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Lewis & Clark

Mustang History, part 2

What's the future for wild horses & burros?

It is not the purpose of this website to be political, yet "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" (Thomas Jefferson). Study the facts, listen to all sides, and make your own decisions.

FIRST THE BAD NEWS
(Or click here to skip right to the Good News & What We Can Do)

BURNS RIDER GUTS WHB PROTECTION:

Starting in late 2004, with the surreptitious insertion of the Burns Amendment into the Omnibus Spending Bill, which ended Federal protection for mustangs and burros 10 years old and older, and for younger ones who have failed to be adopted after three offerings (3 Strikes You're Out), through the fight to end horse slaughter plants in the US (which was passed by an overwhelming majority in the House but failed to make the Senate floor before it recessed for fall elections in 2006 ) - horses, especially wild ones, need our efforts to protect them more than ever.

Currently (fall 2007), the most dire problems for horses (both wild and domestic) in the U.S. are because of widespread drought, which has driven hay prices out of reach for many horse owners, and created starvation crises for wild horses on the range. Thousands of wild horses in Nevada are currently in very weakened condition due to drought-driven starvation and thirst. Emergency gathers combined with on-the-range supplemental feeding and watering are needed to avert disaster for many of these herds, but budget crunches on all levels are making this difficult.

Fires in Southern California have left hundreds or perhaps thousands of horses homeless, along with their owners, and many people's hay supplies went up in smoke. This has stretched the horse community's ability to provide emergency housing and feed for the survivors, many of which are owned by people who lost everything and may take months or years to get back on their feet.

Due to rising feed costs and the shrinking availability of affordable land or boarding facilities in many areas, domestic horses are being dumped onto the market in droves by people who simply cannot afford to feed them through another winter. As a result of the same pressures, adoptions of wild horses are down. Young, healthy horses are becoming "Three Strikes" animals. People are downsizing, not adding to their herds.

• Texas Burro Massacre:

