# My Personal Journal on America's Wild Horses & Burros



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I hope this is not too unsolicited of a comment, but if you thought you might want to own a horse one day but aren't going to take lessons, you could volunteer at a horse rescue to learn about horse care, and to do some general good in the world.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I love volunteering to support rescued animals; my favorite is, unfortunately, not close to me. Best Friends in Utah (across the highway from Zion National Park). ACinATX I love comments! I always welcome feedback. The folks that support animal rescues are heroes (at times it is such heartbreaking working - God Bless them).

What I would like to do is develop and implement an accredited wild horse and burro vocational school system. It would be similar to any other college or university with classrooms, dorms, meal programs, and work-study opportunities (lots of hand-on skill-building professionally overseen work opportunities).

The BLM is asking for volunteers. I believe the wild horses and burros situation requires not only volunteers but a substantial full-time long-term, highly-skilled, and trained staff.

Dedicated vocational schools should be considered as a viable addition to handling wild horses and ecosystems.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Mustang Vocational School Flyer (mock-up)*

https://www.horseforum.com/members/279795/album/wildabthorses-18181/mustangschoolflyer-129815.jpg


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Wild Horses Vocational School Flyer (mock-up)*


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Wild Horses & Burros summary writeup page 1 of 2*


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Wild Horses & Burros summary writeup page 2 of 2*


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

WildAbtHorses said:


> I love volunteering to support rescued animals; my favorite is, unfortunately, not close to me. Best Friends in Utah (across the highway from Zion National Park). ACinATX I love comments! I always welcome feedback. The folks that support animal rescues are heroes (at times it is such heartbreaking working - God Bless them).
> 
> What I would like to do is develop and implement an accredited wild horse and burro vocational school system. It would be similar to any other college or university with classrooms, dorms, meal programs, and work-study opportunities (lots of hand-on skill-building professionally overseen work opportunities).
> 
> ...



I've been to Best Friends in Utah--and Zion many times! The landscape is just so spectacular. It was our favorite vacation destination. At Best Friends we spent more time at the Angel's Rest pet cemetery than anything else--it was fun to read all the memorials in such a serene and peaceful atmosphere. :Angel: And the horse pens were the most unique ever--they just fenced in the front of these little box canyons. It was really cool. :smile:


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

Best Friends is an amazing place. LOL yes the horses have a great backdrop - canyon walls! Loved the vegan restaurant food and view. I’ve always been fascinated by Angels Rest too. For anyone curious here’s a link: https://bestfriends.org/

Yes, Zion is amazing too! Utah is my favorite state with Moab, Canyon Lands, Arches, Bryce, Bear Lake, Salt Lake... what have I missed?

I thought I heard that the guy that discovered Bryce apparently didn’t live far from it but never knew it was there for most of his life?!?


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*I want to be Emma Massingdale!*

Emma Massingdale on an island with wild ponies:


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Alycia Burton on her horse Goldrush*

while I’m dreaming...






I love their story.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Dedicated Vocational School for each HMA to control & monitor AMLs*

Did you know that in England the wild herds are owned by people? I didn't. If each vocational school "owned" a Mustang herd in the U.S. that might be the solution to the problem.

Glad you enjoyed the flyer. Hopefully the schools will turn into a reality. Just have to keep asking until I find the right person or organization.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

link to other post https://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/wild-horses-burros-vs-private-dometic-805635/#post1970746729


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Skydog Ranch Sanctuary Proposed Solutions*

https://www.skydogranch.org/take-action-now

This is Skydog’s list of recommendations (It would be helpful if the BLM formally provided detailed responses to each item listed below. I am new the severity of this situation and it would be helpful to know all the facts.):

1 Raise AML's in areas where the range can sustain higher numbers of horses;

2 Stop killing natural predators in BLM HMA’s;

3 Reduce Livestock grazing on lands designated for wild horses;

4 Restore the millions of acres of lost wild horse rangeland and then return wild horses in holding to Herd Management Areas and Herd Areas given to them legally;

5 Enlist local volunteers to monitor and document herds so we have accurate figures of horses in the wild. As well as photograph family bands for people to reunite them;

