Adobe Town, Temporary Corrals. Corrals have no shade, are surrounded by heavy tarps and get really hot in summer (try standing in the middle of a crowd with a tarp around all of you in the sun in summer, it is hot in there). It is also located by what appears to be gas transfer or processing and the water in the area actually had foam on it of some kind.
The ongoing Adobe Town Herd Management Area (HMA) roundup has captured 878 of the 1,675 wild horses targeted for removal. The removal target is the low Appropriate Management Level (AML) established in the 2023 Resource Management Plan (RMP) that would leave 259 in the area, 351 less than the AML noted in the 2021 gather plan (610-800).
BLM has already removed half the target number. This number was reached in nine days. BLM is approved to operate through August 15, another 22 days.
BLM SLOW DOWN. Each day we have watched BLM push at trap longer than they should, both crowding the facility and creating long, hot days where giving appropriate attention during transfer from stock trailer to semi tricks is rushed (a mare already breaking her neck) and subpar care at holding. Stop trapping earlier each day and slow down. You have 22 days to catch about 800 wild horses. Stop saying “we care” in that hollow and rote memo and start demonstrating it.
EDITED to add: Onsite advocacy did make a difference and BLM agreed to make changes in treatments of wounds and aftercare for foals.
Youngster left in stallion pen tries to hide behind grey (with bites all over him) that should have been sorted out to stop additional fighting and to prevent injury. PLEASE note that this image is taken from standing on a hill looking over the panel. You can clearly see the difference in size between the mature studs and this young 4 month to year old stud colt. BLM has a pen designated for young boys just like him. Instead of admitting they “missed one,” they are trying to denigrate the basic horse knowledge, basic knowledge of sorting protocol, submitted by our team lead that has nearly 20 years experience and was trained by BLM themselves in CAWP in 2016.
Roundup activities are not only “a helicopter drive.” The majority of activity involves sorting and loading at trap and sorting, assessing and treating injuries at temporary corrals, euthanizing individuals BLM deems “unable or unsafe to travel,” and loading to go to processing (short-term) off-range facilities.
Welfare issues arise during a helicopter drive (distance, speed, unsafe terrain including barbed wire, deep sand or ruts). However, the bulk of welfare issues arise after the horse (or burro) enters the trap wings.
Wild Horse Education team members are not onsite to “get the helicopter picture.” We are onsite to monitor the health and welfare of wild horses and burros during and after capture. We remain the only organization to take the direct fight against abuse into a courtroom. When we began the fight there was not even standards for care. We still need to get this battle over the finish line and obtain concise and enforceable welfare rules.
We are working on a report about our latest case in federal court to address the neglect and sheer unwillingness of BLM to create a real welfare policy. While we work in the courts, you can take action. (Fast “click and send” letter to your reps, HERE)
At the Adobe Town roundup to date there is has been no meaningful observation that allows us to assess sorting and loading at trap or sorting and loading at the temporary corrals.
Visiting the temporary corrals is limited to Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Visits only occur after the crew at the corrals has completed all sorting and has left. In other words, at least an hour after any handling could be assessed. No observation during morning loading to ship to off-range corrals is being permitted. (We understand the long days and travel times, we experience the 12-16 hour days ourselves. BLM should offer the option to choose between trap or holding one or two days to allow for appropriate transparency of activities at temporary corrals.)
On 7/22 we told you that we would check into the aftercare of the wild horses that came in with lacerations (to see if pilot had reported any event and what the assessment was) and on the tiny foal that had lagged behind for such a long time that the pilot called out a roping team (that was not needed).
We expected, after decades of attending roundups and addressing welfare issues, to hear that the foal and mare had been separated out, the foal given electrolytes and the two given space to rest. We expected, on our visit to the temporary corrals the following day, to hear that the wounds had been treated with an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal (usually Blue Kote) to stop infection in crowded pens and before the trip to the facility where the wounds would be retreated.
NOTHING was done. Apparently, the response involves something akin to: “This is Wyoming.”
Above: Swasey roundup (Utah) where a foal (older than the one we are discussing at Adobe Town) was separated from family during a run and later located, is being given a dose of electrolytes (just in case) to help recover from the ordeal.
Giving foals electrolytes is STANDARD PRACTICE at roundups for decades. The Swasey foal is not unique.
