM Out of Control
Plans to put wild horses into zoos, as planned by Secretary Salazar, is like something out of the dark ages. Unbelievable. Now, selling them online to people who do not have a clue as to how to deal with a wild horse opens up all sorts of NEW problems for an agency who can't manage these wild herds as it is. The BLM just keeps getting worse and worse. How far does it have to go?
The horses gathered at the Calico Complex keep on dying in captivity. Every day we read of new moralities. The horses are not designed for the stress of gathers and change in diet. Of course they are going to keep dying.
The BLM NEEDS TO BE STOPPED. Give back the nearly 20 million acres to these horses!
Why not put cows where the grass grows?
No one is talking about the difference it's going to make to pasture the mustangs on good grass and non-abrasive pastures. No one has talked about how many farriers are going to be needed to keep these ponies in a natural trim. No one is talking about the metabolic problems that are going to happen when you take some mustangs and put them on pasture.
It is going to cost a whopping amount of money to keep them where they don't live.
Might be better to just spay and neuter them and turn 'em back out. Put some cows on that pasture.
BLM and Wild Horses
I have always had such respect for Audobon magazine. How can you print information that goes out to so many people that are "nature friendly" and not have all the facts? Tsk Tsk, shame on you.
Wild Horses, Our Partners
Regrettably, I am now ashamed of this country because of the heartless and barbaric treatment of horses that has been allowed here. This is against the will of the people, who are citizens and taxpayers. Without horses this country could not have survived. Horses provided all transportation, the pony express, wagon trains, helped in wars and many other things were all provided by the willing help of horses, who were our partners. Our pact with them was that they would never be slaughtered. Horses are highly intelligent, sensitive, and courageous, yet now we have the unscrupulous and conscienceless entrepreneurs who are the enemies of horses and enemies of Americans who do not want horses harmed. There is little left to admire in a country where horses have become pawns where they are slaughtered, abused, run to death, and put in small pens to satisfy greed, avarice and private agendas. Our leaders of the past were admired and respected. Now we view our Congress, our government agencies, and we see for the most part that there are FEW heroes. This is not only sad for our country, but for our children and grandchildren, who will never have the enjoyment of having pride and trust in our leaders and in our country.
The United States of America has been permanently tarnished by the actions recently perpetrated on horses by the BLM and by those who have pushed for slaughter of horses. In my view only people with depraved hearts could have visited this evil on horses and on the citizens of this country.
Horses are a Native species!
Wow, Auduban do you do any field research???
How could they miss the miles of fencing (majority deadly wire) that holds the wild horses in to small ranges and many times fences OFF water.?
How did they miss the 6 million 12 dollar a year! welfare cattle leases?
Have they not watched the difference between cattle and wild horses as they used their land and water.?
It's nuts that they can't see or understand the facts about the BLM sham!
The BLM has had internet adoptions for over 5 years. The BLM does NOT have enough adoptions! Every facility should have several mustangs ready to adopt, with the public welcome to visit daily! There should be thousands of mustangs listed online on the BLM website! If the BLM wants to adopt mustangs STOP HIDING THEM FROM THE PUBLIC!! I demand 24/7 live webcams on every single BLM facility and holding area and round-up!
Get the facts BEFORE you publish
Please do the necessary research on a subject BEFORE you publish an article in your magazine!!!! There are 2 sides to this situation, and once again, only one is presented as "fact."
Ignorant horse hating Liars Ted Williams& Eric Campbell
Wow Ol Ted Williams& Eric Campbell are ol horse hating buddies-"They should shoot horses, shouldn't they?"
- From the December 11, 2006 issue of High Country News
By Ted Williams. Ahh more like a pack of lies ! They are just like the BLM -horse hating bold faced liars who only serve the cattle industry. The saddest part is that people like this are so corrupt and have reeked astronomical damage to our land, wildlife and water as well as inflicting brutal cruel abuse to our National Treasure, our wild horses and burros. With so many honest competent Americans why haven't we cleaned out the corrupt BLM liars that have illegally and brutally destroyed over 100 herds of wild horses and routed them them to slaughter houses and replaced them them with MILLIONS of private welfare cattle that actually DO WRECK THE RANGE & WATER & WILDLIFE. These lying cowards should be dealt with as we did in the past to Cowardly lying stealing horse thieves-string em up to the nearest trees-if there any left on our public lands with BLM cattle co's "management".
