Wild Horse Education put out a video to mark the anniversary of the passing of the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. The video is nearing 500,000 hits. It averages 150,000 hits per month. The issues surrounding horses is gaining attention as the conversation grows.

Steaming after run in sub freezing temperatures, escapes trap, 2011 Antelope (Leigh)

There are two versions of the video. One loaded in our menu that has the final edit and better soundtrack. The draft edit is the one that has gone “viral.”

The comments on the YouTube illustrate that many people do not know what they are actually seeing. They see the images but do not follow the issue close enough to remember the faces and what the circumstances were.

So we created a Timeline to educate. For example: “What are you complaining about? Stallions fight,” and then I am accused of being an idiot.

The stallions in the pics from Silver King were left n an alley (32×8) with their mares, one injured. The horses were left in that alley for 5 hours at temporary holding. They could not move from each other and no personnel even opened a gate to let them into the larger pen (that was empty) so that the stallions could move their family groups. They were not fighting because “stallions fight,” they were fighting because they were kept in a confined space for hours.

Is it Bad Enough for You? Wild Horses

Timeline Breakdown

0:08 Twin Peaks, 2010. BLM claimed at this time that horses “trot or walk” into pens. This video shows lathered animals.

0:54 Twin Peaks, 2010. Immediately after running into trap rear gate is closed as another group is driven in. Overcrowded.

1:00 Antelope, 2011. Three examples of the proximity of chopper. This IS NOT near the trap (BLM claims the chopper must come close at the trap mouth).

1:03 Twin Peaks, 2010. This trailer has an open top so animals at the rear of the trailer can move up as they are pressed. Not all trailers used have open tops.

1:07 Antelope, 2011. More examples of the proximity of the helicopter. This is NOT near the trap. (Note placement of wash).

1:14 Twin Peaks

1:18 Antelope, 2011. Animals just driven into traps were loaded often within moments of arrival. No time to settle, pressure was put to move animals and many attempted to escape.

1:20 Eagle, 2010. Temperatures at the beginning of the day were as low as 12 below zero. Many pregnant mares were observed and animals struggling. Steam rose from sweaty bodies in the frigid cold. Horses were then confined and not given space to move. (In common vocabulary it is called “run hard and put away wet.” No horse owner would do this as it can cause illness and death. Injured animals were hidden behind the closed doors of BLM’s private facility in Fallon where respiratory disease and injury killed many.

1:34 Broken Arrow (Indian Lakes) private BLM facility in Fallon, NV 2010. After the Calico roundup of 2009/2010 BLM allowed weekly public tours. The facility was closed due to “damage to BLM reputation” as noted in Court records. This foal was born in the facility and it was claimed that a vet did rounds daily. The foal starved and was euthanized according to BLM.

1:34 Silver King, 2010. Mare with gash in her face came off trailer that way. This group was offloaded into an alley and left in the alley (three studs and their mares) for 5 hours (video taped and time stamped). The claim was that there were not enough personnel to sort. So animals were kept in a 32 by 8 alley, 5 hours. The same three people that had been there all day sorted this group in 20 minutes after getting word that the foals from this group (that had been on a trailer) were on the way. The studs fought for 5 hours. The one stud let his other mares go but protected the injured mare the entire time.

1:35 Broken Arrow tour, 2011. Laceration from tag twine.

1:37 Palomino Valley Center, 2011. The Antelope roundup ended three days early due to the number of pregnant mares. In holding babies were being born before the roundup ended. This baby was born right after the roundup in holding and died. Staff noticed it in the morning and these pics were taken after a water truck sprayed the area in early afternoon. After notifying staff, baby was euthanized.

1:41 Eagle Complex, 2010. The black colt stumbles three times on the drive to the trap. He cannot be viewed at temporary holding so the truck is followed to Broken Arrow (Indian Lakes) where access is denied to see him. 4 colts die from injury the following week, including two broken legs.

1:44 Flyover of public land in Nevada, 2010

1:48 Antelope Complex, 2011.  Lathered band hits trap after several attempts. Stallion runs over jute that had fallen down and escapes. He runs up the hillside and stays for 15 minutes watching his family loaded. Sound of helicopter drives him off.

1:52 Antelope Complex, 2011. Horses panic after capture as they are immediately loaded.

1:54 Twin Peaks, 2010. Driving horses across valley floor. No where near trap.

2:00 Silver King, 2010. Studs fighting as they are kept in alley with their mares for 5 hours.

2:02 Wells Nevada, 2010. Horses released onto Madeleine Pickens sanctuary.

2:06 Antelope Complex, 2011. Lathered and pregnant horse slips as driven into trap. Antelope was bitter cold.

2:08 Eagle Complex, 2010. Public view of trap.

