We know how much our western-roaming mustangs mean to you and we thank you for your unwavering support in our mission to preserve wild horses on public lands.
That’s why we’re excited to share with you our news about the ebook, Tales From Big Country.
Tales From Big Country features a 13-story collection by international bestselling and award-winning authors whose works have been published in USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. From the big skies of Montana to perilous rides with the Texas Rangers, you’ll read tales of civilization in the lawless frontier, stories of Native Americans, fables of romance, horror, and everything under the sun.
With the dust barely settled after the Triple B roundup last week, we’re headed to the Pine Nut wild horse roundup in Nevada on Monday.
As I write this, tens of thousands of wild horses stand in government holding facilities, and we wait with bated breath for the BLM’s decision on whether or not it will proceed with gruesome sterilization experiments on wild mares.
With tactical lawsuits, advocacy on the Hill, implementation of humane fertility control, and documentation in the wild, we continue with crucial actions to make roundups a thing of the past. That’s why, last week, we extended our fundraising goal to $100,000 to fight these cruel stampedes.
Here are some of the actions we take to end roundups:
With field representation and filmmakers on the ground at each roundup, we’re gathering footage for educational videos to share with the public and lawmakers.
On Capitol Hill, our legal team is educating key members of Congress to combat a dangerous plan to round up and remove up to 130,000 wild horses over the next 10 years. (That’s more than exist on the range today.)
With litigation funding, we’re building specific cases for roundup-related lawsuits — like our case to save wild horses near Caliente, Nevada where BLM is planning to remove 100% of the herds.
Donate today to take action with us. Your support is key as we continue asserting to stand as the last line of defense between our wild horses and burros and the corporate livestock industry that seeks their destruction.
We wrapped up our Boots and Bling event, and we’re so grateful to everyone that volunteered, donated, purchased tickets, attended, bid on auction items, and supported the event in every way. Thanks to your support, we sold out (over 400 tickets), and with immense gratitude for the folks at the Western States Horse Expo, we had a fun-filled event at the fabulous Murieta Equestrian Center. With your support, we raised approximately $55,000 to support AAE operations and assure ongoing rescue activities!
Though our Boots event is a big boost to our budget, the calls for help with horses never ends, and sadly, neither does the need for fundraising.
For those of you that were unable to attend Boots (and those that attended, too), we had some auction items that were not bid on, and we thought it would be fun to have a second chance auction, online….a second chance for items to be won, a second chance for you to win, and another chance for you to keep helping horses! We’ve added some cool new items, too.
We have a series of auctions lined up, so visit often and share broadly!
All About Equine’s Second Chance Auction is live on our Facebook page. Like our horses, these items are in need of a new home and a second chance!
We hope to will find something you can’t live without, so help the horses by bidding! All the proceeds from the online auction go directly to care for horses and ongoing operations at AAE!
We are so grateful to all of our donors for providing AAE with these items to feature!
New San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame football. This football has never been inflated. Football comes with Certificate of Authenticity issued by the San Francisco 49ers.
Lightweight and easy to maneuver this 8 foot boat features heavy duty pontoons, aluminum oars, oar locks, temperature resistant bladders, and a powder coated steel tube frame. Special features include an under-seat stripping apron, zippered armrest pockets, a rear storage platform, molded plastic fold-down seat, and adjustable foot rests. Designed to hold up to 350 lbs of weight, this boat has a Class 1 river rating. Roanoke assembled size: 96″L x 55″W x 29″H, Weight: 43 lbs Used only once. Looks New!
Enjoy a steaming hot cup of hot cocoa in these two (2) cute oversized mugs and matching serving plate. Includes four (4) hot cocoa mixes, a box of caramel stroopwafels, scone mix, cocoa flavored cookies and raspberry panna cotta signature chocolates.
A chocolate lover’s dream!
Value: $50
Starting Bid: $25
Thank you, Lori R, for donating this yummy basket!
New in box! 6 foot Grandfather Clock. Oak color finish.
Features Key wind function, special moon phase accents, and
classic European traditional strike chime.
Value: $200
Starting Bid: $50
Thank you, John G for this gift of time!
ADOPTABLE HORSES
We have several new horses we’ll be sharing soon. In the meantime, if you have room in your heart and home, please check out our horses looking for homes.
Another call for 4 more babies, and maybe more. At least this one is not a 24 hour deadline. Pickup could be in a day, or a week, or even longer. Luckily the Shipper does not have a full load right now. So every day is a gift for these poor babies. Sadly, we have no option to save the moms.But we need to raise funds to secure the safety and rescue of these little babies.
