News regarding the Pryor Mountain Mustangs;
I'm going to put this behind a cut since it's long, but it's basically an article I wrote for a local publication as well as the online horse community since there's been a lot of public outcry regarding the fate of these horses. After an hou & 48 minutes on the phone with the BLM here's the scoop;
"Running Free?"
by Tia R. Lurie
Some time around June 30th 2008 the Bureau of Land Management, our government's way of taking care of a vast majority of this country's public and wild lands, issued a set of proposals outlining the possible destruction and removal of wild horses dwelling in the Pryor Mountains. Ginger Kathrens, a wild life journalist who made those particular horses famous back in the 90s seemed to be the only one listening and reading closely and with her distress slowly this proposal that was flying under the equestrian world radar came to life. It was in early July, only a few days before public comments were to close on the proposals that the Equestrian world as a whole heard about this in mass and something didn't seem right. If you read the fine print and the unclear text of these plans it almost seemed as if the BLM was going to set out for the capture and "disposal" (a direct quote) of these magnificent horses on July 11th. Stricken like so many others about the possible death of stallions like Cloud and his father Raven falling under the Pryor Mountain region herd management plan, it seemed only right to get to the bottom of this "plan". Senators on top of BLM officials on top of Department of the Interiors officals were called with nothing more then interns taking down one liner comments and asking whether or not I, the author, was for or against the proposals. And then luck changed and I received a call back late in the afternoon from the BLM's External Affairs department.
According to Christine Tincher, chief of External Affairs with the BLM's wild horse and burro adoption program, the public has absolutely nothing to fear with the coming of July 11th. "The Bureau of Lange Management's Herd Management Plan for the Pryor Mountains is open for comments until July 11th regarding these horses. There's no physical action that will be taken on that day regarding these horses and certainly no horses being destroyed or euthanized." After an in depth interview and debate over the policies and politics of the BLM, it became quite clear that the organization has no plans to "destroy" Ginger Kathren's beloved Cloud or any of his wild brethren. Studies have shown that the herds are over populating the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range, and those studies have been given a detailed outline as to the game plan, including the golden number of herd members needed in-order to sustain healthy and viable numbers of these horses. After reviewing the fine print, there were several pertinent questions left unanswered.
Part of the 'plan' included removal of all horses found to be over the age of 11; studied have indicated that horses of this age group are in fact the backbone of the herd's leading dynamic. Per this regulation, this is slating more than 90% of the present herd's dominant band stallions and mares for elimination. As this subject was broached, Tincher attempted to redirect by stating that the BLM has not decided which horses will go and which will stay, nor would they until the animals are caught and studied. Undeterred, a reference is made to the BLM's project outline to the contradictory. "In your outline posted on the BLM website associated with these horses, you quite clearly state that animals over the age of 11 will subsequently be removed along with most animals under the age of 5 and those that the BLM does not believe are going to strengthen the genetic pool."
By following this proposed class of action, the BLM is removing not only the herd's dominant, survival savvy animals but also intend to remove the next generation of horses to the herds. While removal of certain animals is unavoidable to preserve the whole, the projected course of action not only strives to weaken the remaining string of horses, but also seems to defy logic. "By removing the dominant horses that are in their prime the BLM only going to promote genetic flaws through inbreeding." As this disconcerting fact was pointed out, Tincher was quick to bring perspective to the project and look for support and input from John Q. Public. "We're overwhelmed with comments like 'we love these horses, we want to keep them.' But that's not really what we're looking for even though we're glad that the public really is concerned for their well being! What we really want to hear is comments about maintaining healthy, genetically sound, viable herds. It'll help us make better decisions in the long run regarding these horses." She encourages individuals with knowledge equine genetics to send their comments before July 11th via phone, fax, e-mail, or snail mail.
This isn't to say that the general public's comments are unwelcome; she further went into detail about how the public can get involved by reading the proposal for herd maintenance and what proposals are being enacted regarding the thousands (over 30,000 to date) of displaced mustangs, most of whom are wiling their days away in holding pens. While this is option might be preferable over the alternative, these temporary holding cells only delay the inevitable, as well as eat into the organization's already meager budget. That proposal is open for comments for 30 days or more as it was just released by the National Wild Horse and Burro Program under the BLM organization. "That's why the BLM is exploring options to exercise its legal authority to (1) sell older and certain other unadopted animals “without limitation” to any willing buyers and (2) euthanize those wild horses and burros for which no adoption demand exists. We know this is not a popular option, but we are at a critical point where we must consider using the legal authorities allowed us."