Where is the next generation?
The BLM states on their web site, as of Sept 2009, that there are almost 37,000 wild horses on BLM land (actually America's land). The BLM has not submitted proof of accuracy of these numbers and many people think that the number is way less, perhaps only 15,000 to 20,000 wild horses (and only 2,000-3,000 burros). The BLM's goal is to remove 12,000 horses and burros during calendar year 2010. Their plan for 2011 is to remove another 11,000. Doing simple math, that would leave only 14,000 wild horses and burros in 2012. What is the BLM's round up plan for 2012 and 2013? Keeping on their same pattern, it looks painfully obvious that there will soon be ZERO wild horses and burros out there. A complete loss of America's last symbol of the west...a lost part of our culture and history. NO!.....The American public will NOT stand for this. And groups like Audubon and the Sierra Club (all obviously NOT caring for this country's wildlife) is turning a blind eye to this reality? You want to save wildlife? Stand up for America's wild horses and burros! Oh yes, and while it is important to help save sage grouse and antelope, is it really necessary that the state of Nevada does aerial shooting of coyotes this winter/spring (do a google search, the info is on the state of NV's web site) to help protect other animals like the sage grouse and antelope and deer, that only we deem worthy? I think it's time some REAL wildlife associations step forward.
BLM 'Managing Wild Horses To Extinction'
While BLM officials, lawmakers and the White House dodge this controversy -- America's wild horses (and burros) are being sacrificed at an alarming rate -- their gene pools decimated and extinguished -- not just due to aggressive, brutal roundups, but endocrine disruption by PZP contraceptives as well. Not to mention the practice of sending thousands of "3 Strikes" mustangs to the Sales Authority, destined for slaughter, no doubt. Perhaps it's a myth that the horses are being stockpiled -- it's more like they've already been shipped over the border to overseas markets. These are intelligent equines -- yet they are regarded as "livestock." We are not only in danger of losing the mustang as a living, viable American icon -- we're losing our moral compass as a nation if we let this brutal carnage continue.
Wild horses and BLM mismanagement
Why, exactly, does the Dept of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management REALLY want the wild horses and burros off our public lands? Could it have anything to do with the Ruby Pipeline, owned by an oil and gas conglomerat in Texas, or the uranium and gold mineral rights being opposed by the Shoshone Nation, or the cattle land leases which allows welfare ranching on public lands, or big energy corporations who are seeking large energy grills in inacessible places under the title of national security or the international safari hunters inc. who want privacy to do "canned trophy"hunting or other greedy land grabbers who have so far syphioned off 2.5 million acres that by law belonged to the American wild horses. I could go on but this is the field of a serious scientific journal like I use to think Audaborn was. Maybe now that these issues are presented to you , you will delve deeper into WHY the BLM really wants the Wild horses off our public lands. I hope you do.
OUR MUSTANGS WERE STOLEN
Ken Salazar and Bob Abbey are cattlemen. There are 7.5 million cattle grazing on public lands. Which by the way, the GAO says is degrading the PUBLIC lands. No one knows how many mustangs and burros are left. We are only given the sketchy ever changing figures the BLM provides. We do know that after the recent deadly Calico roundup only nine horses were left on those ranges, hardly a genetically viable herd on 550,000 acres! But cattle grazing leases increased by 300% on those same ranges. Let's talk about the toll on the captured, 108 dead and rising, broken legs, necks, spines, miscarriages, hoof slough, and metabolic breakdown. Not to mention the families ripped apart and terror and torture these majestic creatures have been subjected to. THE CONTRACTOR HIRED BY BLM, CATOOR, WAS CONVICTED IN 1992 FOR HUNTING WILD HORSES AND TAKING THEM TO SLAUGHTER IN TEXAS. The taxpayers paid these criminals 1.9 million dollars to STEAL OUR MUSTANGS PROTECTED BY THE FRWHBA of 1971. AS A TAXPAYING, VOTING AMERICAN CITIZEN, I DEMAND THE RESIGNATION OF SALAZAR AND ABBEY AND A FULL INVESTIGATION AND CHARGES OF ANIMAL ABUSE, NEGLECT, TORTURE, THEFT, AND NEPA VIOLATIONS BE BROUGH AGAINST THEM AND OTHER BLM PERSONNEL AND CATOOR. A top to bottom clean-up of the BLM is necessary with full consideration given to the protection of our wild and native mustangs and intended by Congress. I am so fed up with federal agencies working towards their own agendas with no regard for the law, the land, the wildlife, and the American public. A clean sweep is long overdue.
