Introducing our OFFICIAL 2022 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card:
We have so much in store for 2022. Not only are we continuing our fight on the Hill, in the courts, and in the field — we’re also working on a number of groundbreaking new initiatives — all in the name of keeping wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong.
We’re laser-focused on the fight to preserve the freedom of our wild mustangs and burros. That means in 2022, we are … proving through our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range that humane in the wild management works … expanding our investigative team to uncover abuse and hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable … continuing our lawsuit against the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program that’s sending horses and burros to slaughter … working with a prestigious university to make roundup violations enforceable by law … and so much more!!
Last year, we uncovered that hundreds of wild horses and burros were sent into the slaughter pipeline as a result of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).
After our work led to a New York Times front-page report exposing the program for its devastating failure to protect America’s wild herds, members of the public, wild horse advocates, and Congress stepped up to call for the suspension of the AIP and for large-scale, meaningful changes to the program.
Earlier this week, the BLM announced a new set of reforms to the AIP, let me be clear: These reforms do not go far enough.
Despite the recommendation from its own advisory board, the BLM failed to eliminate the cash incentive feature of the program — a critical reason why so many wild horses and burros are ending up in kill pens across the country.
Meredith: In the last 15 months, our team has identified over 500 wild horses and burros in kill pens — many of these innocent animals we’ve confirmed to be victims of the AIP.
The cash incentive payments are a critical flaw of the AIP — with the new changes the BLM announced, adopters are now receiving lump-sum payments of $1,000 per animal at the end of 12-months, and are still able to adopt up to 4 animals per year. This means that once adopters collect their money, they still have the ability to dump these innocent animals in kill pens like trash.
Chilly Pepper needs help now to save the old gals. We got the call and we need to go get these horses right away. Luckily these horses have been loved and well cared for. They are mostly unhandled brood mares, and I was told today by the gentleman who has been caring for them he thinks they are in their 20’s???
We need funds to save these horses. ie funds for transport, (have you seen the price of diesel? – It is making transport costs go through the roof.), funds for vetting, feed and any incidental vet needs they have. I imagine many will also need their teeth done. The most wonderful thing about this is that they have been WELL LOVED, which we rarely see. We were called because they didn’t want them to end up with a kill buyer, in a pen shipping to slaughter or anywhere else they wouldn’t be safe. Time was of the essence, so we are happily stepping up IF we can afford to responsibly take them on.
Vetting is scheduled for Monday, but I still have a bill I need to pay off at Goldendale Veterinary Clinic from last year before I start incurring new bills for this year.
We picked up the 3 starved Arabians, and sadly the oldest had to be euthanized. We spent 6 hours at the vet with Doc trying everything to give her a chance. She simply did not want to leave. By the end of the 6 hours, she looked at me and let me know she was done. That was another $2800 bill for her care and to x-ray the other injured ones. Both of them are doing well and gaining weight and safe at home in NV. Once I have the vet bills caught up, they will need their teeth done as well. They are both gaining weight and loving their soft hay and grain.
Apparently this new year is well on it’s way and once again I am counting on my Chilly Pepper Family to keep helping us save lives.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN HELPING SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
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.
Today, we are so excited to share with you our next initiative in our fight to protect horses and burros — both wild and domestic — from slaughter!
Despite their federal protection, wild horses and burros continue to face the ever-present threat of brutal helicopter roundups — a tragic result of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) mismanaged Wild Horse and Burro Program. Once captured, these innocent animals are stripped of their freedom and forced into holding, many entering the slaughter pipeline.
In an effort to permanently put an end to horse slaughter, we have partnered with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) as a sponsoring organization of the Homes for Horses Coalition!
The Homes for Horses Coalition (HHC) is a national initiative made up of more than 520 member organizations with the ultimate goal of ending horse slaughter and all other forms of equine abuse for good.
Each year, tens of thousands of American horses and burros are exported for slaughter to Mexico and Canada for human consumption in foreign markets. And as we exposed last year through our investigative work, the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program is placing “truckloads” of our iconic wild horses and burros in imminent danger of becoming victims of the brutal industry.
The BLM’s proposed roundups are only accelerating, and as a result, an increasing number of federally protected wild mustangs and burros are expected to enter the pipeline in the coming years.
