Wild Horses: A Message of Encouragement
November 19, 2010Wild Horses: A New Beginning for One Adobe Town Weanling
January 28, 2011Wild Horses: The Adobe Town Wild Horses in Prison
One of the stallion pens
On Friday, I went to the BLM’s wild horse and burro facility at the East Cañon Correctional Complex near Cañon City, Colorado. I was there to visit and to photograph the 1000 wild horses from Adobe Town and the 170 horses from Salt Wells Creek that were rounded up in October and November. These horses are in jail, separated from their families, their homes, and yet they are innocent of any wrongdoing. They are simply guilty of living on our public lands.
Feeding time for the horses
Cañon City is the largest BLM short term holding facility in the country, and it is a unique situation – the BLM has the help of 55 trained prison inmates to feed, water, care for and train the horses at the facility. It is a situation that helps both prisoners and horses, and on my tour of the facility I was impressed by the efficiency and quality of care provided for these wild horses. If these horses have to be in jail, this is the best possible place for them to be. I saw horses in individual pens that had come in thin, and were given a much better chance to get enough food so they could fatten up. I saw prisoners working with wild horses, getting them ready to be border patrol mounts. They were being slowly introduced to and led over obstacles on horseback.
The mare pens - mares as far as you can see
And then I was able to see my beloved Adobe Town horses. Pen after pen with horses – mares in one area, stallions in another, and weanlings, yearlings, and mare/foal pairs. It was when I was standing in front of the fourth pen full of weanlings, and realized that there were hundreds of them, that I was hit by a wave of despair. How could all of these horses possibly find homes? It is always the youngsters and the trained horses that are best able to be placed in adopted homes, but who was going to take HUNDREDS of youngsters? How could they have removed all of these horses when the adoption market is at its very lowest? How could 55 prisoners possible train all those horses? It cannot be done. Most of these horses will go to long term holding.
One of the weanling pens - blue tags mean "Wyoming"
The weanlings were the most approachable and the most curious. I had a few following me as I walked along the fence of their pen.
a curious weanling comes close
One of the weanling pens
The stallions stayed far away, and were extremely flighty still, not yet reconciled to their captivity. As the feed truck came through with copious amounts of hay, they ran and stampeded, running with fear in their eyes.
Stallions running from the feed truck
The large stallion pen - over 100 horses
Those stallions – I have always had a soft place in my heart for them – so magnificent, some with gorgeous long manes, proud faces, all colors, red roan, many greys, bays, sorrels, and one lone gorgeous cremello.
Grey stallion with long mane
I found the older gray stallion who had put up such a valiant fight at the roundup. He was in a big pen with many other gray stallions, so it was only the distinctive hoof- shaped scars that had him stand out in the crowd.
Older grey stallion
I looked in vain for the red roan stallion who had waited for and called for his family – and hope that he was released. I did see his pinto palomino mare in the mare pen.
Pinto palomino mare that was with the red roan stallion
The stallions have not yet been gelded – that will happen in February. The horses have not been sorted yet by age, so there are young and old faces together in the mare and stallion pens.
Grey mare and foal
Mare and foal in the pairs pen
When I approached the mare/foal pair pens the mares were protective and kept their babies far from us. But when we drove through the mare pens, the mares did not seem disturbed, in fact a couple of young mares came right up to the truck, curiously looking at us. We discovered a newborn foal in one of the mare pens – a bit of hope here for the future!
Newborn foal!
The weanlings - "pick me!"
I spent quite a bit of time with the weanlings, taking photos as I know they will be the most easily adoptable.
Mica
I also was glad (and sad) to see that pale palomino colt with dark legs was indeed the one I had followed in the wild, with his gorgeous sorrel father, who I believe was released. I had decided that I would adopt him, and bring him home to my herd of two other mustangs. It seems like such a drop in the bucket- there were 8 other horses adopted that day. I wanted to take them all, put them in a sanctuary where they would be free to live out their lives with their families………….maybe someday I can do that.
