Source: By Nancy Lofholm of the Denver Post
Spaying mares in the field would amount to “mutilation.”
GRAND JUNCTION — The Bureau of Land Management has no new wild-horse roundups planned for the remainder of this year and, in that lull, will be researching a new population-control measure — the promising but controversial spaying of mares in the field.
BLM’s war on America’s wild horses and burros ~ photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
The BLM is laying out steps to study what are called ovariectomies. Initially, the agency is seeking input from veterinarians about the best way to conduct field spayings. If those veterinarians give the idea a green light, the BLM would try out the procedure in holding facilities, followed by research in the field, before implementing any widespread program.
“We will be proceeding on this soon. It’s a very high priority for us,” said Dean
Bolstad, the BLM’s wild horse and burro senior adviser.
The BLM has had to take a new look at population-control measures because contraceptive drugs haven’t worked well to reduce herd sizes. Birth-control drugs are effective for less than two years and necessitate expensive repeat gathers of the animals. BLM wild-horse managers hope for approval of a more long-acting drug, but that is not expected anytime soon.
The agency is looking at new measures such as spaying because there is a lack of space for more horses in holding facilities, which are already home to more than 37,000 wild horses and burros. Last year, the BLM spent $43 million to maintain those animals in captivity. Adoptions of wild horses have dropped from 7,600 in 2001 to about 2,500 last year.
The ovariectomy became a seriously considered option after the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board recommended — in an eight-page “Population Growth Suppression Alternative” paper last fall — that it be studied.
The advisory board laid out reasons why removing the ovaries of some mares could be an important part of controlling the population of wild horses in herd-management areas and how it could be done in a more humane way than the roundups the BLM has long relied on to thin herds.
The board recommended using water and food as bait to corral horses long enough to treat them.
“Anytime you can get the BLM to consider something new, that’s good,” said Tim Harvey, the wild-horse advocate on the national advisory board.
Harvey pointed out that ovariectomies are already a government-approved measure and have been used safely on race horses.
“Personally, I do think it can be safe in the field,” said advisory board chairman Dr. Boyd Spratling, who is a veterinarian from Nevada…(CONTINUED)
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
OMG!! This is so cruel!! They are going to spay mares in the field?? With no follow up exams or pain meds?? What about infections?? These horses will die!! This is torture and cruel!
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Do we concede that the problem is the herd size of Wild Horses or do we stick to the truth which is that the cattle ranchers have used their influence with the BLM and the Department of Interior to steal the lands designated, supposedly forever, for the American Wild Horses and Burros and it is the gigantic numbers of cattle grazing on the WH&B lands that is causing the problem?
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I agree!!!!!
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5-1-2013 BLM and The Department of Interior ARE the welfare livestock ranchers!!!!! And the stealing of our Public lands, etc.!!!!
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What idiots! Is this the Korean War and Hawkeye will be doing them? How about this- let nature do best – Leave them alone! There is no overpopulatiood n until Cattle grazing leases are sold then the welfare grazers step up and want the horses gone. Who has the right to play God with his most beautiful creation? Bring them to New York and set them loose in the Adirondack Park…we would treasure them not torture them….
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I would let them breed by the millions and let them run herd on the planet and keep the rest of us in check. Wonder which of us mother earth would rather, those that cause harmony or chaos.
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Not sure I agree entirely, but anything better than holding pens or mass slaughter.
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so true…it is mans easy way out of anything he touches, kill and slaughter, rape and pillage whilst multiplying to the brink of appocolypse….we are so smart!!