6 Provide shade and shelter for mustangs in short term holding facilities;

7 Stop helicopter roundups for good and use bait traps only - then use the millions of dollars saved on getting the horses they already have adopted;

8 Use fertility vaccines in the field to slow population growth and prevent further roundups until all the horses currently in short term holding are adopted;

9 Use social media and the internet to promote adoptions with more information about horses and burros immediately as they come off the range;

10 Open up access to private BLM facilities to give more horses a chance to be adopted out of them;

11 Take better precautions when transporting wild horses to adoption events and exposing them to diseases like strangles.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Will Horses Learn by Watching other Horses?*

Sixteen (16) gallery stalls divided into 50,000 currently in holding pens equals 3,125. We could train all 50,000 in a year if the horse gallery works, and if we built ten (10) rings and used them consecutively for 365 days.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Training Mustangs with Sean Davis*

"We" need to get Sean Davis a contractor to work on his HOUSE projects so he can focus on MUSTANGs.

It would be great to have him sort through and assess the 50,000 in pens so "we" can get as many to good homes as soon as possible.

The mustang chat with Sean and Graeme:





The mustang training session:


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Horse Training Ring with Free Roaming Horse Gallery*

I had to revise the horse gallery idea a little bit because I just read:

"... our [horse talking] idea of safety is not the same as yours [man]. Our [horse] genetic history does not understand being all alone in a twelve-by-twelve stall. Even if it's lined in velvet, in a heated barn, it's away from the herd and by no stretch of the emotion or imagination is that a safe haven! Stress is all we [horses] get from such an experience. Stree. Big-time!" from "The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd" by Joe Camp (Benji)

https://www.horseforum.com/members/279795/album/wildabthorses-18181/horsetrainingring2-129883.jpeg


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Horse Training Ring with Free Roaming Horse Gallery*


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Velma Johnston, Luna the Mustang Living in Finland, Odds 'n Ends videos*

Mrs. Velma Johnston and Dr. Michael J. Pontrelli
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velma_Bronn_Johnston

The Best Documentary 2015 - America's Wild Horses Documentary National Geographic WILD 




Luna the Mustang Goes to Live in Finland!
Luna, the American Mustang Befriending & Training: "2017 Monroe, WA Extreme Mustang Makeover, Luna’s story."





Luna, the American Mustang in Finland: "Together with Luna and Entro in the Deep Snow." Alex Schwarz Published on Mar 22, 2019. 




So why don't more mustangs go abroad to live happy and healthy lives?

Number of horses to the human population by country:
http://www.fao.org/tempref/AG/Reserved/DAD-Net/Rupak_Khadka_Thesis.pdf
"The average number of*horses*per 1000 persons among the member countries in the European Union was 11.7 in 2000 (EU Equus, 2001) and 16.6 in 2008 (EU Equus, 2009)."

Carl Anthony Adams' Wild Mustangs of Nevada Published on Jul 23, 2017, 




Ben Masters’ “The Future of America's Wild Horses: The Options - Adventure,” 2017 (?)
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/environment/wild-horse-management-options/

NatGeo Wild: America's Wild Horses Documentary WILD HD 2016 (?) 




2015 Sierra Club (archive) "Take Action: Save 6 wild horse herds BLM wants to wipe out!" Posted on January 19, 2015
Sierra Club | Protect Mustangs?

The minimum number for a genetically viable herd is 2,500 wild horses, according to the IUCN Species Survival Commission Equid Specialist Group and these levels are even a far cry from the suspect 150 individuals that BLM documents often cite as being genetically viable for a population. IUCN Equids Specailist Group


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Canadian Wild Horses & How Canadians' are Dealing*

Interesting but ***WARNING*** you may not like:

https://horse-canada.com/magazine_articles/wild-horses-in-canada-pest-or-precious-heritage-2/

https://cottagelife.com/general/whe...da-and-why-theyre-surprisingly-controversial/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-roaming_horse_management_in_North_America


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Mustang Extreme Makeover Jan 23-25, 2020 Fort Worth, TX*

Mustang Heritage Foundation (great intro video):
https://mustangheritagefoundation.org

Very Impressive Mustang Makeovers (they all have YouTube Channels):

Sean Davies, Colorado Reinsman
Welcome to Colorado Reinsman

Elisa Wallace
https://wallaceeventing.com

Sam VanFleet
https://www.vanfleetmustangs.com

there are so many great stories on YouTube!


