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WILD HORSES Introduction and Section INDEX |
Last Updated:
October 11, 2009
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| THIS WEBSITE'S INTENT: |
Except for this statement and the material which appears in the "Press Release", directly below, this wild horse preservation website has remained basocally the same for at least the past year and a half, with no substantial updates or other alterations to its content. This is because the perceived observation of its editor is that the situation has been only MORE OF THE SAME (ALBEIT WORSE - and, much more deceptively so) under the unexpectedly inept and horrid administration of Barack Obama, in regard to the U.S. government's shamefully immoral, ecolologically destructive and economically irresponsible execution of its wild horse policy of "MANAGING FOR EXTINCTION". |
The primary, original intent of this website, which remains unchanged, was to publish on the internet a more politically critical, honest and comprehensive accounting of the depth and scope of the government corruption problem that needed to be addressed, than the comparatively lame kinds of piecemeal assessments and more "politically correct" remedial suggestions that appeared on virtually all of the other, then existing wild horse preservation websites. During the intervening years, there has appeared a new generation of updated versions of the same kinds of wild horse websites, still using the same kinds of politically timid, piecemeal approaches. Most of them lay most of the blame for the problem on the doorstep of just one, single government agency, the Bureau of Land Management, still continuing to ignore the bulk of the causitive factor, which is the internal, federal government corruption that runs rampant, from the very tops to bottoms of ALL THREE BRANCHES of the U.S. government - the LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE and JUDICIAL branches. And, of course, each time that "push comes to shove" between any such groupings of self proclaimed wild horse advocates and the government, it's the GOVERNMENT that always wins, predictably and often laughingly, with its corrupt and/or inept officials' combined control over the legislative, administrative and judicial .. not to mention the mindlessly irresponsible, national news media. |
The just described situation, in the opinion of this website's editor, is one that cannot be expected to change, until such time as their is complete and genuine "house cleaning", extermination of internal corruption, massive downsizing (by considerably more than half) and substantial reform (including actual, CONSTITUTIONAL reform?) of the U.S. government, including all three of it's branches. And, this editor believes that the originally posted material, that continues to appear elsewhere on this website, will remain just as relevant as ever, until such time as the just indicated govenment reform would be accomplished - or until the U.S. wild horses are, in fact, driven by the government into total extinction.
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By way of further "setting the stage", before proceeding to what HAD BEEN the original introductory comments for this website, the following news release from The Cloud Foundation, a truthfully informed and responsible wild horse and "wild ecology" preservation organization, is presented, immediately below. It gives clear substantiation of the presently continuing, immorally destructive and genocidal style of gross mismanagement of both wild horses and our nation's wilderness and wildlife resourses by the federal government, under the present watch of Mr. Barack Obama. |
PRESS RELEASE
June 11, 2009- for immediate release
Documents Reveal BLM Secret Plan to Destroy Wild Horses
Documents obtained from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) via the Freedom of Information Act by a Phoenix-based non-profit, The Conquistador Program, reveal shocking and detailed plans to destroy healthy wild horses in government holding facilities as well as those still remaining in the wild on public lands.
BLM employees as well as a USDA veterinarian held weekly “Implementation Team” meetings beginning in July of 2008 in which they discussed and developed strategies aimed at ridding BLM of thousands of mustangs. In October they completed a 68 page document entitled “Alternative Management Options”. Tactics included in this document are reminiscent of those used to wipe out Native American tribes in the 1800s.
The BLM team created scenarios for killing mustangs using barbiturates, gun shots, or captive bolts. Bodies would be disposed of through rendering, burial or incineration. They discussed killing 1200-2000 wild horses per year. The document states that “the general public would be prohibited from viewing euthanasia.” Additionally, the Team felt that “increased support from public relations and management staff would also be needed to insulate those doing the actual work from the public, media and Congressional scrutiny/criticism.”
“Minutes from these meetings as well as the Draft Plan reveal what amounts to ‘the final solution’ for the American mustang,” states Ginger Kathrens, filmmaker and Volunteer Executive Director of The Cloud Foundation. “Despite a huge outcry from the American public last year regarding BLM plans to kill wild horses in holding, the agency is still pressing forward with a plan to destroy our American mustangs both on and off the range.”
Division Chief of the Wild Horse and Burro Program Don Glenn told The Cloud Foundation that “no decision has been made to move forward on a large scale with this plan, yet.”
BLM meeting minutes speak for themselves. “Security at facilities and at gathers would need to be increased to combat eco-terrorism. Having the people that are willing to put down healthy horses at gather sites could be a problem. Having vets putting down healthy horses at preparation facility[ies] could also be a problem.” Meeting minutes reveal the psychological toll that employees would pay—“have counseling for employees and contractors that have to euthanize the healthy horses because it is very stressful.”