Information regarding the program's outlines and the proposals can be found at www.BLM.gov under the link titled "Public Input on Wild Horse Management." However, concerning the Pryor Mountain Horses public input is best directed towards state senators, the BLM in Billings, Montana, BLM as a whole, as well as the Department of Interiors and the Forrest Service. Tincher again wanted to stress that none of the Pryor Mountain horses were slated for euthanasia or any form of "action" at this time. "Historically there's been nearly 100% adoption rates on these horses including animals only a mother could love." While this might be a fine picture to paint, when it as suggested that the BLM post proof and success stories of these adoptions, as well as illustrate how funds provided from the sale of such animals impacted the available budget toward those thousands of horses wallowing away in their holding pens, it was met with no comment. "Ginger's done a great job in promoting these horses and the public has a huge interest in their adoption even if they're generally not ready to take on a wild horse, the support for the Pryor horses is incredible. There's no reason the BLM would destroy them. That's just ridiculous." This then lent question as to why the BLM would venture to suggest an euthanasia "package" in their proposal. While this might fall to a slightly personal note, unless the package includes a four star hotel in Cabo, it is of the author's suggestion to just say no. Needlessly said, the question was not met with great enthusiasm, nor a validating answer.
While the interview might have been less than cordial and might have entered into slightly disturbing territory, it did bring about facts that would go otherwise disclosed to the public at large. While discussing a recent video of wild horses close to the Nellis Airforce Base being rounded up and shot in the heads with .22 caliber rifles, Tincher disclosed yet another alarming fact - one far more horrific then the words of proposed gathering and adopting and/or destroying off Cloud's relatives. "Unfortunately the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act doesn't cover all 100% of wild or feral horses here in the United States, that act only covers horses found on lands managed by the BLM and the Forestry Service. These horses are not considered wild or feral as defined by being managed by the BLM, but truly are wild and feral receiving no support and are basically open game to be managed by outside sources. There's no current protection laws against or for them. These are often the horses labeled as 'nuisance animals' by ranchers and Indian Farmers. There really is a much greater population of wild horses outside of BLM land then there is within our jurisdiction."
While that particular tidbit does nothing to allay fears nor concern for these amazing animals, there is always the silver lining to consider; the BLM is listening to the public's comments and our pleas for a bit of sanity are not falling on deaf ears. The author notes that "...it just goes to show you folks at the BLM that the American Public and horse lovers the world over just won't allow these last living looking glasses into the American West and American History as a whole to go quietly into the night." Tincher agrees. "That's for sure, but I can't slash that passion. It's that same passion that brought about protection for these horses in 1971 and that passion will continue to make sure these horses will remain protected and managed. Change for the better is going to driven by a need and a desire to care for the animals, we just need to work together."
Further correspondence with Tincher has brought to light several facts which we all must face - the BLM's logic might be flawed, until the educated public can step forward and shed light on those flaws, the BLM will be forced to continue what it's doing without hope of change. We the Public, the educated people who understand equine genetics, geology, and the impact of horses on the land they live on, need to step forward. We the Public, those of us compelled by the sorry tale of such majestic life lost, need to step up. We the Public, the horse owners and the horse lovers, need to step up. We must speak as one voice, one undeniable voice, so that we can not be ignored. For the time at hand, you can rest assured that Cloud, Looking Glass, Raven, and all the other stallions of the Pryor Range are safe. So long as people care enough to keep them and their families running free, so long as the valued whole of the horse community continue to care for these animals, we can continue to keep these horses safe by teaching the BLM and their program heads a thing or two beyond "cowboy logic". As the old adage goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it,", so must the opposite be true. The problem will not simply disappear in a fanciful cloud of smoke, and it will remain a problem until people step forward and come away from the sidelines to make a difference. Perhaps even setting out to make a difference for the countless wild horses and burros running out of the BLM's control, it's up to you, the public, to see to their safety now by spreading awareness throughout communities in the American West, Equine friendly or not. Like Ms. Tincher said; we've got to work together.
For more information or if you want to contact the BLM directly I suggest you go to the BLM.gov website. But I can provide you with several e-mails to help get your own private campaigns rolling.
