Story by Maureen Harmonay ~ Equine Advocacy Examiner
The Bulk of BLM Wild Horse Deaths Occur AFTER the Stampede
Editor’s Note: “This story bears enough timely importance that we reprinted it in it’s entirity in an effort to futher Maureen’s reach and spread of this grim news. Please stop by Maureen’s Examiner site (HERE) to render further comment on this reoccurring, unnecessary and inhumane tragedy.”
More BLM abuse and cruelty at Antelope Stampede; bloodied and terrorized wild mustang ~ photo by Laura Leigh
Behind the closed doors of the BLM’s Indian Lakes Road holding facility near Fallon, Nevada, pneumonia is suddenly claiming an alarming number of wild horses. During the week ending February 4th, 12 horses perished in the short-term holding pens known as “Broken Arrow”; eight of them were yearling victims of “secondary pneumonia.” Upper respiratory disease has been rampant among the young horses confined at Broken Arrow since last June, and now it’s attacking the latest arrivals, whose immune systems are at their most vulnerable.These were otherwise healthy horses who were recently stampeded off their expansive ranges and captured in the dead of winter, as part of the just-concluded Eagle and Callaghan Complex roundups in Nevada. A total of 850 wild horses from these roundups were shipped directly to the Indian Lakes Road feedlot. According to the BLM’s own reports, at least 37 of them are now dead, with 32 of these fatalities having occurred in the six weeks since the beginning of the year.
In a repeat of the pattern that emerged at the same facility after last year’s Calico Complex roundup, other horses are starting to die or be “euthanized” as a result of what the BLM’s veterinarian characterizes as “hyperlipemia,” a condition of metabolic and liver failure caused by the extreme stress of the helicopter chase, entrapment, and ongoing captivity. Four of the horses who died at Indian Lakes Road in recent weeks were deemed to have perished from this roundup-related condition.
The BLM and its contractors like to pat themselves on the back by citing artificially deflated “gather mortality rates” in the vicinity of 1%. Indeed, in its press release announcing the conclusion of the Callaghan Complex roundup earlier this week, the BLM boasted that the gather-related mortality rate was .8%. But that’s deceptive. The true cost in equine lives is much, much higher than that. It’s dishonest to count only the horses whose lives were cut short at a trap site. The ones who fall in their wake are victims, too.
Video and Photos by Laura Leigh of Grass Roots Horse
Related Articles
- Gutsy Nevada Sheriff Investigates Obama’s BLM Wild Horse Cruelty Reports (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- NV Congresswoman Speaks Out on Obama BLM Animal Cruelty at Wild Horse Stampede (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Recognized Wild Horse Expert Adds More to Obama’s BLM Dunce List (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Cloud Foundation Demands BLM Call Off Massive Winter Mustang Roundup (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Congressman Dan Burton Tramples Wasteful Wild Horse Program (animals.change.org)
- Obama’s BLM Wild Horse Helicopter Attacks and Contacts Horses AGAIN! (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Obama Administration Continues Acts of Animal Cruelty at Antelope Wild Horse Stampede (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
Categories: Horse Health, Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This is unnecessary cruelty. This is a disgrace. Stop terrorising and killing the wild horses.
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This information is not surprising but that does not make it any less sickening and uselessly tragic for these horses that were cruelly ripped from their home ranges only to have their lives cut short by the uncaring ignorance of man. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THIS TO BE HAPPENING, plenty of excuses from the BLM but no valid reasons! Why won’t they listen to their own veterinary and modify their operations accordingly? If they were as concerned about the horses as they publicly proclaim themselves to be this kind of circumstance could have been avoided. Every one of these sub-humans involved all the way up to the top must be held accountable, in one way or another, and made to stop what they are doing.
Thank you Maureen for putting this out to help combat the cold-hearted lies the BLM spoon feeds to an unknowing public.
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Dear Wambli Okiye, I received a return phone call from Dean Bolsted I have spoken to him several times over the past few years ,He is the only one there that is willing to discuss The Wild Mustangs and try to resolve , There is a peculiar incident that we talked about it was the one where before a round up horses were trucked away by other then the BLM , I would like to find that on here it wasnt to long ago…..Do you remember about that !!!!! We talked about all the issues with the Extreme Abused By SUNJ pilots , funny though what ever you say to any of them there return reply in so many words or less is you need to show proof of what you say , My reply is if you need proof , just refer to the Computer it is all there……
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Howdy Arlene …. Regarding Bolstad: Even though he at least had the courtesy to return your call he was obviously blocking out what you were trying to convey. He, like so many other BLM bureaucrats, has been in the system toooo long and has acquired the typical mindset that WE work for THEM instead of the other way around. To tell you we must furnish the proof behind our claims or they can’t do anything about them is wrong. The overwhelming proof is readily available and they know that, they just refuse to acknowledge or take responsiblity for their gross blunders and the damage being inflicted on those they are supposed to by law be taking care of. It is part of the BLM’s job to police its own operations and ensure they are adhereing to all applicable laws but they are not doing that and appear to be putting more effort into covering up what they are doing than trying to correct any part of it. I think bolstad is fairly high up in the food chain so even if “it is not his job” to get out in the field and see for himself I would think he has enough authority to jump start some of those vaunted Equine Specalists we are paying good money to and get them out in the field actually doing their jobs. If they do not know what their job is they should be fired and replaced by ones that do know and will do it. I am willing to venture from what I have seen and read that many of us writing our hearts out to the BLM and Congress, etc., and on this and other web sites have more horse sense and knowledge in one of our little fingers than all of their equine specialists put together. Plus that we actually CARE! In fact, in my poor humble opinion, (okay, so I’ve never had one of those) every person that has been or is now involved with these stampedes, traps, hauling, injuring, killing or allowing to die of sickness or for any other cause outside of old age, should be fired. Contracts should be cancelled immediately (congress can do that) and operations other than returning horses to the ranges they were taken from should cease. And then there should be a whole pile of them prosecuted for what they have done. I know, dream on, that is not likely to happen soon enough if at all.
They seem to think they are untouchable, above the law, because they are part of the sacred, all powerful federal establishment. But they are not and they are pushing, pushing, pushing way too hard on this. If they keep on there will be a breaking point and it probably won’t be pretty. I apologize for getting carried away but they are going too far. WO
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Arlene …. Forgot to mention that I had not heard of the incident where horses may have been hauled by other than BLM contractors actaully prior to the start of a stampede. It it is true then there is a good chance those horses are no longer alive. I am afraid there is much going on in secret that Laura or other observers never see.
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Wambi;
The BLM has been in the business of “getting rid” of wild horses via the slaughter pipeline for decades. They are a grazing, cattle agency and the horses have always been in the way. Look at their mainstream helicopter contractor, Dave Cattoor who was indicted for illegally chasing wild horses by helicopter and then selling them off to slaughter and LOOK who he works for. Do you think if you had a Federal record like that the government would hire you, not on your life, but Cattoor is one of the good old BLM boys.
How about the three strikes rule where wild horses who are not adopted during three “alleged” adoptions are then sold off for only 25 bucks a piece with no follow up. Who do you think are buying those horses. Hundreds of thousands of horses have been ripped from their rightful home and are then cruelly butchered for their meat. And it still goes on, today…hence, we need a moratorium on this madness and a qualified consortium of professionals to scientifically assess the numbers and the current situation while putting together another group to handle the wild horse and burro situation instead of the BLM. Their corruption runs way too deep and has for way too long. They have to go.