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I agree with you about the holding pens & especially the slaughters – but the BLM needs to be spayed & neutered – they’re getting out of hand – in legal terms – this is Abuse of Authority Under Color of Law – the BLM/DOI seem to be two of the most out of control Agencies around – Why isn’t the DOJ/FBI/OIG investigating the Fraud/Graft/Extorsion, etc that’s going on in this agency – this is organized crime at the highest levels & WRONG WRONG WRONG – too much suffering & they have no conscience – Who’s getting paid off – I can’t believe they’r getting away with it – the USDA need to be investigated, too – apparently there are a couple of individuals in DC sitting behind their cushy desks making command decisions that effect the rest of the country, our national treasures (our animals) & the rest of the planet – isn’t this a form of taxation “without representation” ? – just a thought
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Better than helicopter roundups with new foals in the herd, keeping them in pens by the thousands, and secretly selling them to kill buyers. As long as they do it in such a way that they don’t mess up the gene pool and end up with inbred horses with no gene diversity. As long as the politicians are getting handouts from the mining and ranching corporations, they will keep persecuting the horses. Maybe this will cut down on their present atrocities. I don’t feel like this is torture, and my animals have always recuperated pretty easily from spay/neuter without alot of follow ups and pain meds. This may make both sides at least have some sort of compromise other than slaughter.
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Veterinarians often avoid recommending spaying for mares. Horses are not like cats or dogs, they require more care when recuperating from surgery because they are large animals and, because of their weight, can easily get hurt (why do you think the walls are padded where horses that are waking up and recovering from anesthesia are kept?). And if the BLM vets cannot carry out mere gelding operations safely, then how the hell do you expect them to carry out spaying operations safely?!
Also, it is a flat-out lie that the wild horses are overpopulated. It’s well-known that there are more privately-owned livestock on those ranges than wild horses and burros. And you know what? I think no species is more overpopulated than us humans.
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What are they planning on doing with the thousands now in pens. That is a more pressing issue I think than future reproductive plans.
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Dear Ms Lofholm,
I wanted to write you in regard to the BLM plan to sterilize wild mares. This is a terrible plan. It would be horribly expensive for tax payers, cruel, and devastating to the herd sociology, as well as damaging to the strong genetic diversity that has allowed the wild horses to survive on the range.
I, along with many wild horse advocates, recommend darting the mares with the drug PZP, a one year contraceptive.
The helicopter round ups are a tragedy. Warehousing the horses is stupid, cruel, and extremely expensive, spending millions to make animals miserable. Darting with contraceptives is very effective with the wild ponies of Chincoteague, and has been used for about 20 years.
Giving each mare a hysterectomy would be time consuming, dangerous and would exterminate the horses.
I want wild horses to remain free, they are indigenous to North America , and a beautiful symbol of my home in the west. Please join with me in advocating darting with PZP, a very effective, humane and workable solution.
Thank you
Ty Beh
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I would seriously study the credentials of any Veterinarian that would ever consider any operation of this type in the field, under the conditions of unsanitary at the very least ???????? The BLM has already murdered many Mustangs with geldings performed by less than adequate people and conditions , the taxpayers are paying good hard earned money to protect Our Mustangs , and the BLM has already made a mess of that, as far as the health and welfare of Our Beloved Mustangs for which 80% of Americans believe to the MUSTANGS are and have always been a Treasure that America and wildlife cannot continue without ………….. This is and has been wrong from the get go !!!!! Its as simple as that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the already CRIMINAL ACTS By the BLM I believe they should be disassembled and a new agency with people appointed by the people and governed by the people of America who pay for the health and welfare of Our Treasured Wild Mustangs…….. The BLM has not ever acted with the Health and Welfare of Our mustangs placed as number 1 priority therefore the BLM are null in void and have proven without a doubt devoid of making any decisions for the Wild Mustangs !!!!!!!
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Please everybody. Comment on this on the Dever Post. The wild horse haters already are and we need to respond. I just did.
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Will do when I can soon….Thanks for the notice!!!!
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This is just so stupid! Not only health-wise, but fiscally. Why am I not surprised that these idiots came up with such an idiotic plan?
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Over at the Denver Post they all are referring to Our national Treasures as Pests and Feral!!!!! I have but one thing to say over there Since when have Wild Mustangs ever been referred to or called………………. Feral Mustangs, they HAVE BEEN CALLED WILD MUSTANGS ALWAYS!!!!!!!! WHY ????? Because thats what they are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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BLM is BACK to a proposed plan they were pushing a couple of years back that was adamantly rejected based practicality, feasibility and public/advocate outrage?????? Talk about thick headed!
