ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COMPROMISED BY POLITICAL INTEREST

Here I was thinking about Long term Holding facilities and a mustang circus, while other more sharper individuals test their teeth on real stuff. DON'T MESS WITH SCIENCE  the president said in 2009. Scientific integrity is often questioned and SCIENCE FOR SALE was one of my other headlines. But what is unravelling now is a showcase against the BLM with a complaint filed at the DEPT of INT. DOI in regard to compromised data on ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS (the base for WILD HORSE ROUNDUPS by the BLM)
This in an excerpt followed by the NPR audio report of the filed complaint with the DOI in regard to political manipulation of ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDIES. The BLM demanded to have CATTLE GRAZING DATA (the basis for excess wild horse roundups) omitted from the scientific report of range conditions. The Watchdog group PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY (PEER) based in Washington filed this report:

"....Ruch's complaint alleges that federal officials with the Bureau of Land Management hired researchers to do a major review of all the different environmental impacts on a half-dozen regions in the Western U. S., but directed the scientists to exclude livestock grazing from the analysis.

Government officials said they didn't include livestock grazing in the review because they didn't have the appropriate data. But Ruch doesn't buy it. He says livestock grazing on public land is a touchy subject because any restrictions would affect ranchers.

"To us, this is exactly the sort of abuse that the White House directive was designed to prevent," says Ruch. "And so we will file a formal complaint, under one of the few policies that exist."

Complaint Tests Rule Protecting Science From Politics - NPR 

CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO.

REVISIT LONG TERM HOLDING...

youtu.be:AnU4g6WKbFo
This is a PROMO video by the BLM on one particular Long term holding facility. Many others house horses in feedlot type conditions.

• 
  
  
  

  Gabriele Moritz Funny the other day driving from the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary through Nebraska, Melody asked why there is no BLM in Nebraska and...? Well because Nebraska and all other more eastern states have GOOD ranch and farmland and only all west of it was overgrazed and nullified through greed and had to be REGULATED. And such there were no mustangs on the GOOD LAND only on the 10 Western States...(even though Oregon is actually pretty good land, but they must have migrated there). So now that the POOR land is even poorer for the mustangs, they are being rented out to the NON BLM GOOD LAND as in KANSAS and OKLAHOMA. Why don't all the ranchers and mining and drilling go to those holding facilities and try their luck there 

Nature vs. Nurture... Yesterday

a mustang stallion by the name of Sundance was observed at a waterhole in Oregon (Steens) He was very thin and badly injured. He was clearly suffering and beyond recovery. Advocates requested the BLM to intervene. A wrangler went out confirmed the condition and shot the horse...We all know this probelamtic:question: When we see suffering in the WILD whether it is a bird or a rabbit or a mustang, can we, should we interfere and help or end struggle...I have experienced several times: In Wyoming I  witnessed a young mustang mare in a snowstorm in February dying from a stillborn foal, she could not bear...I was helpless. In the Pryor Mountains I witnessed a very young foal suffering from a severe bite on his neck which did not allow him to lift his head and nurse...I tried to approach him, but could not help. In the Sand Wash Basin is a horse (Tripod) with a severe injury to foot and hock, his foot is turned back...it must be excrutiatingly  painful...Is it really that the advocates who are against roundups want to see these animals suffer? When do they become our responsibility? When our eyes fall on them or when we own them? Or after we have interfered with their natural rhythm (Fences and other forms of management). I think it depends on the individual...This should not be a point of debate...Nature is not kind, mankind is not kind...Sometimes we have the right to interfere sometimes we do without the right...It takes courage either way. I have to add though nature has surprised me with amazingly miraculous recoveries. What we have to learn is tolerance for suffering and the timeframe to heal...This does not apply to cases as described above.

To end with a humorous note: With ample supply of time and benign neglect time will heal...

RUIGOORD - MY QUIET PLACE the ICELANDIC HORSE looking far...

Photo by Melody Masters

Today the ELK returned and with them the hunters are lining up in the Forest Service Land, Yesterday I rode out on Ruigoord to see whether they would let me join them. Today they have come back and are resting by the side of the forest. The sun is setting...The HORSE LISTENS>..