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*The Future of America's Wild Horses by Ben Masters*

"The Future of America's Wild Horses: The Options" By Ben Masters

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/environment/wild-horse-management-options/

If the link above does not work search Google:

Ben Masters The Future of America's Wild Horses


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*3 Strikes Mustang to World Campion*

Cobra the Three Strikes Mustang Stamped Unadaptable becomes WORLD Dressage Champion

Cobra the Mustang -Follow Your Wild Heart- From Wild to World Champion by Marsha Harford March 13, 2018


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Paula Carr Ranch - Tennessee*

Paula Carr Ranch - 20,000 Nevada’s Wild Horses to a ranch in Tennessee (last entry 2010?).

Carr's Wild Horse & Burro Center

https://www.tnhomeandfarm.com/agriculture/wild-horse-and-burro-adoptions-in-cross-plains/


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*5-Minutes: Mustang Wild to Champion!*

Kimber's 90 Day Mustang Makeover Journey


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Breyer's Wild Horses - Mustang Collection*

https://www.breyerhorses.com/collections/all/mustang

Spirit, Spirit & Lucky, and Spirit & Lucky (mini)
Cobra (the 3 strikes to champion Mustang)
Wild Blue & book - an Appaloosa Mustang
Bay Appaloosa Mustang
Cloud’s Encore set
Cloud’s Legend set
HWIN (C.S.Lewis’ Narnia’s horse)
Kohana
Picasso - Mustang Stallion
Running Wild
Silver Bay Mustang
Stable mates mustang
Van Gogh
Corolla Wild Horses
https://www.corollawildhorses.com
https://www.corollawildhorses.com/shop/breyer-horses/
This set of show stopping horses includes a gray mare, red roan mare, buckskin pinto foal, bay foal, and a blue roan foal. Miniature horses, cute, fun, and realistically-painted. 3″ tall.* All proceeds benefit the Corolla Wild Horses. Out-of-Stock.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Healing with Horses*

a film about Equine Therapy, w/ an emphasis in adaptive vaulting - 17 min


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

America has this incredible natural resource "the wild horse." We should take advantage of this historic opportunity, which hopefully we will resolve, so it doesn't happen again but in the meantime, let us seize this extraordinary moment in time.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

Why can't we manage our wild horse herds like Kameron Kelsey?

Kameron Kelsey wrangling his wild horses - 9-minute mini documentary - June 2018 NatGeo
Wrangling Wild Horses in the Mountains of Montana | Short Film Showcase


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

Australia's and their camels (very similar to America and the wild horses?).

By 2008, it was feared that Central Australia's feral camel population had grown to about one million and was projected to double every 8 to 10 years. Camels are known to cause serious degradation of local environmental and cultural sites, particularly during dry conditions. An AU$19 million management program was funded in 2009, and, upon completion in 2013, the feral population was estimated to have been reduced to around 300,000.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_feral_camel


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*Wild Horses Reference Links: Documentaries, Articles, Statistics, YouTubers*

Adobe Spark presentation full of links on America's Wild Horses:

https://spark.adobe.com/page/X4iUELN4t5sqY/?red=a


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I didn't know...

Australia has the largest population of feral horses in the world, with in excess of 400,000 feral horses. The Australian name equivalent to the 'Mustang' is the Brumby.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I didn't know... this herd is self-managed -it keeps its numbers in check (very interesting studies)...

Cumberland Island, Georgia (36,000 acres) can only be accessed by boat and has about 160 feral horses today roam freely unmanaged by man on the Island. See also the Journal of Wildlife Management 64(1):114-121. 1988: 180 horses; 1991 UofGeorgia &UofKentucky conducted a generic variation in feral horses study; 2009: 200 horses; and 2010: 121-170 horse.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I think America needs to follow Britain's lead...

Wild Horses in the United Kingdom have owners. "The herds are older, perhaps even contiguous with truly wild horses from those locations, than any “wild” horses in the Americas. Like most other free-living animals in the UK, they are technically owned and rather carefully managed." -Gill Bullen. Quora publication 2016.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

Love the solan "Branded for Success!"