We have a problem here based on two issues:
(1) The definition of “over population” is a floating and chameleon concept that fluctuates and is not based on scientific, peer reviewed fact; and,
(2) The continued capricious and arbitrary reduction of the wild equines’ acreage, along with the refusal to recognize migratory patterns of these PROTECTED species continually allow the government sanctioned and funded killers to cry, “OVERPOPULATION”!
When a reasonable person can’t follow the logic of an out of control agency, how do you fight back? And that is what DOI, USDA are doing….confusing the issue with self proclaimed falsehoods to wipe out wild equines.
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We need to kick A@@ and take names on the BLM……
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Dear Denise !!!!!You are definitely needed over at the Denver Post comments !!!!!!
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This is really making me angry!!!..Now were in my state and know that area well…..
I have seen the Mustangs in this area what a treasure they are…………
I lived near and rode around them….
I CAN”T STAND THIS!!!!!!
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Great Posts RT and Barbara !!!! Bravo !!!!!!!
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Whoops on the Denver Post !!!!!!!!!
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I just worked very hard on a comment to post to the article, and then found that you have to be a member for at least 15 days and have had to have posted at least 15 comments before the they will post your comments. How crazy is that? So far, only anti-horse people have posted, and it’s infuriating to read them without responding.
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Dear rcatheron, i just commented there , just sign up and they posted mine ?????? whats going on they just changed the rules because people with valid comments are responding//////////////????????
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That cant be true, rcatheron. I just signed up & posted a comment!
There are quite a few on OUR side there too. Try again.
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I don’t see the comments at the DP or a link to post a comment, please advise.
Thanks
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You won the New Commenter badge!
Sent at: Today, 10:05 am
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To: arleneorlando
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Dan Petty
Social Media Editor
The Denver Post
303-954-1081
dpetty@denverpost.com
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You won the New Commenter badge!
Sent at: Today, 10:05 am
From: danielpetty
To: arleneorlando
Like many others who have come before, you’ve published your first comment. That’s worthy of this badge: The New Commenter badge.
See all your badges: badges.php?u=167783
What are badges? They’re new functionality we recently introduced to reward commenters for their participation. More: viewtopic.php?f=56&t=123491009
Want to not receive private messages on new badges? Reply to this PM with ‘ignore’ in the message body.
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Dan Petty
Social Media Editor
The Denver Post
303-954-1081
dpetty@denverpost.com
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http://prophoto7journal.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/a-not-so-pleasant-reality-a-perspective-of-truth-about-global-destruction/
A Not So Pleasant Reality: A Perspective of Truth About Global Destruction
Despite our government labeling Advocates as terrorists, or those who believe the sky is falling, and many other choice names, we see this because we are involved directly within it! In reality, it is Advocates attempting to resolve these issues — the killing of our wildlife uselessly — the killing of our environment uselessly — and the killing of our civilization at it’s very heart and soul!
Unfortunately, our government researchers, as well as those responsible for environmental management, are self-initiated. They are a regulatory device of Stewardship of this earth of ours, and yet – In reality, these self-proclaimed Stewarts have dropped the ball on this exact element of biology and our wildlife within an irresponsible manner. Bad decision making a normal consequence and combination of outright ignorance and arrogance, and no sight within the near future of changing.
The Lose of Our Planet
To lose a species is one of a few processes that cannot be reversed. The unpleasant reality is mankind cannot restore a species; rather, we remain capable and cold-bloodedly, and with certainty, destroy an entire species. Mankind is right now doing this at an astonishing rate.
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Oh freak are we really back to this? The Forest Service did this and lost 10% of the mares. This surgery is considered major surgery. Clean facilities, stall rest, pain meds etc. All things can’t and won’t provide. The last time FS did this they turned those mares out the following day WITH ABSOLUTELY NO FOLLOWUP CARE.
If you are going to round mares up to spay them–then you can certainly do the less invasive thing and use PZP instead of this non reversible choice.
How about really implementing the use of the manpower you have, the public and teach folks how to field dart these horses? Then once darted PEOPLE MUST FOLLOWUP THAT SUCH AND SUCH HORSE WAS DARTED.
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Sheldon killed 30 mares doing this. If I am wrong on the number then they can come forward and correct it!
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Supposedly they did this surgery on 30 mares and 3 died. But apparently they stuck their hand up the rectum and crushed the ovaries. The other way is ACTUAL surgery.
