BLM Nevada Round Up

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BLM Nevada Round Up

As he was drifting to sleep his thoughts were of horses and of the open country and of horses. Horses still wild on the mesa who'd never seen a man afoot and who knew nothing of him or his life yet in whose souls he would come to reside forever. Cormac McCarthy, "All the Pretty Horses."

Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilization we will find the hoof print of the horse beside it. ----- John Moore.

It was a sad day for me to witness these healthy "in good flesh" horses taken from their free roaming life on the range, but it was an even sadder day for the horses. I've written volumes about how I experienced my first wild horse round up. Nothing I felt, could come close to the trauma, fear and loss these wild horses and thousands more like them experience under human watch.

I hope this round up episode and the others I post, help people rise above preconceived ideas, apathy and indifference toward the wild horse and burro. Let's all work to continue to find sustainable, joyful outcomes for these magnificent, noble creatures. We as American's share a collective burden of responsibility for them. Throughout history they were progressively driven and released into the most desolate range lands out west. Rounding up wild horses and burros by the thousands without having a good plan for them seems like wreckless management and a lack of conscientious stewardship. Over thirty thousand and counting are now warehoused in what was initially intended to be short term holding but thousands of horses are spending their lives in these facilities. The BLM does have a few "pasture" type sanctuaries around the country, but these have been over-full for several years. Some Government employees involved in management of these amazing animals, are kind people and do care about their plight, but...... it's antiquated politics, old guard biases, and dollars that have the most say in what becomes of the wild horse and burro. Upon their back our nation was built and we most assuredly owe them a debt.

Jerome Fox, the BLM wild horse range specialist in Nevada comments in this episode that one of the problems is the horses don't stay home. Without enough food and water in one area why would they? What would you do if you were trying to survive on a diminished range land filled with broken treaties, overly saturated livestock grazing and continual land use permits for natural resources depleting your home range ? Would you stay on "your" side of the fence, cry and starve to death or would you find a way to food and water?

The wild horses culture is nomadic by nature and of course they'll seek out food and water, without regard for signs they can't read and fences they don't understand. Their ability to survive even the dinosaur is in part due to their nature to roam. They don't eat grasses down to the roots, because they'll come back later to find fresh growth. They won't bother riparian sites if they have enough water to drink and splash in elsewhere. Implementation of supplemental measures to help the horse survive in the wild, would cost far less and be a lot more "American" than turning them into total welfare recipients, after we've taken away all their chance of surviving on their own.

I don't think all the wild horses can stay on the range, because some of the land is increasingly depleted for a gazillion reasons. (we'll explore more as these episodes develop.) Bait and trap methods to gather the horses from the range are a much gentler process, but cost more, so that rules it out for the BLM. They'd rather pay millions of dollars to bad tempered helicopter pilots to get the job done fast and furiously, then move on to the next round up and other paper work agendas. They say it's not in the horse's best interest to stay on depleted range land and hunger or thirst to death, or be shot by neighboring ranchers who want to welfare graze on our public lands. No one wants wildlife to starve - and we're resourceful enough to prevent it from happening on a massive scale, if we want to. Conveniently the land, under the horse's feet has been leased, permitted or sold to every group and corporation imaginable. Alliances are made for political positioning to get an agenda met, not for the overall benefit of protecting the whole of nature - and it's inhabitants. It's all about private agenda and personal greed.

Instead of first developing a long range, sustainable solution for the horses who are legally in their charge, the BLM rounds them up by the thousands and puts them on the dole. Because of caring, responsible people, some horses are adopted and find a new lifestyle they pleasantly adapt to. Adoption's are down in this economy and even in good financial times, adoptions can't save all these horses.

Many people throughout these episodes speak about what we can learn from the mustang: to open our hearts, let go of fear, forgive, and to take time to appreciate the rise of the sun each morning. I think we can also learn from the purity of their minds and the nature of their free spirit. " They don't stay home," they have the courage to roam, they are always looking for greener pastures, a fresh water supply and more fields to run in. Can we as humans learn from the horse; to be more courageous and nomadic in how we see the world and find solutions? Can we be independent minded like our nations founding fathers and create a new "range" of possibilities to solve the planet's problems? The dire situation for the wild horse and burro provides us that opportunity. They need us to be the voice of reason, sensibility and freedom. There's actually good stuff on both sides of the fence. The horse has always known that.