The report created an option in which wild horses of all ages could be sold “without limitation”. In other words, horses could be sold directly to killer buyers in unchecked numbers. The Team admitted that “some wild horses will go to slaughter”.
“Once they are gone, they’re gone” says Karen Sussman, President of the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros. “To lose this incomparable species would be a travesty.”
Team Members formulated ways in which they could circumvent the National Environmental Policy Act, asking “How many (wild horses) could be euthanized during a gather (roundup) without having NEPA?” BLM discussed ways to circumvent the federal carcass disposal law (43 CFR 4730.2). Conversations included how many wild horses could be rendered at the Reno Rendering plant or “disposed of in pits”. The Team concluded that “there will not be large numbers of horses euthanized during gathers or in the field. This is due to state environmental laws.”
Recommendations include the creation of gelding herds, and sterilization of mares to create non-reproductive herds in the wild in place of natural herds. The team recommended changing the sex ratio from the normal 50% males and 50% females to 70% males and 30% females. Then the experimental two-year infertility drug, PZP-22, would be given to all mares that are returned to the wild. Plans call for rounding up the wild horses every two years to re-administer the drug.
“Mares on the drug will cycle monthly and, with the altered sex ratio, the social chaos will be dangerous and on-going,” Kathrens explains. “Any semblance of normal wild horse society will be completely destroyed.”
Kathrens has spent 15 years in the wild documenting mustang
behavior for her PBS television documentaries which chronicle
the life story of Cloud, the now famous pale palomino stallion
she has filmed since birth.
“Even Cloud and his little herd in Montana are in serious danger
if BLM implements these options,” she continues. “The BLM plans
a massive round up in Cloud’s herd beginning August 30, 2009.”
The BLM will not guarantee that Cloud and his family will
remain free.
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(Above 2 photos copyrighted by The Cloud Foundation) |
The BLM documents referred to above and photos of wild horses
are available from The Cloud Foundation.
The Cloud Foundation, Inc.
107 South 7th St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
719-633-3842
719-633-3896 (fax)
info@thecloudfoundation.org (eMail)
www.thecloudfoundation.org (website) |
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One of the main problems with wild horses in America today is that they, by themselves, hardly create any problems for anyone. So, there's neither a whole lot of money to be made, nor personal and political power to be gained, by just leaving them be. When, on the other hand, human greed and political bureaucracy has fabricated a false public perception of there actually being a wild horses problem, by an ongoing process of intruding upon and deliberately destroying their natural self sufficiency, stealing their natural habitats and removing them from their centuries old freedom in wilderness environments, all sorts of corporate and personal gains have continued to be made by a seemingly endless cast of exploitive characters from the ranks of a wide range of interconnected financial interests. These include certain corrupt government employees, bought and paid for scientists, principal players in the commercial horse industry (from manufacturers of feed and tack to builders of barns and fencing, certain veterinarians, veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers, breeders, trainers and horse show producers), as well as the manufacturers, lessors and pilots of helicopters used in wild horse roundups, foreign owners of U.S. horse slaughterhouses, and even by such seemingly unlikely individuals as the operators of certain, questionably "charitable” animal humane organizations and horse "rescue" groups.
 Click
on above photo for an
enlargement. |
These manufactured "problems" now have become so expansive in their scope that the public is required to foot a large part of the bill for the hundreds of millions of tax dollars that unnecessarily are wasted each year by the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture. The exploitive wild horse racketeers also have included some of the most known to be corrupt members of the U.S. Congress and have extended their influence, at least in part, even to such organizations as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which plays a financially connected role in developing and expanding the use of a still experimental and reportedly unpredictable, dangerous infertility drug that it has opted to use on some of America's very few, still remaining free roaming wild horses, coordinating its efforts with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s oh so corrupt agency, the Bureau of Land Management. Personal greed and an insatiable thirst for money and political power are the all too obvious roots of virtually all such problems of reckless human intervention that take the freedom and wildness away from wild horses, as well as other wildlife, and use them as "experimental lab rats" for the ultimate benefit of none but the elite.
All living things on earth naturally are connected! When we set about the business of destroying wild horses, or any other wildlife, we are moving ever closer to an ultimate destruction of ourselves.