Until then, I am getting the word out about the next adoption in Cañon City – Friday, December 17th. They are offering an unprecedented free delivery within 150 miles. Contact the BLM if you are interested in attending and adopting, and want to have a wild horse for the holidays like I do. Here is a link to my photos of many horses there:
http://www.livingimagescjw.com/CLIENTS/AdobeCanonCity/
Two stallions
There was no way in one day to do justice to all of them, but you can see how beautiful they are, and larger in size than horses in many other herds. This herd has been blood tested and found to have a high percentage of Spanish blood in them. Steve Mantle, who has probably trained more of these wild horses for the BLM than just about anyone else says the Adobe Town horses are his favorite to work with. Please spread the word.
41 Comments
This is just overwhelming and so sad. What gets me is that all of this gathering, breaking up of the herd families and the long term confinement is unnecessary. There is no real “true” need to remove them from the homes they already have on their open lands. Now, at great cost to these beautiful horses and to the American taxpayers, no one wins….so, so terribly sad that the BLM can continue to “manage” our horses in this unjust manner.
You wrote exactly what is in my heart and what I would have written myself. Let us all take action on behalf of the horses.
Beautiful, yet heartbreaking. Thanks for sharing your photographs.
What a crazy situation – for the horses and the American taxpayer during these times
Can it not be reviewed ?
Can we do something for Adobe Town wild horses like the Cloud Foundation did for the Freedom Horses? We ask for donations, lease private land and adopt as many as possible. We get them before they are gelded.
Love your pictures and horses in them.
at last this is what I have been argueing with sharon and others about congratulations this is a positive I believe this place was on television keep up the good work
a horse listens to our problems it respects our guidance and gives us back self respect this is why those in the prison system are doing so well in this program it is you and the fact that you and you alone has achieved this it is what I have instilled into my students with in the life time of teaching horses to people if you want any help at all please forward to me and even though I am in australia I will try to help
If it were not for my Joe (mustang) and Buddy(dog) my pal. They helped me thru the lost of my oldest son . All i can say is if hearts could save the world Joe would save it!
A local trainer swears mustangs are the most devoted horses in the world. Once they trust you, they would protect you with their life.
What an injustice we, as humans, cannot provide the same service.
Most horses will give you their undying love.But not many would give their lives for their best friend. I really wish there was a way of saving them all.
These horses are so beautiful. I have a beautiful yearling from Canyon City, a bay roan and he is in great shape. Wow free delivery. How awesome to offer such a nice thing. Come on and take up on that offer!!!
Hi Carol, thanks for finding Grey Beard there-it was comforting to see him-talked to lona today..I am trying to get a semi load 36-out of there, have to contact the DC office which I hope to get done tomorrow..they are going to 30,000 acres in N. New Mexico , trying to get all finalized and then will let everyone know..i found out from Lona today that someone from down South wants all the sale authority horses-150 SA stallions-minus GB and 105 SA mares..he wants the studs gelded and wants the horses to put on land he needs AG deferral for..sounds fishy to me..like maybe a one way ticket to mexico for the sale authority horses, which really is the end of the line for the Adobe Town beautiful horses..I was told i need to apply in a hurry before this guy closes the deal..If everyone could speak for 1 of these horses we could make sure they all get to a sanctuary not a kill pen-I am working on an idea for individuals to pick one out- name it and set it free-for all those people who want to own a mustang -but do not have a place for one..buy it and set it free and then come out to see it, if its a stallion keep track of his foals or a mare-her babies..not much time to organise this before this guy takes them all…I am going to speak for as many as the sanctuary will take..but hope people will be willing to help out on this and look at paictures of the sale authority horses and pick one or more out they would like to adopt and add it to the group going to NM..contact me thru sandra rogers longley on facebook
If it sounds that fishy, it probably is!!!
Sandra ~ I don’t live in Texas any more, but I know how they work these things. This is a kill buyer – for sure!
I will speek for one or 2. E-mail me and I will help.
If you are interested, contact Sandra Longley – she is putting this together:
sandra.longley@gmail.com
HOw unjust these roundups and how sad the fates of these horses. There is a way of achieving self stabilizing herds in the wild that would obviate these cruel and unnecessary roundups!
Thank you for documenting what remains of the lives of these once wild horses. Having been in your shoes, seeing horses I once photographed in the wild, in jail, separated from their family bands, I can say that it is heartbreaking and wrong; like concentration camps. Foals weaned too soon, mares separated by metal gates from their yearlings, stallions stripped of their pride. After my first round up, I couldn’t sleep for weeks. I couldn’t stop crying. I was angry, heartbroken, devastated. It takes a huge amount of bravery to do what Carol is doing and I applaud her. She is a loving witness to what is happening to our wild horses and while I hate what I see, it is so important for us all to know. Keep speaking out on behalf of the horses. Thank you, Carol, for your beautiful photos, and your courage in telling their story.