We deal with so much heartbreak it is beyond comprehension. It drains you to the point of almost not being able to function. I know this is God’s rescue and He puts this all in front of us. So I am supposed to be able to handle it :( We run on so much faith, and He does always provide, even when we are down to pennies, but it takes every last thing.
THANK YOU so very much for making the last rescue possible. The mare’s leg was horribly broken. When she stepped out of the trailer she fell down, so she was humanely euthanized within hours. It of course was extra spendy, but it had to be done. THANK YOU for giving her the respect she deserved, and the gift of an end to her pain. The other gelding is now in his forever home. He may or may not have a long life, but his teeth were fixed so his horrible pain has also ended. The vet said the cancer is not painful, so he will live out his days in peace, surrounded by love. The orphans were also picked up and are home safe.
We were called on a beautiful little filly from Nevada, named Tyla. She had been caught in the middle of a stallion fight and had been laying there for hours. Everyone came together and we picked her up.
She was in horrible shape, and we took her to the vet on our way home. I also consulted our vet in CA. She is a foal specialist and is one of the best vets out there. Both of my “excellent” vets had exactly the same treatment plan. However, even with proper meds, the damage to her spine was too much and she let us know she was done. Her pain was getting worse and worse and her spinal injury was not improving.
Sadly, we had to set her free from her pain and this world. The only good thing was that for once, EVERY person in her life DID THE RIGHT THING FOR HER. If caring folks had not taken the time to make sure she was rescued, she would have literally been eaten alive on the range, as she was paralyzed when she was lying down. (She could literally only move her head and neck.) Another heartbreak for us, but a beautiful gift for an amazingly beautiful little baby. She couldn’t stay lying down, even when we helped her down. Her pain was too much.
She would stand beside my bed for literally hours, with her nose mushed into my tummy and sleep. We spent nearly 24/7 with her, but even with the best care, she never had a chance.When a baby wants to fight, and there is even the slightest chance of getting better, we will always fight with them. But that moment they tell you they are done, we have to honor and respect that, no matter how painful it is for us. That is true rescue. Always doing what is best for the critter in front of you.
So we have lots of vet bills again, and our milk and rescue funds have been depleted. We are getting ready for the new kids, and praying there will only be 4. However we all know that can change in a minute. So once again, we need your help now!
Y’all are amazing, and YOU HAVE SAVED SO MANY LIVES! Thank you for always being there for the horses.
Thank you as always, for your amazing love and support. We treasure all our Chilly Pepper Family and appreciate the fact that YOU MAKE THIS ALL POSSIBLE! We will keep on fighting as long as we have the funds to make it happen, even though on days like today it is simply too much. :(
Below – Honey Bandit and Lucky. 2 of the amazing lives that y’all have saved!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
It’s hard to fathom the shocking reality of roundups unless you’ve witnessed one. Helicopters stampeding terrified herds across public lands in the brutal summer heat. Foals separated from their mothers, often dropping to the ground due to exhaustion. Crowded pens pulsing with masses of wild horses, trapped within.
When the Triple B wild horse roundup concluded last week, 802 horses were captured. Fourteen wild horses died.
That’s why we work hard to keep representatives in the field — present for every roundup — so we can document the stampede and keep you informed, as gut-wrenching as it truly is.
Below are images and videos we captured of the recent Triple B roundup.
This documentation demonstrates greed and cruelty, a reality in which private ranchers and commercial interests dictate what happens to your wild horses roaming your public land.
Earlier this month, we set an ambitious fundraising goal of $50,000 to document the BLM’s roundup season, which began in Nevada’s Triple B Complex. That was before this week’s Senate hearing on the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program – a one-sided affair for cattle industry lobbyists, and not a single advocate for preserving America’s wild horses in the wild.
Thanks to you, we hit our $50,000 goal this week. The response from supporters like you has been an incredible boost during the hardest time of the year for wild horses. But to fight back against the stacked proceedings in the Senate – at the same time as the BLM’s terrifying and cruel roundups continue in the West – we’re now raising our goal to make sure everyone, from the American people to their elected leaders on Capitol Hill, sees how inhumane and unnecessary the BLM roundups really are.
Thanks to your support, we’ve been out at the Triple B roundup in Nevada these past few weeks — with heartbreaking photo and video evidence that will long outlast this roundup. Just over 800 horses lost their freedom at Triple B this month; 16 of them lost their lives. These include five tiny foals, one of whom was too weak to stand after withstanding a miles-long helicopter stampede and another who died of water toxicity, likely a result of the BLM’s failure to give the vulnerable baby electrolytes after an arduous run in summer heat left him stressed and dehydrated.
