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Great Divide Basin Family
The Forgotten Horses – at least that is what the BLM wants them to be. 1/10/2018
by Carol J. Walker, Director Of Field Documentation, Wild Horse Freedom Federation
I spent three weeks in September and October of 2017 observing the roundup and removal of 1968 wild horses from Great Divide Basin, Adobe Town and Salt Wells Creek, three of the largest remaining Herd Management Areas in Wyoming and the country.
Great Divide Basin wild horses
Great Divide Basin Stallion
Although the Environmental Assessment prepared by the BLM prior to the Roundup said that they would remove 1560 wild horses total from all three Herd Management Areas, they illegally proceeded to remove a total of 1968 wild horses, contending that the 408 captured and removed foals and yearlings “didn’t count.” Although the BLM’s own numbers showed that they would only be able to remove 1560 wild horses total without bringing each Herd Management Area below Appropriate Management Level, which is illegal, and despite a lawsuit brought to stop this from happening, the horses were removed, with great and unseemly haste.
Older Salt Wells Creek stallion and mare and their young filly
This beautiful family on the run from the helicopter
I have observed the last few roundups in these three areas, in 2014, 2011, 2010, 2005 and never have I seen horses removed and shipped so rapidly, with such unseemly haste. In the past, wild horses captured would be loaded into trailers and taken to a “temporary holding facility” where they would be sorted by age and sex, left to settle and then finally after a few days to a week shipped to the short term holding facility where they would be given freeze brands, vaccinations, have blood drawn for a Coggins test, if male, they would be gelded, and then all of them would be available for public observation. If they were younger than 10 years old, they would be available for adoption, and if they were older than 10 they would be available for sale.
Salt Wells Creek stallion and his foal
Young bachelors in Salt Wells Creek
Now, for this 2017 Checkerboard Roundup the Cattoors were shipping the horses from the temporary holding facility within hours of capture, before we were even able to see them. We would finally be allowed to enter the area where the horses were being held after hours waiting and after seeing huge semis pull out filled with horses, only to see very few horses left in the temporary corrals.
Salt Wells Creek older horses and foal
In past roundups in these Herd Management Areas, the majority of the horses would be shipped to the BLM facility at Canon City, Colorado or to the facility at Rock Springs, Wyoming. Both of these facilities are open to public observation and adoption and sale of the horses. Instead, we were told that there was a “problem with the contract” with Canon City, so as a last minute change the majority of the horses would be shipped to a private facility in Axtell, Utah and several hundred would be shipped to another private facility in Bruneau, Iadaho. When I learned this, I was immediately alarmed. How would anyone be able to adopt them if they could not see them? When I asked two of the Public Affairs Specialists who were working this roundup this question, Heather Tiel-Nelson and Jason Lutterman, they both repeatedly assured me that all the horses would be prepared for adoption and the BLM would not keep the public from observing and adopting the gathered horses.
Salt Wells Creek mare and youngster
Salt Wells Creek Stallion Maestro and youngster
After the 2014 Roundup, Ginger Kathrens and I traveled to the Canon City Facility in November and photographed and filmed the horses that had been rounded up and posted photographs and videos online and used our social media contacts to spread the word very widely. We were extremely effective in getting many more horses than usual adopted, especially the older horses whom I am most concerned about and whom are always harder to place. The staff at Canon City were extremely helpful to members of the public who called and emailed wanting particular horses, and aiding in reuniting wild horse family members who had been torn apart during the roundup. They acted as though they wanted the horses to be adopted, sold and placed in good homes.
Salt Wells Creek family playing Peek a Boo
I traveled to Rock Springs as as well at the end of February, 2015 when the facility reopened and was ready to allow the public to observe and adopt horses, and I again photographed the horses and spread the photographs far and wide. The staff at Rock Springs was extremely accommodating, going to great lengths to help members of the public, including me, to find particular horses and assist in reuniting families. They genuinely wanted to help as many horses as possible find good homes.