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Holding a strong and informed stance against what is going on is essential. We have all said this many times. In the power we have it is within our rights to keep calling for the resignations of these responsible BLM employees. I think telling a company man or woman they are wrong is very difficult to do. But tell them they are putting career and pension on the line and some may be more willing to hear us.
If they ignore us they think they take power from us. If we do not allow that to stop us we hold on for the lives of our wild ones that are at stake- We own our power, folks. We do outnumber the BLM! mar
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Dear Wambli Okyie, All those things you said in answer to me , its really funny cause I said all those things to Dean Bolsted (almost like you were there )… The Attitude they have there is exactly like we work for them………………….After speaking to him, after I thought about all we talked about, in that conversation, I dont believe there is anything that will change them, only a extremely rude awaking will even touch them there, This sad very sad, When i told him that no horse coming off the range is ill or thin until they are at the BLM holding ……..Disease is running ramp-id This is exactly what they want to inilate them forever at all there facilities, the ones that dont die from disease , are castrated never to produce again………..There death and destruction Plan is fulfilled in 5 yrs…………… Wambli there is only one way to save them now if it is not to late and both of us know what that is…………………..Every other avenue takes to long , enough that it wont matter to them or accomplish anything……….. Their mission is already set in place ,now they dont not care what takes place with pilots, it is now all a game for them… question is what needs to take place now is eminent…………………
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Dear Wambli Okiye , Sadly there will be no Beautiful Phoenix to rise from the ashes the BLM will leave behind in its quest to destroy the Wild Mustangs and The Freedom that they Represent unless they can be stopped……………
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Arlene, again very well said and too true. Once this immoral and illegal program is completed, we will have all lost an irrecoverable national treasure. It goes beyond sad. They MUST be stopped! Even now it is nearly too late to preserve healthy and viable breeding populations. 😦
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WO, No matter the condition of the herds we can do recovery and new management aimed at an ongoing restoration of family bands. It may take years but then, management could be customized for every home range and plans carried out to
support our wild ones properly. They are not lost. mar
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Remember that YOUR First Amendment rights are at stake here. All of Us are denied access to our wild horses as soon as the BLM has them off range. Only adopters can get near them or Sale Authority buyers.
If we can observe our wild horses anytime on an HMA but the moment they are removed by BLM they become Top Secret. This does not jive.
Please support the the costs for court by Grass Roots Horse and Terry and RT Fitch at Habitat For Horses Advisory Council. Please make a donation today, no matter how small!! mar
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The mahem and horse murders have to stop. When will someone in the administration have the guts to stand up and do the right thing for all the wild horses and burros – AND make heads roll at BLM – everyone who had anything to do with the inhumane practices and everyone who turned the other way while it happened.
ONE incident is too many. But, look at the trail of innocent victims they have left.
I know all of us here want accountablilty, and want the whole thing stopped!
(Sorry for the rant… just get so furious, and have to vent or explode.)
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From reports out of Nevada the horses were not sorted. Advocates had been asking about strangles and worried for new horses off the range and potential adoption horses and the spread of this. Sick horses were not removed from general population weeks ago. This is what can happen. This should have been prevented. mar
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Dear Mar !!! You are so right here !!!!!!
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We need to be seeing our horses at Broken Arrow/Indian Lakes. This has all gone on long enough. We need to know our horses and track them. We need to know how many die. We need to know we can be of help! mar
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That is what Grass Roots Horse and Laura Leigh Silver King lawsuit is all about, getting these doors open ! and even more…….
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Right, Maureen. This is the spot we are all in together… fighting for our rights as Laura’s suits are doing and as observers are trying to do at roundups. You are only as free as you are willing to fight to be. mar
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Lawsuits are fine when there is time and should be supported and pursued cxzds. However, they can take a long time to work through the system and all the while, everyday more horses are being injured physically and psychologically, even killed. Even if the courts eventually decide the BLM must allow more free access to OUR land and OUR herds, the BLM will invent ways to get around it. They are very good at that sort of thing, lots of practice.
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…and they take not only a lot of time, but a lot of money, trust me. You might hear us squawking, soon. But we are trying to hold off and keep the focus on supporting Laura in the field.
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Lawsuits are fine when there is time and should be supported and pursued.
However, they can take a long time to work through the system and all the while, everyday more horses are being injured physically and psychologically, even killed. Even if the courts eventually decide the BLM must allow more free access to OUR land and OUR herds, the BLM will invent ways to get around it. They are very good at that sort of thing, lots of practice.
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Thank you RT for saying that, too! We will be waiting for your first squawk… would be nice to head it off tho’ maybe someone will win the lottery… sweet dreams, mar
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The disastrous Calico round-up was conducted by the BLM on private land and the public was not allowed to observe. THE PUBLIC NEEDS ACCESS TO THIS FACILITY
BLM to Conduct Final Public Tours at Indian Lakes Wild Horse Facility
Reno, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host two final public tours of the Indian Lakes Holding Facility in Fallon, Nev., on June 3 and June 10.
The public will have the opportunity to view the privately-owned and operated facility and the excess wild horses that were gathered from the Calico Mountains Complex last winter.
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I see a lot of new Dodge trucks, $45,000 each. My rescue has struggled six years to pay off our used 2003 Dodge and a new one is out of the question. The round up men seem well outfitted in their Carharts, my imitation one is 5 years old. Ya seems one aspect of the horse business is profitable. My rescue relies solely on the donations of hard working people that choose to donate. The BLM relies on the taxes of hard working people who chose not to. Guess that is the new meaning of Freedom in this country, a country that jails, kills, and terrorizes its very symbol. And yet our president is the one person who should understand that word more than anyone. Are we all having a nightmare someware in the Twilight Zone?
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Those Dodge trucks cost peanuts compared to brand new helicopters.
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just rounding up the mustangs in the cold of winter itself is animal cruelty. EVERYONE knows u don’t just run the hell out of horses just to let them stand around, sweating, terrified & horribly traumatized. these people of the BLM must be held accountable. we must keep trying to find a listening ear in the government somehow, somewhere. this is just inexcusable……
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Ms. Harmonay:
Thank you for collecting and publishing this data…as disgusting as it is, it is important. Thanks to all the warriors for the equines, wild and domestic.
This tragedy just gets sicker and sicker for any moral and just human mind to fathom.
President Obama…you are trillions in the hole. You can begin to correct the red ink (and equine blood letting) by gutting DOI and USDA budgets mudering equines….just for starters!
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The Obama administration does not care what happens to the horses or other animals or people. It’s simply because the United States, as we used to know it, is no longer. Ask yourself…… what has our government done right? How many other causes are there that have gone on for years with continued harm to people or animals without proper resolution? Why are there 500,000 cars imported from S. Korea and only 5,000 cars exported to SKorea. Why are there 15,000 Korean car dealerships in the US and only 1 U.S.car dealership, Ford, in S Korea. We have diplomats doing a tough business man’s job. Our total country is failing. Why would anything be done for our wild horses. We have and will of course talk ourselves to death, cry and be depressed while our horses are dying in captivity. I am not calling for any violence BUT I sure think slapping these stupid politians multiple times, kicking their arses with a pointed toe of a boot, withhold ANY and ALL medical treatment for themselves, their families and children, besides, they really should not be breeding in the first place… after all what good are their offspring, it just adds to the population explosion. So, to continue.. take them out of their cushy environment, make em’ run with no forgiveness as to their well being etc, they are after all just fattened soft politicians… put them on hard dirt in the rain and snow and freezing temps, stand around on the railings of their holding pens and watching their soft skin develop frostbite, toes and other digits rot off. Really to me this is not abuse and will not be related to any politian roundup because …this is some of the things that… oh well just happen. I don’t see ANYTHING abusive in this at all, it’s all quite neccesary. Oh by the way, the females will be implanted with birth control from quite a distance away and I certainly would personally enjoy cutting a few of the ‘NUTS” out of this world (without sedation, pain meds or antibiotics. Jeez, they’re just politicians, do they really have feelings?). I know folks, I’m just having a nightMare, because this great country of ours has been built on the premise that the people elect people to serve the people.
