Report by Carol Walker ~ Director of Field Documentation for Wild Horse Freedom Federation
as published on WildHoofBeats.com
“The wild horses are the victims in this outrageous land grab struggle…”
In September and October of 2014, 1263 wild horses were removed from Great Divide Basin, Salt Wells Creek and Adobe Town Herd Management Areas by the BLM. This was done due to a lawsuit and pressure and influence exerted by the Rock Springs Grazing Association, a very small but powerful association whose goal is to eradicate wild horses from both private and public lands in Wyoming. Although in the 80s an agreement was reached between the BLM, wild horse advocates and the Rock Springs Grazing Association for how many wild horses would be allowed in the vast checkerboard of private and public lands in the Red Desert of Wyoming, the grazing association contended that the BLM was not keeping the numbers of wild horses in check, so their solution was to pressure the BLM to remove all of them, not only from private lands but also from public lands on 2 million acres, and they forced the BLM to manage the public lands in the Checkerboard Area in one block, as though they were part of private lands, even though this is illegal. The court denied the advocates fighting to represent the wild horses a Temporary Restraining Order and Emergency Injunction to stop the roundup, so currently the wild horses removed are in short term holding facilities: about 600 are at Rock Springs, Wyoming, about 500 in Canon City, Colorado and about 100 youngsters are at Axtell, Utah.
The wild horses are the victims in this outrageous land grab struggle. Even though there were fewer than the Appropriate Management Level in each of these Herd Management Areas at the time of the roundup, with no opportunity for public comment the horses were removed, and now only 89 wild horses remain in Great Divide Basin, 29 in Salt Wells Creek and approximately 515 in Adobe Town.
I attended as many days of the roundup as I could. It was a very different experience than any roundup I had been to before in Wyoming because they were trying to capture every single horse in the Checkerboard Areas. This resulted in many more deaths than usual – a total of 14, and also resulted in the capture of many more older horses than usual. They spent hours driving single bands over and over again to the trap, when the older stallions knew what was happening and valiantly tried to evade capture…(CONTINUED)
Click (HERE) to read the rest of the story
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
You would have to be a stupid dumbass not to realize the EXTREME importance of every Mustang enviormentally and to every breathing thing/…………………. They are Legends we cannot afford to lose at any darn cost !!!!!!!!
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Thank you so much R.T.!!!! Carol
Carol Walker 303-823-6642 http://www.LivingImagesCJW.com http://www.WildHoofbeats.com
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WILD HORSES (excerpts)
Copyright 2005
Pete Ramey
http://www.hoofrehab.com/wild_horses.htm
After all these years, my family and I made our first trip to see the wild horses of the western United States.
So, I walked into wild horse country thinking that I was on a tourist trip; confirming what I already knew. I could not have been more blind. I could not have been more wrong.
I don’t know if anyone’s words can get the point across to the world, but I have to try. I thought I was ready, but what I saw literally blew me away. I have worked on thousands of horses, all over the world. I spent six years of my life in the saddle from daylight till dark. I’ve had the privilege of working on some of the finest horses, for the finest horsemen in the world. Understand that after two minutes with the wild ones, I knew that I had never seen a true horse. I literally had no idea of their potential.
One day, we took a road trip to a BLM holding facility. Some of the horses there had arrived from the wild only six weeks ago. We were eager for the opportunity to get some close-up photos of them, but they were not even remotely similar to their brothers and sisters in the wild.
the glow, the vigor, the energy and the startling health was gone, and so were the perfect hooves………. After only six weeks of domestication in what I would consider a “natural boarding” situation, the spell was broken. There were nice horses there, don’t get me wrong, but they were only shadows of their former selves
How has the horse world ignored the remarkable lessons the natural horse has to offer us? Only a few people have noticed them and very little time has been spent studying them.
THE TRUE WILD HORSE IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, BECAUSE TRUE WILD HORSE COUNTRY IS ALMOST GONE.
WE HAD BETTER LEARN TO TREAT THEM AS SUCH AND GET ALL OF THE ANSWERS WE CAN FROM THEM BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.