" ESTRAYS" VIRGINIA RANGE, an example of horses on the range not "protected"

The term estrays has been established to determine the status of horses on Forest Land, Private Land under the jurisdiction of the Agricultural Dept. When deemed these horses get trapped and transported to Holding Facilities, where they are available for a certain period of time, before being offered at a Sale Auction, where Kill-buyers usually purchase for a poundprice. The boundaries of BLM and other public lands are often difficult for the horses to discern and fences are not kept up. There is no effort to determine whether these horses belong to a particular Wild Horse Herd, with which they could be reunited.

On the other hand there are very outspoken advocacy groups in the neighboring towns that lobby for the horses to gain some protection and be made available for rescue and sanctuary non profits. Nevada has even accomplished to get a coin (quarter) with the symbols of the mustangs....
It is now a couple of weeks later (Dec.1st) and a total of 16 horses were captured in bait traps (corrals with either hay or minerals). They have been moved out of sight of the public into Carson City Prison. Yesterday they were "Processed" (which could mean medically examined, but also branded on the HIP, so if they turn out on the range again, the purchaser can be found) Pictures have been taken, but they are undiscernable and the horses are in a bunch. There is only one day, Dec.6th during which they will be open for adoption and then if not adopted they will be transported to the Fallon Sale Barn, where their fate is most likely a kill buyer.  The public lands pattern are like a checkerboard and the horses do cross fences at times (especially if they are maintained poorly) THE BLM HAS SIMPLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HORSES FOUND OUTSIDE THE HMA AREAS. So the Agricultural dept steps in and proceeds as described above. (No protection here)

A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL VIDEO ABOUT MUSTANGS - on BLM Website...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLoBQmNtm9U&feature=share

www.youtube.com

If this is the beginning of our childrens' campaign, we're not off to a good start. But a start nonetheless. There should be an equivalent video with very similar footage (just at the back of the running horses, the helicopter pushing the old mare) and equally caring and competent individuals. And I personally would like to do the demo on the cows teeth and their way of hanging around the waterhole....
This young girl has made a great effort. There is also a follow up interview on Youtube and I think she will have to be on her way. Yet to find this on the revamped BLM site, with the ending statements that we will either slaughter our older mustangs in Holding or not be able to spend money for our hungry children, was taking it just one step too far...

A herd of WILD HORSES moving through my diminished eye sight ....

FINE ART BY MELODY PEREZ - MUSTANG PAINTER OF NORTHERN COLORADO

Painting by Melody Perez

The year end is coming and some of our artist and photographer friends have done astounding work over the last 12 months. Today I saw a large (150+) Elk move across a section of Forest Service Land and as I and my entire neighborhood stopped doing what they were doing, we all watched...as they moved sometimes like the Aurora Borealis, sometimes standing like a woolball, then again totally looking like WILD HORSES, grullas and duns, heads down with long manes and one cannot help to be in AWE. What is that, we are not hunters or look forward to a bounty - it is just mesmerizing to watch the colors and bodies weave in and out of each other...with grace and power alike. And though Wild Horse Herds do not come in 100's they make up for it in thunder and stillness alike...Something happens to the EYE and it is connected to the HEARTand it has to do both with OTHERNESS and LIKENESS...

Painting by Melody Perez

I would like to thank the painters and photographers of WILD HORSES this year for all the love and skill and passion that has flown into these marvellous pieces of art and those compassionate attempts to enlighten and eternalize our WILD HORSES OF THE SANDWASH BASIN and all other AREAS>

BLM INCENTIVE TO SMALL BUSINESSES: Bid on LONG TERM HOLDING ANNUAL CONTRACTS>>>>

The BLM is soliciting bids for long term holding facilities from private individuals *Ranchers.
The conditions are listed on the BLM site and require careful review:
The contract time is 5 years but with one year test period after which the contract is prolonged.
The minimum amount of horses is 500
The miminum requirements are fencing, forage, feed and water. The request is for minimum management.
The bidder has to prove that he/she can provide safe environment, feed forage, water (no shelter) and care for at least 500 horses. The number that comes to mind is between $1.25 and $1.70 per horse per day, which adds up to $225 000.- (or $306 000.-) per year before expenses. For a comparison (even though it limps) the ELM CREEK facility houses approx.500-600 horses and has an annual budget of $800 000.- with a hay bill of .... The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary has approx. 600 horses and an annual operating budget of approx. $...? Both places employ approx 4 full time employees.... So how can a private operator feed, fence, water and care for 500 horses with a budget of 300 000 dollars. And at what expense. Also to be considered: If the 50 000 horses in Holding by the end of 2011, are distributed at a rate of 500 each, there will be 100 private and discrete pasture/lot/locations in the states of KANSAS and OKLAHOMA that are not open to the public, not monitored by a third independent party...IMAGINE