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There ain’t no money!
Start cutting with the programs that have problems…BIG problems!
The US may not be what it once was or should be, but it is still a land of hope and dreams, kindness and giving with tons of potential.
BTW…what “it used to be” had tons of ugly and problems with it too. I think we are money/special interest STALLED.
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Wasn’t the reason for closing these facilities to the public is because it was making it too hard for them to do their jobs? Doesn’t look like to me they are doing their jobs. 12 deaths in a week? I think they’d be smart to spend a little more on the post round up end and stop dumping all the money on reckless helicopter pilots and incompetent round up contractors.
One vet? For hundreds of horses? Really? I wonder how many Honey Bandits and Little Feathers are starving and suffering without someone there to point them out to this hack vet.
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PS These facilities with large influxes of wild animals needs a veterinary TEAM. Did they earmark any of the additional funding they requesting for additional veterinary staff? Wonder why not. Perhaps a wild horse death is a victory to them.
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Yes, and where are those BLM apologists from last year, who shall remain nameless, but who we all know..who insisted the wild horses at Calico holding were dying because of interference from advocates..While we are being locked out of Indian Lakes the same thing is occurring..Where are those “Silent” traitors today, who pack water for the BLM and clean their outhouses??? You so called advocates, are the enabelers of the sadistic and cruel policies continuing and should be shunned for wearing sheeps clothing
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well said Sandra, but let’s not have them back. I’ve had enough
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At the time Indian Lakes Road was closed to the public, there was NO overhead protection for any of the horses, and only there was only side protection on some fences in the few s”sick pens.” Out in nature, horses can get under trees when it snows, or find some shelter from the wind. It can get really windy at Indian Lakes Road facility. Guess Troy Adams is just pocketing millions of our tax dollars, and not really taking good care of the horses.
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Yes, this is so true. There has been time to fit all the pens with the boards to keep the hay in reach but it was only put on the stallions pens. There has been time this past year to put up shelter from sun, wind and snow. The level of care is well short of a wild horse’s ability to care for itself. Care and management are just not applied. What is done is a low minimum maintenance that can be carried out by workers as quickly and efficiently as possible.
When Our wild horses are removed from their range they are placed within a highly negligent system that is only there to shove them down the line into Long Term Holding and out of sight. Alternatives do not exist. Input from the wild horse community is not welcome.
This does not stand up as the management and care of our wild ones. This neglect is going to end and our wild horses will not be treated like this again. mar
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One alternative was presented by Madeleine Pickens and you are against it. It would get some out of holding and out on 14,000 ranch acres and 550,000 grazing acres and would be wide open to the public.
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SWH, I was never against Madeleine Pickens wanting to be a LTH contractor. Many times I preface what I have said with that fact. So you are mistaken. I am not against her. I am disappointed she is not With us! Very few people have understood me as they did not read all I said. That Madeleine does not see that having breeding wild horses is the only way to Save them… not non breeding herds who will die and have no offspring. Not a Salazoo where you cannot enjoy seeing wild family bands and foals. Feeding the long term holding pipeline is only tending a byproduct of a very poorly conceived WH&B program that does not have the wild horses best interests at heart. Madeleine could help us so much if she would work towards ending the roundups (not postponing) and ending the all of long term holding. Why limit what we are aiming for and continue with BLM as the possessors of our wild horses? mar
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I meant that- BLM does not recognize any alternatives!! mar
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We have also not been able at this time, to get BLM to allow wild horses to graze cattle allotments. I also heard from a local that Madeleine needs fencing and BLM is very touchy about fences. mar
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This is such depressing news, so sad for the wild horses. Even more sad because how many thousands of wild horses have they killed over their history. How many fell because of the over-working during round-up? how many thousands have died in cattle guards or shot from helicoptor because they tried to hide from them?
we have got to up exposure and somehow demand the public webcams on all facilities and on the helicoptors. Before its to late and there are no real wild horses left alive. Public Webcams will at the very least ‘keep them more honest’.
here are some of the many tactics the ‘pros’ hire and use to discredit and delay, we can see some of the same tactics are used on us and on many ‘animal rights type groups.
“”Feed the fuel between the feuding groups. Disinformation. Create messages around actions of sabotage or discredit the opposing organizations. Submit fake documents and then call out the error.
Create concern over the security of the infrastructure. Create exposure stories. If the process is believed not to be secure they are done.
Cyber attacks against the infrastructure to get data on document submitters. This would kill the project. Since the servers are now in Sweden and France putting a team together to get access is more straightforward.
Media campaign to push the radial and reckless nature of WikiLeaks activities. Sustain pressure. Does nothing for the fanatics, but creates concern and doubt among moderates.
Search for leaks. Use social media to profile and identify risky behavior of employees.
“””””
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There are too many horses getting shoved into temporary/short term holding. Last year the feed back from advocates was helpful and at least there was a dialogue going on; an exchange and concern expressed and sometimes heeded. It amazes me that BLM sets up these places to hold the wild ones and then they stay away as much as possible… the crew of the facility owner doing the feeding and watering. The vet coming a few days a week, but not every day. No one around on weekends.
John Neill is BLM manager at both Palomino Valley and Broken Arrow, I believe. There is what I would call “perfunctory” care given these horses. There should have been a quarantine.
All of this is beyond real management of the lives of our wild horses and is aimed at decimation the overcrowding and the limited attention given to so many individuals is inadequate and wanting more hands and eyes. Nothing in this program is designed for the care of these horses. It is all for the removal and the shuffling adoptions and the locking away of the majority of our once free wild ones. BLM cannot do this without horses dying from neglect. I do believe that is the right word, also.
Once off the range and vulnerable our wild horses are neglected by a program only interested in moving them further down the LTH pipeline. There is no responsible care or management. We need to end this cycle of removals and the refusal to create progressive on range management for the wild ones. mar
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Dear Mar , you are so right about this , When I told Mr, Bolsted about this he of denied it, and said there are Many Vets at these Facilities and said that coming of the range lots are sick and hungry, i said sorry I have to laugh at your answer to this one, the horses coming off the range are healthy and that when i see them in your holding pens is when the disease becomes apparent after 2 weeks off the range with you people they die, become ill and starve, ask also about the little foal that was tied and left in the sun He knew nothing of this, he needs to open his eyes !!!!! I told him he is paid to know and to observe first hand of these incidents………….
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If there are “Many Vets” there it may be worse than we realize or they have to contain it or the rising deaths will outrage more citizens…. who knows what is really going on from the outside looking in?
One thing is sure, very few wild horses came off their range already sick. They were made sick when they were stampeded and hauled with no rest or water when they were exhausted.
