Rhode Island Wild Horse Freedom Protest

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JWM: Cougars prey on feral horses in the Great Basin - The Wildlife Society GPS tracking collars on cougars have revealed that the predators extensively prey on the burgeoning feral horse populations in the Great Basin. “We found that both male and female [cougars]...

Please share, help save this foal 💔

🚨🚨 There are just 2 more days to submit your Public Comment about the Theodore Roosevelt National Park wild horses.

The deadline is Friday, Nov 24th 2023

Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates has prepared everything needed to help you make your comments in support of keeping the wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Please click here to submit a pre-written comment:
https://secure.everyaction.com/9pae2T4Ud0SItoaoX10DmA2
or here to write your own:
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=167&projectID=105110&documentID=132035

It's not every day that you see a wild horse with an American bison. But this unique pairing was a gift, on one of the days that I ventured through North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Both of these species represent significant historic value; a vision created by Theodore Roosevelt, to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Like thousands of other people, I specifically went to this park to experience the wild horses, the wild bison, and the other wildlife that lives in this spectacular landscape.

Unconscionably, the National Park Service has plans to remove each and every wild horse. WE CAN STOP THIS.

The National Park Service is accepting public comments. The deadline is looming: comments are being accepted until this Friday, Nov 24th 2023.

Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates has prepared everything needed to help you make your comments in support of keeping the wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Please click here:
https://secure.everyaction.com/9pae2T4Ud0SItoaoX10DmA2

The voices of many are a powerful collective. Please add your voice now.



Thank you all !

Deadline to submit comments is Friday, Nov 24 - deets in post 👇

It's not every day that you see a wild horse with an American bison. But this unique pairing was a gift, on one of the days that I ventured through North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Both of these species represent significant historic value; a vision created by Theodore Roosevelt, to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Like thousands of other people, I specifically went to this park to experience the wild horses, the wild bison, and the other wildlife that lives in this spectacular landscape.

Unconscionably, the National Park Service has plans to remove each and every wild horse. WE CAN STOP THIS.

The National Park Service is accepting public comments. The deadline is looming: comments are being accepted until this Friday, Nov 24th 2023.

Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates has prepared everything needed to help you make your comments in support of keeping the wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Please click here:
https://secure.everyaction.com/9pae2T4Ud0SItoaoX10DmA2

The voices of many are a powerful collective. Please add your voice now.



Thank you all !

Read the post top down.

Take in the prejudices and challenges facing the American Wild Horse

Then re-read from the bottom up, as it should be.

PhotoAdvocacy

I've hesitated to post this photo here, for fear that it sends the wrong message. It requires an explanation.

In 2018, I embarked on a 14,000 mile 'wild horse road trip'. In a camper with my husband and dog, this was a photographic journey with one goal: to share the stories behind these magnificent American mustangs, in the hopes that more people would help keep them protected.

I always keep a respectable distance from wild mustangs, using long camera lenses, and ensuring that my presence from a distance is not changing their behavior in any way. It is of utmost importance.

One morning just after dawn, we were travelling through the Bighorn Canyon area of Wyoming, when I saw some wild mustangs on a ridge and decided to hike up the hills. The horses disappeared into a canyon and I turned back, just thankful to have seen them.

I hiked to the road and started to walk back to the camper. I was looking at the images on the back of my camera as I was walking, when suddenly I became aware that I was being followed.

I turned around.

A stunning wild stallion was within a few feet of me.

I stopped, stayed still and kept my body language calm. The stallion had a beautiful, gentle demeanor, and took a few more steps towards me.

Should I have backed away immediately, and put some distance between us? Absolutely.

For those few seconds, it felt like I was in an energy field that I can't explain. I was looking directly into the eyes of a wild American mustang.

He wanted nothing from me. Yet there is something that we can all give to the American mustang: the right to exist, wild and free, peacefully with their families, and an acknowledgement that their free spirit once reflected ours.

But somehow we have lost our way.

Wild mustangs can teach us everything we need to know about ourselves, if we take the time to listen.

From the camper, my husband saw this moment unfold. With no knowledge of camera gear, he grabbed one of my cameras and pressed the button, hoping the photo would work out.

The wild stallion left the road and called out to his mares, who joined him moments later. I watched as they disappeared over the ridge.

At this moment, thousands and thousands of wild mustangs have lost their freedom- subject to horrific helicopter roundups. Somehow, over time, the private livestock industry and other extractive industries have taken control of your public lands. They want the American wild mustangs eradicated from public lands, and the U.S. government is on a path to do just that.

Follow the money, follow the greed.

