The second half of the fiscal year 2024 roundup schedule begins in less than 48 hours. The first half we deal with increasing cold and then intense winter storms and the conditions they create. In the second half we need to deal with decreasing air quality due to multiple factors including wildfire and shifts in heat index that create increasingly dangerous conditions due to climate change.

Throughout the entire season we are dealing with roundup planning that claims it is “prohibited” during foaling season. Yet the agency fails to document any foaling season and the way they have made (often drastic) changes to peak foaling season due to ill-timed use of fertility control. In horses foaling season and breeding season happen at the same time. Gestation in a horse is 11-12 months and mares go through what is dubbed “foal heat” 6 to 14 days after they give birth.

In other words, “foaling season” is the most physically fragile and psychologically charged time of the year for wild horse herds. BLM does absolutely nothing to collect actual data to ensure they are not rounding up horses when their actions are highly likely to result in needless injury, illness and death. (Note to BLM: Death is not the only measure of abuse)

Born day after mom captured, July 22. Buffalo Hills

Those of you that follow WHE, know that gaining identification of foaling season (and data on how BLM has manipulated natural foaling times) is an objective of WHE. BLM should already be gathering this data as part of their asserted “commitment to welfare” and the prohibition against helicopter capture during this time. Instead, BLM dug in their heels years ago and refuses. One thing we can hold BLM accountable to in Herd Management Area Plans (HMAPs) is gathering this data and monitoring changes.

We recently won litigation at Pancake that has started the clock ticking on creation of HMAPs (and we are working to expand). All aspects of monitoring, mitigation from industry, habitat needs, all aspects of actual management including “goals and objectives” are supposed to be set in the HMAP. That monitoring should also include identification of peak foaling season. (We will have an article up shortly to help guide you: Pancake HMAP (EA/EIS) comments are due July 15 and can be found HERE)

Last summer many of you followed as dangerous heat warnings hit the Antelope Complex roundup.

On top of the fragility represented by foaling season, both air quality and heat index warnings create a lethal combination during summer roundups.

This is an issue we have tried hard to get BLM to analyze in CAWP and roundup planning. Our data clearly shows that rises in heat index correlate with injury and death. Our data shows that is is not only the days that fall in danger zones, but any extended shift upwards causes an increase in injuries and death rates that continues as our wild ones are shipped into facilities after capture. 

BLM never opened CAWP up to public comment and open analysis. Not once has BLM allowed the submission of any data from the public and independent (not paid by BLM) veterinarians directly to CAWP or on any gather plan assessment. 

We are in the courts NOW on this issue. 

What is Air Quality? 

Air Quality is a subject that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years with the increase in wildfire. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a numeric scale that rates the AQI from 0-500; a higher number represents increased risks.

Veterinarians and trainers set a standard for performance horses (not newborns or elderly): “With an AQI above 151, all forced exercise should be discontinued.”

In August of 2021, at another roundup at the Antelope Complex, BLM rounded up wild horses during health warnings for air quality. We did a long article that explains air quality, risks and showed you BLM simply does not care as they ran horses in an AQI over the veterinary standards. HERE.

At the 2020 Blue Wing (Shawave) roundup, BLM pushed horses in smoke so thick, there were times we could only see the chopper when the lights blinked. AQI was in the in the dark purple, over 350. HERE

Our teams track air quality through NOAA and also by using this simple government website HERE. Just put in a zip code and you can find the AQI for the general area of a roundup and “join our CAWP team” and do a bit of “roundup monitoring” at home. 

What is Heat Index? 

The heat index is what the temperature feels like to the body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. Factors such as humidity are included and the “heat index” is where most U.S. news stations look at as they issue heat warnings. Many areas of the world consider heat index already outdated and have moved to another method called “wet bulb” as climate change creates extremes (this method has been used by US military for a long time).

These guidelines apply to performance domestic horses: When the heat index is between 80 and 90, mild caution should be used for exercising horses ensuring full hydration and no over exertion. Between 91 and 102, extreme caution should be used and only mild walking is recommended. Between 101 and 124, heat stress is dangerous and no exertion should occur and above 124 you should avoid even mildly exercising any performance horse (even if it is in amazing physical condition) due to extreme danger and keep your horse in shade or use a fan in barns.

Due to the broad range of age and physical condition in herds, BLM should be ceasing before the Heat index enters the “extreme caution” zone.

In addition, when we are talking about roundups, it is not only a single moment of a high index, it is also the duration of the heat stress; multiple consecutive days of a high index can heighten the negative effects. Roundups disturb the ability to rehydrate. Horses that go to water throughout the day are being run instead and, often, traps are set near water… for consecutive days. Exercise makes heat; running, walking, hiding under stress, all create compound impact from rising heat index.

In recent years, as climate change causes extremes in the US, there are many outlets that have come up with layman methods such as adding temperature and humidity to help horse owners know when it is safe to ride. PLEASE be aware that the metrics of that method DO NOT correspond to the heat index chart or the heat index numbers you might see on the news. If you use that method, when your answer is 130 or above… veterinarians say “don’t exercise your horse.” If it is approaching that number, keep older, young and compromised horses in the shade.

You can join the WHE team and monitor heat index from home by using the NOAA calculator HERE. This tool can also help you as you care for your animals this summer. 

We intend to monitor all aspects of BLMs CAWP policy and also things that BLM does not include, like heat index and air quality. We want to remind you that BLMs CAWP team only went to 2 roundups last year and did not review a single intake facility (short term corral).

Oversight is simply the job of the public sector because BLM does NOT police themselves. 

There are many was you can help wild horses and burros.

WHE is fighting to gain data-based management planning that BLM has skipped for decades. We made the first great stride earlier this year with a legal victory at Pancake. BLM has started creating the management planning for 2 herds; much too slow to make up for the decades of neglect. We have 3 additional cases in the system, now.

However, once a helicopter takes to the air the battle shifts to preventing unnecessary harm to individual wild horses and burros.

You may have a representative in Congress that seems to be “anti wild horse,” but claims to be looking for “humane alternatives.” Call them and ask that they add funding to the budget to create an incentive for open rulemaking for welfare rules. (HERE)

If your representative seems “pro wild horse,” call and ask them why they have not designated specific funding for open rulemaking to create an incentive for enforceable welfare rules. (HERE)

Our team also has litigation that is active now to address the lack of adherence to CAWP (that BLM calls “policy”) and the lack of actual open rulemaking to create an enforceable rule to comply with the mandate of the 1971 Act to “manage humanely.” WHE remains the only org to ever walk BLM into a courtroom to directly address abuse.

Our team is stretching our resources to cover as many days at roundups as we can. Many of you have relied on WHE for extensive roundup coverage for over 15 years. WHE began daily reporting even before BLM began publishing daily statistics online.

WHE tracks wild horses and burros into facilities. In 2022, WHE published a scathing report that covered multiple roundups where we clearly illustrate that, on average, 1 in 9 of the wild horses and burros that cross into the jute wings and are captured at a roundup will die in 6 months.

Our trained welfare assessment team will be onsite at as many days of roundups as we possibly can. Observing for the purpose of reporting on roundups and exposing the daily reality is important. Our assessment team will take it a step further.

We will never give up the fight to gain accountability and an enforceable welfare policy. We hope you stand with us. 

Thank you for keeping WHE on the frontline in the fight to protect and preserve our treasured wild ones!