Time to let people back into the Broken Arrow facility. Time for advocates to be talking and formulating plans that show that someone else can manage our wild horses on the range and even return LTH horses who were born wild. Done carefully we might even introduce captive born BLM horses to the wild in places they will be accepted into bands and ca learn the life. Advocates want to know just what can be done in a wild horse friendly way for all of them. No more of this torture for removal and the dead end of LTH.
The roundups have been stepped up and the pace of removals has been stepped up. This has nothing to do with the actual conditions on the range. This is about the drive to take the horses off land the BLM has been illegally using for cattle and sheep grazing and private industry who they have allowed and encouraged to overrun the range of the wild horses. For the benefit of the public they have done this by sleight of hand; manipulating and shrinking the size of horse range while raising the number of cattle and sheep which makes the excess horses always ‘appear’- magically! when BLM does its famous math. mar
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Arlene, if bolstad is not getting out and seeing for himself that means he is taking whatever his underlings tell him as the gospel truth and we all know they are indulging in CYA but the result will be that he changes nothing.
And Mar, you are very knowledgeable on the overall situation and I hope I did not give you the impression that I am giving up or feeling defeated. Part of my trouble with all this is that my life long training and experience has taught me that direct, offensive action is the best defense and when you see something being done that is wrong, you do whatever it takes to make it stop. But I can’t follow my inclinations on this because they would turn that against all of you. So instead, I just keep writing to try to express how I feel and what I think. WO
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WO, We need warriors. maybe we cannot fight the way we wish or feel sometimes … but we can express ourselves in many ways… we just need a few new ways to do so.
mar
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I say we are ready for the ‘Handbag Rebellion”..ladies..load your bags-with soup cans and kitchen utensils..can hardly be considered weapons of mass destruction and lets go to a “roundup” and show them how the west was won..or one
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Mar, I am replying to you here because your post above had no reply option. I must be missing something. If I hear you correct, you want to take current, wild and free horses off the range and place them on Madeleine’s property? As this is the only way you will get untouched wild horses that can reproduce. And she asked and begged them to not remove the Antelope Valley horses and to allow them to roam on the land where she has grazing rights adjacent to where they are now removing them. They said no. And she also is very, very vocal about stopping the round ups. This is her main goal too. Why you keep saying she is not “with” us is something I am not comprehending at all. And you spoke about the hidden hellholes of holding facilities and how the horses suffer so and clearly stated there are not other options, when her entire proposal to the BLM was to take as many as her land could support so they don’t have to suffer in complete obscurity, where we have no idea what ever happens to them, where they could roam as free as possible and as natural as possible, all while being open to the public to educate them on saving the last remaining horses. I do not agree with you that wild horses should be taken off their HMAs and placed with Madeleine or any other private person. I believe wild horses have plenty of land given to them by us and we need to keep them there in the wild, as free from human intervention as possible. As for giving those in long term holding a better life and sharing them with the American people, I am all for it.
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No and I have explained how we need to intervene before, also. I have never said what you have. Where do you get the word “untouched”? I never said that. The horses need to be spoken for during a roundup. Requests made to keep stallions intact. Then the horses will go through processing as they are being removed from their home range. It has been done several times over this way. They get a freeze brand. Then get bought or adopted, as many family bands as can be identified, then they come to the sanctuary and are put into a study program and their needs seen to and their lives not destroyed. Why have you not followed through and understood how the Calico stallions were spoken for and Silver King and the bay stallion? Gray Beard. Just do it with more horses and the family bands united. What is so difficult to understand? It is being done. If we could negotiate to simply move doomed horses from their home range directly to a sanctuary I would be for that… but not for the gelding and the long term holding. I even believe most of the LTH horses are salvageable. mar
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And I would like to stop the roundups and re-secure the ranges horses still have…
I would like to return LTH horses to the wild if they were born there and also create a program to introduce captive borns to the wild. If designated range can be saved with viable herds or recovering herds, that is what I want most. mar
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I have never written anything about the hidden hell holes of holding… maybe short term holding but not long term holding which is what we have been talking about and I want to stop feeding LTH wit roundups. These are both symptoms of roundups. I do wish you would stop making this some kind of popularity contest about Madeleine. If she wants to stop the roundups she had better say it more often so people hear her. I have only heard this a couple specific times. I do not like to be put in a position where I am defending my viewpoint to someone who refuses to see there are other options. There are many ways of seeing this crisis and it revolves around the violent removals of the horses and the consequences of this… LTH is not a goal for our wild horses. Please try to understand that. We have to deal with these actions until we can stop them. It has been sad to see people turn to LTH as any kind of a solution… it has nothing to do with managing our horses It is the dead place when the roundups keep supplying them. LTH represents the folly of BLM removing the wild herds and creating a very expensive and unnecessary situation they did not expect to be fought to undo for this long.
You are a good and sincere WH advocate as am I. Madeleine needs to be challenged. You should see that. I do. mar
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When you believe Madeline’s hype you are accepting the mess BLM has made and you want to be part of it rather than stop it and change it.
Let her help stop the roundups as she has the power and money to devote to it. A pity she did not start out with the desire to stop roundups and stop feeding LTH with more and more horses. Three years and millions spent could have saved many horses lives.
I am trying to stop the roundups and therefore all the bad infrastructure BLM has built to contain and lose our wild ones within it. I am not even in favor of BLM continuing possession of the wild herds. mar
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It sounds as though the Broken Arrow/Indian Lakes concentration camp was the
beneficiary of yet another lucrative government contract or grant– to the tune of how much $$$?? Are the owners of this facility still being paid?
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This is what the Grass Roots Horse lawsuit is about – getting these doors open ! We will be entering into discovery phase and we are fighting for this very thing and more ! Opening all the doors and accountability and regular and consistent visiting of all wild horse holding areas – THIS is our Silver King lawsuit. Please support us and read more on our website. Also, more pictures of the Eagle and Callaghan wild horses being rounded up are on our blog, link is on our website. We knew when these horses were being rounded up and Laura Leigh, who was the only observer there, reported and captured on tape/film all the steaming, sweating horses just as we are seeing in Antelope now. I am grateful for any opportunity for people to know what our lawsuit is about since I am not sure that people have understood its importance and this is it. Also, public lands are open to the public during roundups because of Grass Roots Horse’s Owyhee, Rock Creek and Little Humboldt (Tuscarora) lawsuit. Alot of people are not aware that we are now allowed on public lands because of that lawsuit and because of that ruling. We sued to enforce it at Silver King roundup when the BLM tried to close public lands. They lifted the closure when we sued. Our Silver King lawsuit is now fighting for access to these facilties and accountability on all the captured horses.
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I am sad to say I only ran across this madness a few months ago, I had no idea that this abusive madness was out there, I am saddend and upset at what I have seen and read. And have told everyone I know about what is going on and forwarded as many sites and info as I can. I live in Colorado and when I looked into the BLM in Colorado I discovered I live just down the block from their offices and as someone above stated I have noticed brand new GMC trucks and a full parking lot. I would think that Ken Salazar should be looking into the 12 to 20 million illegal imigrants who are here in our country illegally and sucking up our resouces and leave our horses, who are our history on our/their land and run free like we intended them to. But Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I forgot illegals vote Democrat our horses don’t get a vote- just abused, imprisioned and then killed all in the name of keeping their numbers down, to bad they are just a reason for what ? I wonder Just why won’t they let some of these organizations that are just interested in the welfare of the horse with no other objective, in to inspect and over see what’s going on. I ask them why? Why not let lady’s like Mrs. Pickens and the lady”s who are out there at every roundup giving of their time and money to help keep these horses safe and free, why not let them help, what really is going on, IT IS time for accountability and I will be on guard from here on out getting the word out to as many people as I can
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Geri, how did you find out about this. Give us a lead to how we might alert others. I know so many folks who are unaware. I have posted bulletins at our stable. I couldn’t imagine horse folks NOT knowing. I have taken flyers to horseshows. Have had no luck with the local papers.
