Yesterday Wild Horse Education (WHE) presented a webinar that made a focused attempt to clear up some of the confusion on legislative “equine” issues. Participants in the webinar determined that the discussion document be shared publicly. Usually we do a “power point” type presentation, but instead we used a format that would allow participants to “keep a copy” of the discussion document for note taking. The document is simply an illustrative tool and each section had extensive discussion including a question and answer portion.

page 6-7

On page 6-7 there is an overview, domestic (all) horses on the left and wild horses on the right.

8-9

On pages 8/9 there is a section under the video that gives you the “update” on the two calls you need to make on the Department of Interior portion of Appropriations. (the red boxes are not in the document.)

The rest of the discussion focused on the fact that “wild horses” are a public land issue. In the beginning of the document we have a discussion on the distinctions between “legal” language and that often used by the public and media; when addressing legislators you need to be acutely aware of that distinction.

At WHE our focus is not rescue, sanctuary, multiple jurisdictions. WHE has a focus on the legal definition of “wild horse;” range, capture and holding (before adoption or sale) of horses managed under the 1971 Act. We are a specialized organization.

Wild horse welfare issues (our cases against conduct) were directed at policy change (we were successful in pushing an actual policy forward). The Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act uses the word “humane” at least seven times. BLM had not even defined what that was in 40 years. We “pushed” the creation of a policy that should have  been part of roundup protocol since day one. This is not “extreme animal right activism,” it is the law.

Part of what is changing is the normalization of words like “extremist,” with a “flip flop.” People that never broke a law are wearing the label and protest camp organizers get the exclusive meeting invites. What are you teaching DOI?

At this juncture public land issues are complex. The confusion over the SAFE Act and the two distinct proposals that effect equines (domestic horse slaughter plants and “shooting” wild horses) have continued to confound our efforts to address the frame our wild ones exist in.

The discussion document may leave you with questions. We will be running additional webinars. These discussions become lengthy and target questions of participants. You will need a password to access the link: WHEWEB91 This is available to the public because attendees of the webinar wanted that to occur. There are some really wonderful human beings that devote time and energy to “doing their best” to understand. We at WHE thank all of them.

click to access

The content is for your personal use only. Think of this as the notepad used in a meeting. It was written as a notepad for discussion and not as a stand alone magazine.

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