Wild horse at Broken Arrow

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has agreed to open the Broken Arrow (aka Indian Lakes) holding facility back up to a public tour. The facility is being used as an intake facility for wild horses directly from the range during the Fox Lake and Range operation in Nevada. (roundup updates here:   https://wildhorseeducation.org/2017/11/15/fox-lake-and-range-roundup-update/)

In keeping with the intention of an agreement signed in 2014 by BLM and Laura Leigh of Wild Horse Education (WHE) , the agency will be announcing a tour that will occur in approximately two weeks time. WHE had requested earlier visitation focused on simply assessing the newly captured wild horses. However, the agency has stated that they will delay, and create a tour, to facilitate those that may wish to travel to the tour. It is a reasonable delay due to requests from other members of the public.

“Although we wish the tour was offered earlier we understand why the agency is delaying our visitation,” said Laura Leigh of WHE, “As our fight for the First Amendment was not focused on simply our right to observe, but the rights of others, I respect their decision. However I wish the agency had chosen to use Palomino Valley, an open facility, as intake. Then this situation would not exist and assessment post capture would be easily facilitated without all the drama. It saddens me that drama is perpetuated when a bit of forethought could easily diminish it.”

This facility is the same one that closed the doors to the public in 2010, after the contentious roundup of wild horses from the Calico Complex earlier that year. Since the closure of the facility BLM has referenced the facility as an “overflow” facility for Palomino Valley. Visits to Palomino Valley show that there is more than ample space to have used it to bring in the horses directly from this roundup, or any other.

On October 27th the BLM facilitated a public tour of Broken Arrow. The Record of Decision for Fox Lake and Range operations had already been signed with Broken Arrow listed for intake. Why did the agency not delay the tour until right after the operation to save time and funds? We can not answer that question.

To see a guest editorial on the Broken Arrow tour on October 27th you can click this link: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2017/11/09/guest-feature-a-visit-with-broken/

To view reports from the roundup you can click here: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2017/11/15/fox-lake-and-range-roundup-update/

We will update you with dates and times of the tour as soon as it is announced.

The tour will be Friday, December 8 at 10 am. The tour will be a 90 minute tour on  a wagon. To register for the tour or to get driving directions to the facility, please contact the BLM at (775) 475-2222.

If any of the horses from the last tour peaked your interest in adoption this would present another opportunity to get your application in!

Video from the last tour on October 27th: “After the tours of facilities it is always hard to edit photos and video after spending time with our horses in the wild. I pulled out my guitar to help me remember how this should be, not simply what all of this has become.”~Elyse Gardner

~~~~~

Please consider helping us fight for them and the land they stand on.