I’m going to TRY to donate to Grassroots every month. Every little bit helps.
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Shirley, I just happened to be looking on the internet for the movie In Pusuit of Honor sometime in December and some of the sites I found had to do with the Mustangs and horse slaughter, I don’t even own a horse but have always wanted one (live in the city) I followed the sites and found Madeline Pickens Saving America’s wild horses and from that site found the others that I go to. Like I wrote I live just a few blocks from the Colorado BLM office and know a lot of people in the city who had no idea this is happening to the wild horses and we thought horse slaughter was a thing of the past. I have no association with any organizations but plan on going to the roundups in Colorado to see for myself what is happening and maybe get some people to go along and we have talked and when the weather permits are considering picketing the BLM since it is right on the main drag with lots of businesses and fast foods around it. Some of us are putting up signs in our yards and even making those stupid grocery bags they make us use instead of paper into billboards, since I have no idea what has been done in the past to get the word out this is what I can do and I hope it does not go against anybody’s grain. Hope that answers your question but there are a lot of horse lovers in the city too, and we have been out of the loop but not any longer there is a saying that I use a lot and it might help here THE TASK AHEAD OF US- IS NOT AS DAUGHNTING AS THE POWER BEHIND US and a lot of us in the city may just be waking up and this is finally what our country may be needing. In more ways than one
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Illegals and Democrats have nothing to do with this horrendous problem. This was happening under Bush also. The reasons for these round-ups is not to keep horses from starving, ruining the ecosystems. The reason is pure GREED- they will get what they want. I cut and pasted the paragraph below from (The Cloud Foundation) to provide some insight into what is going on, it is bad for our public lands, and deadly for our mustangs and burros. Please read this and inform others if you can. More awareness is needed in huge numbers.
[excerpt] The public’s wild horses are being removed at taxpayer expense on publicly owned land to make way for a multi-billion dollar pipeline constructed by El Paso Natural Gas Corporation of Colorado Springs, CO. Natural gas and water would ultimately provide added resources to California and other destinations. Given these new revelations, the public has the right to ask several key questions and get immediate answers to them: 1) Who really stands to profit from removing wild horses from public lands? 2) What private contractors, possible politicians stand to profit from this, et al.
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Yes and on HMAs not affected by the Ruby Pipeline you have many other interests including; gold mining, natural gas wells, lithium and molybdemum, cattle and sheep and new, fast tracked ‘clean energy’ projects. mar
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Please, this is NOT about political parties.
Please take a look over to the right sidebar of this page where I posted the banner “Its not Right versus Left. Its Right versus Wrong”. That’s what this is about but currently I DO hold the seated President to be the final authority on what is happening to the Wild Horses. He is Salazar’s boss who is Abbey’s boss and he clearly and loudly said that he would be the animal friendly President and I believed him, until he started to screw around with the adopting a rescued dog thing and he ended up accepting a rare and exotic Portuguese Water-dog from Ted Kennedy. Right then and there the warning lights started to go off as he clearly reneged on a significant promise that could have had a positive impact on Humane Society’s, Pounds and other animal related non-profits.
The man speaks with a forked tongue and with all eyes on the upcoming election his re-election committee will not like to see bad press…so keep screaming because he may end up listing, for all the wrong reasons, but listening none the less. Now is the time to scream his name and point the finger, the buck stops with Obama, he can stop this but to date he has not even nodded at us. In an upcoming OpEd I will share with you why I think he has had gobs of cotton in those ears and it ain’t pretty.
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Ken Salazar has nothing to do with immigration policy. And scapegoating illegal aliens for our country’s problems is the same as scapegoating the mustangs for all the problems on the range.
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Glad to have you Gerri, and many of us came to the cause the same way, dumbfounded by the sheer nonsense of it and the longer you are here, the more you discover, and the angrier and more dedicated you become..i am actually seeing new people coming in droves at FB, the word is getting out via the internet..thanks to determined activists and great sites like RT’s, Horseback, and maureen at the examiner and those like laura who drag themselves out to the roundups to document what is happening.
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Also, GRASSROOTS now has non-profit status. Donations help with lawsuits as well as help keep Humane Observers in the field, documenting. Our Humane Observers are on the job around the clock, unlike government employees, who probably were not available during the Sunday Superbowl Kama Kazi helicopter attack on our Wild Horses. Our Humane Observers WERE there.
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Ironic isn’t it– a sanctuary in Montana failed about a month ago–and every humane association in the USA was there to administer care, and transport animals to shelters and foster homes. And a rancher –somewhere–was bankrupt and couldn’t take care of his horses –so there were hay airlifts and donations from strangers. Now BLM has caused the deaths of at least 37 horses that are in their care–and there’s no shortage of taxpayer money for shade and shelter–and there’s a vet in their employ–and we have no RIGHTS in this?? Where are HSUS and ASPCA and all the others who are outraged at puppy mills and chicken farms? Any one else see anything wrong with this picture? By RIGHTS we should march in and take over–BLM IS KILLING HORSES!
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Exactly, Ann!! You are so right!
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I had the same thought, Ann…. all of us go in and take over BLM. We need a million man and woman march to show up and take over BLM. Do you think the administration would wake up then??
I started a new weblog to help spread the word to save the Wild Horses and Burros…. (heart2care.wordpress.com). I have been posting like crazy on Facebook for quite some time (about the critical issues regarding the plight of the Wild Horses and Burros). It didn’t seem like I was doing enough. Yesterday decided to make the website to join the chorus and increase web presence for the horses, hoping it will be of some help. Got 79 hits on my new info site since yesterday, so I hope people are taking action on the “Comments Needed” for Battle Mountain district. But, no one has indicated on my FB posts that they have done anything. No comments. No “like”s. Nothing. (hmmmm.)
I am thinking that people are suffering crisis overload… especially people who watch or read the news. Every day so many national and international crisis’ a person’s brain melts. Maybe people’s hearts and brains have shut down as a result. I understand that feeling. However… the criminal abuse of the horses and burros, and BLM “managing” them to extinction is a clear indication of the devaluation of living beings. It’s the horses and burros today, and who will it be tomorrow. The Power-Hungry seem intent on getting rid of anyone or anything that gets in the way of their greed and total control of the “resources” in this country. Who is next? Most likely the people who they consider are in the way of their “progress”, or perhaps the over-population of elders, little children and disabled…. Anyone who is an inconvenience to them. There is a sick mentality going on, and it is leading to getting rid of certain groups of people. My Aunt says she remembers the same mentality going on during the rising up of Hitler. It has the same stench of not valuing life. If we don’t save the horses, then the criminals win and all decent living beings will ultimately lose – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We MUST save the wild horses and burros, ultimately I believe it will save human kind..
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Sue, you are more perceptive than most of the deeper, long term implications that the BLM attitude toward wild horses is representative of in this whole can of worms that now engulfs our federal government. Your aunt’s memory is correct. I have studied Hitler’s rise to power in great detail and when I look at the big picture in our country today I see far too many parallels that do not bode well for us and by extention, for the world. Too many people are too easily distracted by the constant stream of “news” and talking heads that tell them what they should think. I won’t let myself get started now but wanted to acknowledge your new website and the fighting spirit that made you decide to create it. I will definitely pay it a visit. WO
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And don’t forget those 4 “BLM Humane Observers” that “Supposedly” were put in place through the American Horse Protection Association. I believe that 2 of them were veterinarians–one from University of California-Davis and on from Cornell. I believe they personally should be bombarded with letters. I will check my notes for their names or please post if you have them.
