‘The Wild Horse Is Us’

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  • Posted By: AshMann @ 07/02/2008 9:16:05 PM

    Thank you Silvermorgan88 for mentioning how the horses today are not from the ice age-when I read that I had to laugh. I am against killing the horses, we have to remember they are not just a part of an ecosystem to be eliminated, they are unique because of their historical importance. They are not just another wild animal to be eliminated- their ancestors are part of the history of how this counry came to be. Also- diseases like were discussed were introduced into the wild by...COWS. The same cows you eat are the ones who infected the mustangs, elk, and buffalo of the midwest. Isn't it interesting that we are not killing the source? Every year buffalo are round up and slaughtered because of cattle mismangement. Crazy

  • Posted By: phutch @ 07/02/2008 5:46:26 PM

    Brucillosis causes cows to abort unborn calves, it doest effect the meat.
    Ranchers only get reimbursed if the kill can be attributed to wolves, which it always cant.
    the cost to run 1 AUM or animal unit month (a cow/calf pair) is actually only $1.35.
    Livestock numbers are limited based on assesments on what can be supported. Ranchers cant turn out whatever they want. No one is controlling the horses.

    • Posted By: kwhorseluver @ 07/02/2008 8:24:49 PM

      and may i add that Brucillosis can be transmitted to people. not good.

  • Posted By: gwrmlr @ 07/02/2008 5:33:24 PM

    Regarding cattle on BLM lands, there are cattle lobbyists out there right now asking the Feds to cull hundreds of elk and bison that wander outside the park. The cattle proponents say it is out of fear of their cattle contracting bruscelliousus (sp?) but I believe it has more to do with competition for grazing.

    Isn't it enough that the cattle industry gets to graze their cattle on Federal lands(read your lands and mine) for pennies on the dollar? Now they want the animals that have been there for centuries killed to reduce the competition? They put up fences across migration routes that animals have used for hundreds of years, their cattle pollute streams and rivers, erode their banks, and destroy fish populations.

    The west is being pillaged and being taken advantage of by the cattle industry. I eat beef and I like it, but something has to be done. If I have to pay twice as much for it to save what was the west, then fine. But don't tell me that cattle grazing in the western BLM lands is good for anyone other than the beef industry. I know better.

    • Posted By: kwhorseluver @ 07/02/2008 8:22:07 PM

      and under what implication can you pronounce that you "know better"?

  • Posted By: MAD MAMA @ 07/02/2008 5:18:52 PM

    WHY CAN'T WE ASK OUR NATIVE AMERICANS/ INDIAN RESERVAIONS TO TAKE A FEW HUNDRED HORSES AND LET THEM GRAISE THE OPEN LAND. MAKE THEM AN OFFER FOR THEM TO KEEP A PORTION OF THE COLTS? I FEEL THAT THEY WOULD BE PLEASED TO RECIEVE FREE HORSES IN EXCHANGE FOR LETTING A FEW HUNDRED RUN THE OPEN LAND. THE PROBLEM WITH OUR GOVERNMENT IS THAT THEY MAKE A SIMPLE PROBLEM GET OUT OF HAND WITH A BUNCH OF RED
    TAPE.

    • Posted By: kwhorseluver @ 07/02/2008 8:18:35 PM

      because 90% of native americans are rancchers and would sooner knock a 22 shell in the side of a wild horse than feed it. if it's a good horse that they can actually use... maybe you'll have another story.

  • Posted By: busby @ 07/02/2008 5:18:31 PM

    Just another another example of human stupidity and ingratitude. They want to kiil the symbol of the building of this country. The government sanctions foreign owned horse slaughter houses in this country, the government sanctioned the over population of horses due to the infamous premarin manufacture where mares were forced to endure pregnancy after pregnancy and where foals were taken from their mothers even before they had a chance to nurse and carted off to slaughter houses. I saw a report on it and the screaming of the foals was heartbreaking. And, I'm sorry but there are instances of cattle overgrazing that has caused serious erosion on public lands. I don't have much pity for a business that claims it can only survive if the wolves, the cougars, the buffalo, the coyote and a myriad of other species must go down so their cattle can survive. All species have a place in this world and if we want to maintain any balance for our own good, we had better start paying attention. A gelding program on a limited basis could be done in the field. A cessation or sane management of predators could contro the population. But, with this stupid government, it's so much easier to just off them and make several special interest groups happy. Please, if you are opposed to this culling program, contact your congressperson or else we run the risk of becoming one big Montana with no animal cruelty laws whatsoever.

