The foal above was seen alone this morning as the convoy headed out toward trap along the side of the road before roundup started for the day.

UPDATED, 3 p.m.: BLM caught the foal, found the mare and roped her. It appears they captured the foal shortly after it was seen around 7:30. They put the foal on a trailer. They went out to look for the mare after 2 runs and 4 hours had gone by (around 11:30) and only after you, the public, had already started calling (the action item on this page). However, please read on. Foaling has begun on the range and mares are also heavily pregnant. This roundup needs to stop. 

As the convoy arrived at trap our observer asked about the foal. BLM lead onsite said he told the pilot not to bring in an assumed mare/foal pair with the band yesterday during a run. This foal bears a striking resemblance to one run the day before as well. 

It makes you wonder if the pilot is being directed not to bring in small foals? But if you fracture a band and a new foal starts running, in the panic, it might not follow mom. 

Apparently, the horse they let go with the new baby was not “mom,” mom got chased off, mom was captured yesterday, or there are more than one orphan on the range, or mom is hiding and baby too tired to keep running? Obviously, something is wrong even if we do not know what it is. Activity in the area 3 days in a row is a huge disturbance, not just to horses. (Even if BLM claims later today that the mare and foal were located, captured and safe now, it does not change the facts: it is foaling season and the dangers are far too high. We might also disagree on the use of the word “safe” in regards to going to the Winnemucca facility that BLM cloaks in secrecy.)

We have seen foals completely drop off, start following other bands and/or foals follow Judas horses (contractors horse) because they get confused. 

As noted in yesterdays update: “Normal foals nurse every 30 minutes..” American Association of Equine Practitioners. This time of year is far too fragile for capture with possible injury, separation on the range and, if captured, the nearly 4 hours it would take to reunite after the trauma of separation, loading and trailering (some new moms will stop producing milk from stress).

BLM has provided observers no additional information on the foal. Numerous requests for information are met with basically “we will tell you when we feel like it.” Our observer reports that by 9 a.m., the chopper was in the air and she has no information on the foal. Over the last 5 years it seems increasingly possible that public affairs is, literally, afraid to radio down to the BLM in charge and ask for information for the public, even when it is obvious they are just sitting at trap and there is no activity. Communications have gone downhill fast at NV roundups.

Yesterday, BLM captured 57 (21 Stallions, 26 Mares, and 10 Foals) wild horses.

IMPORTANT: These horses are NOT going to a temporary facility, they are now being shipped to the off-limits to the public facility north of Winnemucca. The facility is in an area known for flooding. More winter storms are moving in and it is pouring rain in that area, right now. 

Any deaths resulting from capture are no longer being reported in the daily updates because the horses are now considered “facility deaths.” Any attempt to reunite this baby (if found and captured) will end up being nearly impossible. 

In other words, cumulative death rates from this roundup will not be accurate or reported.

Video from yesterdays article that includes additional information on the extremely dangerous conditions foaling season presents when BLM has no enforceable policy.

Foals are being born NOW at facilities.

It is foaling season.

BLM is prohibited from using a helicopter during foaling season.

BLM has failed to (among other things): 

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. An HMAP should include data determining foaling season and BLM has completely ignored this step. 

In other words, BLM created a standard (no drive trapping during foaling season) and fails to collect the data or even determine a site-specific foaling season in gather plans. Then each and every year BLM does roundups during foaling season leaving countless babies orphaned or otherwise injured (leg injuries are common and lifelong). They also create countless spontaneous abortions in heavily pregnant mares they also keep no data on.

We rarely do this kind of action item. We make every attempt to work through outlined processes and the courts. 

East Pershing Complex is managed by the Winnemucca District Office of the NV BLM. 

Sam Burton is the Winnemucca District Manager: 775-623-1500

Jon Raby is the State Director: 775-861-6400 (Main number for state office, as listed on their website, BLM no longer lists individual numbers) You can also call 775-862-6500 as another main office number. 

EDIT: We are getting feedback that the state office is claiming wrong numbers and misrouting calls or simply refusing to put people through. So we will give you the direct email for Jon Raby, NV State Director, is: JRaby@BLM.gov 

Please call, be polite, do not take out your frustrations on the person that answers the phone at the front desk.  Please call and ask: “Please suspend the roundup at East Pershing until BLM defines a data-based foaling season. Running heavily pregnant mares, new babies and sending them into an off-limits facility that is known for flooding during winter storms to hide welfare issues… is simply not ok. Stop the roundup.” 

IMPORTANT NOTE: BLM Nevada State Office is telling the public taking the action item that you have a wrong number when you call them. You do not have a wrong number. The numbers we gave you are listed by BLM for the State Director and office (see here). If BLM put the “Mining Department” as their main number, they need to fix it or are finally admitting that mining is their “main number.” BLM NV seems to be trying to deflect all calls to the 866 468-7826 (866-4MUSTANGS) number that is a national office number. The state office budget funded and approved this operation. The district wrote the plan and is onsite saying “what is humane” and running the removal. Both the state and district have the power to stop this.

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

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!