SAND WASH BASIN WILD HORSES

WWW.SANDWASHBASINWILDHORSES.BLOGSPOT.COM
This is my favorite blog about the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses west of Maybell, Colorado.  Nancy Robert has been documenting them since 2009 and we hope that with the intent of the BLM (and in coop with the HSUS) as mentioned in the BLM publication is to avoid a 2012 roundup. I also have made this particular HMA (Horse Management Area) the destination for our MUSTANG ECO TOURS 2012. I have ridden among wild horses several times, at the Little Bookcliffs (Grand Junction) at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary (Hot Springs) and in Wyoming at the Cayuse Ranch. It is a prerequisite to be sensible and aware of the situation...to be diligent and avoid confrontation and it requires a confident and skilled rider, but beyond that it is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful experiences a trailride could have to offer...So please watch for the announcements of the first EXPEDITION into the SANDWASH BASIN WILD HORSE RANGE . Here is our chance to study and understand and participate in the life of the horses on our PUBLIC LANDS.

ELM CREEK KIGER MUSTANG PICK UP (Nebraska)

So, this is a 3 year old Kiger mustang stud, who was rounded up in June 2011 and brought to the auction in Burns on Oct.6th. He together with over a hundred other horses were offered to the public. Kigers are historically more desirable than other wild horse herds and so my friend Eli had to bid on many horses to get her 11th choice. She had intended to get a yearling filly. The BLM does not castrate the Kiger horses on a regular basis, which I actually appreciate but leaves it to the adopter. The horse was shipped to ELM CREEK on Nov. 4th and we picked him up on Nov. 10. He is now at a friends facility in Wellington, where I also trained my mustangmakeover horse Coppersmith last June.

Photos by Eli Butler

This is the facility of Tim Singewald who also owns 3 mustangs and until recently ran the Bridger Wilderness outfitters in Pinedale Wyoming.

Caution solid roundpen...

Photo taken IRAM Institute by Kate Purdy

Mustang Eco Tours at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary will include both education and experience in mustang handling, we will take overnight rides and hikes into the wild side of the sanctuary and glass for wild horses without disturbing them. There will be photo and plain air painting workshops. Most of all individual participants in the expedition or camp will have exposure to all aspects of the mustang controversy and start actively seeking out solutions. A sanctuary (controlled environmental study) can provide numbers and data that eventually can assist advocacy groups and the BLM  develop new cooperations to improve the currently desolate condition of the American Mustang.

MUSTANG ECO TOURS- ISM WILD HORSE VACATION or ism moot....>>>>

Mr-One-Blue-Eye...one cool horse...

I saw Mr. One Blue Eye in a bunch of youngsters when I first moved to the IRAM institute and was fascinated by his gate and looks. Not the body of a mustang, there was still a lot of something in there. It was explained that he came from a neighboring breeding operator, who was trying to re-breed-cross the spanish War horse. Later I learned that the crossing included Peruvian Pasos etc.  I figured that breeding would have slaughter as a consequence and I am against both: STOP THE BREEDING AND STOP THE SLAUGHTER...

working with this little 2 year old (?) he impressed my with his beauty and very elevated gait and knee action. I find him charming, courageous (I have seen him protect his fillies) and also fascinating...The eyes keep hanging on. My training was groundwork up to saddling and basic longework. He is narrow through the chest which brings out the peruvian or paso and is also somewhat sudden...I do not know how big he will grow - but would love to see him shine under saddle...

BLACK HILLS AND BACK CHILLS...IN 2 DAYS...

Cool youngster....