We’ll use this evidence for the battles ahead. This week’s Senate hearing wasn’t just about laying the groundwork for more roundups. The cattle industry lobbyists and BLM want money to surgically sterilize wild horses who remain in the wild, by castrating stallions and ripping out the ovaries of wild mares in dangerous and painful surgeries.
The cattle industry’s path forward leads to one place — mass destruction… of wild, free-roaming horses in the wild, and of those in captivity whose days will be numbered when the government funding to care for them runs out.
Six horses were in a kill pen in Oklahoma, one day away from shipping to slaughter, when AWHC supporters stepped in to save them. Yesterday, these lucky horses arrived in California, where they will spend the rest of their lives in a safe place.
The “Oklahoma Six” are four BLM mustangs and a quarter horse mare and foal – just three weeks old! Earlier this week, you helped us raise enough money to bail them out from the kill pen and transport them from Oklahoma to two of our great sanctuary partners in California.
Three of the mustangs are young and unhandled. One is a 2-year old filly who was in the BLM’s holding facility in Pauls Valley, OK less than three months ago. Their quick turnaround from wild and free on the range, to BLM holding pens, to the slaughter pipeline tells a cautionary tale about the ultimate fate of the thousands of federally protected mustangs that are rounded up and removed from our public lands each year.
Thank you to everyone who stepped up to save these horses and to Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang for transporting them safely from Oklahoma to California. Special big thanks as well to our board members Alicia Goetz and Ellie Price and their sanctuaries – Freedom Reigns and Montgomery Creek Ranch – for giving these six lucky horses a safe place to live out the rest of their lives.
If you are receiving this email, you are uniquely positioned to push back against a dangerous plan on Capitol Hill that threatens the future of wild horses.
Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee will hold an “oversight” hearing on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program. Unfortunately, this hearing is completely stacked against wild horses and in favor of a plan that includes unprecedented mass roundups, surgical sterilization and stockpiling of mustangs in holding facilities.
It was a perfect hot day for Wrangler’s yearly summer bath! We tried taking a “selfie” with a Canon camera and telephoto lens…not too bad for our first try!
He’s a real ham! He loves to smile for the camera and eat oats from the fanny pack.
Just tell him to and he perks his ears for the pictures! Wrangler is now an 11 year old gelding and softens my loss of Little Jack Horner in 2014!
When we fight back to protect wild horses, it makes a real difference. In a huge win for our grassroots movement, the Trump Administration just announced that it will not pursue lethal measures – such as euthanasia or selling wild horses for slaughter – to manage America’s wild horse populations.
We’ve battled for three years to stop Congress from authorizing the mass killing of wild horses and burros. As always, we are the last line of defense for these national icons. The Administration’s policy shift shows that when we stand firm, we win!
It’s time to savor this news, but we cannot rest, because the Administration continues to pursue inhumane sterilization methods – such as surgically removing the ovaries of mares – that not only place the health and safety of wild horses and burros at risk, but also will take the wild out of these wild animals by destroying their natural behaviors.
This victory gives us hope for the battles ahead – it proves that actions we take to stand up for wild horses and burros make a real difference in the lives of these cherished animals.
Broomfield, Colo. – The Colorado Department of Agriculture has additional confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV) in La Plata, Larimer, and Weld counties. The total count of premises under quarantine for VSV by county is outlined in the table below. CDA’s Animal Health division is updating this table with the latest data on its CDA VSV website.
As I write this, our field representative is out on Nevada public lands documenting the roundup of the wild horses living in the Triple B Complex. Roundup documentation is crucial work to hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable for the devastating impacts of its inhumane management program to wild horses on our public lands.
These wild herds are at risk of being destroyed forever. The BLM’s 10-year plan for the Triple B and Antelope Complexes includes removing thousands of wild horses from public lands and castrating 50 percent of the stallions who remain in the wild, destroying their natural behaviors – the very essence of their wildness.
Here’s how we’re working to stop this cruelty: Last year we filed suit in the U.S. District Court in Nevada challenging the plan. Our case is currently with the Nevada Court of Appeals.
We’re also in the field to photograph, report, and monitor the situation on the ground. Our photos, videos, and reports hold the BLM accountable by informing the public and our elected leaders about the cruelty that is happening to America’s treasured horses on our public lands.
I apologize for the lapse in newsletters. For those of you who do not visit us via FaceBook, you don’t know what has been going on here so I will begin with an update.