    • Posted By: kwhorseluver @ 07/02/2008 8:15:55 PM

      the symbol you say, of this country is killing the lively hood that created the western part of this country! tell me so you live in a rual ranching community. do you immidatly depend on the land to make a living. to provide for your family? so then why are you taking this stance if you have no buisness too?

  • Posted By: katsnjammers @ 07/02/2008 5:02:35 PM

    To acssanja: Horses Are like noxious weeds. They are Non-native and invasive. You need to pull your head out...

  • Posted By: Slickhorn @ 07/02/2008 1:55:37 PM

    Before I make you angry, I must tell you I'm a life long horse lover. I have several horses today, including a mustang that I adopted from the BLM in December of 2006, and ride now. This article is typical of the emotion-over-fact phenomenom that generally characterizes the debate over wild horses. I too love the wild horses, but there are too many of them, and those much maligned rancher's cattle are the livlihood of many western communities. These horses are not wildlife but are feral and often do NOT show characteristics of the 19th century mustang (the one I selected did). Many are descendents of horses more recently set free because they were not valuable enough to their owners to justify the cost of feeding them, and show it. We need to be more coldly practical. Excess horses should be rounded up and the public allowed to adopt them. Those that are not desirable should be sent to slaughter (yes - aghast- I said it) and the tax payer allowed to cut his losses. We eat every other hoofed animal on the range.

    • Posted By: kwhorseluver @ 07/02/2008 8:07:56 PM

      as a city person you havn't seen the damage done to the environment. as a city person you've never had to survive off the land. you've never had to spend money on extra feed because your allotment has been used by a parisitic horse heard. people actually live from the land. with out it they would starve, they would be in poverty. if you don't fully understand a situation are you really in a position to voice your opinion?!

    • Posted By: lavinia217 @ 07/02/2008 2:17:23 PM

      I find it hard to believe a "life long horse lover" condones sending horses to slaughter. Maybe as a "city person" I am not prvileged with the same "coldly practical" mentality of one who resides in the country. However, that is fine by me because after what I have seen of horse slaughter, in a slaughterhouse, I would never wish that on any animal -- not even a politican.

  • Posted By: kiwani @ 07/02/2008 6:51:51 PM

    From Black Hawk, Sauk

    "How smooth must be the language of the whites, when they can make right look like wrong, and wrong like right."

  • Posted By: kiwani @ 07/02/2008 6:26:15 PM

    Hey EVERYONE who keeps writing SAME THINGS OVER & OVER...I have THE SOLUTION!!!
    VOTE ALL THE A**H***s OUT OUT OUT OF OFFICE!! Did any of you writing this vote for a^^ BUSH? (either time??) Well, DON"T VOTE REPUBLICAN THIS TIME.... vote some people INTO OFFICE WHO ACTUALY CARE ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN $MONEY$ & THEMSELVES & THEIR OWN INTERESTS- & will actually put policies into place in the BEST INTEREST of the COUNTRY as a WHOLE not for just some small section of ELITES!!! GET WISE!!! The disparity between the RICH & THE POOR (everyone else!!) is growing EXPONENTIALLY! because of Corporatism that has invaded the Republican Party... if WE DO NOT DO SOMETHING THIS ELECTION!!
    a. OF COURSE, the horse survived the Ice Age-- they are HERE/ALIVE aren't they? It does not matter (& STUPID to debate) semantics of where: North America or in Europe! - THEY'RE HEEERRRREEE NOW!! We have NO RIGHT to kill masses to suit US! Let's NOT get lost/mired in minutiae of unimportant data (like if someone is patriotic or not)-- the GOV'T (& Republicans) WANT people to get off IMPORTANT FACTS & get mired in muck--DON'T FALL FOR IT - in THIS discussion OR IN CURRENT POLITICAL FIELD- they will try to blow smoke over true ISSUES to SWAY people's opinions-- PLAY on people's FEAR & DOUBTS... DON'T FALL FOR IT! (AGAIN! for 3rd time!!!)
    We CAN get people to SAVE THESE HORSES IF we ELECT the RIGHT Person/people into office in NOVEMBER- If everyone here who wrote against killing horses goes out & votes & gets people THEY KNOW (family/friends) to GO VOTE, too-- WE CAN START to repair of past 7 years & begin to BUILD up our nation again to be HONORABLE & RESPECTABLE & RESPECTED for WHAT WE TRULY STAND FOR!!
    b. WE MUST DO something NOW!!! -too many things/areas are screwed up!
    c. Didn't Frank T. Hopkins purchase 100s/1000s of wild mustangs from U.S. gov't when they confiscated Native American ponies during genocidal 1800s policies? His life was featured in the based-on-true-events-movie, Hidalgo- & at the end he bought ALL the mustangs back & "PURPOSEFULLY" LET THEM LOOSE ON RANGE (in Oklahoma, I think)-- of couse, the horses would have roamed -MY POINT- is MANY of those horses in Gov't custody are LIKELY descendants of THOSE horses & AS SUCH, rightfully "BELONG" to descendants/heirs of Frank T. Hopkins & THE GOV'T has NO RIGHTS in confining them or in determining their ultimate outcome. Hopkins let them loose to live their lives as their inherent wild-natures yearned, & as was meant to be- LET THEM LOOSE!!!
    d. VOTE IN NOVEMBER-doesn't take long-GET'em OUT OF OFFICE!! DON'T FORGET!!
    e. VOTE!! -CHANGE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY! VOTE'em OUT!!
    f. VOTE-VOTE-VOTE!!
    g. NO, I'm NOT part of ANY campaign--just a CITIZEN, just a Democrat--Just A LIBERAL (& PROUD of it, too!!-by the way Liberal means BALANCED not one-sided!)--someone who LOVES OUR COUNTRY, who CARES about