Visit www.wildhorsepreservation.org to learn about many of the issues and controversy surrounding accelerated wild horse round ups and Dept. of Interior's plans for them. Please, never rule out adopting a mustang, burro or providing large acreage's of land for them. Financially support rescue organizations and get Involved. Be part of the solution in anyway you can. " God sees the little sparrow fall and meets his tender call. If God so loved the little bird, I know he loves us all." The Bible.

Adopt or help those who do if you can.

Mustang as Hunter Jumpers

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MUSTANGS: HUNTER, JUMPERS & KIDS.

“Gipsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.”from Cladaugh, "Gypsies of Galway."

Even autumns golden cottonwoods, were lively and inviting in the crisp morning air at “Brighten Meadows” in Salt Lake City, a riding school for children, started, fifteen years ago by Mary Lee Brighton. Her life long history riding horses has included owning many esteemed blood lines. “This little pony, changed my life,” she gleams, as she lovingly pets, Starbright, a fifteen year old, not even thirteen hands high. “These are the horses the BLM considered worthless, because they’re small. I couldn’t have found better horses to adopt and work with children. There are thousands more, like them, that people could adopt for English saddle training. They’re willing and trustworthy, once they’re lovingly gentled and trained."

Through the years the genetic pool of this herd area grew smaller. Meager food supply could have led to this natural adaptation to survive. They came from the isolated border lands of Nevada and Utah, where no neighboring ranchers sent out bigger stallions to increase the size of the stock. {The reason ranchers have released larger stock to breed with smaller wild horses, is to serve, their economic needs for free horses for ranch work and wild bucking stock for rodeo entertainment.] These ranchers, who now yell the loudest for the horses to be removed from public lands, often came from the same homesteading families who contributed to the development of a hybrid wild horse, that is larger, needs more to eat, and has more impact on range land.

These precious ponies and their cheerful riders have a way of brightening any ordinary day. All, teachers, riding students and horses, form relationships, through shared responsibility of caring and overcoming fears of jumping, and fast turns as they develop their skills. “We’re all happy campers” riding instructor, Lindsey Collins, says of their arena days together. Miniature mustangs get lots of hugs, love praise and a fun job, while the children get an opportunity to form life long bonds, grown through gentle listening and communications skills that will guide them into a life time of mutual cooperation and leadership.

Wild Horses Teach & Train Children

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Once Wild or Abused Horses Tame and Train Children:

“The horse through all its trials has preserved the sweetness of paradise in its blood.”
Johannes Jensen

Sparks brighten the eyes of both children and mustangs when their lives touch. Pure hearts recognize one another then bonds of trust are often formed. Some children, like mustangs, have experienced lives of upheaval and sometimes abuse.

Other boys and girls may have special needs, regardless of their supportive, nurturing parents. Bonding, love, acceptance and something worthwhile to do are common needs for all; whether we’re young or old, disadvantaged or privileged and whether you're a person or a horse.

In the hands of a kind trainer, a wild horse develops a sense of trust and safety. They willingly perform mundane to adventurous activities, at human request. Stories of how a horse saved a person’s life and led a lost or injured rider back home, fill history books. Now horses, replaced by autos, will rarely be given those same chances, but they are through their peril, providing us a chance to save our humanity.

A wild horse, once gentled to accept humans as friends, often shows a particular interest in children. There's often an unspoken understanding between them.

The mustangs at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch in ( Littleton CO) who appear in “Children and Horses” trailer, have a wonderful home now due to the Messenich’s and Amanda Davis. The mission of Zuma’s is to rescue horses and children, partly due to an alliance formed with Gail Trembly, a foster parent whose life work has included, both children in need and a life long love of horses. “Children don’t like to go to traditional therapy, but when you offer a therapy session with a horse, their resistance goes away. The deep needs to be understood, seem to be mirrored between a mustang and a child. “ www.zumasrescuranch.com

Phillip Tedeschi a professor of social work, now based out of University of Denver grew up with horses. He is now developing many social work/counseling programs around the world emphasizing the healing aspects of the animal/human bond. His research and study groups confirm, “Horses, have a special ability to reach autistic and abused children, that people and other animals cannot”

If we teach the young to listen from their intuitive senses and forgive from their heart, like a horse from the wild does, we may help grow leaders who make peace on earth and goodwill to all, their mission for life.