by Steven Long, editor of Horseback Magazine
BLM running down and stripping the Pryor Wild Mustang Reserve of horses
HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The Bureau of Land Management‘s concerted effort to thin the herds of wild horses on land it manages has proven deadly, so deadly in fact, that for each of the last two years (and this year’s not over yet) there have been fatalities on almost half of the “gathers” the agency has conducted.
And last week, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the roundups will continue as herds across the West will be reduced as horses are moved from their natural habitat to artificial refuges in the Midwest and East – this despite the 256 million acres potentially available to the animals on BLM lands.
BLM released fatality statistics from its roundups for the last two years to Horseback Magazine late Thursday.
In 2008, 45 percent of the roundups resulted in at least one fatality, and on one in Nevada, 27 horses died. The total number of deaths through injury or for other reasons totaled 126 animals last year.
Victims of recent Pryor Mountain "gather" - Free one moment, imprisoned the next
The percentage of dead horses on BLM roundups this year is slightly worse at 46 percent resulting in at least one horse death. In July, a Wyoming gather proved fatal to 11 horses. To date this year, 79 horses have died as the agency rushes to clear wild horses from the West.
Experts have told Horseback Magazine that the massive roundups are leaving the western wild horse herds genetically bankrupt. . And chemical sterilization is taking its toll as well, they say.
Over the last two years a total of 205 horses have died at the agency’s hands during its gathers to thin the herds despite the vastness of the lands managed by BLM..
In BLM roundups, horses are often driven down miles of rocky slops by a roaring helicopter. Such was the case in Wyoming this year when 11 horses died at Coconut Creek. A total of 349 horses were caught in that gather.
BLM contractor's chopper running horses into trap
Although helicopter induced stampedes result in fatalities, the agency is reluctant to classify a limping horse as injured.
The bureau classifies equine deaths two ways, according to national spokesman Tom Gorey of the agency’s Washington office.
It classifies horse deaths directly related to a gather as “the number of animals that died or were euthanized because of acute injuries or medical conditions brought about by the gather and removal process, including those that occurred during capture, sorting, and herding at the gather site. This category includes all animals euthanized for reasons related to gather activities.”
Translated from bureaucratese, these horses would not have died had they been left alone in their natural habitat.
The end of a life of a freedom and the death of our National Icon
All other deaths are lumped together in one group for “reasons related to chronic or pre-existing conditions such as body condition, lameness, and serious physical defects. This category includes all animals euthanized for reasons not related to gather activities.”
Gory classifies as myth reports that the agency views a 1 percent death rate as acceptable.
“There is no fatality rate that is considered acceptable to the BLM,” he said. “Our goal is zero percent fatalities in connection with gathers.”
Gory said a percentage of deaths lumped into the second category in 2008 was unusually high because they were “primarily related to Nevada horses that suffered serious health issues resulting from shortage of water and poor forage conditions because of drought and wildfire”
He said these horse deaths occurred at the Nevada Wild Horse Range, Roberts Mountain, New Pass/Ravenswood, and Augusta Herd Management Areas.
In fact, the agency reported that of the 126 deaths attributed to gathers last year, 106 of them fall into the latter category.
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The death’s of horses, and many have been foals, as a result of these roundups are only one reason why they must be stopped. Once horses are put through the chutes and the process begins, mares are given anti fertility drugs and the most permanent damage to animals is the gelding. These horses will never be a normal part of social and family structure even if they are released into the wild again someday. That seems to be less likely with passage of time. The future generations of wild horses existing in the wild is being stopped/ended/killed. The danger of roundups begins with the possibility of death to individuals and ends with the certain death of the herd as a BLM criteria. mar
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“Gory classifies as myth reports that the agency views a 1 percent death rate as acceptable.”
Like Natzi Hitler & buddies thought death of 1 million Jews, Gypsies and disabled persons was an acceptable rate.
Like the the person who just killed Somer Thompson and thought a landfill was an acceptable place to dump the body of an innocent child.
My point is the devaluation of life by some deeply disturbed human being who abuses their power or authority. God gives life. God has a means which life should naturally end. Tom Gory’s reign of lying, killing and stealing needs to end.
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Morgan ~ You are SO right. There has been solid proof for years that those who abuse animals tend to carry that over to other people. However, I think the reports that the BLM views 1% death rate as acceptable probably ARE false. Anyone who knows anything is aware that ANY death rate is acceptable to the BLM, and a 100% death rate would be PREFECT.
I TRULY wish I were kidding.
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follow the money…
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Roger that…..
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Obviously deaths do occour even under the watchful eye of the BLM as they stand and do nothing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPs3qg7CpMs&feature=PlayList&p=AB43BAF02FA8FDFA&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=5
Much the same as the Pryor Mountain roundup when Ginger Kathrens requested that 2 stallions that were starting to fight be seperated and the request was denied by the vet.
