Our report yesterday noted our frustration with attempting to assess handling and condition post capture. We have also expressed that frustration onsite. (HERE)

One load came in today of about 40-50. The wind kicked up and trapping ended for the day.

Today we were at the same trapsite; about 1.5 miles away.

However, clearance to approach trap and observe loading was obtained as no other bands would be coming into the trap. Not only did we see faces and body condition today, we were able to assess handling. 47 wild horses captured in one run today (21 Studs, 21 Mares, 1 Foals).

We do not like removals and feel they are not based on appropriate underlying documentation; including management plans.(You can take action here to push Congress to add conditions to the release of funding HERE)

However, core to the work of Wild Horse Education (WHE) was the years long battle to gain a humane handling policy for roundups and holding facilities. We began relentless litigation in 2010 and won each case against abuse, neglect, lack of oversight. WHE is the only org  in history to ever litigate abuse. In fall of 2015 the humane handling policy for wild horses managed under the 1971Act was finally included in all paperwork for roundups. Our team is trained in how to document and keeps a data set that we are using to force changes to the current policy; the policy created through our litigation that was the driving force.

When it comes to observing a roundup our work focuses on enforcement and proposing improvements. After the roundup? we go back to the fight to preserve habitat and gain actual management planning. Roundups are not management. We urge you to read HERE.

Below are some handheld video clips from today strung together. Today we can say the wild horses, observed within 20 minutes of capture, showed no injures or signs of over stress (respiration, lather, etc). Loading was not rushed and the atmosphere was relaxed with no tension (you can hear the chatter in the video). There were moments where the wild ones showed they did not want to be trapped and/or could not figure out what was being asked of them.

Our onsite observer (Laura Leigh) has 12 years of experience. Over that time she has witnessed more days of wild horse capture than any observer, public or government, in 8 western states during her tenure. She is the only person to ever litigate, repeatedly, abuse at roundups and was given expert witness status in federal court. She said, “Today loading was done without any undue pressure, was not rushed. When it is bad I say so. I will also say when I saw nothing done ‘wrong,’ like rushing and hotshots. I hate removals. I hope all of these beautiful horses can find loving hands and that we can get some changes in the way funding happens. BLM is mandated to manage, not remove. We need management plans, not removal plans. Tired, need food. Weather heading back in this weekend. More delays expected.”

These are magnificent wild horses. We will follow up with visits to the short term corrals in a couple of weeks and will feature tag numbers for those of you following looking for a wild one to bring into your home.

We will publish official stats for the day in our ongoing Eagle roundup 2020 HERE. 

Stats: total to date, 1203 wild horses captured (543 Studs, 655 Mares, 5 Foals), 14 deaths (details in ongoing update linked above). 47 captured on Feb 6.

Our work continues. We will have a report from the Reveille roundup beginning today and running concurrent with Eagle. Our outreach team is trying hard to educated Congress to the language of the handbook and protocol; BLM does not follow it. We need Herd Management Area Plans, now. Our work continues to protect our wild ones from harm and to preserve the resources they need to stay wild.

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