Foaling season has begun at East Pershing. Many ranges show babies begin to drop at the end of January. Some ranges now appear to have 2 peak foaling seasons, one early and one later in the year.

However, at the 2.1 million acre East Pershing complex, BLM has never collected any data and provided a site-specific foaling season. BLM has never done any Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) that would define foaling season, seasonal movement and exchange, critical habitat necessary for herd survival, etc., for any of the Herd Management Areas (HMA( in the Complex.

BLM captured 114 (30 Stallions, 57 Mares, and 27 Foals). If you note the rapidly rising number of captive foals since the beginning of the roundup, it confirms “something has changed.” Reminder: all of the horses, including pregnant mares and foals, are being shipped to a facility that is off-limts to public view and built in an area well known for flooding.

Cumulative totals to date will appear at the bottom of this page.

Below: After capture foals are separated from their families. It appears the foal did not want to leave and is pulled by the tail (see video, what do you think?). Often, new foals can wait hours before being trailered out to be reunited. BLM internal standards allow for a 4 hour separation.   “Normal foals nurse every 30 minutes..” American Association of Equine Practitioners.

It is unfortunate, but we need to add this reminder: NOTE TO BLM – If you have an issue with what we have published you have been asked numerous times, at numerous roundups, to please put it in writing and send to our team lead, you have the email address. Please stop verbally demanding we change what we write and intimidating onsite observers. It seems BLM is upset over our report yesterday. 

BLM has failed to (among other things): 

1. 1. Create an enforceable welfare policy through rulemaking 
   2. Create a Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) to define the herd and habitat, as well as management goals. 

This combo “punch” leads to roundups without any foundational data and removals and warehousing without any real welfare policy and needless suffering (death is not the only measure of abuse).

Below: The tiniest of foals is driven by helicopter. You can see what appear to be pregnant mares. The mare in the front sees the trap, stops, flees. The foal follows her. The mare and foal escape in the next video after this one. 

BLM is specifically prohibited from helicopter drive trapping during foaling season. However, as stated above, BLM does not define that timeframe using any data. BLM set an arbitrary, west wide, “foaling season” from March – June. However, BLM is also prohibited from drive trapping when heavily pregnant mares are observed.

BLM needs to STOP the East Pershing roundup. BLM needs to review conduct at the East Pershing roundup. BLM needs to STOP all roundups until they have both an actual management plan (that discloses data) and an enforceable welfare policy.

Below: As the rest of the family is captured, the tiny, tiny baby and mom, look back toward the trap twice. Seeing she has now lost the safety of the band, she heads out of sight.

WHE carries numerous court actions active now that address both of these issues and we are working to get them through the court system to conclusion. Precedents in these cases will have ramifications for all of our herds. We are also working with key lawmakers to gain incentives through funding (and/or denial of funding) until BLM completes basic and foundational policy.

You can help:

You can send this letter to your representatives in Congress: Roundups need to stop until BLM creates an enforceable welfare policy. Click HERE.

You can also call your representatives in Congress and repeat the request. An aide will answer the phone. You can ask for the public lands aide or animal welfare aide. Simply say you want your representative to know that this issue is important to you and you want roundups to stop until there is an enforceable policy.

Below: Tailgate barbecues have become all the rage with BLM employees and we have seen rangers cooking on the range. We do not know what they are burning next to trap and it does not appear to be for warmth.. However, we see this with some frequency now, billowing smoke next to trap, as observers are held far away so they don’t scare horses.

Our observer is back onsite.

Our wild horses and burros need to be protected and preserved wild on the range. They also deserve to be free of abuses. We need your help to stay in the field and to continue to keep the lawsuit active in the courts now to bring about an enforceable welfare policy. 

Thank you for keeping us running for the wild!

Cumulative totals:

Captured: 2,162 Wild Horses (883 Stallions, 992 Mares, and 287 Foals)

Shipped: 2,135 Wild Horses (868 Stallions, 983 Mares, and 284 Foals) to the off-limits facility in Winnemucca NV. BLM has never allowed any observation at this facility.

Deaths: 24  (captured day 1 and euthanized the next morning BLM said: 10 year-old Bay Stud – blind in left eye; 7 year-old Bay Stud – right front club foot; 16 year-old Bay Stud – blind in left eye; 14 year-old Bay Stud – blind in right eye; 14 year-old Bay Mare – blind in left eye; 20+ year-old Bay Stud – blind in left eye; 4 year-old Bay Mare, Euthanized – broken neck; 12 year-old Bay Mare, Euthanized – broken left rear leg; 7 year-old Bay Stud – previous injury, broken right front leg that healed on range crooked; 20 year-old Sorrel Stud – blind in right eye; Yearling Sorrel Colt – dislocated front right knee. On the same day: 20+ year-old Sorrel Stud – left front knee /cannon fracture; 17 year-old Bay Stud – left front knee / cannon fracture. 8 year-old BLACK stud incorrectly marked as bay, BLM said was club foot. 8-year old Bay Mare – Equine Lordosis- sway back; 15-year old Sorrel Stallion – pre-existing condition; soft tissue injury to right rear fetlock; 17-year old Roan Stallion was put down BLM said “due to pre-existing condition, broken left front knee; 18-year old Bay Stallion – BLM said shattered nose prior to gather, poorly healed resulting in respiratory issues; 12-year old Dun Stallion – Blind; 1-year old Bay Filly – Euthanized due to pre-existing condition, Blind. BLM killed 3 horses, 20-year old Sorrel Stallion – arthritis, 8 year-old Grulla Stallion – club foot, 4 year-old Dun Mare – swayback, 9 year-old Buckskin Mare – missing left eye)

Released: 3 Wild Horses. Although BLM lists horses were released, no daily report notes releases. We can only assume they count a horse escaping from trap or temporary holding as “released” as has become BLM’s common soft wording for a horse jumping out and escaping after capture.