  • Posted By: ladywolf @ 07/02/2008 12:13:24 PM

    I think they should be preserved-they may be the transportation wave of the future-instead of Gas guzzler we may all be learning how to take care of the Grass guzzler. You know 200 miles to the bale. Most of the people who want them destroyed are cattle men who are already rich and just want more space on public lands for their herds. I say raise the cost of using public lands to the ranchers-they only pay a little bit for it-they can very easily afford more and use the excess to pay for more care for the wild horses and put a box to check on the income tax papers as well. Culling them is like culling the Bison,under the guise of Brucileosis, pardon my spelling. Its a word you hear but seldom read. No Cattle have ever been sick of it from what I have read-but ranchers fear it could happen so they cull the bison herds. It's just an excuse so they will have more land available. I'd also like to see the slaughter of wild horse or any horses for that matter stopped in the US. They are slaughtered here and then shiped to mexico, China and other places where horsemeat is a delicacy.

    • Posted By: Halo's Odissey @ 07/02/2008 6:10:47 PM

      Horse slaughter for human comsumption is illegal in the U.S. The last horse abbatoir (in Illinois and the U.S.) was closed down on March this year.

    • Posted By: Halo's Odissey @ 07/02/2008 6:07:50 PM

      Horse slaughter for human comsumption is illegal in the U.S. The last horse abbatoir (in Illinois and the U.S.) was closed down on March this year.

  • Posted By: phutch @ 07/02/2008 5:47:45 PM

    I see livestock impacts everyday. i also see impacts from people on 4 wheelers trucks and herds of elk.

  • Posted By: phutch @ 07/02/2008 5:41:24 PM

    Point of fact to this story is that the horse that was native to North America DID NOT in fact SURVIVE the last ice age.The died out. The horse's and burro's that we have here in the west are decendents of animals the were set free by people. Yes some lines can be traced back to spanish explorers but so what. They are nothing more than feral animals that have no business here.

  • Posted By: Lakeman29 @ 07/02/2008 5:26:31 PM

    Great Posting CGA1 (not that it will matter to any DEMOCRAT/Liberal:

    Comment: What a bunch of ignorant comments.
    Bush policy has nothing to do with this.
    This option for the culling of the herds was set up in 1973 and is written into the very law that gives them protection.
    Where the Secretary determines on the basis of (i) the current inventory of lands within his jurisdiction; (ii) information contained in any land use planning completed pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976; (iii) information contained in court ordered environmental impact statements as defined in section 2 of the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978; and (iv) such additional information as becomes available to him from time to time, including that information developed in the research study mandated by this section, or in the absence of the information contained in (i-iv) above on the basis of all information currently available to him, that an overpopulation exists on a given area of the public lands and that action is necessary to remove excess animals, he shall immediately remove excess animals from the range so as to achieve appropriate management levels. Such action shall be taken, in the following order and priority, until all excess animals have been removed so as to restore a thriving natural ecological balance to the range, and protect the range from the deterioration associated with overpopulation:


    The Secretary shall order old, sick, or lame animals to be destroyed in the most humane manner possible;


    The Secretary shall cause such number of additional excess wild free-roaming horses and burros to be humanely captured and removed for private maintenance and care for which he determines an adoption demand exists by qualified individuals, and for which he determines he can assure humane treatment and care (including proper transportation, feeding, and handling): Provided, That, not more than four animals may be adopted per year by any individual unless the Secretary determines in writing that such individual is capable of humanely caring for more than four animals, including the transportation of such animals by the adopting party; and [PRIA 10/25/1978]


    The Secretary shall cause additional excess wild free roaming horses and burros for which an adoption demand by qualified individuals does not exist to be destroyed in the most humane and cost efficient manner possible.