Carol…thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, from the bottom of this Horse Lover’s heart. Your calm level-headedness in the face of these horrific round-ups, is an inspiration. I’m not sure I could keep my head about me while witnessing these atrocities against this beloved breed. I (also) thank the Lord above that you can be there for us…an Angel of Hope in the face of the mistreatment of our living, breathing, true American Icons. Reading your accounts, tears streaming, it ignites a fire within me that burns to my very core.
And, Thank You also, for adopting “Mica”, for adding him to your established herd of Mustangs. A higher place in heaven awaits you – but do take your time getting there, please, you are needed here for a very long time!
It saddens me deeply, and unfortunately surprises me not, what the BLM and our Government is doing to the Wild Horse…the Mustang. Helicopter round-ups? Good God…they must be terrified. The babies especially. Dripping sweat, heaving chests, flared nostrils…it’s a wonder any survive it at all. And it is also a testament to the strength and stamina of this wonder of nature. Your photos of them gathered in pens – my only sigh of relief is that at least they have each other there, and are being fed and watered…and hopefully adopted out or released. But it crushes me to see them there just the same.
I have this little hope – many, really, when it comes to the Mustang – that if these miserable helicopter round-ups continue…that as we speak, somewhere in the DNA of this magnificent creature, a little string is being formed that will tell them NOT to run…to ignore the swooping, to swish their tails as if the helicopters were just giant flys…and put their heads back down to graze. A Girl can dream, eh?
Living here in the northeast, I have only recently become aware of how the Mustang is being abused by our government. And I need to write, post and scream from the rooftops, and do all I can to save the very creature that says to me “The American West”.
I am a wee bit confused as to where to start…PLEASE do advise. My F/B page is growing with friends that I have never met, friends with a goal to save the Mustang, and if all I can do is raise awareness, that I will do. But I need to do more, before it’s too late.
Gratefully Yours…Jan
Hi Carol, Oh how my heart breaks for these horses and their herd members. I wish there was some way to let them all go. Your pictures show every detail of how these horses feel their emotion is in their eyes. Thank you for being there without you we could not all see what they go thur.Ps I enjoyed your book from the Enquine Affair in Mass.
sick and disguisting how our government is allowed to break the law and take our horses from our land. I pray that they will find homes and peace.
You said exactly what I felt on seeing Canon City horse prisoners: despair! So many…just languishing there in pens. I do love my adopted BLM baby burro, Candy. She is so sweet and smart. If I did not have to pay board, I would take dozens of horses and more burros. Gorgeous pictures and we need to get them out far and wide.
Great photos!!!! so glad someone is spreading the news about their capture. Very sad that now that they are no longer roaming the wild, within weeks their feet will really start to deteriorate……..and not being able to be handled, will most likely be months before they get another trim…..setting them up for more problems in the future. Sigh….wish I had a huge empty barn and acres of hay fields to feed them all. God help us!
Thanks so much, Carol, for the wonderful pictures – You and Pam Nickoles have
really given me so much pleasure just to be able to see these horses. If only they were free & back where they belong.
Even here – in New York State – the word is getting out – whats happening to the mustangs – but its not enough – Somehow, it has to change before its too late.
Thanks again
Maggie
Seems to me like something could be done with these images to raise awareness of the mustangs plight…..perhaps before (running free) and after (in jail) images on a calander?
Carol, You so capture the confusion of the horses in these photographs. I was heart broken when I visited that correctional facility for my film, Wild Horses In Winds of Change. I hope all of our efforts will further the awareness about this dire situation for these amazing animals and help set them back free. I admire your courage and tenacity following these horses on their home range then into captivity. A weaker heart couldn’t do it – let alone capture beauty and soul with every snap. I hope to meet you someday. – Mara
Bravo! Great pictures and insights, cannot imagine anyone not wanting to help! We have a non-profit that focuses on helping unwanted foals but we can only help a small amount at a time. It takes time and money for them grow and be trained! We have three ready to go, if you know anyone looking for a well started horse – if we can place these, we can take some of the weaners.We have a 3, going on 4year old 1/2 Mustang gelding/gray/16 hands. A unregistered quarter horse mare, same age as the above gelding, asking $1500 great ground and saddle manners. We also have a registered Tennessee walker, 12 years old and magnificent!, $2000. Any interest please call 720-203-6781
I wish I had money and land ,I dont,all I can do is call senators and politicians and tell them SHAME SHAME and how dare they!!! I want to say more but I’m too sad right now.