I attended a clinic sponsored by Pfizer (who bought out Fort Dodge horse vaccinations)and Purina concerning horse health, vaccinations, and care of senior horses. Wonder what they would have to say about the lack of sound horse management that the BLM is displaying.
Just saw on the news it was -31 degrees in Oklahoma–thinking about those poor captive horses in long term holding with no shelters. Where are the Humane organizations?
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This is heartbreaking, appalling & horrifying!! If Obama is NOT going to DO something, besides talking, that is,(&, he’s not even doing that, as far as our wild horses are concerned!), then he needs to GO, along with with his horse-hating henchmen!! We all know there are many important issues facing the president & our country, but change MUST start somewhere. If he would make a start in the right direction to actually help the wild horses & investigate all that’s going on, that would show at least that he DOES have a heart. These atrocities against living creatures, especially, OUR American mustangs, MUST get major attention on ALL TV networks, radio stations, newspapers & cable channels, this message MUST get out to ALL Americans, everywhere! What must our children be thinking, what a terrible message our leaders are giving them, unless they change their ways!! Animal abuse can NOT be tolerated , no matter what, & we will not let these crimes go unnoticed! I often wonder if Obama’s daughters like horses, what do they think? Or, are they too, becoming brainwashed by hate & lies? The future starts with our children, they are mirrors of us, what do we want them to look like, or, how do we want them to act??
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Just donate dot Grass Roots Horses. We must unify our voice to help these horses. Can anyone tell me is it true that Madeline Pickens wanted a kickback for having the horses on her land from the government? I’m just trying to get the facts. If that is so, then couldn’t she be able to adopt the horses like anyone else and keep them free and wild on her land? It is her private property and she could do whatever she wants. Just asking, not accusing. How else can we unify and get things done? I mentioned in a previous post that Palomino Armstrong is going to DC next week to the hearings. Support for her is crucial as she represents Honey Bandit. All these horses are precious and need to be free. I would love some feedback on this, any information would be great. Thanks everyone. We can do this.
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Madeleine Pickens put money into a campaign to get a Long Term Holding contract for keeping horses on her (only recently purchased) ranches. She expected to be paid approximately $500. per horse per year and to begin with 1000 horses from Eastern LTH. (But why would BLM want to do this when the LTH horses are no longer in states with wild horses?) Long term holding is a by product of the Roundup/removals having been stepped up in the past decade. Adoption has not been able to keep up with the tens of thousands of horses that have been taken off their lands. Many have disappeared through the system that has no oversight.
Some of us would love an opportunity to convince Madeleine to help place removed but still viable family bands on her private ranches. If she did this from Sale Authority and adoption she could save the genetics of many. many more have already been lost forever. The horses could become part of a public trust/foundation and really appreciated. They could really belong to the people and not be captives of those who control their lands. But Madeleine’s people think that is a ‘conspiracy theory’ or so I was told. mar
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Actually, Madeleine’s plan was to take first, right away, the thousands of horses overcrowded into Short Term Holding onto her ranch using it as a LTH facility. Those STH facilities now costs taxpayers $2,500/yr per horse and are in the West, so transportation costs would also be significantly cut because her ranch is also in the west, not a thousand miles away as are the current LTH. And I understand there is no more room in LTH so as BLM continues to gather more, they are forced to pay the $2,500/yr vs the $475/yr charged by those closed LTH facilities in the Midwest. MP also wanted to keep the studs intact and separate from the mares and also use PZP to ensure they were not reproducing — for the present time to appease BLM.
This is not exactly working to save a genetic pool but it is an improvement over a typical LTH with herds of just mares or geldings which are locked away and no one can see, ever. In current LTH, genetics are lost due to all the gelding. MPs plan is also FAR superior to all current LTH because it is specifically designed to RAISE AWARENESS by promoting access and education for Americans. This is a major problem for wild horses – Americans just do not realize and as loud as we all shout, Americans are still not hearing us. OTOH Madeleine has the money and passion to promote them and this cause – in fact, she already has – example: her RoseBowl parade entry which showed millions a view of our historic western icon, the mustang. Her plan was a way to do this outreach advocacy, save a few from going into lockdown in traditional LTH and even preserve genetics through non-permanent contraceptive approaches (ie no geldings) while also SAVING BLM money – the difference between STH and LTH or about $2,000/horse/yr PLUS the saved shipping costs which are significant and look like they will continue to rise as fuel prices escalate.
I am very sure this plan was not the end of her plans, but rather just a beginning and I pray she will prevail over these lying idiots at BLM who claim to want to partner with private parties, lead her along for 2 years, make all the noises that it is going swimmingly and then dump on her, just like that.
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Please find me a link where Madeleine says she will keep stallions? Please. And PZP mares? This is a revelation. I do believe you are mistaken. Her Plan is LTH and this is a by product of roundup/removals. This entire system is not working on so many levels it needs to be discarded as the failure it is. I have read her prospectus and it is not even addressing the things you mention. mar
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Kickbacks? She wanted the same amount as the millionaire, 4th generation cattle ranchers get to feed our horses in Oklahoma and Kansas. The BLM turned her down because her facility would be open to educate the public on the importance of saving the few wild horses in the wild. The others don’t quite have her mission. They just like the $1.5 million per year extra in their pockets to throw hay bales around.
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Even if Madeline accepted a portion of that, that would help so much preserving the horses and their bloodline. I really want this to happen through Madeline. How can we achieve this? I want to put thoughts into action. We have so many wonderful people here who are brilliant, with all this brain power, we can do something.
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If anyone could give me some feedback, that would be great. Thanks everyone!
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I looked at the Indian Lakes Road Facility Weekly Updates today and cried “OH MY GOD” out loud. People in the office came to see if I needed help. I was actually shocked, although I don’t know why anything the BLM does still shocks me. I printed the page and hung it in our lobby. Made me feel better even if it doesn’t help much. Every little bit of education and awareness we can get out there can’t hurt.
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Mar, thank you for the information. This is so distressing, If Madeline had the opportunity to save the horses, why not? As for conspiracy theory, such a shame, because any delay is only allowing more and more horses to die. Isn’t there anyone who can intervene on both Madeline’s and negotiating with the BLM?
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Athena, Is it true that Palomino will take this young horse, barely recovered, all the way to DC???
I do believe there are people always trying to get meetings and to change the minds of those who need convincing. But BLM has been a stone wall. They may end up giving Madeleine her contract to prevent her from doing the truly best thing for the wild ones; help stop the roundups, stop feeding Long Term Oblivion and save those family bands already being removed before they are destroyed and putting them on a real sanctuary where they will not lose their genetic heritage. mar
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Mar, no Honey Bandit is still too fragile. Palomino is going herself. She really is making this trip on a wing and a prayer. She is staying with a friend (Ginger from the Cloud Foundation) once she arrives in DC. She will be in DC, Monday through Wednesday. She will be attending hearings proposed by for the roundups. Check me out on FB and I have some addtional information. Just a question, I am in the process of compiling names to send letters to to see if any help could be gotten from some people such as Kevin Costner, Ted Turner (he just bought a slew of acres in ME) and other people. What can I concisely ask for to save the Wild Mustangs – a moretorium on roundups asap … and what else? I would like this to be so well written and filled with facts that these people will have to listen and read the truth. I was told to try to get through to Ted in Atlanta. I will try. Who knows? Hey, nothing ventured if I don’t try. I’m open to suggestions. I’m a newbee here and I want to help the best I can.
