More Wild Horses Including Curlies Lose Their Freedom in Salt Wells Creek
October 9, 2017Day 18 of the Checkerboard Roundup Where Less and Less Horses Will Be Free
October 15, 2017A Wild Horse Release is a Bittersweet Reminder of Those Who Are No Longer Free
A Wild Horse Release is a Bittersweet Reminder of Those Who are No Longer Free By Carol J. Walker
This morning the BLM allowed me to watch the release of the 6 Curlies that were released back into Salt Wells Creek. Of course I much prefer watching wild horses be released than be rounded up, but as much as I was elated for these 6 lucky horses, I was very sad for those they left behind at the holding facility.
Ike in the trailer
I was not sure which horses were going to be released, but when I asked at 6:30 at the BLM office I was told no pintos were to be released but some curlies. This meant Maestro would not be released, much to the disappointment of local people who consider him a favorite.
Mares get out
Mares run
We stopped on County Road 76 off of Hwy 430. These horses had been captured near Maggie Springs off 191, so it was not where they were captured. However, the BLM had not rounded up any horses off County Road 76 so there should be other wild horses around – I saw fresh manure and knew I was right. The trailer went down the road making sure that the road was still good and not too muddy, then they called for us to follow. They put us at the top of the hill and as it turns out it was the wrong side of the road, but I did the best I could to take photos in such a way that people could identify the horses. As it turns out they were all curlies. The two black mares got out first as they were in their own compartment in the back. They ran as soon as they got out, two big girls who reminded me of war horses in their outlines.
Big mares
Then the stallions came out. The sorrel with the blaze was first, then the brown stallion Ike, then a bald faced bay stallion, and finally a black stallion with a huge wide blaze named Cheveyo.
The stallions ran to catch up with the mares, and then started jostling each other, and Chevayo and the sorrel started going after each other and rearing. Finally the need to get as far away from the trailer as possible plus to follow the mares overcame testosterone, and they all ran off into the gorgeous landscape together. Hopefully they will find the other horses nearby.
Running
Running to catch up to the girls
All six together
Fighting – Ike and Chevayo
All run off together
Then came the depressing part of the day – I went to the overlook above the Rock Springs corrals. I find it very difficult to spend much time there, listening to the sad whinnies that at time rise to a crescendo of the mares and foals who have been separated call to each other. In the wild, the foals are not taken from their mothers at 3 months old. The fillies will stay until they go into esterous around 1 1/2 to 2 years old, and find a new family, but I have seen families that include full grown mothers and daughters and sisters. The colts will get kicked out of the family by the stallion, but not until 2 or 3 years old usually. This was unnatural in every way.
The “puppy pile”
More weanlings, including curlies
I am showing two of the weanling pens, and in one of the pens the youngsters form a sort of “puppy pile” all huddled together to keep warm, and for comfort. I could not stay long, but I will b e posting more from there. The stallions rounded up are getting shipped straight to a private facility, Axtell, Utah that does not allow public viewing or adoptions, and many of the mares will be shipped to a private facility at Bruneau, Idaho where again no public access or adoptions. We are fighting this. This is not right. All of the horses rounded up deserve to be available for adoption and viewing by the public, and the older than 10 horses also deserve to be viewed by the public and purchased.
Related Posts:
Advocates File Suit to Stop Illegal Removal of Wild Horses in Wyoming
More Wild Horses Including Curlies Lose Their Freedom in Salt Wells Creek
10 Comments
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TWO mares & FOUR stallions! Why not do the right thing & actually put back members of a band? But skewing the ratio even right there?
Thank you for the report Carol, and the wonderful photos. While happy for these few released, I am so saddened thinking all the others that are to remain in prison for the rest of their life. Why aren’t the public allowed to view horses and Axtell and Idaho? If the BLM have nothing to hide, why aren’t these horses available for adoption, and for viewing? Is there someone I can right to voice my opinion about this? As you say, this is SO wrong and unjust.
These are both private facilities and do not allow public access or adoptions.
This just makes my blood boil. Why in the world are they not allowing the adoption of these horses? Just planning on shipping them all to slaughter for ease of convenience? Let us know what we can do. We are already planning an article showcasing what we can and trying to help those available for adoption.
THat is what I am afraid of – limit public access to these horses so it is easier to get rid of them if the Senate votes to kill them. WE must put pressure on to allow access to these horses.
I agree, what they are doing is cruel, they should release the herd four stallions and two mares is wrong. The BLM knows exactly what they are doing the stallions will fight to the death this should not be allowed. This agency is not about the welfare of these animals they are about slaughter! The American people should know where these horses are at all times. All actions taken by this agency and all involved should be transparent, that the American people should be able to trace at all times where these horses are, where they are held and the plans for their future — they are American horses and burros on Public lands owned by the American taxpayer 80% do NOT want these animals slaughtered!
The BLM have or had 46000 horses in holding pens with a debt of $24000 for hay so why would anyone managing the land increase the numbers in the holding pens when they are already in debt further increase the debt figure. Would it not make more sense to leave the horses and burros where they are ……. Common sense. But my belief is the BLM is sending all these horses to slaughter …. selling our American horses, innocent horses to killer buyers to die a horrendously cruel death
Is this JUSTICE for animals that have done nothing wrong? One has to ask who IS doing wrong? Anyone separating these innocent babies from their mamas was born minus a moral compass. No one, no one with any kind of heart would be involved in such a cruel practice, then again this is all a CRUEL practice!
Agree with you Mary. Thought that was a weird ratio they released. But knowing the BLM..it was meant to stop production?
And I not releasing horses with color, like Pintos, is a money making. People will more often buy them. Maestro is beautiful…hope he does not get gelded.
I’ll keep sticking my neck out and say yet again it seems obvious to me that there are many of the BLM in the pockets of the rich ranchers etc. This is the main reason for what is happening, these people are supposed to be protecting these horses but are doing the opposite. They know damn well it’s the cattle and sheep destroying public lands, also I would’nt trust them as far as I could throw them when it comes down to making head counts of horses in the wild. The BLM and their associates, with a few exceptions stink of corruption.
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