The beautiful foal Hopscotch

A beautiful sight just after dawn

In the last month, I have visited and photographed the horses of Sand Wash Basin on two trips.  I had the wonderful experience of having Nancy Roberts go with me on one day on each trip, and she is the advocate who has spent the most time out in the herd area with the horses, observing and photographing and keeping track of them, so she had some wonderful stories to share with me about the horses.

The new foal Robin meets his older brother

Unfortunately I saw sheep, hundreds of them, on the eastern part of the horse range, and even got to watch as the herders had to use a horse (a mustang) to tow out sheep that had gotten stuck in the mud at a waterhole.

Sheep at a waterhole

Hundreds of sheep

Pulling the sheep out of the mud at the waterhole

This herd was rounded up in 2008 by the BLM using the contractor Cook, and I was there – it was horrific with horses being rammed into panels and a mare being trampled.   Here is the link to the You Tube slideshow I did on this roundup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsIvjEbRebU b

Since then, HSUS has been conducting a 4 year birth control study on the herd.

The last time I had been out to see the horses was in October last year, and I stayed on the western portion of the range, where most of the horses were.  I found out that shortly after I left, sheep were turned out in that part of the range (the fall and winter forage area for the horses) and left there until April.  This has had disastrous consequences for the range.  There were some areas that were so barren that all were left were dirt and rocks.

A bachelor stallion looks over the barren range

Many waterholes are already drying up in May

This winter has been one of the driest on record for Colorado with almost no moisture, and now many of the summer waterholes are drying up.  The BLM has said that they will haul water for the horses if needed, but I am concerned because the BLM has been talking about “emergency roundups” that may be necessary this summer. My question is where are they going to put the horses that are removed, given that the holding facilities are all at or near capacity?

Vegas's band running to the waterhole

This herd is the largest remaining herd in Colorado, and is one of the easiest herds to visit.  The horses are used to people being around, so they are easier to observe and photograph than many other herds in Colorado and Wyoming.

The beautiful band stallion Centauro who looks very Spanish

A beautiful palomino filly named Isadora with her family

I had a wonderful morning in May at a waterhole with a well  in the northern part of the horse range.  Many bands came down to water at the same time that morning, so there was a lot of activity, especially from the bachelor stallions.

Apache was particularly active that day, and must have run miles!  He was beautiful to watch.

The bachelor stallion Apache

Bachelor stallions

Trying to steal a mare

I will go back to visit again this summer, and I hope that the BLM will indeed haul water to the horses if necessary during this drought, and refrain from removing these beautiful horses from their home.

If you want to learn more about the Sand Wash Basin Herd, you can visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sand-Wash-Basin-Wild-Horses/101181969939406

Carol and Mica, photo by Jody

On April 29, Mica and I went to a Trail Obstacle Clinic at Jody Marken and Marty Marten’s beautiful place in Berthoud Colorado. Last year, Rich Scott had done a demo with Mica as a yearling going through the obstacles for the first time, but this time I was handling Mica by myself. Beth Beymer was the guest trainer for the clinic, and there was a nice group of people there with their horses, including Cathy Bryerly with her mustang that she had adopted the same time I adopted Mica from Canon City. Jody took some wonderful photos that I will include as did my friend Susan Kniebes who bravely grabbed and used my big heavy camera. I am more used to being behind the camera, so it was a treat to have 2 friends take photos of Mica and I.

Cathy and Carol with their mustangs, photo by Jody

Once we began, we had free rein to go to whatever obstacles we pleased, take as long as we wanted, with plenty of help available from Beth, Marty and Jody as needed.  It was a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the ideal way to introduce a young horse to new things.

Mica walks over a bridge, photo by Jody

The curtain is an interesting obstacle, but I led Mica up to it and just waited for him to move in his own time. He peeked though, then moved through quietly.

Mica peeks through, photo by Jody

Mica goes through the curtain, photo by Jody

There was a big ball that the horses could push with their feet, but Mica enjoyed pushing it with his nose – which did not surprise me as he put his nose  and lips on every obstacle before going through or over it.

Mica meets the ball, photo by Susan

Mica likes moving the ball with his nose, photo by Susan

After the first curtain, this one is easy – he walks right through.

Mica walks right through this curtain, photo by Susan

My favorite obstacle was a big tractor tire, securely anchored into the ground. Once Mica got his front feet up, it was only natural to get all 4 up there, and I think he liked the view!