If you want to repost this article on another forum, please do not remove the title or my name from the piece as this will be in a publication.
-Tia
"Running Free?"
by Tia R. Lurie
Some time around June 30th 2008 the Bureau of Land Management, our government's way of taking care of a vast majority of this country's public and wild lands, issued a set of proposals outlining the possible destruction and removal of wild horses dwelling in the Pryor Mountains. Ginger Kathrens, a wild life journalist who made those particular horses famous back in the 90s seemed to be the only one listening and reading closely and with her distress slowly this proposal that was flying under the equestrian world radar came to life. It was in early July, only a few days before public comments were to close on the proposals that the Equestrian world as a whole heard about this in mass and something didn't seem right. If you read the fine print and the unclear text of these plans it almost seemed as if the BLM was going to set out for the capture and "disposal" (a direct quote) of these magnificent horses on July 11th. Stricken like so many others about the possible death of stallions like Cloud and his father Raven falling under the Pryor Mountain region herd management plan, it seemed only right to get to the bottom of this "plan". Senators on top of BLM officials on top of Department of the Interiors officals were called with nothing more then interns taking down one liner comments and asking whether or not I, the author, was for or against the proposals. And then luck changed and I received a call back late in the afternoon from the BLM's External Affairs department.
According to Christine Tincher, chief of External Affairs with the BLM's wild horse and burro adoption program, the public has absolutely nothing to fear with the coming of July 11th. "The Bureau of Lange Management's Herd Management Plan for the Pryor Mountains is open for comments until July 11th regarding these horses. There's no physical action that will be taken on that day regarding these horses and certainly no horses being destroyed or euthanized." After an in depth interview and debate over the policies and politics of the BLM, it became quite clear that the organization has no plans to "destroy" Ginger Kathren's beloved Cloud or any of his wild brethren. Studies have shown that the herds are over populating the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range, and those studies have been given a detailed outline as to the game plan, including the golden number of herd members needed in-order to sustain healthy and viable numbers of these horses. After reviewing the fine print, there were several pertinent questions left unanswered.
Part of the 'plan' included removal of all horses found to be over the age of 11; studied have indicated that horses of this age group are in fact the backbone of the herd's leading dynamic. Per this regulation, this is slating more than 90% of the present herd's dominant band stallions and mares for elimination. As this subject was broached, Tincher attempted to redirect by stating that the BLM has not decided which horses will go and which will stay, nor would they until the animals are caught and studied. Undeterred, a reference is made to the BLM's project outline to the contradictory. "In your outline posted on the BLM website associated with these horses, you quite clearly state that animals over the age of 11 will subsequently be removed along with most animals under the age of 5 and those that the BLM does not believe are going to strengthen the genetic pool."
By following this proposed class of action, the BLM is removing not only the herd's dominant, survival savvy animals but also intend to remove the next generation of horses to the herds. While removal of certain animals is unavoidable to preserve the whole, the projected course of action not only strives to weaken the remaining string of horses, but also seems to defy logic. "By removing the dominant horses that are in their prime the BLM only going to promote genetic flaws through inbreeding." As this disconcerting fact was pointed out, Tincher was quick to bring perspective to the project and look for support and input from John Q. Public. "We're overwhelmed with comments like 'we love these horses, we want to keep them.' But that's not really what we're looking for even though we're glad that the public really is concerned for their well being! What we really want to hear is comments about maintaining healthy, genetically sound, viable herds. It'll help us make better decisions in the long run regarding these horses." She encourages individuals with knowledge equine genetics to send their comments before July 11th via phone, fax, e-mail, or snail mail.
This isn't to say that the general public's comments are unwelcome; she further went into detail about how the public can get involved by reading the proposal for herd maintenance and what proposals are being enacted regarding the thousands (over 30,000 to date) of displaced mustangs, most of whom are wiling their days away in holding pens. While this is option might be preferable over the alternative, these temporary holding cells only delay the inevitable, as well as eat into the organization's already meager budget. That proposal is open for comments for 30 days or more as it was just released by the National Wild Horse and Burro Program under the BLM organization. "That's why the BLM is exploring options to exercise its legal authority to (1) sell older and certain other unadopted animals “without limitation” to any willing buyers and (2) euthanize those wild horses and burros for which no adoption demand exists. We know this is not a popular option, but we are at a critical point where we must consider using the legal authorities allowed us."
