Foaling season is here from American Wild Horse Campaign

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) helicopters have officially stopped rounding up wild horses for the 2022 foaling season, which runs from March through June.

This is a time when the BLM grounds their helicopters for four months as mares give birth and tiny foals are on the ground. But this year, the helicopters will continue to fly. The target? Wild burros. The BLM’s rationale? Burros do not have a distinct foaling season, so they are fair game year-round.

Unlike horses, who will generally stay together in their social groups as they are chased into traps, burros tend to scatter and stand firm against the helicopters, resulting in prolonged and traumatic chases in extreme desert conditions. The skids of helicopters have even been documented hitting burros in the chase.

So, while wild horses may be getting a respite during this year’s foaling season, nearly 2,000 wild burros will lose their freedom starting in April.

And, AWHC will not stop fighting for them. In addition to sending observers to witness and record the unprecedented number of burro helicopter roundups, our work in the field to establish fertility control as a humane management alternative continues. We’ll also be on Capitol Hill, supporting the 2022 Horse Protection Platform, which includes banning the use of helicopters to round up wild horses and burros. In the courts, we’ll be litigating to end the BLM’s cash incentive adoption program that is sending “truckloads” of wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline.

Your support has helped us make historic strides in the fight for wild horses and burro protection.

Through actions, we’ve saved hundreds of horses and burros from slaughter. We’ve gained momentum in Congress with champions like Representatives Steve Cohen and Dina Titus. And we’ve started funding scientific initiatives. We’re supporting research on the important role wild horses and burros play in Western ecosystems and analysis to prove humane fertility control ultimately cuts costs for American taxpayers. 

All of this has been made possible through support and donations. So during this foaling season, as new life is beginning on the range, our fight for these cherished animals continues. Will you please send in a donation to help us continue our work in the field, on the Hill, and in the courts to protect wild horses and burros?

BLM’s Wild Horse Elimination Plan Angers Ecologist

ELY, Nevada, July 7, 2009 (ENS) – The Bureau of Land Management is planning to eliminate all wild horses from 11 legal herd areas in the agency’s Ely District of Nevada, a proposal that has wildlife ecologists up in arms. In environmental assessment documents, the Bureau of Land Management claims that the 620 wild horses that now live on these lands have inadequate forage and water and are trampling the landscape. But Nevada wildlife ecologist Craig Downer characterizes the agency’s plan as “drastic” and says it is slanted towards satisfying livestock, big game, mining and oil and gas interests without regard for the horses or for the environment.
Download to the pdf article

The Future Of The Modern Horse

While WIN was formed to meet the needs of the wild horses rescued in Santa Barbara County, (the majority of which happened to be Shoshone Indian horses) there are other groups of wild horses that are also at risk: The American Mustang, that the Federal Government through the Bureau of Land Management has dominion over; The National State Park horses who are managed by the National Parks. And of course not to forget the many different Indian Nations that have their horses.
Download to the pdf article

Documents Reveal BLM Secret Plan to Destroy Wild Horses

Documents obtained from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) via the Freedom of Information Act by a Phoenix-based non-profit, The Conquistador Program, reveal shocking and detailed plans to destroy healthy wild horses in government holding facilities as well as those still remaining in the wild on public lands.
Download to the pdf article

Statement for the 110th Congress (1st Session) in support of H.R. 249

A BILL IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Committee on Natural Resources
(Introduced January 5, 2007)
Bill updates at The Library of Congress Website: http://thomas.loc.gov/
Download to the pdf article

Too many horses: Northwest tribes consider slaughter facility for wild horses

Wild horses are icons of the West, but growing herds have become a costly
problem. Tribes say the horses damage their land and need to be managed —
maybe by bringing back slaughterhouses.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009164786_horse03m.html

30 baby horses sent to Least Resistance Training for adoption

These weanlings and yearlings will be adopted to qualified parties. Adopters must have appropriate corrals and shelters and be capable of providing proper care. Please note that in order to help ensure the mental adjustment of these animals, it is our policy that young horses be adopted by persons or families where other horses are on the premises.
Click here for complete adoption details

Santa Barbara CA News-Press: 11 February 2005

Animal rescuer ‘Myrt’ Starr dies at age 62

Santa Barbara Press: 3 September 2004

County plans to offer horses for adoption (more)

Santa Maria Times: 3 September 2004

Rancher pleads

Santa Ynez Valley News: 2 September 2004

Rancher Saddled with Problems (more)

Working together, WIN has been able to save, place and begin caring for 200 horses that had been on the brink of starvation and death. While we’ve raised significant amounts of cash and upport, our weekly costs to feed the herd hovers around $2800, and for medical care another $1000. The San Francisco branch of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has pledged support (see news link below), and our cause is attracting attention from local, regional and national news sources, including the Los Angeles Times. Visit this space in the future for more information.

PETA Action Alert:

PETA demands jail time, psychiatric intervention of alleged Buellton horse abuser is convicted.

Pet-Abuse.com: 14 May 2004

Slick Gardner filed for bankruptcy (more)

KSBY Channel 6

Legal troubles for Slick Gardner

Santa Barbara News-Press: 07 March 2004

Concert rounds up cash for horses – Charity event raises feed money

LA Times: 07 March 2004

The State; Group Rides to Rescue of Seized Horses; Volunteers organize in Santa Barbara County after unhealthy equines are removed from a Santa Ynez Valley ranch.

Santa Barbara News-Press Article

The following article appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press on Thursday, 8 January 2004. Please click the link below for the complete article.

This link contains large images, please be patient while they are displayed.

Santa Barbara News-Press – Thursday, 8 December 2004

Charged

The ten charges including animal abuse, the use of bad checks, obstruction of justice, and grand theft have been brought against Slick Gardner. Please visit the the KEYT TV web site.

KEYT Channel 3 ABC Web Site

Santa Ynez Valley News Article

The following article appeared in the Santa Ynez Valley News on Tuesday, 23 December 2003. Please click the link below for the complete article.

Santa Ynez Valley News – Tuesday, 23 December 2003