The Adobe foal is unique… nothing was done. Nothing. They said it “kicked a wrangler” and that meant it was “ok” and it just went into that stuffed mare and foal pen.
BLM said: “The vet is only contracted to put horses down and do necropsy.”
This is a shocking statement. Well, it is shocking if you actually believe BLM when they claim to have a national care standard and protocol.
In other words, apparently, BLM Wyoming simply doesn’t ask what should be done or doesn’t care. Contractors and BLM staff routinely spray Blue Kote (antibacterial) on wounds.
Below, these horses are being released back to the range after a trailer “accident” in the mud on the way to a release location at Owyhee (NV) and they (at least) got the basic minimum of care, a spray with Blue Kote.
Any horse owner has a can or jar of something similar to treat wounds quickly while they wait for a vet.
You do not need a veterinary license to give electrolytes or spray antiseptic during sorting when you have an individual horse in the chute to determine sex and age before sorting it into the right pen!
Our team lead really thought we would just be adding a line to our report that said “Baby got electrolytes and wounds treated prior to shipping for evaluation at facility.” That is the standard line. To be told they did NOTHING and the vet is ONLY contracted to put horses down or do necropsy? That was pretty jarring.
This mare has a foal staying by her in the crowded pen as well and you can just get a glimpse in the photo below.
The mare pen is crowded. There are foals in there freshly captured with no way to ensure that babies pair up with moms (they are not marking as they pair up and there is literally no way to tell if a baby next to a mom belongs to that mare unless you can actually see it nurse. We saw babies looking for comfort from any mare and also trying to nurse off each other. (Below: a shot through the pen of a baby trying to nurse off another baby taken at the first walk around at the beginning of the operation through a hole in the tarp.)
Even if you cannot see the temporary corrals, all you have to do is subtract the number shipped from the number captured to know how many are in the pens. During the first week of operations this facility was overcrowded as BLM pushes to complete this operation fast (to save money and “get it over with”). Last night, when only 19 were captured and 166 shipped (4 dead), leaving 120 in the pens overnight, was the first time since day two that these pens were not overcrowded.
Below: It is really bad when the stallion pen gets overloaded, even by just a bit. There are always one or two dominant stallions that find where they can see or hear their mares and push all the others back, doing what little they can to continue to protect family. Fights increase and the feed left in the area where the less dominant horses crowd together is eaten faster because they can’t go where the dominant males are.
Injuries happen during capture, transport, sorting and loading. They also happen in overcrowded pens from fighting.
Each pen should never be more than half full to allow for animals to lay down after exertion, create space between rivals, nurse thirsty foals and allow clear observation to determine extent of injuries and that foals actually pair up with a mare. In the first 6 weeks of life, foals nurse multiple times an hour gradually reaching a stage at about 3 months where they nurse 3-4 times a day.
Above: Mare with a foal to either side of her gets nuzzled by her foal that appears to be trying to comfort itself by burying a tiny face into her scent.
BLM needs to slow down and limit daily capture totals to what temporary holding can safely hold allowing animals to lay down to rest prior to boarding a semi for shipping.
BLM needs to provide basic care that any horse owner would like electrolytes and antibacterial application to wounds during sorting.
BLM can create any politically motivated debate it wants to about how many should be on ranges, how they want to zero out HMAs as new gas pipelines are installed, cows and sheep continue to graze.
When it comes to the WELFARE our wild horses and burros there should be NO DEBATE.
These amazing wild horses deserve so much more than to be treated like garbage and basic needs dismissed.
Our team is continuing litigation against abuses. Our team is pushing Congress to stop giving lip service to the words “humane management” and then ONLY pushing fertility control to maintain political piece and outdated and unscientific AML (allowed numbers).
While we litigate, you can reach out to your lawmakers.
Call your reps at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representatives in the House and Senate. Tell them we need designated funding for a concise and enforceable welfare policy in the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program. We also have a fast “click and send” letter to your reps, HERE.
We are working on a update on our active litigation against abuse. We are also working on an update on several other cases. We are NOT a large org with staff, sponsors or government grants. Our handful of dedicated volunteers takes on big tasks with as much grit and commitment as we can muster.
Help keep us running to protect and preserve our wild ones.
Our team needs your support. None of our work is possible without your support. Thank you!
Categories: Lead, Wild Horse Education
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