Information regarding the program's outlines and the proposals can be found at www.BLM.gov under the link titled "Public Input on Wild Horse Management." However, concerning the Pryor Mountain Horses public input is best directed towards state senators, the BLM in Billings, Montana, BLM as a whole, as well as the Department of Interiors and the Forrest Service. Tincher again wanted to stress that none of the Pryor Mountain horses were slated for euthanasia or any form of "action" at this time. "Historically there's been nearly 100% adoption rates on these horses including animals only a mother could love." While this might be a fine picture to paint, when it as suggested that the BLM post proof and success stories of these adoptions, as well as illustrate how funds provided from the sale of such animals impacted the available budget toward those thousands of horses wallowing away in their holding pens, it was met with no comment. "Ginger's done a great job in promoting these horses and the public has a huge interest in their adoption even if they're generally not ready to take on a wild horse, the support for the Pryor horses is incredible. There's no reason the BLM would destroy them. That's just ridiculous." This then lent question as to why the BLM would venture to suggest an euthanasia "package" in their proposal. While this might fall to a slightly personal note, unless the package includes a four star hotel in Cabo, it is of the author's suggestion to just say no. Needlessly said, the question was not met with great enthusiasm, nor a validating answer.
While the interview might have been less than cordial and might have entered into slightly disturbing territory, it did bring about facts that would go otherwise disclosed to the public at large. While discussing a recent video of wild horses close to the Nellis Airforce Base being rounded up and shot in the heads with .22 caliber rifles, Tincher disclosed yet another alarming fact - one far more horrific then the words of proposed gathering and adopting and/or destroying off Cloud's relatives. "Unfortunately the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act doesn't cover all 100% of wild or feral horses here in the United States, that act only covers horses found on lands managed by the BLM and the Forestry Service. These horses are not considered wild or feral as defined by being managed by the BLM, but truly are wild and feral receiving no support and are basically open game to be managed by outside sources. There's no current protection laws against or for them. These are often the horses labeled as 'nuisance animals' by ranchers and Indian Farmers. There really is a much greater population of wild horses outside of BLM land then there is within our jurisdiction."
While that particular tidbit does nothing to allay fears nor concern for these amazing animals, there is always the silver lining to consider; the BLM is listening to the public's comments and our pleas for a bit of sanity are not falling on deaf ears. The author notes that "...it just goes to show you folks at the BLM that the American Public and horse lovers the world over just won't allow these last living looking glasses into the American West and American History as a whole to go quietly into the night." Tincher agrees. "That's for sure, but I can't slash that passion. It's that same passion that brought about protection for these horses in 1971 and that passion will continue to make sure these horses will remain protected and managed. Change for the better is going to driven by a need and a desire to care for the animals, we just need to work together."
Further correspondence with Tincher has brought to light several facts which we all must face - the BLM's logic might be flawed, until the educated public can step forward and shed light on those flaws, the BLM will be forced to continue what it's doing without hope of change. We the Public, the educated people who understand equine genetics, geology, and the impact of horses on the land they live on, need to step forward. We the Public, those of us compelled by the sorry tale of such majestic life lost, need to step up. We the Public, the horse owners and the horse lovers, need to step up. We must speak as one voice, one undeniable voice, so that we can not be ignored. For the time at hand, you can rest assured that Cloud, Looking Glass, Raven, and all the other stallions of the Pryor Range are safe. So long as people care enough to keep them and their families running free, so long as the valued whole of the horse community continue to care for these animals, we can continue to keep these horses safe by teaching the BLM and their program heads a thing or two beyond "cowboy logic". As the old adage goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it,", so must the opposite be true. The problem will not simply disappear in a fanciful cloud of smoke, and it will remain a problem until people step forward and come away from the sidelines to make a difference. Perhaps even setting out to make a difference for the countless wild horses and burros running out of the BLM's control, it's up to you, the public, to see to their safety now by spreading awareness throughout communities in the American West, Equine friendly or not. Like Ms. Tincher said; we've got to work together.
For more information or if you want to contact the BLM directly I suggest you go to the BLM.gov website. But I can provide you with several e-mails to help get your own private campaigns rolling.
If you want to repost this article on another forum, please do not remove the title or my name from the piece as this will be in a publication.
-Tia