But this stuff is so new it’s considered experimental. I don’t the BLM should be experiementing on our horses. And why no followup on care or observation?
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Everyone had great comments on the Denver Post.
I couldn’t get signed in.. nothing like having a great speech and then not able to get in..
Somehow lost my user name, tried to retrieve it kept saying no such name.. I tried to
register and would get email already in use?
Very Frustrated and Angry at the BLM and their CRAP…….
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If this has been done why are they doing it again????? I heard they place the horses on the shovel of a back hoe and raise it up with the horse incapacitated then operate.
If 30 died and 10 5 were lost does that really mean Sheldon did this to 300 mares? Does this ever have to be done? NO!!!
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Support the lawsuits and get the word out to the Public. This is a race to the finish line.
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We are all dedicated, just as the horses who dedicate themselves everyday at the Race Tracks !!!!!! all Eyes here on the Finish Line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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http://elq.typepad.com/currents/2011/02/currents38-02-wagmanmccurdy-2011-0215.html
A National Injustice: The Federal Government’s Systematic Removal and Eradication of an American Icon
Bruce Wagman & Lisa McCurdy
The Statutory Web
While the overriding direction of BLM actions pertaining to wild horses comes from the Wild Horses Act, NEPA also plays an integral role in every roundup. Under NEPA, any major federal action that significantly affects the quality of the human environment requires preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS).[25] Implementing regulations require any government agency considering a proposed action that falls within NEPA to first determine if the action is one that will normally require preparation of an EIS.[26] Agencies are tasked with ensuring that they utilize “high quality” information and making environmental information “available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken.”[27] The agency can avoid issuing an EIS by issuing a finding of no significant impact only if the agency took a “hard look” at the problem and found the potential environmental impact to be insignificant.[28] The BLM has taken advantage of the statutory structure by assessing individual gathers separately, permitting the agency to issue a finding of no significant impact and avoid conducting an EIS.[29] NEPA’s implementing regulations also require the BLM to consider the cumulative impact of its actions.[30] However, there is no documented instance of the BLM assessing the cumulative impact of multiple gathers.
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BLM does no studies on wild horses and burros and they create little data and you cannot trust anything they come out with anyhoot, any more than we can trust anything from our government on them. It is up to us to have the studies and get them done by the right people.
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Oh my gosh! The comments on the original Denver Post article couldn’t be worse if Sue Wallis wrote them herself! We need to flood the Post with comments.
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.. I don’t agree with this. I don’t agree with this one bit. How about just releasing our horses back to where they came from and.. ohh.. I dunno.. Leaving them alone? It’d be like me going into your house and rounding up your kids and performing field surgery on them “It’s for population control” …
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I’m always looking at the big picture…who wants these animals destroyed so badly? Who gains financially? The ranchers fattening their cows? Sheep herders, Oil? Water hunters? What terrible snake must we root out and crush with the hooves of the community?
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BLM, Why don’t you take a new look at the removal of the Wild Horse and Burro Program from your agency? This is is just as bad as when Sheldon did this and I heard 30 mare have died their from the Mengele Mentality they have.
Stop pretending this has anything to do with Management!
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The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was unanimously enacted in 1971 to protect Wild Horses and Wild Burros in the West, mandating that they are to be “protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death; and to accomplish this they are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral part of the natural system of the public lands.” This is STILL the law today. Any regulation or policy by any agency that does NOT come under the umbrella of the law is thus illegal. How much more harassment could there be to these wild horses than to perform major surgery on them?
As of today, the BLM and USFS have reduced the number of Wild Horses and Wild Burros in the wild down to about ~20,000 and they are still removing them from their legal land. What does this tell us? Our government agencies (BLM & USFS) who are mandated by Congressional LAW to protect the Wild Horses and Wild Burros are truly managing them toward extinction. There are no excess Wild Horses and Burros on their congressionally designated land.