This is Esperanza or "Snort", gaited Sulphur Springs filly -at IRAM since JUNE 2011

IN THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT we decided to drive up to the Black Hills to see the winterfrost, pick up the horse trailer with ALL my tack and get a good dose of wild horse ambience (not to mention seeing Cognac, Arrow, Desertsand and for Melody Montego and Esperanza). Little did we know that the cows had been brought in the very day and weaning was in progress. So I know weaning of colts and fillies and there is some hollering involved but I had NEVER imagined what the weaning event of 135 cows would involve. IMAGINE A PLACE - a river valley that echos....with the crisp winter air to deliver spearlike decibels mooing through the chink of the little cheyenne River cabin...woooow...we slept through it, nonetheless and were up early in the morning to precede the feed truck and visit with some of the horses I had worked with over the last couple of months that were now out again on the coffee flats and otherwise. That is except for Cognac and some of his consorts who had decided to return through the channel back to the ranch, where feed and good company was awaiting...Melody had good time with her little chosen Sulphur Springs Filly...

Getting ready to head out to The BLACK HILLS AGAIN...

Photographs by Jobeth Troxel taken at the IRAM inst.

Add caption

Cognac a good choice

As one of the elements of mustang education and protection the sanctuaries play an important part. Most of them are set up to save horses from slaughter and other emergency rescue situations but then also function as showcases and laboratories to create studies and observations in controlled environment that allow for detailed recording of cause and effect and will ultimately perform a substantial part in the renovation of management of the horses on the range.
Here is a list of sanctuaries to be completed:
IRAM Institute for Range and American Mustang, also Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota (founded by Dayton O'Hyde, Susan Watt)
ISPMB Int. Institute for the protection of mustangs and Burros South Dakota - Karen Sussman
RTF Return to Freedom California Neda De Mayo
WHS Wild Horse Sanctuary Shingletown California, Dianne Nelson
Monero Mustangs New Mexico Sandi Claypool
Spirit Horses Wild Horse Mesa, New Mexico, Judy Barnes
Sacred Healing Sanctuary Oklahoma, Ivette Collin

(to be detailed and completed)

Souvereign - revisiting the bitless bridle and the treeless saddle

All the questions that keep coming up:

Is he up on his shots and worming, when were his teeth floated last, how is his PH, What kind of saddle, pad are you using, bridle. What do you feed, what kind of supplements? Do you trim yourself, what kind of irons? Does he wear blankets in the winter? Is there a stall with or without shavings? Do we ride in the cold? Does he wear his hindfeet off funny? Could be connected to TMJ, will bitless riding remedy a dislocated Jaw? ...Where do you start with someone who wants to know about horses but has no knowledge? How do you feel about acupuncture and how about animal communicators? Do you ride in any weather? Warm up cool down. Horse refuses what to do? What is your position on slaughter, do you support breeding? Can a horse be alone? how about those mustangs...are they harder to train or is there a payback...

What effect will Ray KURZWEIL's singularity have on the american mustang.

Lourie zipf photography: On the way to singularity

A sneak preview into the future of wild horses after viewing a documentary about Ray KURZWEIL (german the opposite of LANGWEIL-boring..) in which he defines the SINGULARITY, a time in the not so far future, where we will be spending 80% of our time in the virtual world. Where our development of Artificial Intelligence and (ARTILECTS) will outperform our own brain-capacities and render us servants to an ever accelerating technology. And one of the fringe benefits of willingness to turn bionic is a stretch towards eternal life and youth via advances and applications of GNR (Geneology, Nanotechnology, Robotics)...The acceptance of death, Kurzweil claims, is a resignation on the part of society,since we have not found ways to prolong life...Nearly a godlike state...and Werner quotes Wagner world, in which WOTAN (god,husband of FRICKA,Godess) became bored with endless life and got involved with the terminal and mortal women, creating half-gods, called WALKUEREN...half gods out of boredom due to eternal life...maybe looking at the clock in profile will no longer tell the time but it does shed a different light on the chances for wild horse herds on public lands...We have been feeling that the calls, appeals and efforts of advocates seem to fall on deaf ears in Washington and wonder whether in the current modern world there will indeed be no space for wild animals of any sort in non-huntable fashion on public lands and all will be delegated to the SANCTUARIES and LONG TERM HOLDING FACILITIES>>>

HORSES HELPING HORSES...working from a mount..