Through our new role with HHC, we’ll be joining AWI in supporting the boots-on-the-ground rescues by providing advocacy leadership and resources to strengthen the nonprofits doing heroic jobs to help horses in need.
HHC is the only network of its kind in the nation, and we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this important effort. It’s time to end horse slaughter once and for all. Are you with us?
Stay tuned for more updates and announcements from the coalition!
The wild horses of the Onaqui Herd Management Area (HMA) just outside of Dugway, Utah are some of the most well-known and well-loved mustangs in the country. Photographers and tourists from all over the world flock to this 200,000-acre public land area to spend time with the animals they have come to know and love, including revered wild horses like Old Man, Red Lion, or, Diamond and DeeDee — a stunning mother-daughter duo.
Photo by PJ Kaszas
It’s no matter that DeeDee was born to Diamond over 7 years ago. She has remained by her mother’s side ever since, napping, grazing, and raising her own young. It’s the wild horse way and why we love them: their relationships with one another are strong, intricate, and dynamic.
So it was devastating to local advocates when the helicopters descended on the HMA in July of 2021, and threatened to rip this pair — and their unique bond — apart. They ended up being captured in the operation along with over 400 other cherished mustangs, and have been stuck in a mud-ridden holding facility since. Visitors to the corrals noted that the pair still clung together, amidst the trauma they endured.
Local advocates worked tirelessly to find a home for Diamond and DeeDee together and lucked out when AWHC Board Member and owner of Freedom Reigns Equine Sanctuary, Alicia Goetz stepped up and agreed to welcome the mares to her herd of nearly 500 rescued horses on her almost 4,000-acre sanctuary.
Photo by Kimerlee Curyl
And on Wednesday, we were onsite to welcome the special mother-daughter pair to their new life. After they cautiously came off the trailer, they took to the ground and began to roll. Photographer Kimerlee Curyl, spoke of the moment best:
“I began to get teary as I watched the caked mud and manure fall off of them as they rolled around in the new green grass of their temporary enclosure. To me, it represented the shedding of their life in holding and that terrible roundup. It was a beautiful and emotional day.”
It really was a beautiful day.
Photo by Kimerlee Curyl
After their quarantine period is up, Diamond and DeeDee will be released out to the main sanctuary to roam over thousands of acres of rolling hills.
We are grateful to the local advocates who worked so hard to keep this family together, and to Alicia for her commitment to ensuring that Diamond and DeeDee live the remainder of their lives at Freedom Reigns, the next best thing to being wild and free.
Until a decade ago, mules were used predominantly to perform work, primarily packing and plowing. How they performed this work was really of minimal concern provided that the jobs were accomplished. Today there is an expressed interest for well-mannered saddle mules like never before. The smooth travel and natural comfort of a mule ride coupled with their surefootedness and resistance to disease has inspired horsemen to change their mounts to mules or at the very least, add one to their herd. As more people express the need for well-mannered saddle mules, the need for better training practices becomes apparent. Granted, there are those who will always be content to just get on once a week and go for a ride. If the mule tolerates this, he is automatically accepted in the equestrian world and is considered trained. However, equines that possess this accepting nature are rare. Most mules and even horses will only respond when the correct approach is used. Most people are exposed to limited knowledge about equine management and training and will need the guidance of a trainer or instructor for safety’s sake. My friends Alan and Sally McClean of Golden, Colorado, decided to find out if benefits could be reaped from professional training.
In the spring of 1985, Alan and Sally came to consult with me about training their two fine saddle mules, “Bucky” and “Walter.” Sally had her leg in a cast. When I inquired about her accident, she told me that Bucky had fallen with her astride, pinning her leg underneath him. She told me that he had always been rather clumsy and tripped often, but she wasn’t sure if this could be corrected. Bucky had also been shown in Western Pleasure at the National Western Stock Show, where he refused to take his left lead. Walter’s problems were also seemingly minimal. He tended to be nervous about things in general after being on the racetrack for three years and refused to take his right lead. Neither mule was what you might call ill-mannered. It was apparent that they both needed help. The mules were clearly out of balance with little or no core strength to maintain any kind of real balance. The rider on board simply exacerbated the problem. These problems were making Alan and Sally a little apprehensive about using them very often and thus, decreased the amount of pleasure they could derive from their mules.