Mica gets his front feet on the tire platform, photo by Jody

Now he's a really big horse! Photo by Jody

All day I was very pleased with his willingness to try anything, and we became more and more confident working together.  That is what the clinic was all about.

Mica runs to find his friends

He turns and sees them

Once I brought Mica back home, he ran to reunite with his two buddies Claro and Cremosso. Once he makes it over to them, I think he had to tell them all about the day with all the horses and people and funny things to play with.

Mica talks about the clinic

Carol and Mic, photo by Jody Marken

The first Wild Horse Festival will be held at the Sante Fe Equestrian Center in Sante Fe, New Mexico on May 19 and 20th, 2012.

Proceeds will benefit Monero Mustang Sanctuary and Spirit of the Wild Horse.  Speakers will include Ginger Kathrens, Carol Walker and Craig Downer. There will be mustangs available to meet and watch including Cloud’s half brother Sax owned by Ginger Kathrens and Carol Walker’s Mica, and gentled mustangs available for adoption from The Mustang Camp.  There will be many booths of artwork for sale, and food as well.  Here is the link to the Festival webpage with all the information:

http://www.wildhoofbeats.com/WildHorseFestival.htm

Here is the facebook page with lots of updates on the Festival.  We hope to see you there!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wild-Horse-Festival/372655129413729

There will not be helicopters used in this roundup, but instead the BLM plans a combination of bait trapping, water trapping and herding. This removal can begin after June 4 and continue until September 30th.

Exactly how many comments the BLM received is unclear, since they have lumped every comment that used an internet site or talking points as one comment – the Cloud Foundation estimates that probably 10,000 comments were received. Thousands of comments poured into the Cloud Foundation and to the BLM pleading with the BLM to leave Cloud’s grandson Echo (BLM name of Killian) on the mountain, and the BLM has ranked him as to be removed only if their capture goals of other horses cannot be met, due to his unique coloring and genetics.

All of the horses that will be removed will be taken to Britton Springs for processing and adoption, but the BLM has not announced when any adoptions might take place.

From the BLM:

BLM Q&A on Pryor Bait Trap: http://on.doi.gov/HhwIpi

BLM 2012 Pryor Decision Record: http://on.doi.gov/HhwMpg

Final BLM Environmental Assessment: http://on.doi.gov/HhwLl4

From the Cloud Foundation

BLM Sets Sights on Another Massive Removal in Cloud’s Herd (Foundation release): http://bit.ly/tFeuWZ

What is Bait Trapping? http://bit.ly/HhurdO

Stop the Fencing in of Cloud’s Herd – Foundation video: http://bit.ly/vO4kvw

From Wild Hoofbeats

Stop the BLM from Destroying Cloud’s Legacy: http://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/wild-horses-stop-the-blm-from-destroying-clouds-legacy

Speak Up to Save Cloud’s Herd from Removals: http://www.wildhoofbeats.com/news/wild-horses-speak-up-to-save-clouds-herd-from-removals

Don’t Fence in or Remove Cloud’s Herd: http://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/wild-horses-dont-fence-in-or-remove-clouds-herd

"Sunrise Stallion" still free in Adobe Town, Wyoming

On April 28, 2012 at Medicine Horse in Boulder, Colorado will be  Mustang Awareness Day from 10 -4.  There will be a variety of presentations, including a talk by Carol Walker, author of Wild Hoofbeats: America’s Vanishing Wild Horses and there will be many other speakers, authors, demonstrations, therapy, riding and much more.    Adults $5.00, children free. I will be speaking at 1:15 pm, with a slideshow of wild horses from three herd areas set to music, and Ginger Kathrens, Craig Downer and many others will be speaking as well.

Here is the schedule: http://www.medicinehorse.org/pdf/agenda2012.pdf

The address is 8778 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder, CO Phone: 720-406-7630

For more information:

Kathy@medicinehorse.org

Here is the pdf link:

http://www.medicinehorse.org/pdf/mustang_awareness_flyer2012_2.pdf

Release Date: 03/28/12
Contacts: Heather Emmons , 775-861-6594

BLM Seeks Bids for New Type of Contracts for Wild Horse and Burro Management

As part of its responsibility to manage and protect wild horses and burros, the Bureau of Land Management, in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service (FS), is soliciting bids for several contracts that will help manage wild horses and burros located across the western United States.  The contracts are for a new bait trapping method that is intended to relieve areas of excess wild horses and burros where helicopter drive trapping is not an effective method.  The bids are the first of their kind, in that they involve six zones across the West, with a potential for multiple contractors simultaneously bait trapping animals over an extended period of time.