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Louie – I read this on Pete Ramey’s website. I think he nailed it! The actual TRUE horse is the one this BLM & cattlemen are so determined to eradicate. This is what all of us need to realize – not just horse advocates-but all of the US public. Allowing these wonderful animals to be wiped off the face of our public lands just to satisfy these few individuals who are so impressed with their own greed & what they want is so wrong. We all know it – and there are many more every day who know it!
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Amen LouieC I have stood among them and with the Mustangs, never has my heart and soul ever felt Freedom more ,never have I felt so free , Freedom like i have never known…………………… The Mustangs are Glorious chosen beings let there be no mistake !!!!!!!
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Thank you, Carol. Your photos and stories make these wild horses personal to us – as it should be since they belong to all of us and yet to only themselves.
It is heartwarming to know that some of the “old ones” will now live in safety. We are all concerned for the foals that are captured but so few times are the “old ones” even considered and yet they are the wise ones and the wildest of the wild. They more than any, should NEVER be captured and removed from their home.
I noticed how the demeanor “changed” from their photos in the wild to their photos in the pen – especially the two magnificent stallions Bronze Warrior and Snowfall. I have seen this same sad change in other wild horses and it is like a balloon that has been deflated – very sad and very wrong since they have a legal right to live out their lives as nature intended – in the wild.
Thank you for caring, Carol.
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After 500 years the DNA of American Mustang perfected by natural selection must be preserved in viable numbers for the survival of all horses and mankind itself. Domestic horses may someday need to be bred back to wild stock to fend off disease, temperament, deformities or any other symptom cased by confinement or inbreeding. And eventually as mankind will inevitably rely on horses again that rugged DNA and even mustangs themselves in vast numbers must be available to help mankind survive a future with limited energy.
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Horsedrag, I was just lamenting that these good and rare appaloosa studs are already gelded, and wondering if we can somehow require the BLM keep their DNA in storage for future generations if they insist on bottlenecking all wild horse genes. Since DNA samples are being taken already (at least in some herds) by Dr. Gus Cothran, does anyone know what it would take to keep genetic material stored such that it could be used later on to regenerate our sadly diminishing domestic horse gene pools, perhaps through cloning? Surely some part of the BLM budget can be directed towards this sort of effort to mitigate what otherwise is a guaranteed genetic extinction in very short order. Anyone?
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Dear horsedrag, Truer words were never SPOKEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The Second Amendment speaks of our rights to protect ourselves. I would imagine we have a right to a future with horses as carbon based fuels are depleted. Trying to convince a court though is another matter. But we lived 100 years ago without oil and the only way to the future as I see it is a mix of all of the above even horses including how we did it before oil. That DNA must be viable as it is in Wild Mustangs to insure that all energy sources may be available even one powered by grass.
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Exactly what they are doing in the Rewilding Europe project—including reintroducing several wild horse species—I posted those articles several months ago.
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And it looks like now Colorado is after the mustangs http://www.tsln.com/news/14538661-113/wild-management-bureau-horse
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Of course, geri, if it works for Wyoming – these other farm bureau states will attempt to do the same thing! This is just wrong..
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Another release–rare wild horses released in Spain, another Rewilding Europe article. http://www.wlrh.org/NPR-News/rare-horses-released-spain-part-rewilding-effort
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The castrations should be squelched altogether…for good.
It is imperative that the public be informed that there is NO overpopulation of Wild Horses.
Were they to be left in the wild and MANAGED IN THE WILD, on their Legal Herd Management areas, there would be no need for such drastic procedures.
The trauma that those Stallions are forced to endure is unconscionable.
One can only imagine what it does to a wild creature. It is hard enough on domesticated Horses, which are usually gelded at a young age and under good owner and veterinary care.
That doesn’t happen with the captive Wild Stallions.
They are ALL castrated, regardless of age and the care they receive……
Click to access Davis%20Report%20July%201%20Visit%20to%20Indian%20Lakes%20.pdf
A veterinarian from UC Davis did an independent investigation into gelding practices at Indian Lakes following the first Calico roundup.
