New baby, still with umbilical stump, stands with mom and aunties on a range threatened with increasing livestock schemes and, right now, oil and gas.

At Wild Horse Education (WHE) we are fighting plans to sterilize wild horses.

There are several plans that have been approved, or in the planning stage, that include sterilization in several forms: the vague “non-reproducing component,” as well as gelding, spaying, burning oviducts closed, etc.

Believe it or not, it is hard to get the public to understand what we are fighting. In a world of reactive social media, and a lack of actual reading, it has become really easy to influence, mislead and drive agendas and ignore the consequence.

Video above: Treatment with PZP-22 at the Surprise roundup prior to release of mares. This vaccine is the most commonly-used form of PZP by BLM and it did increase in 2021 with plans to expand in 2022.

The public seems to be increasingly confused by the use of a broad term “fertility control.” Adding to that confusion is the labelling of a substance “PZP,” as simply “safe fertility control.” The term “fertility control” includes sterilization procedures, IUDs, and the use of multiple substances. “PZP” is a substance and actually comes in 3 forms: 1-year (primarily darted), an 18-24 month formula (primarily used as part of a helicopter roundup) and a form called SpayVac. (more HERE) Some of the protocols can cause sterilization. There is no (legally-accountable) management plan that outlines any of this.

People unintentionally (and intentionally) are utilizing terminology in overly-broad and inflammatory fashion. This sad reality now has a public using terms that confuse a dart gun with a helicopter roundup or a surgeon’s knife!

It is important to remember that the words you use will make reality. In 2021, what you saw was increased funding for “achieving Appropriate Management Level (AML) and increasing fertility control,” what BLM calls the “2020 plan.” The “2020 plan” is not a plan, it is a document written with the help of big-money lobbyists and only includes what big industry will accept. There is even more funding coming in 2022.

Our wild places all have distinct jurisdictions. Free-roaming horses and burros that are covered under the 1971 Act live on BLM and USFS land.

BLM manages more wild horses than all other jurisdictions combined. State and local horses, National Parks (NPS) do not operate in the same framework, or on the same scale, as BLM.

The BLM has a mandate to manage wild horses as “integral to the system of public lands.” The system is a series of interlocking planning documents, not just the physical landscape.

When it comes to “wild horses” and BLM, the public has been cut out of giving input on the actual management pans (Herd Management Area Plans, theHMAP) and is subjugated to simply commenting on “population growth suppression” in the  “Gather Environmental Assessment.” You can not give input on management tools like forage, water, genetic metrics, removing livestock, protecting critical habitat, what kind of fertility control etc., all you can do is comment on the action of “remove/use fertility control.”

The decision to do gelding, spaying, PZP, GonaCon, other unknown substances that could be approved in the future, etc. was already made based on the needs of all the “interlocking management plans” without actually having one for wild horses.

Sterilization was predetermined before you had a say. Your input, our input, on management of wild horses and burros, has absolutely no space to engage for the actual management to protect and preserve our interest.

We are fighting back. Our motive is founded in preservation of our herds and your voice in management planning. We are not trying to confuse terminology because we will benefit from a substance or method. We are trying to help you become more engaged using the correct terminology to achieve the specific outcome you actually desire.

Simply clarifying terminology has become a monumental task.

If these plans move forward, this stallion could be gelded and his mares rendered infertile after their oviducts are burned shut. Other mares will be treated with a variety of substances. What does the future hold for their survival as their homes are carved up by livestock and mining?

• Our case against the spay plan at Confusion continues. BLM dropped spaying of wild mares, but the rest of the plan remains in place. Our case remains active to stop the same flawed planning from bringing spaying back.
• One of our last large herds at Pancake is in danger of being decimated. BLM also plans to include sterilization on the range. We filed litigation in 2021 and that case is active.

We have gotten a few emails claiming we trying to stop some local groups from darting state horses or horses without clear jurisdiction. No, we are not.

We are trying to help you understand that the term “wild horses” is actually a legal term for horses under the Act (BLM, USFS) and when you engage your Congressional representatives those are the free-roaming horses they will deal with in things like the “DOI budget bill.”

“Increasing fertility control” is an overly-broad statement with real world consequences. Choose your words carefully and read what people say even more carefully. 

Words matter.

Help us fight back against: habitat loss, gutting public input, hiding information and wild horses from view, sterilization and abuse.

Plain and simple, that is what WHE does. 

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Help keep us running in 2022. Year end funding is vital to keeping our programs alive. 

Wild Horse Education is grateful to announce we have a $15,000 match, offered by a generous supporter. This match is not limited to one day, Giving Tuesday. This “kick off” to critical end-of-year fundraising will run through December 4th. (learn more here)

You can help us continue our innovative work and double your impact today.

You can also support WHE when you shop!

Our WHEStorefront on Zazzle added a new collection, including a calendar, in time for the holidays. You can see the new collection HERE.  

AmazonSmile

The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Wild Horse Education). Here’s how it works:

1. Go to Smile.Amazon.com. It should automatically prompt you to confirm that you want to support Wild Horse Education.
2. Once you select Wild Horse Education, each time you shop, 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to WHE, allowing us to continue our work to preserve and protect an American Treasure, the wild horse and burro.

If you are new to Amazon or already have an existing account, please know that Amazon Smile offers the same products, prices and overall shopping experience as Amazon.com.

iGive.com

iGive is a free service to causes and members. iGive Members generate donations by shopping online at over 2,400 participating stores. Visit iGive.com to register and browse the list of participating stores.