After Dayton Hyde formed the sanctuary he eventually felt that he could improve the ranking of the american mustang by cross-breeding the mustang mares with papered and registered quarterhorses and paints, thus "improving" both sides and getting the "Smarts" back into the overbred domestic horses... This is a very old practice and goes back to the times where ranchers would go out into wild horse herds, shoot the stallion and introduce one of their domestic stallions eventually harvesting the crop of foals that pleased them.  I am not sure of attempts to have a stallion breed a domestic mare and it does not make a difference at this point.
A mustang even though a mixed blood by definition has a 500 year history (The infiltration of domestic stock occurred only since about 200 years ago-Hardy Oelke) and as a zoologist explained to me some time ago the primitive and latent DNA will resurface, given time and a chance. Which is how we explain dorsal stripes, other primitive markings and skeletal variances in spanish mustangs etc.
Therefore it takes generations of horse units to live and reproduce in the natural environment to slowly develop what a "typical" (if there is such a thing) Mustang looks like, moves like and lives like. This is not accomplished within one or even 5 generations, especially not when the offspring again is not tested by nature but lives in a controlled and protected environment.
Nonetheless the concept seems to resurface over and over and actually presents an opportunity for study.  A great number horses at the sanctuary fall under that above mentioned category and now go through training, being prepared to be used and/or sold. (Meanwhile I am working with the spanish and BLM horses) Combined with a growing conviction of fertility control and restricted breeding a controlled environment study like at the sanctuary could yield pertinent and realtime information and data for the Dept of Interior to convey to the BLM for use in their WILD HORSE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES. It also substantiates the fact that the FREE ROAMING WILD HORSE AND BURRO PROTECTION ACT (1971) did not intend for the wild herds in HMA's (BLM Horse management areas) to be used as test objects and experimental individuals.

From an old pictorial magazine

 "HORSES HELPING HORSES" ( x-breeding paint colts to finance the sanctuary for mustangs) lead to large foalcrops without a market. Compared to only one intentional Spanish Sulphur stud (Don Juan) and several (Mystery - or not so mystery Texas Pony Syndicate - stallions in the more secluded ares of the sanctuary) mustang (20) foals, there are at least 8 registered quarterhorse studs, over 100 quarterhorse mares and at least 15 quarterhorse and paint foals with more expected in 2012, requiring feed,  care and management. With time and an effort to train and sell the domestic stock, the balance will shift and with more generations ahead even the 5th generation mustang paint crosses will eventually become readable feral horses that make sanctuaries invaluable assets to the all over attempt to improve the land and wild horse management as it is in the UNTED STATES at this time. I do NOT agree that the Sanctuary should or could be the final salvation of the AMERICAN MUSTANG. They belong on our public lands.

Kiger Stallion 3 years old to be picked up at ELM CREEK on November 7th

My friend Susan Butler went to the Kiger Auction in Burns Oregon in October looking for a weanling dun filly to take home. She bid on 10 horses and was outbid, her 11th choice a 3 year old stallion.  I admire her courage and dedication and I am very excited for this experience.  The roundup was in June. Today we moved the trailer into position for our departure to travel to Nebraska. He will be shipped on the 4th, will get some days off and then we pick him up on the 8th to return to Colorado and home him together with Aragon at Tim Singewald's facility, where I also trained Coppersmith 900.

Beautiful face and open eyes, he ran with a bachelor band, reported no mares of his own..

Prices ranged from 125 to 8000 dollars

We have asked why a 3 year old stallion? And why has he not been gelded yet. The answer I believe is that the BLM in the case of the Kigers actually allows that discretion to the potential owner and somehow I appreciate that. It is good that they do not recommend stallions for anybody other than experienced individuals but I also do not condone the general beastification of stallions. My experience has been that an intact individual male of female is what we aspire to in humans and in animals. And the reason we are castrating most pets and stock is hopefully because we realize the significance of reduced production rates rather. In this case we will try to estimate the amount of trauma this horse has experienced since the roundup in June. Then we will spend time to observe and get an impression of his personality...which will lead to training. And when his trust and capacity for more trauma is sufficient he will be castrated to reduce chances of more unwanted horses and also to make his life in a world of fences and restrain more acceptable...Here are some pictures.
I also will use this as an opportunity to report about ELM CREEK, since there is not much material about HOLDING FACILITIES and we will try for a training blog without the 90 day pressure of the Mustang Makeover...