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OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
WILD HORSE GENTLING:

SALE AUTHORITY MUSTANGS

The large "U" symbol at the right of the regular brand (sometimes it overlays the regular brand) distinguishes Sale Authority from Adoption horses.

A group of Sale Authority mustangs waiting for shipment to a buyer

In late 2004, during the Thanksgiving recess, Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) sneakily added a "Wild Horse Sale Authority" rider to the House's Omnibus Spending Act - a 200-page document designed to implement budgetary matters. This rider, undetected by nearly everyone until it was too late, effectively reversed nearly 35 years of Federal protection for America's free-roaming wild horses and burros. Horses aged 10 and over, as well as those - even babies - who failed to be successfully adopted after three times being offered ("3 Strikes You're Out"), become Sale Authority horses - to be sold "without limitation" by the BLM.

This handsome 3-year-old became a Sale Authority horse at the tender age of 2! Her "defect"? She had been sent to three adoptions with more horses than adopters, and was passed over. She is well-built, healthy, and a quick and eager learner. Luckily, she was purchased by Cathy Barcomb, to become the mascot of her "Save-A-Life" program.

When the infamous Burns Rider first came into law in 2005, some mustangs were sold to dishonest people who said they were getting the horses for a youth program, for Native Americans, etc., and instead sent them directly to slaughter. Some were saved by the efforts of the Ford Foundation's "Save The Mustangs" program, as well as the efforts of other individuals. Public outcry brought about modifications in the law - it is still the law that the horses have to be "for sale without limitation" (no adoption-type safeguards) but it is more difficult to send them to slaughter. Hopefully the Senate will pass the anti-horse slaughter bill and that threat will be removed. Still, the older and young (usually plain-colored) horses that are passed over at adoptions are at greater risk than those in the adoption program. In its defense, the Sale program does allow would-be adopters of good will the opportunity to bypass the year-long adoption process, and often to pick up a nice horse at a bargain price. There is a group in Florida that has been very successful obtaining these horses by the truckload and finding good homes for them.

The older horses are - with a few notable exceptions - considerably harder to gentle than the younger ones. And they have fewer good years ahead of them after one does get them gentled and trained. It is my feeling that they should be allowed to remain on the range when possible, or should live out their lives in good sanctuaries where they are not pressured to become domesticated after all their years. But good sanctuaries are in much smaller supply than the need for them!

Lewis and Clark, our Sale Authority fellows, are lucky to be happily living at the Lifesavers' Born To Be Wild Sanctuary.
CLICK HERE FOR LEWIS AND CLARK'S STORY

Here's another story with a wonderful outcome:

Hello,    My name is Shelby Bedard, I live in Madison Florida. Kheiron is an 11 yr old gelding from the Sand Spring West H.M.A. NV0630 In Ely, Nevada. I recently bought him as a Sale horse. He was captured from The Sand Springs West HMA in Ely NV in Jan of 2006 but because he was over the age of 10 when captured (he's 11) I was able to purchase him.  I was real leary of taking him on due to his age, and the fact that he was a wild stallion for 11 years, (gelded right before i got him) but i could see something in his eyes, he has a very gentle spirit, and decided that i was up to the challenge.     His name is Kheiron, and he is one of the sweetest horses i have ever met, I have only had him home for 4 months now, and he has been easier to gentle than the 8 yr old Sheldon mare i adopted a couple of years ago.  He is a lover, not a fighter, and gets along with anyone, 2 footed or 4 footed.      If there is anyway to make him a poster child for the older sale horses, or anyway you can direct me to a place to let people know that an 11 yr old wild horse can be as sweet as a 2 yr old, i would love to brag about him.  I cant believe that a horse like this could have ended up at the slaughter house, just because of his age.

since 9-18-2006

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