Please add your voice. Ask your elected officials to

Contact the Director of the BLM, Tracey Stone-Manning
202-208-3801
Contact your Representative:
202-224-3121
Contact the White House:
202-456-1414
Contact Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland:
202-208-3100

Thank you all.

Comments needed (again 😡), help save this herd. BLM is making it as hard for the horses and their advocates as they can.
Meeting (virtual) tonight at 6pm MST, link below to join in.

😔😢 and 😡

You may have been wondering what has happened with the Bureau of Land Management’s plan for the beloved McCullough Peaks Herd which over 6000 of you took the time to comment on. Well, the Decision Record was just issued and they are going to proceed with their 10 year plan to “return the herd to AML” of 70-140 horses and the current count is 181 adults. Despite the fact that the birth rate has been kept to 2% using PZP they now plan to use GonaCon, which is a sterilant, on mares over 13 that have foaled, kill the lame, club foot and horses with worn teeth (this is completely outrageous - I have never seen that before).
If you read the comments section on the revised EA the responses are non-responses especially on the comments who rightly state there is no analysis of range conditions or degradation. It is my dearest wish that given this is the worst piece of garbage EA I have ever seen that a legal challenge will be brought to prevent it, and if there is, what you can do to help is to support that.
You can read the press release here and go to the NEPA documents section to see the Environmental Assessment and comments in it: https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-issues-decision-mccullough-peaks-herd-plan-and-bait-trap-gather
And this is stallion Traveler courting his mare.

Here is a link to the “Dust Up in the Desert” debate in its entirety, in case you couldn’t watch it live.
Please share the video with friends and family who may have similar instincts to defend wild horses and other equines against the excesses of the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM and the ranching community exaggerate the impact of horses on the land while they ignore the very real, adverse effects of millions of cattle and sheep on those same lands.
The arithmetic doesn’t lie: there are 10 to 40 livestock for every wild horse on our public lands. 😡

Dust-Up in the Desert: A Live Debate on Wild Horses and Their Place on Public Lands 0:00 - Introduction1:06 - Sen. Hansen Opening Remarks21:15 - Scott Beckstead Opening Remarks40:37 - Sen. Hansen Rebuttal51:06 - Scott Beckstead Rebuttal1:01:...

Commentary: Our Disappearing Mustangs The future could be bleak for wild horses, which may lose their historic place in the West and be found only in sanctuaries.

Please Share Far & Wide!
Check for updates on wildhorsefreedomrally.com for added events! Let’s Get Ready to Rally!!!

Check it out

My new episode of my Freedom for Wild Horses Podcast on roundups is out. It covers facts about helicopter roundups, my own experiences, and what needs to happen to stop them.

https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/podcast/wild-horse-roundups

Our government is out of control 🤬

Please! Comments are needed by August 12th to help save the McCullough Peaks wild horses. Link to comment below. 🙏

Good morning everyone. I'm not one that likes to be interviewed, or get my picture taken, for that matter, but if there's any possibility that what I do could help the McCullough Peaks wild horses, then I'm all in.

Even though I was very nervous, it was an honor to be interviewed by my friend, Carol Walker, to discuss my favorite subject-the McCullough Peaks herd, and my least favorite subject-the Bureau of Land Management's plan to remove a large portion of the McCullough Peaks herd starting this fall. I've been observing and photographing these horses since 2009 and I spend so much time with them that they're like family to me. I know I'm not the only one who's heartbroken at the thought of seeing members of the McCullough Peaks herd taken from the only home they've ever known.

You can listen to the Saving the McCullough Peaks Herd Podcast interview with me at this link https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/podcast/mccullough-peaks-herd-sandy-sisti

You can watch the interview on YouTube at this link https://youtu.be/O4q2v6wctQk

And I'm very upset to report that we have very few comments (640) on the proposed plan to remove the McCullough Peaks wild horses. I know we can do better! Your comments are needed before August 12 at 4:30 MT to make a difference. You can comment at this link https://www.wildatheartimages.com/blog/mcpeakseatalkingpoints Please speak out before these horses are gone forever. Thank you❤️❤️

How's the weather in your neck of the woods today? We're having temps in the 90s in Wyoming, so after some early morning hiking, I'm seeking refuge inside. Our wild horses aren't as lucky as I am and must brave the heat just as they do the frigid winter temps. This image of my favorite mare, Tuff, leading her band to water was taken on one such hot summer day. During the dog days of summer, the wild horses normally head to water during the coolest part of the day, which is often before the sun rises and after it sets. Just like during the cold weather, the wild ones are less active and rest for long periods throughout the day, which I imagine is what they might be doing right now.