Bait trapping is not a new method of gathering animals for the BLM; it has been implemented in areas where timeliness is not an issue, as bait trapping usually occurs over several weeks or months, and in locations where BLM personnel can easily monitor the progress from their duty locations.  Many times it occurs in areas where water is already scarce and the animals are lured by the water provided, or in areas where a helicopter cannot easily move the animals out of densely wooded areas.  Bait trapping involves capturing wild horses and burros by setting up panels and using food, water, salt or sexual attraction (a mare in heat) to lure animals into a trap.  Allowing contractors to execute the bait trapping over lengthy amounts of time in a variety of locations simultaneously, however, is a new strategy for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program.

“The BLM is committed to continuously improving its management of wild horses and burros,” said BLM Wild Horse and Burro Division Chief Joan Guilfoyle.  “Deploying this new method of bait trapping enhances our ability to gather animals more effectively in certain areas of the West, while minimizing the impact to the animals.”

The concept of the contract is not to capture large numbers of wild horses and burros in a short period of time, but rather to capture smaller numbers over a long period of time.  A benefit is that it reduces the impact to the BLM’s holding facilities—instead of large horse gathers with hundreds or thousands of animals entering the facilities at one time, this type of management involves very small amounts of animals trickling into facilities over a longer period of time.  Each contract is from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, with an option for four additional one-year periods.

The work consists of the capture, care and transportation of wild horses and /or burros from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.  It requires work to be accomplished in a safe and humane manner during all phases of the operation, including capture, handling and transport.  The contract is not set up for holding wild horses and burros for any length of time, but to have the wild horses and burros shipped to BLM facilities as soon as possible.  The contracts involve setting up a trap, capturing wild horses and burros and shipping them to the BLM preparation facilities.  The capture, care and handling must be completed by those who are knowledgeable and experienced about the behavior and trapping of equines.

The zones are determined by the location of FS territories, BLM herd management areas and proximity to BLM preparation facilities.  The goal is to employ contractors who live around the area where the wild horses and burros are located, so that they have short travel times from one trap area to another or to the BLM facility.  There can be more than one contract per zone and one contractor can bid on more than one zone.

The BLM’s bidding requirements are posted in solicitation L12PS00229, the details of which are available at http://www.fedconnect.net.  To obtain the solicitation: (1) click on “Search Public Opportunities”; (2) under Search Criteria, select “Reference Number”; (3) put in the solicitation number (L12PS00229); and (4) click “Search” and the solicitation information will appear.  The solicitation form describes what to submit and where to send it.  Applicants must be registered at http://www.ccr.gov to be considered for a contract award.

The BLM and FS manage wild horses and burros as part of their overall multiple-use missions.  Under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM and FS manage and protect these living symbols of the Western spirit while ensuring that population levels are in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses.

To make sure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands, the BLM must remove thousands of animals from the range each year to control the size of herds, which have virtually no predators and can double in population every four years.  The current free-roaming population of BLM-managed wild horses and burros is 38,500, which exceeds by nearly 12,000 the number determined by the BLM to be the appropriate management level.  Off the range, there are more than 47,000 wild horses and burros cared for in either short-term corrals or long-term pastures.   All these animals, whether on or off the range, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 law.

For a map of proposed bait-trap zones, visit http://on.doi.gov/GYyFqZ

Mare and Foal still free in McCullough Peaks

I am writing to you today to ask that you call in on March 1 because Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has made a second pro-slaughter appointment to the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.  I am concerned for our 40,000 wild horses who are in short and long term holding – we do not want them to decide on the “final solution” for these horses.

Wild Horses in Short Term Holding

This is from the Cloud Foundation:

On Thursday, March 1, 2012:
Join thousands of concerned and caring Americans around the country.
Protest Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s appointment of Callie Hendrickson to the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board[1] representing the General Public.