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Just a thought….if this is the LAW, then why can’t the public or citizens sue the BLM for gross mismanagement??? These are our tax dollars!! Especially if they are not doing what is in the best interest of the herds. At least with our elected officials, we can vote them out of office. Why is the BLM allowed to hold all the cards with no oversight committee? Why are they allowing the cattle ranchers to use the lands specifically designated for our beloved wild ones, then in turn capture them claiming the horses are the bad guys? How can they be allowed to destroy herd families one after another and then have the gall to ask the government for more $$$ to use on helicopters and what not. I am so sick and tired of the corruption in our government. Somehow, these guys need to be brought down so their heads aren’t so big. Maybe, just maybe, they should consult with wild horse advocates and get their opinions and come together with everyone to come up with a plan that is in the best interests of the horses and burros….what a concept…
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So tell me, whats new with the “new” head of DOI???? No word yet ? When does Salazar actually hand over the reins (so to speak).
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Doesn’t sound feasible at all – it is a lot more involved and risky a process with a long recovery and healing time and so a high failure rate, plus too expensive I would imagine for those government cheapskates.
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God knew I needed a moment to clear my mind today-so he’s my clear minded thinking so my opinion is they need to geld the studs, there are less stud colts and stallions to capture and geld. and safety is more predictable in the field from gelding then from spaying. I am think it would be much cheaper and in the future when it comes time for people to purchase the horses cause it will come again-then the animals have a possibility of being wanted intact and geldings are easier to find homes for. Especially if rounded up and gelded each spring it cuts down on the production and lets a few carry on the blood of the mustangs. Saves tons of money and allows for herd structure as the geldings wont be as inclined to fight amoung each other and do not need to steal a band of mares. Serious lead stallions that need to be intact to be protective can be left as such. I think its more responsible.
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Ok BLM is supposed to manage land not horse populations. If this is such an issue then we need to have a Wild Horse Management group that is equipped with vets and other equine experts. The agriculture industry needs to slow down on cattle production for one before we run out of water. We are feeding more cattle in this country than we are feeding people. Its ridiculous. Wild horses need to be left in their own environment and untouched by human hands. End of story. The problem is that clearing all these lands for housing and cattle has driven out other species. Horses are prey animals and their population would have been controlled with predators.I don’t think the problem lies with the horses, I think the problem is the BLM. For one thing this is what happens when a republican is in office that doesn’t give 2 hoots and a holler about the environment and caters to the ranchers. In my personal opinion the BLM should be absolved. Ranchers should have no rights to graze cattle on “public lands”. These lands should be sacred to the native species only and by native I mean the ones who have been there, grandfather rights to the horse. Go feed your cattle GMO corn like everyone else or purchase your own land.
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And a small distraction helped as well, I ran into my old pasture playmates today. I found my band of Breyer horses I called mustangs and rounded them up into the plains (atop grandma’s dining room table before she would start making homemade noodles in the 1970’s) and then I would “run” and “gallop” my herd simultaneously whinnying and bucking across the plains and upon the “plateau” (grandma’s lazy Suzanne with the red checked placemat on it). I would then run to the edge of table and the stallion would lead the herd into the “canyon” and away from grandma’s scolding, alway’s stern but oddly with a sweet smile behind her glasses and silver curl’s the kindest grandma I would ever know! She would sweetly kneel down and upright and pet the mane of the fallen, and say all better now, you horse’s move on, don’t want any one to run you down. She’s laugh and without fail whiney and “gallop” to my delight to the kitchen! One day as the Breyer herd joined by new Marx grey horse Dagger, my mustangs and eye grazed on the sea of grandma’s green carpet under the same dining room table, and Grandpa joined me. I couldn’t believe it-he said you not riding your pony? I said my “Mustang’s need me for a few minutes every day, so mom won’t get rid of them, he replied ok, well, my brother brought something today-for you!” A man’s hand came down beside my grandpa’s shoulder and it had a brand-new Breyer stallion! I was so excited I whooped, hit my head on the table, then yelled thank you!” After a few hugs, thank you’s and your welcome’s grandpa’s brother left to go back to Florida, he waved and yelled I love you all! I went back to show the herd their new friend, they bucked and argued for a minute and then of course, became life-long friends. My grandpa came back in rubbing his eyes with a hankerchief and blowing his nose, he placed his glasses on his ears and came down beside the table again, grandma poked her head in to say, “he’s a real beaut! He’s gonna produce good stock someday!, grandpa laughed, I asked could I leave them here tonight, he said sure, but why don’t you like them? I replied no because tonight they will be together and run free.” My grandpa teared up, grandma patted his back softly somehow knowingly-He said to me “That’s my dream honey, that the mustangs will alway’s be free!” Today, I now know why grandma rubbed his back, why he really wept, and what that little band of mustangs means. I appreciate that little band of mustang’s, they are just Breyer’s, I am sure everyone has had some to bang around the floors at some point. I still have every one, the collection grew, the memories abound, but Grandpa and Grandma, Mom and Dad playing with me like they themselves were kids… We can’t let these idiots destroy these horse’s. They represent what we will never truly ever be………………………….FREE!