In April we took in six donkeys from a sale barn who came to us very, very ill. Our vet prepared us for the fact that they might not all make it. The donkeys were diagnosed with influenza and another virus. One of them, only a baby herself, aborted her foal. Two weeks after that the mules who were not even near the donkeys, came down with strangles. (The donkeys did NOT have strangles) The whole farm was put in quarantine. We beefed up our bio security big time; hazmat suits for all, foot covers, gloves, bleach to clean EVERYTHING anyone touched. Foot baths outside every entrance to every barn, and a change of suits; clothing EVERY time we changed locations.
I am happy to report that the donkeys have all recovered. After being brought up to date with vaccinations and having their hooves, which were in horrid condition trimmed they will soon be ready to be adopted. We have negative test results on three of the mules, and two more will be tested next week. Hopefully they too will have negative results and be ready to go to new homes.
This ordeal has been incredibly stressful emotionally. It has seriously impacted our financial footing as well and it’s not over yet. We have incurred close to 9,000 in vet bills. We have been blown away by the amazing generosity of our loyal supporters. If not for this wonderful group of people I don’t know how we would have made it through this. I don’t have the words to adequately express our gratitude.
I would be remiss if I did not thank our amazing vet Kristen Clapp and uber technician Remington Morancy; they have been phenomenal. Thanks to State Veterinarian Steve Crawford for working with us as well. Of course super star Hannah Exel stepped right up to the plate and did whatever needed to be done. The help of our part time worker Kim Nelson and our Farm Fam pal Pomme took a bit of the load off as well. Wonderful SYA volunteer Pam Kissel willingly dressed in hazmat gear to make sure all the animals got groomed and some cuddle time. Those suits are like a wearable sauna. NOT FUN. In the thirteen years of running the rescue I have never had to deal with anything like this and hope to never have to again!
I hope to get back on track with regular newsletters.
Vesicular Stomatitis Case Confirmed in Weld County, Colorado
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Horses in Weld County, Colorado test positive for vesicular stomatitis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2019
Veterinarians and Livestock Owners Contact: Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office, 303-869-9130
Media Contact: Mary Peck, 303-869-9005, mary.peck@state.co.us
Broomfield, Colo. – Colorado has become the third state in the U.S. to have confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV). Previous positive cases of vesicular stomatitis in 2019 have been diagnosed in Kinney and Tom Green counties in Texas and in Sandoval County, New Mexico.
On July 3rd, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory reported positive test results on samples submitted from two horses in Weld County. The two horses reside on separate locations in Weld County and have been placed under quarantine. The initial Colorado disease investigation was completed by a field veterinarian from the State Veterinarian’s Office at the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
“Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for animals and costly to their owners,” said Colorado State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “The virus typically causes oral blisters and sores that can be painful causing difficulty in eating and drinking.”
The Weld County epidemiological investigation indicates an incursion of VSV-infected insect vectors is the likely source of infection. Biosecurity measures and vector mitigation have been instituted on both locations to reduce the potential spread of the virus. The animals are being monitored daily and the index premises will remain under state quarantine until at least 14 days from the onset of lesions in the last affected animal on the premises. There are no USDA approved vaccines for VSV.
Vesicular Stomatitis Background
Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease that primarily affects horses and cattle, and occasionally swine, sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas. The transmission process of VSV is not completely understood, but includes insect vectors such as black flies, sand flies, and biting midges.
The incubation period ranges from 2-8 days. Clinical signs include vesicles, erosions, and sloughing of the skin on the muzzle, tongue, teats, and coronary bands. Often excessive salivation is the first sign of disease, along with a reluctance to eat or drink. Lameness and weight loss may follow.
Humans may become infected when handling affected animals, but this is a rare event. To avoid human exposure, individuals should use personal protective measures when handling affected animals.
Tips for Livestock Owners
Strict fly control is an important factor to inhibit the transmission of the disease.
Avoid transferring feeding equipment, cleaning tools or health care equipment from other herds.
Colorado veterinarians and livestock owners should contact the state of destination when moving livestock interstate to ensure that all import requirements are met. Contact information for all state veterinarian offices is listed here.
Colorado fairs, livestock exhibitions, and rodeos may institute new entry requirements based on the extent and severity of the current VS outbreak. Certificates of veterinary inspection (CVIs or health certificates) issued within 2-5 days prior to an event can be beneficial in reducing risks. Be sure to stay informed of any new livestock event requirements. See the Vesicular Stomatitis Guidelines for Shows and Fairs.
Important Points for Veterinarians
Any vesicular disease of livestock is reportable to the State Veterinarian’s Office in Colorado – to report call 303-869-9130. If after hours, the voice message will indicate which staff veterinarian on call.
