Source: Written by Bonnie Matton Special to the Mason Valley News and published at RGJ.com
Watering, though not illegal, can be just as harmful to the horses…
Though people continue to feed and water Nevada‘s wild horses, these horses most often end up becoming ‘nuisance’ horses, just like ‘nuisance’ bears.
And, as this usually happens in residential areas, close to busy streets and highways, the horses learn not to be afraid of cars and traffic, often getting hit or killed.
In any case, the end result is the same. The ones who do survive, won’t be wild or free any longer.
A new, expanded Nevada statute is aimed at preventing this from happening.
In the past, the law made it unlawful for a person to feed any estray or feral livestock, which includes wild horses. But, a person doing so received just a warning, not a citation or criminal charges.
During the 2013 Nevada Legislative Session, a new statute was passed that reads as follows: ‘Besides the warning (and if not adhered to), a second subsequent violation of such offense is a gross misdemeanor.
The third statute NRS.130, Section 8, increases the penalty for that violation from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor.’
What this means is: The first offense draws a reprimand; the second, a fine; and the third, potential jail time.
Watering, though not illegal, can be just as harmful to the horses. Homeowners, having fed and/or watered horses in the past, have often found their ‘wild pets’ becoming aggressive toward their own horses, even becoming aggressive to humans, as they no longer fear them. Consequently, these ‘neighborhood’ wild horses will be removed.
Last fall there was a family group of horses frequenting the streets and lawns of Mark Twain Estates, in Lyon County.
Wild Horse Preservation League President, Dorothy Nylen, said, “One day, I saw them grazing in someone’s yard. The homeowners were casually sitting close to them in folding chairs.”
She continued, “When I suggested this could be dangerous, the woman informed me she knew horses really well, wasn’t hurting the horses and the horses weren’t bothering them.”
Shortly after Nylen talked with them, two stallions in the group started fighting. Luckily, those same people were able to get out of harm’s way; and in November of 2012, the Nevada Department of Agriculture picked up most of that band.
Click (HERE) to comment at RGJ
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This piece makes a very good and too often overlooked point. In a recent situation, I was asked for help by property owners living at the edge of an urban area. These folks were upset that BLM was requiring them to remove water tanks they had placed expressly for local wild horses, and were upset at having to remove the tanks. In conversation with the property owners, I learned that they had made no efforts collectively or individually to learn what permanent sources of water were available to ‘their’ horses, and knew little or nothing about wild horse behavior.. It wasn’t a good situation.
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At least their hearts are in the right place. I do understand this reasoning though. I am just glad to hear about people trying to help, not slaughter or abuse these animals. I hope these kind people are educated on this subject.
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I understand the reasoning with people wanting to help feed the horses,but BLM will just round them up, put them in Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro Center north of Reno and they will die a slow death in the heat without appropriate shelter, there is none at all and these horses are suffering in the heat…so you all tell me which is better…at least people care enough to help…more than I can say about the BLM….well we will see what a local news station reveals when they do thier story…and show my pictures…..will keep you guys informed…and the RGJ is the worst newspaper I have ever read….look at my pictures on my Facebook page, Nancy Leake Reno NV….
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Nancy I’ve sent a FB friend request otherwise I cannot see those pic’s you posted…
Thank you for help with our Equines at the Palomino Facility…
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thank you Nancy!
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All right all ready!!!! Use some common HORSE Sense folks. Don’t feed where you don’t want them to be. Feed/water them out in the desert far away from residential areas. Get off your duffs and yes, travel to them. That way will stay there. In times of drought and because of extensive grazing by welfare sheep/cattle, yes, the horses will seek an easy meal and free pickings. Not a good idea is right, unless u want to see them get hit by cars, shot by the neighbours or declared a nuisance and that the bloody BLM or worse the USFS will come get them and then they might as well be dead because BLM holdings are hell with no shelter/shade/minerals or exercise. The USFS has no such tolerance and will sell them since the USFS does not fall under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act and therefore, deems the horses as “feral or estray”. That means they most likely wind up in slaughter houses. The national parks and USFS have been know to shoot wild burros outright. Reports abound of wild horses being shot also (Texas).
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both of those agencies are evil. Good idea to water them in the area where they should be and not where YOU want them to be. I realize we all want to see these precious animals be happy and thrive but if that means not seeing them at your property ..then so be it. The main concern is to save their lives , not to put them in jeopardy. Thank you for caring though. It is only through caring that anything will change. 🙂
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It may also be confusing for the public because of the domestic versus wild horse designation. An example might be where people feed wild deer, but there’s no ” domestic” deer to confuse the issue, therefore easier to understand the best solution for a wild animal. This similar scenario happened in an Austin neighborhood. Difference being no agency was out there trying to round them up to put them in a he!! hole called PVWHaBC. So, even more urgent that the public understand the extreme risk of their actions to the wild ones.
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Texas Rangers shoot wild burros. Surprised they aren’t out there in Austin shooting wild horses too.
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No wild animal should ever be fed. We had a group of coyotes that were trapped and killed because someone in an apartment complex was feeding them. They then started hanging out and became aggressive. Unfortunately it is survival of the fittest with Mother Nature deciding the balance. As hard as it can be we must respect that.
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Yep, have a neighbor who set food out for racoons two winters ago. They have invaded. Eaten their way through doors and live in the attic. She finally admitted defeat and called wildlife services. It was very hard on her to realize she had brought the trouble onto the racoons – also that their “cute” inquisitive manner became aggressive and hard to manage when she tried to wean them off their easy food.
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Wouldn’t it be nice to see this law amended down the road with a zero tolerance parameter.