So they can say that they do not want any injuries or deaths but I can hardly imagine why anyone would believe them
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There is a round up planned at Green River,WY in a matter of days, where the BLM plans to round up 1000 horses…..THERE MUST BE SOMETHING DONE TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS!!……many more horses will die or forever be lost in the maze of confinement….the BLM wants to keep this round up out of the public view…..we must make a noise…and our presence known…any ideas?
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Golde W, I will contact people. Do what I can. Mar
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Mar, what can we do????? is it possible to lease land out by you and save at least a few of these horses????? who else can we contact that we haven’t? I feel helpless and frustrated, the online adoption gallery is up now, so many horses, who’s going to adopt them all?
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we need to look not only at deaths/injuries that occur during roundups, but also the deaths/inuries that occur during auctions & in the blm internment camps.
there may not have been any deaths in the actual roundup of the theodore roosevelt national park horses but there were deaths at the dakota auction where these horses were taken….preventable, unnecessary, tortuous deaths…..
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/28646/
(you might have to sign up with the dickinson press to read the article)
“A wild-horse auction turned chaotic when a stud tried to jump a fence, another horse escaped during loading into a trailer and another reportedly died Friday afternoon in Dickinson”
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The Green River roundup may have begun by now. There is a liking for working weekends and Sundays by the contractors. The roundup is not scheduled. This is BLM recreational area. They may be part of Salt Wells Creek HMA East of 191 and West of 789. If anyone knows a better location, please tell us. According to Lisa Dines in the American Mustang Guidebook, these horses are former cavalry, mining, ranch and settler’s horses.
The problem with bringing horses here is they must be fence savvy and somewhat gentle. There are several large wintering places here that charge $40. a head per month and it includes hay and watering and basic shelter. The grasses are good when the snow is not on the ground. Just 10 horses would cost $400. a month. It still gets expensive. 100 horses would be $4,000. a month and 1000 horses $40,000. a month. It would be so hard to gentle that many and get them here, too. I wish there were answers. But the best place they can be is on their lands. Taking horses off this winter is an effort to geld and PZP as many horses as possible. This is why they stepped up operations and they are racing us to the finish. Are we going to get ahead of them? That is what we must do. Now. mar
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What I want to do is go out there. If I had the money for film, gas and food, I can sleep in the truck.
This is the roundup that could go bad. This and Red Desert. If anyone wants to get some of us out there and can contribute money, please contact RT or Makendra at the Cloud Foundation. I have this week, and then after I move, all the rest of the winter. I do hope that the roundups will end. But there are others who need funds to get out there, too, and will go when and if it is possible. If we can get press out there we may be able to do a great deal. I am a journalist but not associated with any publication. I can work on that… If you are mad as hell and won’t take this anymore and are frustrated with what to do, help us get to roundups. Then go to one yourself, take pictures, video, ask questions, bring the press. We need to be out there with the horses and burros and sending out reports about everything that goes on. The Onaqai horses were rounded up and 22 PZP’d mares were released and a hand full of horses escaped. BLM told an observer that there would be 100 horses there again in 10 years. Their viability has been compromised. The sale at Dickinson yesterday had horses right off their range being handled and shown and it was a disaster. The horses lose every time, and their little cousins are nearly gone.
Let’s do something… mar
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Mar, can you put a dollar figure on this? I will call TCF on Monday, but do you have an idea of how much money you would need, I would need plane fare, etc, so it makes sense to me to donate to you or whoever, instead of supporting an airline,
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What they are doing is just not right. Evil, even. I am admittedly new to the world of horses (got into them thanks to a wonderful friend that rides and loves these beautiful gifts of God) and this issue, but after reviewing what has been had here vs. BLM’s explanations I think it is quite clear which side is fighting for what’s right.
I was interested as to some ways BLM would profit by gathering up all these herds so that I might better understand their motives.
I truly desire to help, though I am out in the northeast section of the U.S.
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tony, i, too, live in the northeast. we are not helpless just by the fact that we don’t live in the west! get out your pen, your paper, & start writing! write to president obama, write to your congressmen, write to the energy & natural resources committee (who currently has the ROAM act), write to the department of the interior, write to your local media, then write to everyone you know (get THEM involved in writing, too). let them know that this is an outrage! let them know that these horses belong on public lands, free & protected, just like the wiild horse & burro act of 1971, unanimously approved by congress, declared them to be.
need help in your letter writing? head on over to http://www.thecloudfoundation.org or to their blog, http://www.thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com for getting caught up on what’s going on with our wild horses & burros, & for some help in writing your letters. while you’re there, look for the links to the petition to stop the blm’s mismanagement of AMERICA’S wild horses & burros & plop your name down there, too! we can do a lot from our distant little corner of the country….we WILL make our voices heard!