As problems such as these arise, we find that training is indeed much more than simply being able to ride your mule or any equine. The right kind of training enhances communication between equine and owner in addition to correcting questionable manners and behavior. The routine practice in training allows the animal to know what to expect of their owners, and what their owners can expect from them. Their manners and behaviors will be shaped accordingly, and stress and confusion will be kept to a minimum. The mule that is calm and easy to handle is truly a joy and a pleasure to his owner.
There are many mules that are calm and easy to handle. Each animal has his own particular set of idiosyncrasies that are unique to his situation. Some are more spoiled than others, but nevertheless generally cooperative. But what of those times of difficulty? What about taking only one lead, or tripping or falling? These are things a professional can help to correct. These are also things that should be corrected both for your sake and for the sake of your equine. His general health and your total enjoyment and safety are at stake!
Not unlike humans, mules must be taught how to carry themselves to make maximum use of their bodies. Overall muscle and skeletal conditioning is necessary for maximum performance that results in a sound body and a sound mind. The equine that has difficulty in picking his leads correctly is generally an animal that is not conditioned properly in good equine posture and balance. The muscles in his body are stronger on one side than they are on the other side which makes it painful and difficult for him to perform on his weak side. This only adds frustration to the whole situation when he cannot do what you ask. If you, as the owner, do not realize his physical limitations, it could jeopardize the whole relationship with your mule, thus limiting pleasure.
A professional trainer can be a qualified coach for you and your equine. His or her training program should include proper conditioning of muscles through a specific and scheduled series of exercises. The more difficult moves, such as sliding stops and spins, will come in natural succession as his body is strengthened. Frustrations are then minimized as the animal is able to perform. Most of us are contented with general knowledge about training. However, professional trainers, like athletic coaches, need to be able to evaluate each individual animal and decide upon a training program to suit his individual needs. Sure, professionals cost money, but they can also save you money by ensuring your equine’s good health and good manners. The “vet” bills you save could be your own!
In the case of Bucky and Walter, not only did they have difficulty with their leads, but their gaits were rough and one-sided. Correct body strengthening, balancing and conditioning was not the only problem. To add to their problems was incorrect shoeing. In Walter’s case, the shoeing had resulted in contracted heels on one side of his body, undoubtedly causing a lot of stress and strain when coupled with weak core muscles. More than incorrect shoeing, Bucky’s problem of tripping and falling was due to improper posture and body carriage. Today, both mules are strengthened, balanced and able to perform to the best of their ability. They are not put under undue stress when ridden and are noticeably calm and contented while being handled, and the ride they provide is much smoother. Alan and Sally were particularly pleased since their 15-hand mules will now stretch, lowering their backs about four inches which makes mounting much easier. What a pleasure they have become!
The benefits you will reap from professional training can be numerous. You will have a smoother ride because the animal is correctly balanced and strengthened in good equine posture. The animal will have more stamina, agility and endurance. He will have a higher resistance to disease due to increased circulation in good equine posture which greatly reduces vet bills and maintenance costs. There should be no worry about his behavior in public, but most of all, he will be an enormous pleasure to his owner and a credit to his breed.
2022 is shaping up to be a busy year for our team at the American Wild Horse Campaign! We’ll be continuing our fight in the court, in the field, and on the Hill to preserve the freedom of America’s wild horses and burros.
We are on the frontlines of the fight to protect these iconic animals, but one thing is for sure: we couldn’t do it without our large herd of wild horse advocates who help to fuel our work. Grassroots supporters like you make up this incredible network and help to make our important efforts possible.
While our Government Relations team is busy setting their legislative agenda for the new year, we wanted to reach out with some advocacy resources so that you have everything you need to be the voice of our wild herds this year!
ADVOCACY ACTION KIT
Visit our Action Center to find contact information for your legislators or track wild horse legislation!
The American Wild Horse Campaign is so much more than just our staff — it’s a community of activists who put in the work, time and time again, to defend our treasured wild horses and burros.
In 2021, supporters like you helped us to:
Collect over 460,000 petition signatures to protect wild horses and burros;
Send over 338,000 messages to legislators on behalf of our wild herds;
And grow our grassroots network by more than 246,000!
So, will you stand with us again in 2022 to protect the lives of America’s wild horses and burros? We’ll be in touch over the next few weeks with actions you can take to protect these cherished animals.