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Athena, It is good to hear Honey Bandit will not travel to DC!! We all have friends and colleagues who are going. Many of us were asked and could not make it at this time. They will be going armed with the most recent and well documented accounts of the treatment of the wild horses that has ever gone to DC. mar
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Yes, the American people can intervene on behalf of Madeleine.
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We being the American People? Can we get in touch with Madeline at all? How can we make this plausible and rational for her to take notice and not think that this is a conspiracy theory.
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I have no idea about conspiracy theories. But she has a website, a mailing list and is on Facebook. She needs all the help she can get. And you can write a letter to Abbey, Salazar and the PResident saying you support her sanctuary on her behalf.
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Stopping the roundups is what we are working on, thats why the delegations are headed to DC..to stop funding for the roundups..to stop funding for LTH and STH facilities and that includes Madelines idea..i am not spending my time advocating for ranchers in Kansa Neb or the Dakotas to get long term holding contracts..nor do i have anything angainst those people, from what i have seen the facilities and acreage is excellent there..that is not where our wild horses deserve or need to be..We all have limited time and money to spend and we are spending it on stopping the roundups, no offense intended to madeline..thats just the way it is
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Spot on, Sandra…and we need to stop them now, as in today!
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Look at this:
The Bureau of Land Management is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for shooting a wild horse mare that was gathered on Wednesday, Feb. 9, as part of the Elko District’s Antelope Complex Wild Horse Gather.
The BLM discovered that the mare had been injured by a gunshot wound in her upper left leg. The on-site veterinarian conducted a health assessment at the trap site and observed a puncture wound in her upper left leg (left shoulder).
The animal was transported to the gather holding facility, placed in a separate pen from the other gathered horses and monitored closely by the on-site veterinarian. Yesterday morning, she spun around in the corral and broke her front left leg.
She was humanely euthanized as a result. Upon closer examination, the vet determined the puncture wound was actually a gunshot wound, and was a major contributing factor to the break. A BLM law enforcement investigation into the gunshot to the mare has been initiated.
BLM Director Bob Abbey said, “The BLM is very serious about enforcing the 1971 law protecting wild horses on the range. The Act very clearly states that it is a federal crime for any person to maliciously cause the death of any wild horse. BLM law enforcement is working closely with authorities in White Pine and Elko Counties to gather evidence and we are hopeful this reward will result in information leading us to the perpetrators of this crime.”
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I’d be wary asking for Ted Turner’s help in saving our wild mustangs, he’s not exactly a friend to our wild bison.
http://www.youtube.com/user/BFCMEDIA#p/search/0/QDEfqhccKtM
Why Yellowstone Bison Do Not Belong on Ted Turner’s Ranch:
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/media/update0910/021810.html
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KasOhio, you bet hanging that photo in the lobby helps! That is what this is all about–GRASSROOTS–people in action. The walls of public buildings all over this country should be plastered with photos of the BLM round-ups and concentration camps. Right under those photos should be the $ amounts that were charged to the American taxpayers for each and every transgression.
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Yes, Louie! Like a Most Wanted Poster!!! That sends all kinds of posters for stopping the BLM Roundups running through my imagination! mar
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…most wanted poster mm? Give me the weekend… I have an idea.
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Go for it, KA! mar
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Dear Ka Schaaf, cant wait to hear !!!!!!
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arlene & mar- I have not forgot about my most wanted poster. My photoshop program is not working correctly. I’ll post updates when I can get it back. Here or on FB
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Will you be coming to Phoenix?? I hope you can create your poster so we can show it there!! good luck, mar
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Hi Everyone. Here is the link of Palomino and her story off to DC. http://www.khsltv.com/content/localnews/story/Shingletown-Woman-Who-Rescued-Horse-is-Bringing/q5NZWHyGGEaQYleNCErrmQ.cspx. Thank you for your support.
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the day before thanksgiving i went to the corrals at litchfield along with some friends to adopt a colt that i had seen in the HMA a week before the wipe out there started. we were told that there was”upper respiratory problems” among the babies but that the two foals we wanted were okay. they were not okay. they both had strangles (a regular occurance there) which we helped them through, but my colt and the filly are still sick. runny noses, dry coughs and struggle to stay healthy and get better everyday. the BLM wants these horses dead and unfortunatly, i think they are out of control and will stop at nothing until the wild horse nation is long gone. i look at my beautiful little colt and think how great it is that at least one of them has good home with folks that love and care for him. what more can we hope for? sad sad situation…
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Your story tugs at my heart. My horse caught strangles when he was about five and for several days I was afraid I would lose him but we pulled together and he finally came through with no lasting ill effects. The vet told me that once they have it and survive they are immune. I hope he was right. Good luck with your colt and thank you for giving him a home. You are correct that the BLM is out of control and will not stop of their own volition.
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Seems the BLM is trying its darnest to get rid of as many of our wild horses by refusing to adopt standard veterinary health procedures. It is a wonder any of them survive. Glad to hear that your foal got a second chance.
http://www.aaep.org/strangles.htm
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As I read all of your comments I see indications not only an impressive collective of knowledge and common sense but passionate dedication and sincere concern for these living, wild spirits that are being so egregiously mistreated, supposedly to save them from starvation out on the ranges they called home. I still think the fastest and most effective way to shut down the contractors is for congress to use the purse strings they hold and immediately defund the whole shootin’ match.
To accomplish any long term, permanent resolution of the plague that the BLM is visiting on OUR horses beginning with their roundups and on through until they are stuffed into LTH killing pens to ultimately dissappear from accountability along with millions of tax dollars, there must be a deep cleaning of the whole DOI/BLM heirarchy that has planned and countenenced this vicious and wanton destruction of our wild horse herds. They will have to be replaced with those that understand the will and intent of the American people and be willing to implement a whole new philosphy of managing the total ecology of the ranges with the clear intent and priority of preservation of the natural state of herds and family bands in the places that have been designated for the their use. They must firmly tell all the big money interests of ranching and mining that they are no longer calling the tune on what use those lands will serve for the Horses and the American people who are the true owners. Any deviation from that mission must not be tolerated by us or by the Congress. In other words they must sincerely agree to work for US, not for themselves or treat us as though we are working for them or as if we do even exist. Either that or completely defund the current BLM equine programs and form a separate agency totally dedicated to the preservation of the Wild Horses and Burros as intended in the 1971 act of congress and make that their sole mission. Idealistic? An impossible dream? Perhaps because it would also require changes at the very top and would be mightily resisted by those who saw their power and money slipping away. But if we do not make that happen, the wild horse will permanently disappear from the American landscape with the possible exception of a few scattered bands existing on private property that the BLM can’t get access to. A bleak picture? It is and we are the only ones that can keep it from becoming the reality. We MUST NOT STOP TRYING!
