Triple B, 2014

Wild Horse Education (WHE) was at the Sheldon, Reveille and the Silver King government wild horse removals. Scheduling delays pushed Triple B back until after Reveille. We are attending meetings and other business and did not attend Triple B, but made multiple efforts to improve the understanding of the type of access observers are seeking.

A friend of WHE’s, Jeanne Nations of the NE Nevada Resource Advisory Council (RAC), attended Triple B and sent us the following note to share:

“Well I can not really say anything bad about this roundup up, other than I don’t agree with reasons for doing it, but aside from that it was very respectful and professional from both sides and we could actually see what was going on. Which did give me peace of mind to see that the horses were not injured coming in to the trap site, no foals chased or without moms. So over all it I think it was a win/win situation. I was pleased with all the co-operation as it should be. We only fear what we can not see. And it is our first amendments rights. We had real public access, I feel for the first time in quite a few years of viewing BLM roundups and it has been a long time coming.
Those horses belong to the American people and if we care enough about them to drive sometimes hundreds of miles to a trap site in the middle of no where, hike rugged mountain terrain for a view point and sit sometimes for hours in freezing cold temperatures or sweltering heat, then we sure should have the right to see our wild horses and make sure they are okay, we deserve to see them just because for no other reason other than we deeply care about them and their well being and we are taxpayers funding this operation. Now I don’t know if it was different because there were only two of us but I don’t think so , I went to the Pancake roundup a few years ago also with a friend and we could not see anything and had armed guards every time we turned around. Today we had a police escort to the trap site but I did not see them after that , before they would sit up on the hill with us. Anyway it’s all in a days work and life of a wild horse advocate , it took me to hours to thaw out today and after a long nap I feel pretty good.”

photo Jeanne Nations

The operation to remove 70 horses is expected to end today. We are awaiting the announcement of the winter schedule.

Captured at Triple B

We hope that the “battle over access” is finally done. We think Jeanne made a wonderful point “we fear what we can not see.” The American public cares about individual horses, the efficiency of the operation is secondary to much of the public. To see that wild horses are safe after capture, or that if there is an accident that it is addressed appropriately, is of primary concern.

Removals happen as land use plans, complaints and contentious arguments may exist, but at the operation itself? The public wants to see the wild horses and burros.

Working on plans to keep wild horses and burros on the range, better care in holding, land use plan issues of forage and boundaries, all continue. But the horses removed at Triple B were seen and the operation was transparent.

THANK YOU JEANNE!

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Our work continues to gain protections from abuse, slaughter and extinction for our wild horses and burros. Wild Horse Education is a 501c3 public charity.