I am working on tax donation receipts for 2021. IF YOU DONATED VIA CREDIT CARD, please contact me asap if you need your receipt.
Due to the bank upping their security to protect your personal information, the end of the year report is lacking contact information. Please contact me so I can make sure you have the necessary information for your taxes this year.
We have been informed how we can do things differently this coming year. It is more work but it is always a good thing when the banks are protecting your identity. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but again am glad the safety of your identity is being put first.
My phone number is 530 339-1458 or you can reach me via email.
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.
Today would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday!
BettyWhiteChallenge
In honor of her memory and her true passion, we have joined in the #BettyWhiteChallenge. We are hoping folks will help us continue our work saving these precious lives by donating in her honor.
We so appreciate all her hard work and dedication, and the beautiful example of a person that she was. She inspired many and we are hoping to keep on rescuing animals in her memory, and continue to end needless suffering.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN HELPING SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
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.
Introducing our OFFICIAL 2022 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card:
We have so much in store for 2022. Not only are we continuing our fight on the Hill, in courts, and in the field — we’re also working on a number of groundbreaking new initiatives — all in the name of keeping wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong.
We’re laser-focused on the fight to preserve the freedom of our wild mustangs and burros. That means in 2022, we are … proving through our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range that humane in the wild management works … expanding our investigative team to uncover abuse and hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable … continuing our lawsuit against the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program that’s sending horses and burros to slaughter … working with a prestigious university to make roundup violations enforceable by law … and so much more!!
The new year is upon us, and so is the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed roundup plan for the 2022 calendar year. Over the next 12 months, the BLM intends to round up 22,000 wild horses and burros — permanently removing 19,000 of these animals from their homes on our public lands.
This is Year 2 of the BLM’s plan remove 20,000 horses per year for the next five years, and it presents a real threat to the survival of America’s wild herds. But it’s not the end of their story. Far from it. Because the worse the BLM treats our cherished wild mustangs, the more support we get from Congress and the American public to change the current costly and cruel wild horse and burro management program.
Our team enters 2022 prepared for the many battles ahead — in court, on the Hill, and in the field — to protect wild horses and burros and keep them in the wild where they belong. Today, I wanted to share with you some of our biggest plans for 2022. This year, we intend to:
Spearhead a national awareness campaign and grow our Ambassador Program to educate the American public about the plight of wild horses and empower them to get involved.
Continue to demonstrate through boots-on-the-ground work that humane management of wild horses is possible. We’ll continue to deliver unprecedented results from our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range and broker programs for other herds across the West.
Put science at the forefront of wild horse management — We’ll be launching a number of new and exciting science initiatives, including an academic analysis of our Virginia Range PZP program data AND we’ll be creating an economic report to highlight the missteps of the BLM’s current approach and the cost-savings of a more humane one.
Amplify our work and your voice on Capitol Hill to pass legislation that diverts funds away from roundups and toward fertility control programs and ensure that the BLM uses these funds appropriately.
Expand our Investigative Team to continue to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in the BLM’s on-range and off-range programs.
Continue our lawsuit against the BLM over its Adoption Incentive Program that’s sending wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline, while gearing up for new legal battles ahead…
Meredith: We have big plans for 2022! We’re using every resource at our disposal to continue our fight on behalf of America’s wild horses and burros.Our first step? Growing our grassroots army to build the scale of the wild horse protection movement so that it is inclusive, diverse, empowered, and well-equipped to achieve our mission of protecting wild horses and burros for generations to come.
So, will you let us know which option is your favorite for our Official 2022 AWHC Member Card? Cast your vote now, before time runs out. We’ll be announcing the winner this Friday!
By now you may have seen the news about the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) announcement of its intent to round up at least 22,000 wild horses and burros from national public lands this year and permanently remove 19,000 of them from their homes on the range.
These formerly free-roaming animals will join the 58,000 other wild horses and burros confined in off-range government holding facilities, putting 2022 on track to become the year that the United States of America holds more wild mustangs – our national symbols of freedom – in captivity than remain free in the wild.
It’s part of the BLM’s plan to reduce wild horse populations to just 17,000 – 27,000 animals on 27 million acres of land. That’s fewer animals than were left in the West in 1971 when Congress passed a law to protect them because they were “fast disappearing.”