He observed that a quick, efficient process was used that seemed to minimize recovery time. However, he was very concerned about the use of succinylcholine, a paralytic, NOT an anesthetic, during the course of the surgery. He noted increased heart rate and respiration during the initial phase of surgery, indicating these animals were awake and aware of what was happening to them before anesthesia.
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Interesting to hear what a veterinarian thinks about this process. After reading the entire article – he does not sound all that enthusiastic. Comparing the holding areas to battery cages for chickens & factory farming certainly says a lot, doesn’t it? I think its downright amazing that these wonderful older (20s) stallions come through this process as well as they do. Says something about the shape they are in and how strong & tough they are. It also says they should be LEFT ALONE!
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The BLM should be encarerated for this if nothing else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Maggie, they don’t all come through the castration. FOIA documents show mortality rates which give the real story.
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I have read about the mortality rates from castration & remember seeing pictures of the mostly younger horses so terribly swollen & not given anything to take away the pain. But from reading about these older stallions being gelded – I am amazed that they (the ones we know about) have come through it reasonably well. You’re so right – this just shouldn’t be happening at all. And I’m willing to bet that most of the mortalities on that list come back to the gelding done, ie, “unexpected other”, colic,
“dangerous” – how hard is it for them (BLM) to “get” that these are wild animals – who should not be treated the same as any domestic ones. Altho, saying that, I don’t believe ANY animal should be treated that way!
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One other comment by that same vet mentioned the sun/wind protection – that the piping/brackets etc that would be used to set them up would cause more problems (injuries) than leaving the horses out in the weather! Honestly, I seem to remember several advocate groups wanting to donate the material & labor to build the windbreaks – I would imagine there would be a way to do this without creating more danger for the horses. How hard can this be???????
I guess we all have been asking that for the past few years – so is the answer what we’ve all figured it is – they don’t give a tinker’s dam (so to speak) about the welfare of the horses & burros?
Sorry I’m babbling on so – but the frustration is rising!
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From a FOIA
28 male horses from the Triple B died at Gunnison Prison.
Only 26 Sale Authority age geldings made it to LTH out of 1269 horses captured (3 of those reported dead soon after)
Dead at Gunnison:
9 are listed as euthanized due to gelding complications
8 died unexpected body condition unable to maintain
4 died/euthanized fracture/injury head
2 euthanized fractured leg
1 died unexpected other
1 died following illness other
1 died respiratory pneumonia
1 died following illness colic
1 euthanized dangerous
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FOIA Documents
Documents Reveal BLM Secret Plan to Destroy Wild Horses
BLM FOIAs
BLM Alternative Management Options
BLM Approved Minutes-Sacramento 06.15.09
BLM Team Conference Calls 05.13.09
Click to access BLMFOIA.pdf
Under this option, any facility could become a focal point for public, media or Congressional attention. Increased levels of security would be needed at all locations, or the activity may need to be moved off-site to a more appropriate and secure facility. Increased support from public relations and management staff would also be needed to insulate those doing the actual work from public, media and Congressional scrutiny/criticism.
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Maggie, I reposted the above FOIA documents with the corresponding links.
I’m not sure how many here have seen them before.
This has all been in the works for a long time, and those involved might know the answers to some of our questions.
BLM FOIAs
BLM Alternative Management Options
Click to access BLMFOIA.pdf
BLM Approved Minutes-Sacramento 06.15.09
Click to access BLM.meeting.minutes.06.15.09.pdf
BLM Team Conference Calls 05.13.09
Click to access BLM.Team.Euth.FOIA_Cover.letter.pdf
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I remember reading these minutes before – it certainly showcases the fact that these people know NOTHING about wild horses. Their only concern is keeping the public from becoming aware of what they want to do. If this doesn’t tell all of us that the whole point of the BLM’s wild horse & burro “program” is to eradicate the wild horses & burros from our public lands – then we haven’t been listening. To be honest, reading what has been said in these minutes just shows exactly how inhuman they all are. But then that’s not much of a surprise is it?
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As the death toll rises these lunatics are allowed to continue, doing what they are not qualified to do, Put the Damn Mustangs back where they belong for God s Sake
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