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Tony, yes – Evil comes to mind. You will find a list from Sue Cattor somewhere of all the wonderful things they do “for the good of the horse”. Then go to Wikepedia and search M. Scott Peck, scroll down to “what evil people do”. It is a WOW event to compare the two.
jo bunny already has you on the right track, read all of R.T.’s pages and The Cloud pages, linked pages, listen to the George Knapp hour investigative report (there have been out right pay backs proven over the years – and the people still work there!), among so many others, listen to all the You Tubes and read the blogs – you will soon understand BLM motives – cattle, sheep, oil, gas, mining, hunting? Not to mention all the money BLM gets for overtime for roundups, all the money all the gather crews make (millions, upon millions), how much money is paid to lease/buy the land the prisoned horses are held on, how much money goes to feed them, slaughter profits, cost of adoptin program, etc, etc? It is all intertwined (somewhere there is a list of how many Salazars work for the fed – though don’t know of exact relationships, not a very common name)? Follow the money!
A good question to ask is why are they removing the horses in the first place, at tremendous public expense? There is a law to protect them.
Try to find BLM science, and what has been altered. Even Gus Cothren’s research has been altered, so Ginger says in a recent radio spot. Many people have quit BLM because they were asked to alter thier own research over the years.
BLM just really needs a shake up, limited advisory board terms (some are “lifers”), more diverse advisory board, more accountability, etc. – the ROAM ACT for starters!
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Thanks to both of you. I just hope that somewhere along the road these people who are supposed to be servants of the people will listen and take seriously what is going on. It’s my prayer that they will, as I’m sure it is for many. Even amidst all the corruption there are forces for good out there.
God Bless you all for speaking out on this.
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This bloated bureaucracy called the BLM has got to stop! Need to get a letter, PETITIONr started to get rid of the BLM. This is NOT managing the herds it’s destroying them. They are zeroing out ALL the wild horses and burros in our west. Looks like there are a lot of fatalities in these roundups and others injured or not fairing well later are euthanized
Many of them die of a broken heart as they are isolated from their families and friends.
How sad that we will no longer see the wild horses and burros that once graced our western landscapes with their innocence and beauty The horses have been our loyal companions and helped us to be where we are today. How boring and lonely is a land without wildlife? Biodiversity is what makes our ecosystem thrive. : . What kind of legacy is this for our future generations?. They will never witness the beauty of wild horses in their natural habitat. : Only because our BLM, Forest Dept cater to lobbyists for mining, oil, forestry As the thousands of us against these brutal roundups have to watch as these iconic herds are enialiated one by one.
And public lands are leased to many foreign countries to do as they please.
Canada , Saudi Arabia , the UK , Australia ,China must think we’re stupid pushovers and are taking full advantage..
This is why I despise the Obama Administration for allowing this. With these idiotic open door policies. “DREAMS of My Father” Destroy everything that made this country great. Our natural resources, poison our water like the horrible mining disaster that no one ever talks about.on the Colorado River. The EPA kept that hushed up. On that’s right. That’s their job…not to protect the environment but to keep the public from knowing how much devastation the dumping of millions of tons of the worst toxic chemicals has done to the main source of water in the southwest. Out of sight out of mind. Never hear about that.
Huge mining pits south of Tuscon and in the PaTAGONIA area destroying all the wildlife and habitat leaving miles and miles of gaping holes and poisonous tailings in the water. And Canada is doing this.
Foreign countries want to mine one of the 7 wonders of the world …the Grand Canyon
Plutonium allowed to be mined by Russia thanks to our current Pres. Our Southwest public lands are being leased to Saudi Arabians to grow alfalfa here
I’ve got to say ..since the Obama Adm. Our wildlife and public lands have be raped through the coals…like never before. The new liberal Democratic way is to steal from the American people to pay for these rotten BLM programs the vast majority of us don’t want.
Want to take away our 2nd Amendment so we can’t protect ourselves from terrorists or intruders breaking in our homes . Or from a Government that has turned against us and wants everything we have.
And universal health plans…what good is Health Insurance if huge deductibles have to be met before anything csn be done even after paying monthly rates Doctors look at this current obamacare insurance like it’s the plague and don’t want to treat you. They know they won’t get reimbursed.
A lot of people vote for socialism and don’t even know what it entails or what it is and that it has failed miserably in every country. Why is everyone coming to the U.S if it’s so great?
As far as our wild horses, burros, wolves
You can thank our Secretary of Interior Jewell for doing NOTHING about saving them.!!!!
But you can bet she is promoting her precious sage grouse program which is a rouse to benefit ranchers as the land is cleared of wildlife for the sage grouse and ranchers and hunters benefit. Why are THEY on the protected species lists as our wild horses and burros are unlawfully slaughtered ?
What a scam that is!. McCaine is another rotten apple. So you see there is evil on both sides of the parties.now.
It’s just so unfair that our wildlife has to suffer.
Need a candidate that is for less Government, pro wildlife, protecting our public lands and bringing back our sovereignty by dening foreigners access to our precious natural resources. One that respects our ConstitutionAL rights.
Are we going to do nothing to try to stop this abuse on these wid horses and burros?
Oh and today the Poor 227 mares of the Hines holding pen in Oregon are being butchered as their ovaries, uterus and live healthy in utero foals are being aborted.
As the mare stands in a holding shoot..frantic.
It just keeps getting worse.
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