This is wrong on so many levels – it counters the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences, is fiscally reckless and unconscionably inhumane.
The BLM claims these devastating roundups are necessary to protect the environment. But wild horses and burros are present on just 12% of the land that the BLM manages, and they are greatly outnumbered by commercial livestock — a major cause of land degradation and a contributor to climate change. Spending hundreds of millions of dollars to round up and warehouse wild horses in captivity actually harms the environment by diverting funds away from actual programs to address land health, habitat restoration, and climate change.
I understand if you are angry at this injustice. I know I am. But I don’t want you to despair or give up. I’m not, because I see the real progress we’ve made together in the last year alone:
We worked with Congress to direct one-third of the funding earmarked for roundups to the implementation of humane fertility control instead. We combatted roundups in the Sand Wash Basin (Colorado) and Onaqui (Utah) Herd Management Areas (HMAs) — and thanks to public outcry and the support of political leaders like Governor Jared Polis, we succeeded in keeping more horses in the wild than originally intended. We also got the commitment of the BLM in both states to work to make these the last helicopter roundups that ever occur in the HMAs by ensuring the PZP fertility control programs there succeed. We joined forces with a growing chorus of prominent environmental groups to oppose the BLM’s scapegoating of wild horses while giving commercial livestock a pass. The 7 million-member Sierra Club even wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland calling for the removal of all commercial livestock from wild horse and burro habitat areas! We added nearly 200,000 new supporters to our grassroots army fighting to keep wild horses wild, and our videos, photographs, and reports documenting the cruelty of the roundups were seen by millions nationwide.
The fight to save our wild horses and burros is a marathon, not a sprint, and we are making progress. In fact, we are stronger and larger than ever.
We have an impactful agenda this year to continue the fight on the Hill, in the courts, and in the field. But the backbone of the fight is you.
So please, stay positive. Stay passionate. And stay ready.
We’ll be in touch!
Suzanne Roy Executive Director American Wild Horse Campaign
On November 22nd, of 2021, I posted, on my MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, information about how to maintain your tack and equipment, and how to keep a neat and tidy tack room. There were a lot of comments about it and many people indicated that they thought it would be easy if you had the staff that I have.
Just for the record, when it comes to my equines and their tack and equipment, I do most of the work myself. My TWO guys do clean the stalls and runs daily, and the larger dirt pens weekly when the animals are overnighted there, and they do feed in the mornings, midday and evenings. TWO of my girls take care of the inside and external cleaning of the multiple buildings that we have, and they condition the tack and equipment as needed, but mostly every three months because we clean things as we use them.
My THIRD girl assists me in the office checking the website and Social Media connections, making Social Media posts (with the exception of Facebook that I do myself), editing articles, advertising and the newsletter, fulfilling orders and MUCH more. TWO of the girls and I film and take photos of EVERYTHING we do so we have material for our posts, articles, video Training Tips and Documentaries. We put these together with our TWO remote videographers and we have ONE remote graphics artist that also assists with publications. Our JASPER MASCOT also doubles as a website tech person. So, we have a VERY SMALL staff to cover all the work that we do. We are prompt in doing what we do because we want to provide all of you the information that you need to have the same success with your equines that we have with ours. In this post, I will address how I efficiently keep all 17 of my equines clean and healthy.
I find that when you have a regular weekly grooming routine along with good environment cleaning practices, the animals do not seem to get as dirty as they would otherwise. Spring is obviously the most intensive time of the year because of mud and shedding, but during other times of the year, grooming can go quickly. During the summer months, they have short hair coats and will only need to have bridle paths trimmed, faces, ears and nostril cleaned, Johnson’s Baby oil in the manes and tails, Neosporin for any cuts and scratches, and a quick go-over with the Dandy brush. Since I keep them barefoot with regular trims every 6-8 weeks, they rarely need their feet cleaned. I carry the grooming tools in a bucket and visit them wherever they happen to be, either in their stalls or in turnout. Because they are all taught the same manners, they come to me and line up for their turn wherever they are.
We have had good weather this fall, but with the lack of moisture, they are all pretty dusty. Since we are using my Tack Barn as an art studio and getting the BELLE, JASPER, MOXIE & KYLIE bronzes ready to be cast for their placement in our newest project, the OLDE WESTERN TOWN OF ASSPEN here at the ranch, I opted to vacuum everyone in the alleyway of the barn.