Background: Callie Hendrickson is the Executive Director of the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts representing ranching interests, many of whom have permits to run livestock on public lands in northwestern Colorado. The organization successfully petitioned to become an intervenor on the side of BLM to completely remove the West Douglas Creek Wild Horse Herd on the Western Slope of Colorado.

• Ms. Hendrickson supports the sale without limitation of all unadopted wild horses to the highest bidder (including slaughter buyers)

• Ms. Hendrickson will speak at the second pro-slaughter conference (Summit of the Horse) in Oklahoma City this spring. (Sue Wallis’ creation.)

Does Callie Hendrickson represent you? If your answer is NO, then please call, fax, and email Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and politely, but firmly ask that Callie Hendrickson’s appointment to the Advisory Board be rescinded immediately.

Tell the Secretary that she does not represent you or the 80% of the General Public opposed to horse slaughter[2].

Number to Call: (202) 208-3100
Number to Fax: (202) 208-6956
Address to Email: feedback@ios.doi.gov

Roundups aren't stressful?

In the most implausible spin yet, the BLM has produced a video about the long term holding facilities where most of the 40,000 wild horses removed from our public lands are housed.  The video of healthy horses running through pastures of tall green grass certainly sets an idyllic scene, until you listen to what comes out of narrator Lili Thomas’s mouth.  She describes what they are doing by holding these horses as “removing them from stress” – the “stress” they endure in the wild, living in their homes, living with their families, living free.  Somehow, being scared to death, driven by helicopters, removed from the only homes they have ever known and being ripped from their families, losing them forever, foals losing their mothers, being injured or killed in the chutes, somehow THAT doesn’t seem to be stressful.

Roundups at their worst

Here is the video, posted on TheHorse.com:

Behind BLM Pasture Gates

All horses over 10 and now even all horses over the age of 5 are sent to these long term holding facilities, as they are considered to be “unadoptable.”  The stallions are castrated, the foals are weaned, and they are sent to facilities with only horses of the same sex, geldings together, and mares together. There is no more chance for a family life and for wild horses, there is nothing more important than family.

Foals as young as 3 months are taken from their mothers

On a more sinister note, all of the horses over 10 are subject to the Burns Amendment, and are able to be sold “without limitation” and can be sold by the truckload for a dollar per horse to any applicant that applies.  Many of these horses have and will continue to end up at slaughter.

Adobe Town once a stallion, now a gelding, now in a holding facility in Oklahoma

In 2007 I visited the first long term holding facility, the Hughes Ranch in Oklahoma. There were huge pastures with very tall grass, and it was a beautiful place – but so different from the high desert lands that the Adobe Town horses had just come from.  The horses were in very good condition, but there were panels stacked in the grass, a grim reminder of what could happen to them if someone buys some of these horses – they will no longer be “free from stress” but facing a very uncertain future.

Mica and the Cremello Colts stand together

Winter in Colorado often means snow, although it does not usually stick around for long on the Front Range, so when we had snow, I got bundled up and headed out to the pasture to photograph the boys.  Even though I have 2 sheds they can shelter under, the three boys prefer to spend their time out in the snow.

Cremosso's eye

Mica Close Up

Claro's eye

I was able to get close to all three as they came up hoping for cookies.

Claro Chewing on Cremosso

Mica Biting at Cremosso's Legs

Then I waved my  flag, and they moved back and started to play.

Mica runs

Mica Runs By

Mica loves to run in the snow.

Cremosso with Mica on His Heels

Then he ran behind Cremosso,

Mica and the Cremello Colts in Step

Then finally all three ran together.

Cremosso, Mica and Claro

Now the snow has melted, and we wait for another snow.

Carol in the field

The Rocky Mountain Horse Expo will be March 9 – 11, 2012 at the National Western in Denver.
Carol Walker will be presenting on “Wild Horses: Disappearing From Our Western Landscape” on all three days – Friday and Saturday at 4- 5 pm and on Sunday at 9 am. She will be presenting a slideshow of inspiring wild horse images set to music and will discuss the issues surrounding our wild horses, and what you can do to help keep them wild and free.
Here is a link to the schedule of presenters:
http://www.coloradohorsecouncil.com/index.cfm?id=938b567a-109c-44f4-b210d6e1a06ac301&expo-schedules.html

Carol will also be exhibiting art work at the Art in the Park show which will be going on during the Expo. Come see her at booth 1211 where she will be selling artwork, books, calendars and greeting cards.