  Feral Donkeys Killed in S. Texas by Crystal Ward January, 2008 In recent months, perhaps as many as a hundred donkeys have been brutally shot by officials representing the Big Bend Ranch State Park in southern Texas. Most of the shooting was performed with little or no notice to any of the Park employees (many of which were interviewed and voiced their disapproval in the slaughter). Big Bend Ranch State Park covers over 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan desert wilderness. It's been a state park since 1988. It is rugged and remote land, which also encompasses two mountain ranges. For several centuries feral donkeys have lived in this area. At one point, big horn sheep apparently lived in the area too. Now, park officials claim the donkeys must go so they can reintroduce the big horn sheep which will compete for the same range. The big horn sheep already exist in three areas in Texas. The drive to re-introduce the big horns is primarily a financial concern. Texas holds lotteries for the chance to trophy a big horn. The Park also manages longhorn cattle on the ranch. They hold annual cattle drives which bring in tourists. Although the cattle are not native to the area either, one can only speculate why the cattle may remain in manageable herds, but the donkeys must be eliminated. Letters to the Editor are being printed in the Big Bend Sentinel in Texas. Many are from outraged animal lovers from throughout Texas and surrounding states. Most note the vicious way these donkeys were shot. Many were hip and belly shots. One article cited how a young foal was attempting to nurse off his dead mother. Quoting another letter to the Editor, Curt Swafford from Terlingua, Texas writes; "I spoke with Mr. Robert Garcia, the retired park police officer who first investigated the burro massacre until Internal Affairs basically rendered his investigation impotent. He feels the taxpayers have a case regarding cruelty to animals under a law stating you cannot shoot an animal and leave it to linger and suffer. He tells me the mother burro suffered two weeks before she died, and he has proof, evidence, and photographs." In January 2008, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue toured Big Bend Ranch State Park to evaluate the site and plan on a humane capture of several surviving donkeys. We are grateful for PVDR and in recent weeks the Board of Directors of CADAMA voted to donate club funds specifically for the rescue of feral donkeys in Big Bend Ranch State Park. This will be a huge undertaking and donations will be gratefully accepted. You can send your donations directly to www.donkeyrescue.org . On that same site you can view the article written by Mark Meyers regarding this issue. What can we do? Several things. First and most important, we can send a donation to PVDR specifically for this rescue.  Talk about this tragedy.....write letters. Tell your friends. Send emails to people across the country. Get involved. For those who are passionate about this subject, please join us in a letter writing campaign. Change will only come about when the people request change, give valid reasons and show support in unison. We need to right a wrong. Hopefully these donkeys did not die in vain. Presently feral equines are protected on federal lands by the "Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act" of 1971. It mandates that these animals shall be prohibited from capture, branding, harassment or death. Their populations on federal lands are kept in check by a round-up and adoption system. No such system seems to be in place for feral equines on state lands. This is where the donkeys in Texas on state park land falls through the cracks. Simply put, they are on state land, not federal land. Here's where your letters can help. By writing elected officials in Texas, perhaps one individual will introduce legislation to incorporate state park land in a similar law already on the books with federal lands. Addresses/FAX for letters (Texas) Governor Rick Perry Office of the Governor P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711 (Texas) Senator John Cornyn FAX only (202) 228-2856 (Texas) Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson FAX only (202) 224-0776 (Texas) Senator Carlos I. Uresti P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, TX 78711 (Texas) Representative Congressman Oro Rodriguez FAX only (202) 225-2237 (Texas) Representative Pete Gallego P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX 78744 President George W. Bush FAX only (202) 456-2461 Big Bend Ranch State Park P.O. Box 2319 Presidio, TX 79845 The Alpine Avalanche (newspaper) P.O. Box 719 Alpine, TX 79831 email editor@alpineavalanche.com Marathon New Leader (newspaper) P.O. Box 99Sanderson, TX 79848 email editor@tcnewsleader.com Austin American-Statesman (newspaper) P.O. Box 670 Austin, TX 78767 The Big Bend Sentinel (newspaper) Drawer P Marfa, TX 79843 editor@bigbendsentinel.com sterry@bigbendsentinel.com FAX (432) 729-4601

• More about Problems & Challenges
• Trends in American Horse Ownership

CURRENT ISSUES AFFECTING ALL HORSE OWNERS (ANY & ALL BREEDS)

There is also some real positive stuff happening. Click to see:

• What We Can All Do To Help Mustangs
• GOOD News, Trends and Happenings

These horse were photographed on one of the BLM Sanctuaries for older, unadoptable horses in the Midwest. Please note that these are the living conditions that Conrad Burns said are "inhumane" and that the horses would be better off dead!

If you want to read more about these depressing issues, check out these links:

Problems Specific to Wild Horses & Burros:

•  Galloping Scared (Of all things, Vanity Fair magazine produced one of the more intelligent, well-researched wild horse articles that I've seen recently)
•  Wild Horse in Peril
•  Conrad Burns: Hall of Shame Nominee
•  No Home on the Range: Wild Horse Protection Act Gutted
•  The Last Roundup (Boston Globe Op-Ed Piece by Deanne Stillman) This is a very emotional but well-written article with a very definite point of view - it may be your view or it may not - but it presents one view very powerfully.
• Do a Google Search: There are many more articles on the Web

GENERAL HORSE ISSUES

Horse Slaughter in America:

• Horse Slaughter: An American Disgrace
• The 1998 California Ban
• November 2005: Slaughter Ban approved by Congress
• January 2006: USDA begins Over-Ride
• Bush Administration Ignores Congress On Horse Slaughter Ban
• Do a Google Search: There are many more articles on the Web

NAIS (National Animal Identification System)

Okay, mostly I keep this site non-political. But I do have a clear bias here:

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a proposed national program to identify and track livestock animals, including poultry, horses, cattle, goats and sheep.  While NAIS’s purported goal of disease containment appears to be beneficial, the requirement for American citizens to register privately-owned property for tracking and monitoring purposes has very serious implications for our privacy, rights and freedoms. "Disease containment" also means knowing where every animal of every species is at all times, so they can be rounded up and slaughtered in the event someone at a high level of government decides this is "in the best interest" of public health.