The first thing I did was to have them exit their stalls and be tied in the alleyway. I brought in Augie, Spuds and Billy from their barn and added them to the eight mules from the South Barn. As I retrieve them, I ALWAYS open the door, ask them to come to me, reward them and then put on their halter. They learn to stand quietly and will not exit the stall until I give them permission to do so.
So I can be hands-free with the halter, I will often allow them to eat their reward directly from the fanny pack of crimped oats that I ALWAYS wear around my waist. If they get pushy, I will say, “NO!” and put my hand up like a stop sign and ask them to back off. If that doesn’t work, a quick slap to the side of their mouth after they have been asked does work. Consistency in MY behavior is key!
They have all been introduced to the vacuum cleaner and stand quietly while I go from one to the next. If they start picking at each other, I just holler the name of the perpetrator and say “NO!” VERY LOUDLY! They always stop because they know the next thing is a pop on the rump from me!
I am always aware of each animal, but I do not “move over” for them. I ask them to “move over” for ME. Then they are rewarded with crimped oats. Once they learn, for instance, that I need to return the vacuum to its spot, and that they will all get rewarded for standing quietly, they give me my space as I work around them, even during rolling up the extension cords!
Since I have so many animals, I do have to refill the fanny pack often, so I keep a full bucket available in a convenient spot for refills. Once they are all vacuumed, I ten move down the line and wipe everyone’s faces. They get their eyes, ears and noses cleaned thoroughly. They quickly learn to accept the process and then I reward them once they are all done. When I do them individually before riding, I will reward each immediately after each task. When they are all together, they will behave better when they have to wait to be rewarded when they are ALL done with each task. Then I go down the line and sprinkle Johnson’s baby oil in all their manes and tails and reward their good behavior when that is all done.
My 28 year old mule, Merlin, poked his eye on a tree branch when he was a yearling. I opted not to have his eye removed, so we have been treating it for 27 years. We keep him in a fly mask all the time to keep the dirt and debris from irritating it. Twice a day face wiping keeps it sanitary and it is easy enough to do at feeding time. We just carry a wet rag with us when we see him.
When they are all done, I lead them back to their stall, send them in while I stay at the door and ask them to turn back to me for their reward. As they chew their reward, I remove the halter and bid them a fond farewell!
With the 11 mules and mini donkeys finished in the South Barn, I next go to the North Barn to repeat the process with the remaining six animals, two Large Standard Donkeys (Wrangler & Chasity), a miniature mule (Francis), a miniature horse (Mirage) and two saddle mules (Jubilee & Brandy).
Again, I ask them to come to ME, give them their reward and then halter them as the chew. They are all happy to stand still until I tell them they can walk out the door.
I repeat the whole process with the vacuum cleaner and again, they have all been trained to accept it, so they stand quietly and happily. I do believe that they really DO enjoy being cleaned…even if they do go back and roll almost immediately…LOL!
Then comes the face-wiping followed by the Johnson’s Baby oil in the manes and tails. I do not cut their bridle paths in the winter. It gets very cold here and I don’t want them to lose heat from their bodies.
Then it is time for them to be returned to their stalls. I have two rescues (re-trains) in this group and they watch intently as the old troopers enter their stalls and behave impeccably!
When Chasity was returned to her stall, I asked her to walk through the narrow space between my truck and the wall of the barn. My assistant was filming from the bed of the truck and as I said earlier, we do not move over for them! Chasity walked quietly through the narrow space, did not rush or push me, but followed obediently. She was sent into her stall, turned around and got her reward. Then, it was Wrangler’s turn.
Francis is a mini mule that I got 10 years ago and to this day, she is still suspicious of humans, but is learning to trust. She can be fully groomed in her stall with no halter, but she can become quite a handful when outside the stall. Her natural reaction is to bolt and run any time she get the chance. When I return her to her stall, I set her up for success by looping the end of her lead rope around the stall bar so if she does bolt, she won’t be able to pull the lead rope from my hand and will be forced to turn around and face me. She didn’t even try to bolt this time, kept the rope loose and returned to me for her reward. Then I went and got Mirage, our 26-year-old miniature horse, and returned him to his stall. The grooming of all 17 animals only took me 2 hours! Organized practices and teaching good manners makes all the difference!