Elisa Wallace https://wallaceeventing.com

along with MUSTANG MILLION and http://mustangheritagefoundation.org


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

BLM's Statistics and Videos 2012-2018:

https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/about-the-program/program-data

BLM is working hard on adoptions:

https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/adoption-and-sales/events

https://wildhorsesonline.blm.gov/animals


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

If anyone is doing research, UNLV’s Digital Collection is very impressive.

Reaching the Final Milestone! Nevada Digital Newspaper Project | UNLV Digital Collections


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

It's great to read stories of folks helping the horses:

Nevada revives wild horse birth control program - April 2019
https://www.rgj.com/story/life/outd...ada-revives-birth-control-program/3423851002/

Kickin' Back Ranch (lots of great information and links):
Wild Horses in Nevada!


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

TIP and Extreme:

The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Trainer Incentive Program, which is better known as TIP, to bridge the gap between the public and excess wild horses held in off-range corrals. TIP supports a network of hundreds of horse trainers who gentle, train and find homes for wild horses and burros.

https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/partnerships/mustang-heritage-foundation

https://mustangheritagefoundation.org/tip/

Created and presented by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, the purpose of the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition is to showcase the beauty, versatility and trainability of the American Mustangs who roam freely on public lands throughout the West where they are protected by the Bureau of Land Management

https://mustangheritagefoundation.org/extreme-mustang-makeover/


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I'm thinking I want to give "befriending" a wild horse a try.

But first will need to invest in an equestrian safety vest!

Hilton $60 and I like really the purple:
https://hilason.com/hspv-safety-mai...strian-eventer-protective-protector-vest.html

Hit Air:
https://www.hitairequestrian.com

Tipperary $260 and the bright blue is nice:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/tipperary-eventer-vest-4856


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I like the old fashion looking helmets. Gosh, they come in colors -for me, its gotta be basic black.
https://www.charlesowen.com/products/hampton/

Okay, I think I'm ready to find a few wild horses that need be-friending. Really, how hard can it be to get a horse to fall-in-love with you?

Will need some good horse grooming brushes.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

Laredo Women's Frolic Blue Woven Performair Stockman Boots - Square Toe ** on sale for $49.97! **

Oh, if I want the boots in my size it’s $120.

It's never too late to learn to ride a horse -right? As long as you have the right outfit --you should be good to go!?!


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I did go to horseback riding camp. Uhm... awhile ago. Yikes! Time flies.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

I love Mia Lykke Nielsen ... if you can touch a horse’s ears you should be able to touch the horse all over. Mia has trained American Mustangs but that video is in her native language.

https://mialykkenielsen.com/mia-and-the-300-wild-horses/


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

BLM Oregon Fall 2019 Mustang Sale - starts September 17, 2019 (only 23?).


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Some of those horses move very nice. Ugh, but the video illustrates why you just can't have horses living in big group situations like that and expect them to do well. Everyone can't eat the same amount of hay. A few of the horses were quite obese, and #4252 seriously so, with a deep gutter down his back and big crest. Here you go, adopt a mustang already starting into insulin resistance at best, potentially already with some laminitis. If he doesn't get adopted, he'll fare even worse if they keep him in a group feeding situation.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

^ so heartbreaking. It is important to know. Thank you. When I watched the video I did not see what you saw.

Education is so important because, without it, situations like this happen.

Education should bring more humane treatment and actions.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

*What have we done? A World Comprised of Only Animal Rescues.*

Lek is saving elephants in Thailand at her Elephant Nature Park. Such amazing stories.


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## WildAbtHorses (Jul 9, 2019)

From the Kill Pen (it is free on Prime Video).
https://watch.amazon.com/detail?asin=B06XTSZV9W&territory=US&ref_=share_ios_movie&r=web

"Fact-driven and without gratuitous violence, From the Kill Pen is an exploration of America's underground horse slaughter industry. From its inhumane practices to its unregulated meat products, the film exposes the horse slaughter pipeline for what it truly is - a potentially toxic, financially driven network operating within the seedy underbelly of Big Ag and at the expense of taxpayers."

I haven't watched, but I feel that we should all be watching it.


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