Fish Creek stallion after release back to the range. WHE has been very busy tracking horses and getting ready for the next phase

Engaging issues with an intention of preserving and protecting America’s wild horses begins long before the thrumming of helicopter blades. By the time you see documents enter the public sphere for comment on a removal the opportunity to engage process is extremely limited. Those comments only present opportunity to address areas concerning the removal that may not have been analyzed appropriately.

Engaging process essential to the preservation of each herd, and the resources required to sustain that herd, require an active engagement in multiple areas of process. These areas include fence construction, mining, livestock as well as components of the wild horse herd itself such as genetic viability.

Somedays we play “where are the cows?’ Sometimes where they should be, sometimes not.

We are standing at a crossroads in management of public land. New protocol for creating land use planning and a massive FEIS on sage grouse will have far reaching implications. Ignoring the necessity to elevate the “wild horse” conversation from the cycle of the past will have devastating consequence.

Currently another 11 million has been set aside for more “research” on fertility control that does contain permanent sterilization techniques. Instead of pouring 11 million into the utilization of the tools at hand and the creation of a sorely vacant data collection component, we are seeing the same “lets all waste more time” attitude.

Sarge! Doing well after his return to Fish Creek and building his new family

This “spinning of the wheels” comes at a time when tensions are mounting on the range as livestock producers fight to keep entitlements that in truth benefit no one but themselves. Less than 3% of beef utilized in industry comes from public land ranching, but with beef prices at an all time high the “bully” tactics continue.

Our only hope to keep wild horses a strong part of this conversation is to “watch dog.” We find ourselves at a time when integrity of process and accountability is increasingly becoming the responsibility of the public as politicians and government agencies fail.

Most people think of cows when they think of public land ranching. However sheep are a huge part of grazing and sheep dogs are a presence that can not be overlooked

WHE are on the ground doing as much as we possibly can with very little time to update websites or do fundraising. We will report to you soon about another livestock operator in formal trespass, grazing practices limiting wild horse movement, drought and ongoing efforts to engage both on the range management and the implementation of a welfare policy (core to the work of WHE over the last 5 years).

For now some “postcards” from the road…

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WHE is engaged in active litigation, providing documentation to support multiple challenges in and out of litigation, is engaged in the creation of management plans and is a “watch dog” in multiple HMAs. Help us stay in the fight. Your support is needed for legal fees, travel, equipment and repairs. Thank you.

Main website: http:WildHorseEducation.org