Adobe Town family
Adobe Town Family
My experience has been vastly different this time. I have gone to considerable trouble, as has Ginger Kathrens, trying to get access to the holding facility in Axtell, Utah where most of the 1968 wild horses rounded up have been sent, and also the facility in Bruneau, Idaho. We were told no or ignored.
Older Salt Wells Creek stallion
Salt Wells Creek Family
This is what Lisa Reid, Public Information Specialist from Utah had this reply to our request to go photograph and video the horses in order to facilitate adoption and sales of the horses:
Great Divide Basin Mare and foal
Salt Wells Creek stallion
“I received your email regarding the WY Checkerboard horses at the Bruneau Off-Range Corrals. Since the Bruneau Corrals are not open to the public, the horses will be offered at events and other BLM corrals after they foal and the foals are old enough to be weaned. As in Utah and Wyoming, the Bruneau Corrals will not be taking requests from the public to hold specific horses, but as the horses are able to be shipped (after foaling and weaning) to other locations they will be available for adoption or purchase.We have an annual public tour in the late spring/early summer each year and the public will be able to view and photograph the horses during the tour. At this time we do not have a date identified, but it will most likely occur between May and June, as it has the past two years. Please let me know if you have any other questions. ”
When I asked why the public would not be able to get specific horses this is what she said:
“In our experience, when people are ready and prepared to adopt, they will adopt. Unfortunately, we do not have the staff time available to track certain horses and retain those horses with the hope that someone who has placed a hold on one will indeed adopt them in the end. Adoptions are based on a first come, first served protocol at most of the adoption events.”
Salt Wells Creek
In the trap
Last, Ginger contacted Holle Hooks (Wadell), Wild Horse and Burro Program, and we were finally told that 800 of the horses would be sent to the Delta short term holding facility in late February early March and we could come in then.
Salt Wells Creek
Salt Wells Creek family
What about the rest of the 1168 horses? There are about 200 at Rock Springs, and they just had an adoption event for 60 mares last weekend, but where are the rest of the horses? What are they doing with these horses? Why won’t they let us see or photograph or video these horses?
The youngest horses may be offered at adoption events but not the older horses. What am I supposed to tell the people who are contacting me, wanting to adopt specific horses? Too bad? Good luck?
Great Divide Basin
Great Divide Basin
As we are waiting for Congress to vote on the 2019 Budget, are they assuming that Congress will vote to kill the 46,000 wild horses in holding, and hoping that we will forget about these recently rounded up Checkerboard horses? Why aren’t they motivated to help us get these horses placed? Have some of them already been shipped to slaughter?
Yes the facilities at Axtell and Bruneau are private – but they have contracts with the BLM to hold these horses, they are being paid huge sums of our money to keep the horses there and we all need to remember that THESE ARE OUR HORSES. The BLM should not be able to hide them away, or to ship all the horses over 5 years old to long term holding facilities where they never allow horses to be adopted from. The BLM staff should not be able to decide that it is too much trouble for them to help the public identify and adopt particular horses when doing so facilitates more adoptions. The BLM is behaving as though all they want to do is to do away with all these horses. This is not right. This should not be allowed. I will NOT forget about these horses and neither should the American public.
Adobe Town
Adobe Town family
If you want to help, I am providing email addresses and phone numbers below of the people who should be bothered to do something to help these horses. Please spread the word. What I want is for Ginger Kathrens and I, Carol Walker to be allowed to visit all the wild horses brought in during the Checkerboard Roundup that are now at the facilities in Axtell, Utah and at Bruneau, Idaho and to be able to photograph them and video them, and get the word out in order to help them get placed by adoption or sale. I would also like the cooperation of BLM staff to facilitate this so that people can contact them about adopting particular horses. I feel that this is the very least they can do.