Reply to "Our Mustangs are Stolen"
Your comments are very brilliant and totally true in all aspects, in my opinion. The brutal treatment of those beautiful horses was criminal, and so far as I am concerned the persons responsible should be tried in a court of law and punished to the full extent of the law. A government agency has no right to run horses with helicopters, killing some of them, confining them in small pens where they trample each other in fear, and to refuse to allow the public to witness what is done to the horses. I find that unlawful and criminal. Also, a Judge advised them against running the horses, but they barbarically continued this outrageous destruction of innocent horses who were doing very well. Contrived lies used to justify what was done to horses should be exposed. This is absolutely the most heinous behavior of any government agency in the history of this nation, and will forever be a blight on this country.
Still the BLM appear to conceal their actions toward the horses whom they now have confined in small pens where they are blocked from view of the public. And yes, it definitely appears to be collusion with cattlemen and ranchers, and I am quite sure Salazar did not expect the concern from civilized citizens of this country, and thousands of letters of protest were IGNORED by the BLM, although they are nothing but public servants paid by us, the taxpayers. They take the liberty of killing colts, mares and of crippling and causing illness in horses so cattle belonging to ranchers could roam on more land? Horses are run off their homeland by helicopters, killing colts and mares, while cattle are allowed more grazing room? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS HEINOUS PICTURE? Since when do government agencies commit such outrageous atrocities, and why are certain persons pretending to be pro-horse when they are actually doing all possible to head horses toward slaughter? I don't even know this country anymore when people run rampant with such destructive and unacceptable motives.
Wild Horses and Burros are indeed NATIVE to NA!!
The past comments are correct. Millions of years ago Equus evolved from North America. They spread throughout Asia and Europe across land bridges. During the late Pleistocene we lost them in NA and then 500 years ago the Spanish re-introduced a species that we had previously lost. If we are not careful we are going to lose them again.
HORSE NONSENSE
The people we usually rely on for good science have published a "Nonsense" article on wild horses. The "last" North American horse and the modern horse compared with elephants and mammoths? DNA studies on frozen mammoths indicate that mammoths and elephants last shared a common ancestor around 6 million years ago (about the same as humans and chimpanzees).
The last "native" horses in North America were the same exact Genus and species as the modern horse - Equus caballus. Burros (however cute), are not native and are a different species. Burro's evolved from a common ancestor of horses in Eurasia, are a different species and were never here until the recent introduction by the Spanish.
Results of DNA studies from Alaska permafrost published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America in 2009 says that horses may have survived here as recently as 7,500 years ago. I took photographs of the 26,000 year old horse skeleton found in northern Nevada and sent them off to a horse genetic expert who said it appeared to be Equus caballus. While undoubtably a different subspecies, the two could have produced viable offspring. The plant communities have not changed that much in Nevada in the last 10,000 years, except by the introduction of many invasive Eurasian plants by our ancestors.
Ulysses S. Grant noted that in 1845- 46 that a super abundance of game including deer, antelope and wild turkeys were co-existing with a massive wild horse herd that was comparable in size to the buffalo herds before their near extinction. Only native Americans lived in the same area, no Euroamericans and their livestock. BLM employs "faulty science," that is politically motivated. Their "science" does not hold up.
Blm is Mismanaging Spanish Mustangs
I can not believe that the BLM has lead you both astray with their fairy tales of destructions and havoc! Audubon and Smithsonian should talk to someone who knows how Mustangs live and die.
