“Mustang Gals” of Nevada’s Youths’ Equine Alliance

The ‘Mustang Gals’ Inspire Wild Horse Adoptions”

Three teens from Nevada launch campaign to save all the horses in Nevada’s government holding pens

(WHE received this press release from YEA!) LAS VEGAS — The “Mustang Gals” – three students from Las Vegas, Nevada – have inspired more than 50 professionals to pledge to adopt horses from the BLM in 2014. On November 10th, 2013 the students of YEA! – Youths’ Equine Alliance issued a challenge for America to adopt the horses stuck in government holding facilities.

Members Gabby Beck, Robin Warren, and Emma Woyak, known as the “Mustang Gals” have since been actively promoting the campaign dubbed “The Great American Mustang Exodus” through social networking.  Together, they have inspired more than 50 adopters to pledge to adopt 60 horses. The deadline for the pledges to be received is April 30th, 2014. All the adopters promise to complete the adoption process by December 31st, 2014.

One wild horse advocacy organization that the youth group reveres for their consistent action on behalf of horses is Wild Horse Education, founded by Laura Leigh. YEA! refers to the informational pages on the Wild Horse Education website as a supplement to what is available from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) about wild horse adoptions.

Leigh’s documentation on various groups of captured horses is in-depth and personal as she painstakingly details each of the capture groups that is available for adoption, one group at a time. Leigh’s report about the “Diamond 30” horses includes information about the babies that are currently available online.

Babies were born to the “Diamond 30” that were to be released back to the range… and instead went through auction.

Mustang Exodus adopter Laura H. is bidding on a horse available on the BLM Internet Adoption site. Laura says, “I have been approved to adopt, paid the $125 deposit, received my bidder ID# and have placed my first bid on one of the ‘Diamond 30’ babies listed on the Internet Adoption currently going on.  I’m excited and nervous!  I am happy to be a part of this!”

Another adopter, Susanne M. says, “I will try to take 6 or more” adding, “the problem will be getting them to Virginia.” Susanne is correct, transport expense must also be considered when adopting any horse. Understanding what is involved in horse care is one of the reasons why the Mustang Gals: Gabby Beck, Robin Warren, and Emma Woyak, are only asking current horse owners to adopt a mustang or burro.

The three teens have done the math based on figures from www.horsecouncil.org calculated it would take 1 in 40 horse owners to adopt all the horses in BLM holding (50,000).  Since doing their initial calculations, they found out that all 50,000 horses are not available for adoption and they adjusted their goal.

The Mustang Gals now want to find homes for 5,750 horses and burros (representing every horse in the 3 Nevada facilities). The students are focusing on these horses that are the subject of a recent lawsuit against the BLM asking for the destruction of wild horses in holding and on the range in Nevada.  Wild Horse Education has filed to intervene the lawsuit and the girls are relieved but they don’t want to take any chances on a court system that has repeatedly let wild horses and burros down.

“Wild horses and burros are not a programmatic bargaining chip. The horses are in this situation through no fault of their own. They are individuals that deserve to be safe and respected” says Leigh recognizing that there are opponents to adoption saying, “Giving a wild horse or burro a home does not get the government ‘off the hook’ for mismanagement. Adoption gives a trapped wild horse a chance at leaving the insanity of holding while we all continue to strive for sanity on the range.”

Can three teens really make a difference for the horses in holding? If just 3 horse owners out of every 1,000 could take on the responsibility and reward of caring for a horse or burro then together we could radically change the face and direction of the BLM. And if just one horse gets adopted due to their efforts? Then they have changed the entire world for a wild horse.

To make a pledge to adopt a horse in 2014, please visit www.yeaspage.org. For more information about the horses currently available for adoption online and other horses in holding waiting for adoption, please visitwww.wildhorseeducation.org.

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See our Internet Adoption Information Page HERE>>> http://wildhorseeducation.org/2014/03/09/internet-adoption/

Horses of all ages and from various roundups that have taken place over the last five years are available NOW on the BLM Internet Adoption.

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The Youth’s Equine Alliance (YEA!) was introduced in 2012 by Robin Warren at the International Equine Conference. Our youth advocates raise awareness about horses and burros, both wild and domestic in order to inspire other people to also speak up for equines.

Wild Horse Education is a Nevada organization devoted to our National Treasures, the wild horse and burro. Please visit http://WildHorseEducation.org to see all of our work to protect wild horses and burros on the range, during capture and in holding