As for Tuff, I know I've mentioned her bad knee to you before. In this image, you can see the swelling in her right knee, which causes her to limp quite a bit. She's had this problem since 2019 and I honestly don't know what caused it. If I were to guess, I'd say she was kicked, but it could be anything. Tuff's condition always seems to improve in the summer and this year is no exception. I think that fact that she's not pregnant this year really helps since she doesn't have to manage all that extra weight. Tuff has been identified as a non-responder to the PZP Immunocontraceptive vaccine, so it's always a good year when she doesn't foal. At 17 years of age, I'm hoping that her baby-making days will soon be behind her.

And speaking of Tuff, because she's a non-responder, and has so many offspring on the range, there's a high probability that quite a few of her offspring will be removed during the BLM's planned roundup this year. I'm almost certain that her youngest c**t, Tejas, a beautiful flaxen-maned sorrel, born in 2022, will be taken. It's hard for me to imagine how traumatic it will be for Tejas to be separated from his mother and his family, but that's what happens during these terrible roundups. And because Tuff is "lame" and has a "chronic injury", I'm afraid she may be euthanized. I hope that's not the case, but that's what usually happens to injured wild horses during roundups and that's what's stated in the BLM's Environmental Assessment for this gather which as released to the public last week.

If you would like to tell the BLM how you feel about their proposed plan to remove at least 1/3 of the McCullough Peaks herd, please comment on their Environmental Assessment before 4:30pm MT on August 12. The BLM plans to begin removal of these beloved horses starting as early as November, bringing the small herd of 178 horses, down between 70-140 horses. Since this herd has been managed with PZP since 2011 and has an average yearly growth rate of barely 2%, this removal is totally unwarranted and unnecessary. Just like all roundups and removals, it's being done to appease the livestock industry. If you'd like to comment, please visit https://www.wildatheartimages.com/blog/mcpeakseatalkingpoints where you'll find a link to talking points and the BLM's comment page. Thank you all for caring about Tuff and her family and all the wild horses!

0724_citizen-mp4

It’s got to stop… 😔 Update from the Antelope Complex roundups happening now via Jackie Olive.
Read article for full story.

“As of 7/16: In the first 7 days of operations, 9 wild horses have died: 2 mares have suffered broken necks, 1 mare was killed because she was blind in one eye, a stallion suffered a catastrophic compound fracture of his rear leg, 4 foals have died (2 from dehydration, 1 from colic that can be caused by heat and dehydration and one due to lameness), Sorrel foal died: umbilical hernia (an umbilical hernia doesn’t kill you, it can interfere with things like breathing when overly stressed).
3 foals were deemed orphaned and taken into foster care.”

Add in the dangerous heat, our government is holding horses close together and without access to shade.

“By 4:40 p.m. Temperatures at temporary holding hit 106 degrees and a Heat Index over 100. The ground is light and reflective and the horses cannot find shade.
This is one of the most PREVENTABLE types of ABUSE.”

Horses need access to shade in extreme heat. Is that too much to ask after their life and family has been ripped from them??? 😡

Heat Index Monitoring (Roundup Update) NOTE: This tracking page has had multiple edits over the last two days as we posted updates and heat index readings and we will reformat to make it easier to understand shortly. This page was upda…

COMMENTING AT THE NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

🔷The National Wild Horse and B***o Advisory Board will meet June 28-30, 2023, at the Whitney Peak Hotel located at 255 N Virginia Street, Reno, NV. You need to sign-up to comment virtually by the 25th, 3 days before the meeting begins. Links in this article.

🔷The public may also submit written comments to the Advisory Board in addition to, or in lieu of, providing verbal comment. Comments emailed three days prior to the meeting will be provided to the Advisory Board for consideration during the meeting.

🔷LISTEN TO some of WHE's comments from last year (that were recorded for you to listen to).

🔷Prior to the meeting last year, WHE published two pieces. The reports can be used to give you some ideas as you craft your own comments. SEE THE LINK TO THESE REPORTS

NATIONAL WILD HORSE & B***O ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

VERBAL COMMENTS JUNE 28-30TH

🔷The public will have the opportunity to make a verbal statement to the Advisory Board in-person and by zoom during one of the three comment periods. YOU MUST register to provide comments. Use the links provided in this article.

🔷IMPORTANT ‼️ SEE THE LINK TO AND READ: Rules for Providing Public Comment To The National Wild Horse and B***o Advisory Board

WRITTEN COMMENTS (submit them 3 days prior to the meeting)

🔷You may also submit written comments to the Advisory Board in addition to, or in lieu of, providing verbal comment. Written comments should be submitted to the Advisory Board at [email protected] Comments emailed three days prior to the meeting will be provided to the Advisory Board for consideration during the meeting.