The Swasey roundup continues today. A total of 398 wild horses have been captured so far. 

Horses waiting for water, around the temporary holding facility where BLM also set bait trap panels, today

Update: THANK YOU!

An except from an email sent by BLM tonight: “BLM has opened up the bait trapping acclimation panels (as a gesture of cooperation) to allow animals more access to water freely if they wish while the helicopter gather is occurring.” 

BLM photo sent about 9 pm tonight showing some of the panels have been moved to allow fast access to water.

Update on the water issue we reported yesterday (RESOLVED)

Roundup report from today, including a tragic death, scroll down the page. 

The panels are still up that BLM will be using for the bait trap, the ones by the holding corrals. Our observer noted bands waiting to come in. We asked her to grab a few fast photos, after over an hour from watching from her designated zone, before heading in. Just grab a fast photo. She went over to shoot parallel from the road,  grabbed a couple of photos. She was then actually yelled at by (apparently) contract staff that drove over to tell her that her presence was disturbing the wild horses. Yes, 5 minutes of her presence is an issue. It’s never what they do, it it always the person documenting that is a problem.

What the area looks like from her viewing area.

We ask that you continue to take the action in the original alert. Resolved

BLM should be waiting until the helicopter phase is over, before adding any additional stress to wild horses.

The same band, including the mare and foal in the alert yesterday, were one of three bands we saw waiting for water today.

If wild horses actually risk safety, after 4, 5, 6 days, (or even simply have to wait the 10-12 hour day) to go take a drink? it actually proves our point that this water is that critical to these bands, they did not go elsewhere, and are experiencing unnecessary stress.

BLM could have waited. They should remove panels during the helicopter roundup. The bait trap is scheduled to begin August 15. (click HERE)

This photo caused a ruckus.

Our observer appears to be in “disfavor” over the image she posted day 1. Another observer  has been complimented by BLM, openly, for publishing calm photos. Our observer was given a really hard time for her alert on the water and her photos.

Her observation of holding yesterday was obstructed by trailers and trucks and that continued today. Again, she was the only observer to travel to the holding corral today. She bought an 8 foot ladder to put in the bed of her truck. Yes, wild horses when they are being push down an alley will crowd and one will be forced up. It happens, we showed you.

When things get this tense, over a simple photo, it is often more tense than people at home can imagine.

View from the 8 ft ladder in the bed of a pickup truck. Here are your public horses captured today.

Swasey, Day 4 Update: 89 (27 stallions, 44 mares, 18 foals) captured today. 

A new trap location today. This trap is set as the funnel, the catch pen and then a single alley to the trailer. Our data shows this design is prone to accident (not due to the shape of the funnel, as others are asserting, but the shape of the catch panel and the single alley). Our observer warned BLM about the configuration being prone to accident.

The moment before the mare collides with the panel as sorting of mares and foals began  rapidly after capture. She is obscured and in the center of the photo. The next second, her neck broke on collision.

On the second run, a mare broke her neck. Yes, we did document her death and the actual collision itself.

BLM did remove the body from the trap prior to bringing in the next load.

The third run more time was taken, to allow horses to settle, before pushing them into the alley.

A foal was roped after separating from the herd

A stallion evaded the funnel, ran up in front of observers and briefly looked back and called to the family band in the trap.

More coming tomorrow. We will continue to update you at this page HERE. 

We now have a fast “click and send” you can shoot of to your legislators: Click HERE.

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