The whip is used in lunging to create movement and encourage impulsion in the equine and should never be used in an abusive manner. Learn how to use it the RIGHT way in Meredith’s latest training tip!
First emergency call of the new year. 31 year old, Injured, emaciated mare was down in the snow and couldn’t get up. 5 total thin? horses that need saved NOW!. Thankfully the 2 mustangs have a safe place to go. I was called for the 3 old horses. Animal Control is involved.
So Matt n I are on the way. My son has been there and thankfully Great Grandma was up again. A bunch of wonderful folks were on scene to help, PTL!
As I just had surgery, I will be “supervising “. Thankfully both Matt and Travis are available for whatever these horses need.
I already have a call into Doc, but we are 7 hours away and funds are extremely low. Please help if you can and say a prayer that Great Grandma stays up and we can help her. Trav took supplies over so at least she has a little bit more energy.
We need your help to save these horses!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN HELPING SAVE THESE PRECIOUS LIVES!
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.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we are SO excited to share that we reached our $125,000 Year-End fundraising goal and UNLOCKED the $100,000 gift from our matching donor!!
From each and every one of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign — thank you so much for your part in helping us reach this goal! Please know that your support will make such an enormous difference for America’s wild horses and burros in 2022 as we continue our fight to keep these cherished animals wild.
While we begin to tackle our 2022 agenda, we wanted to share with you the victories that AWHC supporters helped us to accomplish over the past year. Please read on for a recap of our 2021 accomplishments and a preview of what’s to come this year!
Exposed the Adoption Incentive Program
After a months-long investigation, our team uncovered a slaughter pipeline that had been created by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). In partnership with The New York Times, we exposed the disastrous program in a front-page report.
Uncovering this pipeline was only the first of several milestones in this fight. Shortly after the New York Times exposé, we garnered an overwhelming amount of support from the public, and dozens of members of Congress took action on Capitol Hill to reform the failed program. At the same time, AWHC filed suit against the BLM to challenge the AIP. Recently, government attorneys informed us that the BLM will be revealing a “new” Adoption Incentive Program in early 2022. We will be watching closely to ensure that the program is meaningfully reformed by ending the cash incentives that are fueling fraud and abuse.
Made Strides on Capitol Hill
Our government relations team worked tirelessly with members of the House and Senate to pass historic legislation during the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations process allocating $11 million in funding toward humane wild horse and burro management.
This $11 million was reallocated away from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) roundup funds toward implementing “a robust and humane fertility control strategy of reversible immunocontraceptive vaccines” for America’s wild horses. This breakthrough language marks the first time that Congress is requiring the BLM to implement alternatives to the cruel roundup and removal of wild horses and burros from their homes on our public lands. It’s a huge step toward responsible wild horse and burro management that will help keep these iconic animals in the wild, where they belong!
Helped Rescue Over 100 Wild Horses & Burros from Slaughter
Thanks to the help of generous supporters like you, we were able to help fund the rescues of over 100 slaughter-bound wild horses and burros this year. In collaboration with our rescue partners, we were able to identify and rescue wild horses and burros from kill pens across the country — in imminent danger of being shipped to Mexico or Canada for brutal slaughter. The vast majority of these horses and burros were sent into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program by adopters who pocketed the cash incentives then dumped “their” animals at kill pens.
Proved Humane Management Works
AWHC operates the world’s largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range — and this Spring we will celebrate the three-year anniversary of this groundbreaking program!
On the range, we use Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) immunocontraception — a scientifically-proven fertility control vaccine given to female horses through an injection via remote darting with an air rifle. The vaccine creates an immune response that prevents fertilization without impacting the horses’ hormonal systems, thus preserving their natural behaviors.
This year our program reduced the foaling rate on the Virginia Range by 44%! This achievement has been critical in demonstrating to lawmakers and the BLM that fertility control is an effective tool for reducing population growth and a viable alternative to costly and cruel helicopter roundups for the management of America’s wild herds.
Protected Nevada’s Wild Horses
Earlier this year, a resolution was introduced in the Nevada State Senate that called on Congress to fund brutal helicopter roundups of at least 40,000 of Nevada’s wild horses and burros — that’s nearly every wild horse and burro living in Nevada today!