  • Posted By: Lakeman29 @ 07/02/2008 5:24:33 PM

    As for all these comments about saving these horses because we may need to ride them again some day (transportation): Comment: How IGNORANT.... If we EVER have to ride horses, WE will NOT BE AROUND because another Nation (i.e.) CHINA/IRAN (or even Bin Laden or theTaliban), that DOESN'T share your values WILL USE THEIR AIRCRAFT, TANKS, Etc. Etc. to come over and take over OUR COUNTRY and they won't worry about the HORSES when they wipe your and my silly little A** off the map. Use AT LEAST A LTLLE BIT OF INTELLIGENCE.... GEEZ
    Besdies, these ANIMALS PRODUCE VAST AMOUNTS OF GREEN HOUSE GASES WITH THEIR FLATULANCE (JUST ASK ANY TRUE ENVIROMENTALIST). SAVE THE PLANET... WE MUST ELIMINATE ANY MAMMAL THAT PRODUCES CO2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: desertdonkey @ 07/02/2008 3:18:07 PM

    Wow.. bleeding hearts comparing reducing or eradicating feral horses to Nazi genocide... WOW. That really speaks to the intelligence of the far left.

    How demeaning to Jewish people and what happened to during the 1930's and 1940's! How could you even think that? How could you people even make that a comparison? Are you completely sick and insane?

    It just amazes me. Anyone that uses "Hitler" to make an argument is really just showing their ignorance. To compare the genocide of a HUMANE population to some donkeys and horses? You have got to be sick and insane .. or a far left bleeding heart liberal.

    AGAIN: go practice what you preach (or SPRAY IN ALL CAPS). You can go ADOPT A HORSE or DONKEY anytime you want. Why won't you do this? Because you are a HYPOCRITE. You won't practice what you preach. You should be ashamed of yourself. Even disgusted. HYPOCRITE.. yell all you want about saving these creatures but do NOTHING about it. You bleeding hearts are HYPOCRITES.

    • Posted By: hsineexas @ 07/02/2008 3:50:42 PM

      YOU ARE THE HYPOCRITE FOR IMPLYING THAT THESE HORSES ARE RUINING THE ECOSYSTEMS OF FEDERAL LANDS! HOW DIMWITTED DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO COMPLETELY MISS THE FACT THAT THE LANDS ARE OVERPOPULATED BY CATTLE, NOT HORSES, WHO TRAMPLE AND LEAVE MANURE EVERYWHERE! NOT TO MENTION THE DESTRUCTION AND POLLUTION LEFT BEHIND BY OURSELVES! YOU CALL THE HORSES TRASH AND USELESS CRITTERS, WHICH I FEEL IS A BETTER EXPLANATION OF THE LIKES OF YOU! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER MADE DONATIONS OR ADOPTED THE HORSES? WHAT ABOUT YOU? DID YOU SEND YOUR "FRIEND" MONEY TO HELP PAY THE BILLS? I DOUBT IT, FOR YOU WOULD RATHER STAND BACK AND BLAME THE ANIMALS WHO HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THEIR ORIGINS AND FUTURE! I DETEST YOUR IGNORANT RANTINGS AND AM THANKFUL THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE POSTING HERE HAVE MADE IT KNOWN THAT THERE IS STILL DECENCY AND COMPASSION OUT THERE FOR A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL WHO LIVES AMONG US TODAY DUE TO OUR OWN PAST ACTIONS. THEY BELONG HERE MORE THAN YOU DO.

      • Posted By: desertdonkey @ 07/02/2008 5:21:29 PM

        Uhhh... are you speaking from actual experience? Or are you, like all bleeding hearts, letting your brain overrun your mouth (making it a bleeding brain)?

        I LIVE in the desert. I see these donkeys and wild horses. ALL THE TIME. FYI.. there are NO cattle out here (Mojave Desert).

        Jeez. I wrote that stuff so even thee most dimwitted moron could comprehend it. But I guess that leaves you out. Wow.. keep going by your "heart feeling".

        Go dip your face in some RARE desert spring that is inundated with donkey and horse ***. Disgusting. Just like some whining HYPOCRITICAL bleeding heart liberal who can't own up to their own mouth.

        Go get yourself a horse or donkey. .. oh that's right. You just like running your mouth. Sickening.