SANDRA, REGARDING YOUR CONCERN FOR THE 150 STALLIONS AND 105 MARES FROM ADOBE WELLS TO GO TO NEW MEXICO. A FRIEND OF MINE GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. MR. ACKLEY, THE BLM MAN IN CHARGE OF NEW MEXICO IS VERY GOOD ABOUT VETTING HIS ADOPTERS. ACKELY’S DIVISION ALMOST HAS EXCLUSIVE HANDLING OF THE BORDER PATROL HORSES FROM THEIR FACILITY, SO UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SNOWBALLED BY SOMEONE IT SHOULD BE AN LEGITIMATE DEAL AND KNOWING THE NEW MEXICO GROUP THEY WILL BE ON THAT FROM THE START. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CAUGHT RAY FIELDS MOVING HORSES TO MEXICO.
I have one mustang, and have no idea of her background. She has no BLM brand. She is amazing. She and my quarter horse are inseparable. I would love to add another mustang. I’m in Arizona, with no trailer. Not sure how I could accomplish this?
Dear Sara,
The next adoption at Canon City is January 7th. My suggestion would be to first see if you can borrow a trailer at home, then if not, call Canon City and see if they will be shipping any horses to AZ – it is worth a try. I will email you the contact number.
Carol
Thank you for the work you do ,
Thank you for letting us know …
American and non American should be shamed until this is going on , no matter if we are part of this Genocide or not , WE are RESPONSIBLE , WE CAN’T TURN A BLIND EYE , EVERY HUMAN BEING ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH IS RESPONSIBLE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE and WE ARE RESPONSIBLE ….
I just can’t look into their eyes, i see so much pain , so much sadness in their eyes, i hate myself , i hate myself as one human being , i have no part in this shame but I FEEL SHAMED , I FEEL SHAMED OF BEING A HUMAN , PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE TO YOU ….
it becomes hard when you know their language , i wish i didn’t knew their language,
JUST LOOKING INTO THEIR EYES , what are they telling us ? Human go back to your CAVES and give us our Home , Family and Land back .
LONG LIVE THE MUSTANG …
LONG LIVE THE WILD VOICELESS HORSES OF AMERICAN …
They are such beautiful horses. I love all the colors..someday I wish to be out west to live and adopt one.
That old grey with the scars has the three strikes brand. I hope he finds a good home because that can damn a horse to slaughter faster than anything else.
I like what you had to say about Canon City. They really do a good job down there. So much so that after I adopted my first Mustang I really struggled to understand where wild horse advocates were coming from. Of course, that was before everything blew up and good ole’ boy Salazaar went even more rancher friendly and power mad than he already was.
I absolutely fell in love with the bay that has the funky blaze. How would i be able to find out if it still available?
Dear Emilie,
That was over a year ago so I am not sure how likely it would be that he would still be at Canon City but you could certainly ask. They have over 3000 horses there, all in need of good homes, of all different colors, so if you are visiting to see them to find a horse to adopt you would have alot of choice.
Beautiful images.
Milo Academy
I have been to the facility and I must say that Fran and Lona are awesome caring human beings, and I tip my hat to them both. Thank God they are there. But unfortunately, they run a facility that should not even exist.
But it does
One of the problems they have, is that they, and others of their caliber, can not keep an eye on everything that goes on.
I have interviewed an ex-inmate of the facility, and the stories I heard from him made my blood boil.
Take a peek behind the curtain if you dare.
I agree with Hassan, once you speak their language your world changes.
Looking for pictures of my mustang gelding who is out of the HMA Adobe Town and was born 2009.
Looking for pictures of my 2008 mare from this HMA. She was gathered on 10-10-2010. She is a grey with a crooked heart on her nose.
Hi Amy,
Take a look through my Adobe Town galleries here:
https://www.livingimagescjw.com/buy-books-prints/fine-art-prints/nggallery/adobe-town
Carol