I have seen where horses have been feeding and have seen where cattle have been feeding. The horses don't wreck areas like a cow can. Cows will eat and eat and eat, sagebrush, native grasses and even cactus! Sometimes the range cows will walk around for days with pieces cactus sticking them around the mouth and face!
I have seen how cows trample the ground around watering troughs and feeders. I had range cattle come down my driveway and totally flip water tanks off of their stands and throw water everywhere. Mustang herds take turns when drinking.
The BLM keeps talking about how horses reproduce in four years.
Mustangs are PG for 11 months. Cattle are PG for only 9 months and will often have twin calves. You know, how cattle just lay around chewing their cud and pooping everywhere? Mustangs don't do that.
The Mustangs move around and by doing so they will help keep the wild gamebird's eggs alive. There are snakes, small wild cats, big birds, coyotes, etc, that love to eat bird eggs. When the Mustangs walk through the grasses the snakes will leave the area where the gamebirds have their nest. Saving the eggs to live and grow up. Mr. Rancher and Mr. Treehugger should WANT to have the Mustangs on the rangelands.
Mustangs will probably save a life someday, by blazing a trail in the snow to find food, digging a hole in a pond covered with ice or a dried up spring to get a drink of water, pawing the snow off of feed, and Mustangs, even do gardening for the wildlands. They will leave seeds and planting nutrition in their poop. Mustangs are smarter than cows, the BLM, DOI and the USFS.
Audubon and Smithsonian please talk to a real wild horse expert before writing anymore "stories" about the Mustang Horse.
Spirits of unconditional love
I support views of PBS and Executive Director of the Cloud Foundation, as well as Ginger Kathrens views as my views for these pristine centurions. I will continue to assist this Wild Horse and speak of Wild Horses as companions, as history and to connection to our spirits of unconditional love.
Will man break their ancient bond with history ~ time will only tell. I truly hope NOT!! Wild Horses are not (hobby horses to be tossed in a cart when we are done with their use.)
I don’t understand why we always abuse them, destroy them or ship them.
We do as humans do, we disservice things we love to later build a statue to a beautiful memory to the past. We cannot let the spirit of the West to be put out or down.
Maybe Wild Horses are just to be looked at and we uphold a value of trust, courage, pride we will allow an animal to set the pace for ethical values rather humans weaknesses and destruction.
Sincerely Barbara Ellen Ries
Oh my!
Wow... LOL this is quite the varied array of opinions. I like it!
I originally clicked on the link to this story just to check it out and see what others not in the "immediate circle" of this issue were writing about it. Great article by the way.
I would like to invite anyone who is wanting to learn more about this issue and the horses in general over to The Mustang Project's Blog on Wordpress. There seems to be quite a few in the comments above who are calling for research and education.
Personally, I am a Natural Horsemanship and Equus Trainer and Instructor. I've been doing this type of training most of my life, but professionally for about 15-17 years. I've also been to Fallon and seen the horses removed during the 2010 Calico Gather - for myself, with my own eyes, just to be sure... I've gotta say, there are a lot of miscommunications going around the net and print.
T.
What exactly are the
What exactly are the miscommunications going around the net and print, in your opinion?
More propaganda
It wasn't "federal officers" that rounded up the Calico mustangs, it was the contractor, Catoor. In 1992 David Catoor was convicted for hunting wild mustangs and taking them to slaughter in Texas. Our tax dollars paid this criminal $1.9 million to literally STEAL OUR MUSTANGS WITH NO REGARD FOR THEIR SAFETY OR LIVES. The death toll is over 120 and rising daily while these horses languish in captivity. Salazar, BLM officials, and Catoor should be prosecuted for cruelty, torture, and theft of OUR mustangs.
No one knows how many are left in the wild, that's why we want a moratorium on the roundups and independent analysis based on science and not special interests like cattle "welfare" ranchers, miners, and known horse killer convicts.
By the way, check the GAO 2008 report on land degradation and report who the real culprit is! Not the mustangs. Hard to believe that a supposed credible source such as Audubon can't even get their facts straight.
never mistake take the "BLM's official word" for the truth.
It is only "Bureau Speak" and spin to make their work seem acceptable.