•  Stop Mandatory Animal ID

•  Lynn Miller's editorial

STATISTICS:

• "Wild Horses By The Numbers"  This website has compiled statistics to make the case that wild horses are being systematically eradicated
• BLM Statistics & Maps This site is a treasure trove of information with maps of the herd areas and herd management areas, population statistics for each herd management area, etc. This government website, of course, makes the case that wild horses are being managed responsibly as part of an overall, multiple-use land policy.

More about horse issues:

• Fund for Horses: http://www.fund4horses.org/info.php?id=843
• Society For Animal Protective Legislation http://www.saplonline.org/Alerts/091506.htm 
• Doris Day Animal League http://www.ddal.org/horseprotection/

Educate Yourself! Consider opposing points of view, and make up your own mind. These are not simplistic issues with simplistic, one-size-fits-all answers.

WHAT WE CAN ALL DO TO HELP WILD HORSES AND BURROS:

1. PEOPLE WON'T PROTECT WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW AND LOVE:
Get your good mustangs and burros out where the public can get to know them!

Getting your well-trained horse or burro out to shows and competitions is a great way to show the world that these are animals with merit and value.	Meet the Mustangs Day in Napa was the effort of the local Napa Valley Horsemen's Association and California BLM Volunteers to help educate the public about mustangs and burros, while providing a day of fun and camaraderie. It's amazing how many people  today have never even seen a horse at close range. Generally, people get very excited about being able to pet a real horse that is clean and well-behaved. Being an ambassador for Mustangs is usually fun and gratifying.
Ruby and Sparky participating in a public schools Farm Day	Sparky at a BLM adoption
Sparky in a parade	Benny, Sparky & Ruby at a BLM adoption (photo courtesy of Jeff Fontana, California BLM)
Other things you can do: 1. Educate Yourself 2. Communicate your desires for America's wild horses and burros to your elected officials

GOOD STUFF HAPPENING:

1. The Mustang Heritage Foundation: This organization, reorganized under the direction of Patty Colbert and Weslie Elliott, is a HUGE shot in the arm for the wild horse world! They have the vision, the commitment, and the know-how to get things done. Watch for the EMM on RFD-TV this summer! (WIDE WORLD OF HORSES on RFD-TV Will feature the Extreme Mustang Makeover on Monday, August 27, 2007)

Here is the late summer-fall, 2007 schedule for the Wide World Of Horses on RFD-TV.

The MUSTANG HERITAGE FOUNDATION has two exciting and innovative programs currently in place:

•  Extreme Mustang Makeover (EMM)A total of 275 trainers and horses will compete for $75,000 in prizes.
  For 2008, The Mustang Heritage Foundation plans four regional Mustang Makeover events:
• Madison, Wisconsin Mustang Challenge
• Sacramento, California, Mustang Challenge
• Wyoming Mustang Challenge
• Nevada Yearling Challenge

•  Trainer Incentive Program (Separate from EMM, above)
  Qualified trainers are offered financial incentives to gentle and halter train up to 300 2-to-4-year-old mustangs from Nevada.

2. California BLM Volunteer Project:

• California BLM Adopters Assistance Website

3. Here's a wonderful story about a Reno-area "Green" commercial/industrial park and Wild Horses

since March 7, 2006

copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Nancy Kerson, all rights reserved - I'm happy to share, just need to be asked and credit given where due.

Disclaimer: Horses are inherently dangerous. Use the information contained within this website at your own risk.

LINKS TO FRIENDS AND RESOURCES:

Bay Area Equestrian Network Oregon Equestrian Network Southern California Equestrian Network Southeast Equestrian Network Arizona Equestrian Network Nevada Equestrian Network

CALIFORNIA BLM ADOPTERS ASSISTANCE

 
IWHBA                                    BCHA                                     CADAMA