2:09 Broken Arrow (Indian Lakes) 2010. Foals with bandaged feet. One had hooves literally separate from the bone (died). No windbreaks.

2:13 Litchfield Corral, 2010. Severely lame Twin Peaks foal.

2:19 Antelope Complex, 2011. Pregnant mare almost falls during drive.

2:23 Callaghan, 2010. Youngster leaning on equipment, standing in water and debris at temporary. Nights freeze over. At roundup prior at Callaghan a youngster almost froze to the ground.

2:28 Antelope, 2011. Breath of sweating horses after drive in temperature that did not rise above freezing.

2:30 Litchfield Corral, 2010. Lame Twin Peaks youngster.

2:33 Antelope Complex, 2011. Super Bowl Sunday. Single horses chased repeatedly. One horse chased for over 13 minutes. All bands driven in were fractured.

2:40 Twin Peaks, 2010. In capture corral right after drive.

2:44 Antelope Complex, 2011.  Fleeing horses.

2:47 Antelope Complex, 2011. Public Observation a mile away.

2:51 Antelope Complex, 2011. During PZP treatment for release (22 old horses) this horse gets her nose pinched not once, but twice by smiling wrangler. The horses were then released into an area where a horse had been shot but the investigation never solved.

2:57 Tonopah, 2010. Youngster separated at trap after capture.

2:59 Broken Arrow, 2011. “Public day.”

3:01 Flyover, Public land Nevada, 2010.

3:02 Antelope, 2011. Lathered stallion.

3:04 Antelope Complex, 2011. Stallion attempting to protect his youngsters after contactor puts another stallion in the alley.

3:05 Tonopah, 2010. Youngster separated at trap after capture.

3:09 Antelope Complex, 2011. Horse panics as helicopter drives more horses into the trap and flies overhead. The frightened horse was just driven in and separated from family.

3:17 Fallon Feedlot NV, 2011. Horses being loaded to go to sanctuary in Wells at Madeleine Pickens ranch.

3:21 Antelope Complex, 2011. Young horse tries to find a way out of the trap after 4 youngsters were driven in without adults.

3:24 Twin Peaks, 2010 close up of helicopter

3:27 Fallon Feedlot NV, 2011. Starved wild horses saved from slaughter by Madeleine Pickens.

3:31 Eagle Complex, 2010. Horses heading to temporary holding.

3:31 Eagle Complex, 2010. Horses on semi loaded in single digit weather for the trip from Ely to Broken Arrow in Fallon where they will be off-limits to public view. Significant number of horses die of respiratory illness out of sight.

3:34 Broken Arrow (Indian Lakes) 2011. “public tour” given inside a wagon. Public is not allowed off the wagon. No interaction or significant time can be spent observing animals.

3:36 Antelope Complex, 2011. Lathered horses in below freezing temperatures.

3:38 Eagle Complex, 2010. Steaming horses on a day that began at 12 below zero.

3:40 Antelope Complex , 2011. Chaotic loading just 3 minutes after these horses were driven into the trap.

3:43 Antelope Complex, 2011. Lathered horses enter the trap in frigid weather.

3:45 Antelope Complex, 2011. Super Bowl Sunday. Single horses chased repeatedly. One horse chased for over 13 minutes. All bands driven in were fractured.

3:51 Antelope Complex, 2011. Frigid weather and steaming animals.

3:55 Silver King, 2010. This group was offloaded into an alley and left in the alley (three studs and their mares) for 5 hours (video taped and time stamped). The claim was that there were not enough personnel to sort. So animals were kept in a 32 by 8 alley, 5 hours. The same three people that had been there all day sorted this group in 20 minutes after getting word that the foals from this group (that had been on a trailer) were on the way. The studs fought for 5 hours. The one stud let his other mares go but protected an injured mare the entire time

3:57 Eagle Complex, 2010. Trailer load of steaming animals leave the range in single digit temperatures.

3:58 Broken Arrow (Indian Lakes) 2010. Foal born to Calico mare in captivity starved and was euthanized as BLM claimed vet on site and doing rounds daily.

3:59 Litchfield Corrals (2010) Severely lame Twin Peaks foal, euthanized.

4:01 Antelope Complex, 2011. Temporary holding right before a storm. Animals were left with no windbreak as storm hit with 48 hours notice.

4:02 Antelope Complex, 2011. More lathered animals driven into trap.

4:03 Antelope Complex, 2011. Panic as loading directly after capture, rushed and constant pressure.

4:06 Antelope Complex, 2011. Lathered stud breaks free as his pregnant mares are driven into the trap. Roundup was finally called off just days later due to pressure about the heavily pregnant mares.

Another video was uploaded to show activities for the year of 2011 and includes more current footage: 

Timeline will be added shortly.