We quickly mobilized political and environmental opposition to the resolution, SJR 3, and were successful in killing it in the Natural Resources Committee. The outcome was an important show of support by this key legislative committee for humane wild horse management and a significant defeat for the coalition of livestock operators, hunters, and commercial wildlife trappers behind the mass roundup resolution.
Amplified Our Voice
Our movement to save America’s wild horses and burros grew by leaps and bounds this year. Public outrage over the plight of these iconic animals grew, and so did the number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill demanding reform. So many of you joined the fight to preserve the freedom of our wild horses and burros on the public lands they call home, and for that, we are so grateful.
We have much progress to make in 2022, but we know we can always count on supporters like you to lobby your elected officials, support our critical legal work, and raise awareness across the country about the threats America’s wild horses and burros continue to face.
This fight is a marathon, not a sprint, and we know that we can count on you to stand with us all along the way. Together, we will make real progress for our cherished wild horses and burros in 2022.
So stay ready and stay tuned! We wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy New Year!
With Gratitude,
Suzanne Roy Executive Director American Wild Horse Campaign
When Chasity first arrived, we needed to keep her in quarantine, away from the other animals for a minimum of two weeks. Over the past 41 years, we altered our facility to an all-steel facility. Reduced maintenance costs enabled us to proceed converting from wood and wire to steel until we completed the process. This has greatly reduced the overall maintenance costs for the entire ranch, enabling us to purchase steel panels for the barn runs. It was easy to quarantine Chasity safely and still allow her company (at a distance, of course!) and an introduction to her future stable mate, Wrangler. About every five years, we do have to spray paint the panels to keep them looking new, but this is a small price to pay for a happy donkey!
Once out of quarantine, Chasity and Wrangler were stabled next to each other. All of our runs are bedded with four inches of pea gravel. This promotes good drainage and keeps things from getting muddy. This, in turn, provides a hard surface for good hoof health and will not chip their feet because of its rounded shape. Each of our donkeys is given a soccer ball for play in the smaller areas. The ground surface is also soft and comfortable enough for them to lie down without causing shoe boils or sores. They learn to come by calling them to the end of the runs and rewarding with oats.
The mini donkeys’ pens are the same way, as is the road around the sandy dressage arena where they can also be turned out in the larger dirt area when it is not in use. They really enjoy a good roll in the sand.
Donkeys are desert animals and can easily become obese when exposed to green pastures. I only take my donkeys out to pasture to play with me.
My 60’ x 180’ indoor arena is lined with steel panels. I have a 45’ Round Pen at one end with obstacles inside the side gates around the south end. The enclosed area makes for good obstacle training with minimal distractions. Round Pen work and turnout in the open area during bad weather is completely safe and NON-DESTRUCTIVE!
At first, Chasity would not come to me at the stall door, but after being chased once into the stall to be haltered, she soon gave in easily. I always halter in exactly the same way, in the same place. They love routine.
The oats reward assures that she will repeat the behavior. After only one lesson, she now comes to me every time to be haltered. For clean, dry stalls, we bore a 2’ wide x 4’ deep hole in the center, fill it with 1 ½” rock, cover it with four inches of pea gravel and put rubber mats on top. The pea gravel is held in with 2” x 6” boards bordered by angle iron.
Since we had no animals in the north stalls, we took down the panels and made a large turnout area bedded in four inches of pea gravel for Wrangler and Chasity. It was plenty large enough to romp and play…and not get muddy!
When I am out and about the barn, I reinforce Wrangler and Chasity’s will, as well as all the others, to come to me for their oats reward. We keep bulk rock, pea gravel and structural fill in bays behind the indoor arena.
When the equines are in turnout, we replenish the pea gravel as needed with the Skidsteer.
Wrangler and Chasity, our miniature donkeys Augie & Spuds, miniature mule Francis and miniature horse Mirage also have alternate access to a very large 2 ½ acre dirt pen…Large Standard donkeys one day, miniatures the next.
When it is dry, they can take turns on alternate days in the larger area to stretch their legs and buck to their hearts desire. They do not seem to miss being in the pasture with this kind of management and they really do stay very healthy. We have no incidence of colic, founder, abscesses, skin irritations, rashes or obesity.
Wrangler, Chasity, Augie and Spuds are TRULY HAPPY DONKEYS!