BLM
The Bureau of Lying Managers
no
Seriously mustangs are a rare breed! i am 16 years old and have not seen one yet and i really want to! quit catching them and let them repopulate the earth on there own. If people keep catching them like they are.. there wont be any left for future generations to see...and i know me along with many others want to see a real wild mustang herd running free....that's my dream. And by catching them that eliminates my dream along with others. They were the first horses..it would be a shame to see them disapeer from the earth. let them run and be free... they were ment to be that way.
BLM tries to lie the world.
BLM tries to lie the world. Whatever it says in favour of its argument is all lie and lie. Such nasty wild plans have already wiped out large number of species from this earth. It is heartening to listen so many voices raised against the proposal to auction the wild horses. This should never be allowed to happen at any cost. It is good that this site has published this article for public information and we hope that they should be working towards preserving the flora and fauna, especially the wild animal. Thanks for the information.Wireless Fence For Dogs
I am at one with horse
I am at one with horse advocates in speaking out against Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s controversial new plan to try and decrease free-ranging wild horse populations. We must fight without ceasing against the land sharks like Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Wild horse is an endangered species, there is no doubt about it. We must raise our voices and spread the message through all the possible channels against the heinous move to eliminate our beautiful helpless creatures. Thanks for the information.bowflex treadclimber
Wild horses are our national
Wild horses are our national properties. They add to the beauty of our flora and fauna. It is our utmost duty to protect them not destroy them for the petty selfish motives of a few. They cook ugly stories against them to suit their mischievous designs. It is our duty to remain vigil and raise our voice in the right forums to save them. thanks for the information.office cleaning service
The BLM has had internet
The BLM has had internet adoptions for over 5 years. The BLM does NOT have enough adoptions! Every facility should have several mustangs ready to adopt, with the public welcome to visit daily! There should be thousands of mustangs listed online on the BLM website! If the BLM wants to adopt mustangs STOP HIDING THEM FROM THE PUBLIC!! I demand 24/7 live webcams on every single BLM facility and holding area and round-up!
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BLM
The BLM has had internet adoptions for over 5 years. The BLM does NOT have enough adoptions! Every facility should have several mustangs ready to adopt, with the public welcome to visit daily! There should be thousands of mustangs listed online on the BLM website! They are actually beneficial to the range, as per research by renowned wildlife ecologist, Craig Downer. Welfare cattle vastly outnumber wild horses and they are degrading our public lands. BLM practices are cruel, inhumane and a colossal waste of millions of tax dollars. Furthermore, the welfare cattle grazing program cost the American taxpayer 123 million dollars last year. 70-515
I wonder what's next on the net?
I guess anything can be sold over the internet now days, with the speed of the internet geting faster, soon we will be able to do live shopping with the web cam and get the items delivered to our door! Now is it good or bad thing really for us?
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These are the most beautiful
These are the most beautiful horses on the planet. Everybody should see them close up it is amazing. I do not think this auction is a good idea at all. These horses need to be wild. magic jack reviews
good article
Now you make it easy for me to understand and implement the concept. Thank you for the post..
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thanx 4 sharing this
thanx 4 sharing this article
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I just love these horses.
I just love these horses. There is nothing prettier then these horses. I would love to be a part of this auction. I want to get a few of them for my farm.
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The BLM does NOT have enough
The BLM does NOT have enough adoptions! Every facility should have several mustangs ready to adopt, with the public welcome to visit daily! There should be thousands of mustangs listed online on the BLM website! Thanks
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Seriously mustangs are a
Seriously mustangs are a rare breed! i am 16 years old and have not seen one yet and i really want to! quit catching them and let them repopulate the earth on there own. If people keep catching them like they are.. there wont be any left for future generations to see...and i know me along with many others want to see a real wild mustang herd running free....that's my dream. And by catching them that eliminates my dream along with others. They were the first horses..it would be a shame to see them disapeer from the earth.Regards, Thanzzz...!!!max studio shoes
Every facility should have
Every facility should have several mustangs ready to adopt, with the public welcome to visit daily! There should be thousands of mustangs listed online on the BLM website! bird spikes
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This is a nice post in an
This is a nice post in an interesting line of content.
Thanks for sharing this article, great way of bring this topic to discussion.
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