Terri Farley

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Rough Weather Ahead for Captive Mustangs

Thirty years ago, I visited BLM's Palomino Valley wild horse corrals for the first time and saw a palomino foal drown in the mud. Since then, I often visit after heavy rains, just to keep watch.

Over time, improvements have been made, but changes reflect human ideas of what's cost-efficient.
Over generations, freedom has taught horses how to survive the harshest weather. In captivity they can't do that.

Last month, BLM-authorized helicopters rounded up nearly 2,000 Owyhee mustangs. Most of those wild horses -- staff couldn't be more specific than 1400 -1600 horses -- are at Palomino Valley.
Earlier this week I visited Palomino Valley between northern Nevada storms. These horses are so wild, so sensitive to my approach that they bolted, rammed into each other, slipped and sometimes fell in the mud.

I saw few mares with foals. Those who were together did their best to stay away from standing water.

These are the corrals with shelters

This weekend high wind warnings -- up to 100 mph on the ridges -- snow storms, and below-freezing temperatures are predicted.

Unique crescent moon and star markings

These young horses might have been pulled from general population for adoption, but no one could tell me for sure.

Friendships form under all conditions. The buckskin groomed each corral mate -- whether or not they wanted attention.

ENJOY A HOLIDAY GIFT OF WILD HORSES
$15.16 from Amazon

Read more about long-standing troubles of unsheltered mustangs:
2013 Palomino Valley: winter
2013 Palomino Valley Summer

Labels: BLM, BLM roundups, humane, Owyhee, Palomino Valley, shelter in captivity, wild horses

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:33 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 08, 2016

Wild Horses, Wild Fire and Politics

Problem:
Cheat grass in the Great Basin dries out by mid-June, then drops seeds and becomes tinder for range fires.
Partial Solution: “Wild horses eat cheat grass before it can drop seeds,” admitted Les Boothe Rangeland Management Specialist, adamant supporter of wild horse removal at the Beaty Butte Working Group sponsored by Beaty Butte Grazing Association, Oregon Natural Desert Association.

Question: Should we write off as coincidence the fact that massive round-ups of mustangs coincide with proliferation of cheat grass and the rapid return of wild land fires from every 60-100 years systems to less than 5 years?

Western governors are concerned about the early start to the 2016 fire season and many, including Nevada’s Governor Brian Sandoval, support the round-up of wild horses.

Tell Governor Sandoval to look at the facts

http://gov.nv.gov/Contact/Email-the-Governor/

Labels: Beaty Butte, BLM roundups, cheat grass, fire season, Governor, range, wild horses

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 9:41 AM 2 comments

Friday, March 11, 2011

No $$$ for Mustang Round-Ups

photo of Antelope Valley foals in BLM corrals by Karen Hopple

Dear Readers,
Yesterday BLM officials announced that they're out of money to round up wild horses. THAT'S GREAT NEWS! It's what we've been talking and arguing and scheming to accomplish.
Now we have to keep Congress from awarding BLM more money to fund more round-ups.
With your help, helicopters will be grounded. There will be no more HoneyBandits, no more traumatized foals ripped too early from their mothers and mustangs will live as God intended -- running free.
Keep up the good work,
Terri

Labels: BLM roundups, helicopters, Honeybandit, orphan foals, wild horses

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Posted by Terri Farley @ 6:52 AM 2 comments