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This whole article is not true! For one, if there are so many wild horses, where are they? I used to see them often and have not seen any in years! The BLM has fenced off watering holes from them. Horse slaughter has been banned in the U.S., and groups like the HSUS are working hard to ban the transport of horses to slaughter in Mexico and Canada. AND, at slaughter, the horses are not killed instantly and humanely…there are many videos of horses still being alive while being slaughtered! See the HSUS.org for more! That is NOT the answer anyway! We need to keep them on THEIR land. The contraceptive program can work and has worked with other wildlife. The BLM was supposed to have done that already with the help from the HSUS…it’s in the BLM document of what they are to do, yet they have ignored it!
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OK, I have a few Questions here, as an “alien Easterner”:
1} I absolutely understand the unavoidable (if inadvertent) RISKS of artificially providing food 0r even Water (esp if sporadic) within 0r near a moderate-high human-populated area, with roads & boundaries to cross, etc. — MY long-established IN-city neighborhood is currently 0VERRUN by a wild Deer herd of about 35! Althó I do n0t entice them, I don’t mind their foraging in my backyard ((my little Yorkie & my poor flowerbeds disagree)). BUT, it’s become dangerous to drive here at 25mph, even in daytime ! and Same issues occurred with pesky Raccoons at a previous address, which recently have become Rabies* carriers in this area! (+ our fair share of “cute” black Bears turned to marauding maniacs) … Nonetheless, Horses & burros do n0t climb, fly, burrow, + can be fenced 0ut/in.
…and those photos & stories of successfully maintained wild Horses co-mingling within areas surrounding the NC/VA Corolla shore Herds ~ also come to mind ~ of a m0re peaceful LEARNED coexistence among species…(+ a tourist draw).
2} YET- where this havoc is occurring out-West, it 0nly PROVES, even m0reso that negligent BLM & wild “preserves” should damn*well BE increasing ACCESS ± supplementing WATER (± FORAGE) – upON the HA/HMA range, during times of eXtreme scarcity / weather !!
(plus it is 100 X more logical & a-hell-of-a LOT cheaper than cruel roundups & prisons. )
I do N0T agree with “zer0-tolerance policy” mentioned, because these are heartfelt actions by the concerned* Public, where EDUCATION and ACCESS are thé real Keys ! During that “warning phase” Education* must be provided -but ALONG WITH- an offer by BLM / DoI agencies to: {d0 their hired job}-to: Instruct, Advise, &/or Transport any needed Donated* Water / forage ONTO appropriate HMA/HA sites ! (Most avg. citizens lack means to transport 0r store quantities of water*, even if Hay/supplements are m0re feasible; yet BLM does possess such resources!) .
IF the Public (0r a benefactor) desires & has mean$ & time to aid OUR wild Equine herds, when BLM / DoI will 0NLY consider DEstruction*, (& neVer feasible “management” ) ~ the Public should* be given the opportunity & assistance to DO so.
((AGHAST!–work with*, n0t against, Public citizens?!?)) …
3} Of ALL the 1000s of ghastly photos we’ve seen, re: wild Horse nightmares — the 0nes which tear-into my Soul deepest = those of DEAD & Dehydrated Horses, beside the FENCEs separating them from life-sustaining Water that’s 20ft away, where filthy Cows drink their fill (& spoil the remainder)! 😥
4} m0re disturbing & difficult to comprehend: are thé HUGE, mostly deserted areas of “State”, “USFS”, “F&W”, & fake wildlife “Refuge” tracts, upon which MANY un-‘protected’ wild equine Herds have historically, always (tenuously) Lived, esp. in NV.
So I ask ~~ IF 0ne OWNS/leases rural property within 0r adjoining such areas containing wild Horses (& Far* from busy vehicular traffic)
~~ WHY cann0t such citizens, if desired, provide WATER troughs / pools; small readjustment of their land’s water courses; 0r extra FORAGE ~ upON & at boundaries of their OWN Land??
{sorry, it cut me Off, midsentence} ..as long as such sites do n0t encourage the horses to Stray from their historical, “semi-permanent” Living areas?
& imagine If* a SANE human has subsequently purchased/leased that “Fenced-out access” land, described above?? Couldn’t they either: eXtend the WATER troughs or pools to be accessed beYond that fence? change Fencing pattern? 0R elect to N0T turn-off the Water or divert* its source to troughs / ponds (when moving livestock to other seasonal forage area)?
Couldn’t a kind-hearted farmer (or benefactor), wh0 happened on a more abundant Hay crop, cleared Brush (that cows don’t eat), apples, (whatever) – be competently Advised where* / how* to safely Share this unto those nearby wild herds??
(even if seasonal / sporadic; much like my summer & winter Bird-feeders ~ where wild birds take a peek to see IF I’ve left a tasty morsel, b4 moving on…)
while the West suffers dry heat* (with s0me thankful relief of last year’s drought), WE in N. & S. East currently have yards / pastures beginning to resemble* RainForests! + 90-100% humidity & nearly daily flash-floods. On those few drier days, I see the HAY-bales begin to pile-up already ~ many will need to gladly Sell this abundance (if continues), yet s0me may wish to Share*? … & that’s n0t feasible, with0ut the USE of those BLM “haul-to-Oblivion” (0r market) transport* trucks!!? unfortunately Water, itself is a bit m0re problematic… 😦
5} It is LACK of EDUCATION, ADVICE, COOPERATION which “creates dependent ‘nuisance’ wild Horses” ~ n0t intent*. . .
{that IS, 0nce again:
purely malicious Negligence & refusal* of foresight, hindsight, 0VERsight, account-Ability from Our ‘interior resource (n0n)-manager’ agencies. }. . .
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