Salt Wells Creek stallion
Lisa Reid, Public Information Specialist, Utah: lreid@blm.gov W 435-743-3128
cell: 435. 979.2838
Holle Hooks, Wild Horse and Burro Program: 405 579-1862 hhooks@blm.gov
Krystal Wengreen, Public Information Specialist, Bruneau, Idaho: kwengreen@blm.gov (208) 329-4534
Gus Warr, Wild Horse and Burro Lead, Utah: 801-539-4057, gwarr@blm.gov
Axtell, Utah Holding Facility Owner, Kerry Despain: 435-528-3990
Previous Posts:
https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/the-wild-horses-in-wyomings-checkerboard-will-not-be-forgotten
https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/why-the-checkerboard-wild-horse-roundup-in-wyoming-is-personal
17 Comments
Thank you for looking out for these beautiful horses, emails written. They deserve our protection.
I wrote to them all. Such a sad situation. I hope others will pester them so maybe they’ll grant these very basic requests.
They are no longer using Canon City. Soooo many Checkerboard horses in 2013 and 2014 were adopted out through there or went to TIP Trainers.
The only good news was Dean is retiring….yeah…. I wondering what is next on his agenda?
I am so devastated over Salt Wells, and Divide Basin being zeroed out. The last of the great herds that have not been too messed with. All because of a few sheep/cattle herders/bankers calling themselves an association and boohooing in having to share. They increased the number of sheep slowly since 2013 from 14,000 to 60,000 and boast in a newsletter of going up to 100,000 in the next few years. (and now complaining about the Elk population).
Oh, Love your dedication, photo’s and story… Thank you
They have not been zeroed out yet, but not for lack of trying by Rock Springs Grazing Association.
[…] You can read Carol’s article HERE. […]
Do we have an update on Maestro? Have you been allowed at these private facilities yet, you or Ginger? Thank you for keeping us informed. I am heartbroken we are doing this to these horses. I have watched Hidalgo over thirty times. I wonder what Frank Hopkins would think about what is happening to the mustang today similar to their plight in his era. These mustangs have been the victim of man for centuries. Has anyone ever reached out to any of Hopkins’ descendants on their thoughts? Watched Hidalgo again and I got thinking about it, any thoughts or comments?
Hi Amber, Still no progress in getting to go to Axtell or Bruneau. Maestro has been adopted by Cana Foundation who also adopted the palomino who I have been following for years. CanaFoundation.org
[…] You can read Carol’s article HERE. […]
These horses are so majestic… so beautiful.
I cannot understand why the BLM has to Chase them with helicopters, break up families, murder innocent horses. I am glad to hear some horses are safe and adopted. Thank you
[…] The Bureau of Land Management Blocks Public Observation and Adoption of Wild Horses Rounded Up in Wy… […]
This mustang crisis just like the border crisis today seems to be created so as to discourage the public to have any grip on their legislative rights and discourage us to fight for our children ( our mustangs and border kids and even babies of immigrants separated and detained in cages without due process) . We must RESIST and I’ll write that letter.
[…] The Bureau of Land Management Blocks Public Observation and Adoption of Wild Horses Rounded Up in Wy… […]
[…] The Bureau of Land Management Blocks Public Observation and Adoption of Wild Horses Rounded Up in Wy… […]
This killing of horses needs to stop god put them on the earth not for killing that’s man kind
Ohh,
My word!! We must help these horses!!!
This is our Americans heritage!!!
This is our God given gift to America!
They represent the Land of the Free!!
Is there not a huge organization yet that represents and fights for our Wild Horses in America??? If not, we must start one!!
To watch; protect and sell these beautiful horses before evil men destroy them all!!
Where are all the animal lovers; white owl lovers; insect lovers; and naturalist and hug a tree lovers? I truly cannot understand this!!!
Wild horses!- above all beautiful animals that do not hurt or kill people n other animals like wolves or cougars… they are left unprotected; unsupervised and uncared for!!!
I believe if you put together an awesome Wild Horse Organizations… the American people would come forward to donate the money to back it!!! I sure would give money to keep our wild horse refugees safe from evil doers!!
Wild Horse Freedom Federation
American Wild Horse Campaign
The Cloud Foundation