I am literally sick to my stomach and crying as I write this. The beautiful bay has a so called, “blown out knee”. We need to commit to save her right now. She is heading to the slaughter truck, if we don’t step up. Look at that leg, it has to be excruciating! That is how she stands (see middle pix).
I have to say I am saying YES, praying and believing that y’all would not let her down. Watching her move is beyond excruciating, and I cannot believe any human could leave a horse like that.
So she was headed to the slaughter truck, her knee basically broken, and in absolute agony. I am so angry and so sick. I just cried and cried when I saw her trying to walk. We need to call the emergency vet out asap, and I also told my person to GO AHEAD!. I am running on absolute faith, but the person who left this horse like this should be punished beyond belief.
On top of that we have her buddy, a 30 year old gelding who is slowly starving as his teeth are in beyond deplorable shape. He has horrible open sores in his mouth from his teeth poking into his gums, and is blind to boot. These horses have been through more pain than any horse should ever suffer. We were told the gelding has cancer, and you can see the tumors all over his head and neck.
We need to commit to both of these horses. AND, while I was writing this, I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL about more orphans at the shipping yard.
SO WE NEED HELP, AND WE NEED IT NOW. PLEASE HELP US SAVE THESE 2 and provide what they need. I am sure the emergency vet will not be cheap, but we need to help this mare RIGHT NOW! Her pain ends tonight.
We also need to save the orphaned foals, bail them, vet them and get them home.
What a horrible way to live the “golden years”. Sometimes this is just way too much to even begin to deal with.
I told our person to call the vet, and again, I am absolutely running on faith. Faith that no one out there will let that mare suffer another minute more than she has to. Can you imagine walking on a broken leg with all that weight???? She can’t even bend over to get to water.
I know there are at least 2 more orphans, and we all know how those numbers can climb quickly.
_We had to put down “Our Beautiful Boy”, the one who was saved after Lucky Man got another home, prior to Matt picking him up. He too was in absolute agony and could barely even stand. He would have also been on the slaughter truck floor. _
There is way too much heartbreak. We had a $1000 vet bill from the last kids in WA, and they same day we had a huge bill in NV, and that is the day we had to euthanize Our Beautiful Boy; So between our last 2 vet bills, the ones we are incurring with these 2 kids, and the one for the new orphans, we will be hurting tremendously, and that is not even beginning to add up all the new expenses that will come with these kids.
I can only say THANK YOU, on behalf of all the horses you have saved. Especially from the ones who would have died during transport. The gift you have given these horses is amazing, and yes, once again I am asking you to help more horses.
It is definitely “GO TIME”!
WE NEED YOU TO SAVE THEM! PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!
Y’all are amazing, and YOU HAVE SAVED SO MANY LIVES! Thank you for always being there for the horses.
Thank you as always, for your amazing love and support. We treasure all our Chilly Pepper Family and appreciate the fact that YOU MAKE THIS ALL POSSIBLE! We will keep on fighting as long as we have the funds to make it happen, even though on days like today it is simply too much. :(
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
In just days, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will send helicopters into the Triple B Complex in eastern Nevada to capture and remove 800 wild horses from the public lands they call home. Over the next 10 years, the BLM plans to reduce the wild horses in this area to one mustang per every 4,800 acres while allowing intensive commercial livestock grazing to continue on the public lands designated as wild horse habitat.
Since our earliest days of exploration, immigration, and refuge, the American Wild Horse has embodied the values of our nation.
Freedom. Independence. Honor.
These values are worth fighting for.
Thank you for supporting the fight for their future. You’re a crucial team member in our work to ensure the mustangs we all love and cherish stay wild and free.
From all of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign have a safe and happy Independence Day!
July is the hardest month for wild horses in the American West. That’s when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) begins its summer roundup season. It’s also the time of year when most bands have young foals and temperatures kick into the triple digits.
For hundreds of wild horses, July means the end of freedom. Families will be torn apart and chased for miles to the brink of exhaustion, then thrust into crowded pens where they’ll await a future in which the odds are stacked against them. And, this is just the beginning. Across the West, the roundups will continue through March.
Your support will help us hold the BLM accountable – and raise public awareness about what is happening to the wild horses and burros so many Americans cherish.
Our field observers are the eyes and ears for the public at roundups. We need resources to keep observers on the ground to document the cruelty that occurs at during these remote operations.
Our advocacy and policy programs address the underlying causes that perpetuate this inhumane and costly management practice.
Our fertility control programs provide a model for humane management that focuses on preventing large scale roundups in the future.
Our lawsuits challenge the BLM’s flagrant disregard of federal law protecting wild horses and the environment.