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Are they out of their minds??? This is so sick!! Any right minded knowledgable horse person would not do this to their horse(s). They probably are hiring butcher vets…Just tragic..Just wasting more of the tax payers dollars..I resent my tax dollars being spent on the killing of the Wild horses. How about aneasthia?? I don’t even want to picture this..Its obvious they will not be trained or certified people just some donks off the range…I think this could be debated as inhumane..its so apparent that the BLM and the ranchers just want the ranges cleared of all the Wild Horses and Burros – Period!! I amnot fooled in the least. Disgusting!!!! We cannot let them experiment on these horses..
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They are wasting government money to spend on this to show how extreme the costs are for caring for the horses-if you want to know the actual truth-we ALL know they are blaming the horses and using the money for their OWN personal gain behind the scenes. A man on the BLM board was asked (of all things) to resign from his post because of funneling money from the BLM. My grandfather has newspaper clippings of the story-the money went to all kinds of things-none of which benefitted the horses. It’s like a military wrench for 40,000 that actually was only 22 bucks…you and I know we just don’t have the entire story-it’s an agency that has NO safeguards. We need to have an outside audit of costs and spending to determine why the costs of caring for the horses gets so overinflated. And 6 million for a helicopter. A friend of mine checked into what they do for how long-the fuel and the man power hours and figured at his rate and he said they are charging over 600 percent higher for a chopper than it really costs to do the job. He did actual calculations and accounted for extra time in case the horses need extra round-up time. He is really angry-because he said that there is no way that this is possible. Someone needs to ferret out where our resources are being filtered out to from the animals they are intended for. I am a tax payer, and I want to know. My money accounts for something and I have the right expect transparency from an agency that is wanting to take EXPENSIVE drastic action. Since we are the ones who actually are left out of the loop financially an investigation into how to reduce the costs of the programs they are implementing needs to be done. And it’s necessary to make demands that if they need future round-ups they need an open application process for helicopters to put in bids to do round-ups and to train them in the safety process and set a ceiling for costs-not saying they should do any round-ups just using as an example. We should also know what the costs are for bales of hay/feeds and know the exact break-down of how much is actually delivered and verify that the place sending the feeds actually has that quantity and make sure its costs are not-overinflated. As far as that goes as well, they should set a ceiling on specific costs and allow for bids and the most reasonable and health supportive bids accepted. Demands to know the exact amounts are a necessity and cut out the scratch mine and scratch yours/so the only backs getting scratched belong to a horse. As well, why are they not placing Real Horse People Well educated in Mustangs into a position with the BLM instead of people who are so against them, I think it’s high time to eliminate the people who do not appreciate the wild horses. Zoos have to select people who enjoy the animals, so why doesn’t the BLM? I think that people who really know horses are more capable of cutting back excess spending and bringing the horses into the sunlight. That’s really the issue we are up against, the cattlemen just hate the horses for getting anything free-I have not talked to a single cattleman who didn’t think they deserve ALL the perks, funny have you drove through the country sides over the past 20 years and like me, wondered why do cattlemen let their cattle get so skinny? Because they save money, it’s like this they unlike horse owners they let them get skinny and then before slaughter pack em full. That way they save money on feed on the front end and spend only what it takes to make money on the back end!
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You are so right Cynthia, when I used to go to Nevada to see the Mustangs hundreds of times , that is one of the things they presented to me, the real feel of total FREEDOM , I never felt it like the Mustangs presented it !!!!!!!
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