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Dear Wambli Okyie, All those things you said in answer to me , its really funny cause I said all those things to Dean Bolsted (almost like you were there )… The Attitude they have there is exactly like we work for them………………….After speaking to him, after I thought about all we talked about, in that conversation, I dont believe there is anything that will change them, only a extremely rude awaking will even touch them there, This sad very sad, When i told him that no horse coming off the range is ill or thin until they are at the BLM holding ……..Disease is running ramp-id This is exactly what they want to inilate them forever at all there facilities, the ones that dont die from disease , are castrated never to produce again………..There death and destruction Plan is fulfilled in 5 yrs…………… Wambli there is only one way to save them now if it is not to late and both of us know what that is…………………..Every other avenue takes to long , enough that it wont matter to them or accomplish anything……….. Their mission is already set in place ,now they dont not care what takes place with pilots, it is now all a game for them…
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Hey Arlene, some refer to it as great minds being on the same frequency. As I mentioned to R.T. below, I just went through Laura’s post on Grassroots for today and have again reached the boiling point so I’ve got to pull back from all this for a few hours. I am afraid you are right on in what you imply may ultimately be necessary to get their attention and perhaps the sooner the better for the sake of the horses. It is painfully obvious that thus far they have been successfully ignoring us. Have a good evening. WO
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I think the only thing now that will get things done for the wild horses (the saving and returning them to their home range) would be to do exactly what is happening in Egypt. Only then, when all of us, are standing in front of the White House, the BLM headquarters, and the Dept. of Agriculture, will anything happen. It appears that Obama is oblivious to his cohorts and what they are doing. He is blind to all the e-mails, phone calls, and the demand of the horse advocates to correct the problem. Unless this very thing is done in Washington, we will only see all our beautiful horses gone – and the perpetrators will be getting away with MURDER with no punishment. We must demand what was mentioned, above — all of the people associated with the hauling, capturing, helicopter use, maintaining the feedlots, all the way down the line — to be FIRED AND CHARGED WITH THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR MURDERING OUR HORSES AND BURROS. It’s about time we do this. Nothing else seems to be working. This is swept under the table and as long as this continues, we will be losing our battle. God, please help save our beautiful horses and burros.
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OMG !!! How could we be so naive…………………..
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There are probably people in key positions all the way up the food chain that would have to be replaced. That is how the system works (or doesn’t). At this point, it looks as though the whole agency needs to be scrapped. Any organization is only as good as the people in it.
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Louie their plan is riddle with huge mistakes , we need to single them all out , and address them………How much chance is there to get rid of Key People there????????????????
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Arlene, probably by identifying them first. The buck stops at the top and everywhere along the way there are those in charge who take the responsibility for the decisions made. They take the big salaries, so they can take the brunt of the backlash. There are District Managers and you start there.
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And then, there is higher up on the food chain:
Interior Department Urged To Remove Official Responsible for Cruelty During Wild Horse Roundup
February 10, 2011
Largest Mustang Roundup of the Year Ignites Firestorm Over Cruelty Charges
Washington, DC (February 9, 2011) . . . The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) has submitted a letter to the Interior Department calling for officials to be held accountable for cruelty to wild horses caught on videotape and in photographs taken during the ongoing roundup northeastern Nevada. AWHPC’s letter to Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes urges that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) official in charge of the Antelope Complex roundup, Alan Shepherd, be relieved of his position as the agency’s top wild horse official in Nevada after condoning the treatment of an exhausted wild horse who was stampeded by helicopter for miles until she collapsed, was forced to her feet and chased again.
One thing is clear: the buck for this inhumane and inept treatment of our wild horses must stop somewhere. In the case of the Antelope Complex roundup, that buck stops with Alan Shepherd, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Nevada state lead for Wild Horses and Burros. Mr. Shepherd is in charge of the Antelope capture operation, and it is on his watch that the mishandling of Nevada mustangs is occurring.
In an interview with Channel 4 News Reno, Shepherd defended the treatment of the old mare, blaming her collapse, not on her obvious exhaustion, but on the snow. “[S]he easily got up and walked away,” he claimed.
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OMG Louie,
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Yep, just anothe BLM “SNOW JOB”
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” I have no association with any organizations but plan on going to the roundups in Colorado to see for myself what is happening and maybe get some people to go along and we have talked and when the weather permits are considering picketing the BLM since it is right on the main drag with lots of businesses and fast foods around it.”
Geri, thank you for all your researching. That’s about the way I found this site and others for the BLM Terrors.
It is hard to believe that even horse people are so immune to feelings for the Mustangs. Every picture digs deep into my heart. Friends say “I can’t bear to watch any more” But Watching is what keeps our IRE up and makes us determined to help. Not watches just “sweeps it under the carpet”
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Dear Sandra , Your right but i will take more than cans !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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LOL, I think it defeats the BLM propaganda on EVERY level and gives an image the american people and media will embrace.
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I am going to trade my Camo outfit, for an old granny dress some support hose, therapudic shoes ,a cane and a duffel bag for a purse
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This is now their Summit, either we a figure out viable answer to save them or we will be forced to watch them perish !!! OMG
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R.T., There was no reply option on your comments to me above but I wanted to acknowledge that I know what you said is correct. I have been aware of some of what was going on with the wild ones for years but I was in a different world then that required most of my attention so this issue was on the periphery of my cognizance. The wake up call for me came when I learned that in spite of his abysmal record of criminal abuse, Cattoor had been been awarded another huge contract with no competitive bids to “round up” more wild horses.
I was shocked to say the least and thought “So, just who the H*** is running this program for the BLM?” From that point it was a downward swirl into a dark vortex of lies and deceipt promulgated from the highest levels of the BLM as they tried to obscure from the public eye their harsh detriment of the wild horses they were by law, charged with protecting and preserving in natural habitats set aside for that purpose “with minimal human interference” that should have allowed the herds and bands to make their way through their own world.
Now the corruption has been in place far too long and is solidly entrenched. The only way I can see for it to end is for congress to immediately cut off the funding and take the equine management function completely away from the BLM and as you say, set up an independent group of people that know wild horse culture to assess where we are now and where we need to go to restore so much as is possible, what is left of the herds to their natural environments. Otherwise there will be no significant changes for the better and sooner than later it will truly be too late. Anyway, just venting I guess but now that I am no longer working for a living this has come to occupy much of my thgought processes. I just went through the Grassroots release from Laura today and have again reached the boiling point so I need to pull back for a while. As I am sure you know, sometimes that is necessary to keep balanced. WO
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Dear Wambli, i also need to step away……for a little bit, I am furious today about all of this
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This is horrible. I saw a video on the news about a month ago, and it showed two horses being herded by a large helicopter that was flying WAY too close, and the older of the two fell over,and couldn’t get back up. In another video, a small holding pen was filled with horses, and one fell over and was trampled. No holding area for horses, no matter the amount of time that will be spent in it, should be that small. This falls under the charge of animal cruelty, which is a misdemeanor. In my personal opinion, it should be a felony, but you might not think that. I could go on and on and on about this for days, since I have two horses of my own and couldn’t possibly imagine mistreating them, but I won’t.
P.S.- Dear Wambli,
I totally agree with you. An independent organization that knows about horses should be set up, and it should not use helicopters. What if it loses balance, crashes, and the horses are killed by the still spinning blades? Just thinking. I also need to take a break from this before I explode.
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it would be wonderful if mustangs were on vacation ranches where they could be watched by the public. There are a lot of rumors that many of the nevada mustangs are california backyard horses that owners turned loose so they would not be sent to slaughter in canada or mexico. BLM used to sell the mustangs until people found how difficult they were to train. It seems the crueltry used to round up horses needs to stop. The stallions need to be gelded. The sad truth is there are too many domestic horses.
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