  • Posted By: straightarrow @ 07/02/2008 5:12:43 PM

    There are sovereign Nations within this Nation that have adequate open range, are they being given the option to infuse their livery stock with the wild mustang?? Border Patrol, search & rescue, law enforcement
    agencies (city,county,state) use these magnificent creatures to do the noble jobs, at which they excel. Therapy for Autistic and behavioral challenged children benefit from these camps. Is this another case of government agencies not communicating with each other??? What a surprise....

    • Posted By: Lakeman29 @ 07/02/2008 5:19:43 PM

      Yes, but WE WANT GOV'T toRUN our HEALTH CARE SYSTEM!!! LOOK AT THE GREAT JOB THEY DO WITH EVERYTHING ELSE!!! IMAGINE GETTING THE SAME SERVCIE AT THE HOSPITAL YOU DO AS WITH THE POST OFFICE, IRS, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMIN, ETC. ETC. God help us...

  • Posted By: Sgriffiths @ 07/02/2008 5:16:33 PM

    I think that most people feel a sense of outrage at the penny pinching, life-indifferent atttitude of the beaurocrats at BLM. However, as informative as this article was what was sorely lacking was a path of action. I don't want to sit here in my office and be angry about this I want to find out what I can do to stop it. And while putting a box on our tax forms is a good idea I'm not sure that's the best course of action inthe short term.

    As for me, I'm going to start writing the BLM and expressing my distain for this particular policy. I'm sure there are other options such as litigation but would welcome input from others as to who to contact and where to donate money to to address this.

  • Posted By: zuzmiller @ 07/02/2008 4:45:06 PM

    I just watch a 60 Minute show and the goverment sents 8 Billion on saving the salman and can't do anything for the horses. What up with that??

    • Posted By: Lakeman29 @ 07/02/2008 5:15:39 PM

      Wow, hard question, daaa... The Salmon feed PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.... They provide an economic return and they provid recreation for fisherman. They also are good for our waterways. They provide for PEOPLE'S need for food and provide financial returns. I KNOW THINKING IT TERMS OF PEOPLE'S NEED AND BENIFITS IS HARD AND EVIL... So AS MANY OF YOU LIB'S have stated, KILL THE PEOPLE, HATE THE PEOPLE, HATE KILL (but not of course the horsies...)

  • Posted By: lions den @ 07/02/2008 4:52:15 PM

    I really dont care how the wild horses got here, they are here and killing then is not the answer, one way that we could save money is one i have not seen. Why not finally put to death all the killers on death row. some of you want population control well here is your answer and it would free up lots of tax payers money. We are also forgetting that the horse was once the way we got from place to place. So becasue some people feel that they are a thing of the past just as one person said sweep them under the rug and move on. That is sad that we come from a world where we just all cant get along and care about our fellow man/woman and the wild life that shares this great place we call the united states. Remember it was called UNITED as if united we stand divided we fall. With most people in this world now a days its all about me and my wishes, not what could i do for another. Come on people lets be smart here. I also believe that what another person said, with the gas prices so high we might just have to go back to using the horse just to get around. Never know sometimes the past has a way of repeating it self. Also if laws in the states were inforced more there would be plenty of money for matters like this one.

    • Posted By: Lakeman29 @ 07/02/2008 5:11:00 PM

      How IGNORANT.... If we EVER have to ride horses, WE will NOT BE AROUND because another Nation (i.e.) CHINA/IRAN (or even Bin Laden or theTaliban), that DOESN'T share your values WILL USE THEIR AIRCRAFT, TANKS, Etc. Etc. to come over and take over OUR COUNTRY and they won't worry about the HORSES when they wipe your and my silly little A** off the map. Use AT LEAST A LTLLE BIT OF INTELLIGENCE.... GEEZ

  • Posted By: tjbrown @ 07/02/2008 5:05:34 PM

    What we must ask ourself on this issue for what reason is this being done? If it is to stablize the eco-system then for that is fine. If a Predator or Prey Reaches a level where it is maintained on it's own we must step in and correct that issue. We Humans as a race should not seek to destroy and take everything but act as stewards of the earth. Like Keeping forest from overgroth but not cleaned out. There must be a BALANCE IN LIFE!

    Also both side of the political spectrum have made massive mistakes. No side is 100% at fault. I can blame anyone of the parties for the worlds issues. They both destroy the balance with in the nation. Bush is as much to blame as Clinton. All I want to see if the nation return to a balance.

    So all i ask from all of you is to begin to think on your own. We have mostly lost this. Look around you. Do you seeindependent thought? Onec we regain this we will grow as a nation.

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