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In selecting and presenting wild horse information for this web site consideration has been given to placing additional emphasis on several key viewpoints which conflict with some commonly endorsed opinions and misrepresentations of implied facts, found on probably most of the other wild horse sites, presently on the internet. Most noteably, this site stands in direct opposition to the seeminly universally accepted reports of wild horses supposedly becoming extinct in North America during one of the last ice ages, as well as being opposed to the predomination of misleading publicity about wild horse adoptions, as a supposedly effective means of rescuing, protecting and preserving wild horses (none of which generally is true), and the use in infertility drugs for wild horse population management on public lands. Conversely, the editorial mission on this site is to show why leaving room for wild horses on large sections of publicly owned and basically unmanaged, preserved natural habitats, is a key and essential part of future, long term wilderness restoration projects that are needed, not only to preserve and protect wild horses, but to sustain good health and survival of other wildlife, as well as our own human species. Details of how to go about this extend to far reaching concepts for SUSTAINABLE solutaions, going far beyond the "Band-Aid" type of already well publicized remedial goals, such as reducing the environmentally devastating practices of grazing commercial livestock on public lands, banning horse slaughter and exposing certain cases of government-corporate conspiracy, corruption and dishonesty, all of which need to be done, but merely as a prelude to a major "re-wilding" program. Essentially, such a program involves a major government and social turnaround that would put overall public and human survival interests ahead of so called special interests. And, it involves an awareness and compassionate concern about the fact that we humans, in our long time disregard for mutually supportive coexistence with the rest of nature, already have put our own species into the "threatened", if not "endangered" category.
Requirements,
for understanding this concept, include considerations
of the true nature of wild horses and how they differ most
dramatically from domesticated horses. There also needs
to be an understanding of the basic characteristics
of natural ecology, which apply to ALL OF US and, ultimately
to what will be the duration of survival time for humans on
the planet, earth. These
two considerations appear to be the most overlooked or misunderstood
by an apparent majority of people who now are most directly
involved with America's wild horse issues, including most so
called wild horse advocates and many ofthe most widely recognized,
so called scientific experts, who seem to have earned their
scholastic degrees in publishing "tunnel vision" findings based on selective
omissions of basic natural concepts and facts, which keep getting
in the way of so many "scientific" conclusions and theories. In some wilderness areas, this condition is called "missing the forest for the trees". |
The true story of the U.S. heritage and the treatment of its wild horses, from the very beginning of U.S. history to the present time, too often is dominated by outrageous and disgusting tales of deluded arrogance, shortsighted stupidity and cruel brutality, mixed in with some classic examples of pillaging and plundering and even mass genocide. So, it’s not unlike much of the rest of civilization’s history and present day political insanity, worldwide. Most sadly, it is a story of far too much ignorance and foolishness without compassion, and often is not easy to take, especially when those who are victimized the most are the trusting and the innocent.
In somewhat sharp contrast, there is an accompanying story of the wild horses, themselves, their patience and perseverance, tolerant and caring nature, stamina, bravery and courage in the face of centuries of seemingly overwhelming threats and odds against their survival. It’s a story that’s highlighted by their often self sacrificing love of FREEDOM -- a story that is both inspiring and, as things have turned out, heartbreaking. These
are the stories that various contributors to this
web site are trying to tell.
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Click on photo for enlargement.
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 Click
on above photo for an
enlargement. |
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Wild Horses: Five Cinquains for Them
by Craig C. Downer, P.O. Box 456, Minden, NV 89423
First composed on Earth Day/Passover 9 AM, Sunday, April 20th, 2008 A.D.
- Immediately typed
Wild Horse!
Come now to play!
Freedom’s Living Symbol!
Grace ye once again this rough land
– with me!
How could
the narrowed minds,
infatuated hearts,
so revile you, your freedom deny?!
Run free!
Escape
treacherous clutch
of monstrous minds and hearts
grown dark with worldly idols,
egos. |
Possessed
seek to possess
in vile worldly manner
even such splendid exemplars
as you.
May some
High Bright Angel
watching over Freedom
confound all vile attempts against
God’s Plan!
******* |
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Odds & Ends Gallery
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Click on omage for details
about book by Deanne Stillman
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Click on omage for enlargement & comments
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Click on omage for enlargement & comments
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To the best of this editor's knowledge, any images that were used in the creation of the bottom two composites, in the grouping directly above, already were in the public domain, at the time they were so used. However, the wild horse preservation advocate in Arizona, who created these composites, does not know with absolute certainty that this was the case. Please contact this editor by eMail at john.brian@mac.com if you have information to demonstrate any related, possible copyright infringement and wish to have one or both of these images removed from this website. |
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| Main Sub-Topics Pages |
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The term "FOREVER
FREE" represents
our ESSENTIAL CONSIDERATION for preservation of America's last
remaining free roaming wild horses.
It encompasses a vision which varies significantly from
the concepts that are promoted on many other wild horse "preservation" web
sites, as outlined and explained in this section. It's key
elements are natural breeding selection and "survival of the fittest". |
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Answers to both FREQUENTY Asked Questions and INFREQUENTY Asked Questions - the latter being those questions which too often aren't even considered and OUGHT TO BE ASKED MORE FREQUENTLY. |
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The Section on American Wild
Horse ORIGINS will attempt
a brief explanation of scientific facts and evidence that debunk
false arguments that the horses now roaming the plains should
be classified as livestock, instead of wild animals. when, in
fact, these horses should be regarded as deserving the legal
protections afforded to other endangered species of wildlife. |
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In this presentation about
ECOLOGY, it will be
shown, in specific terms, how the removal of wild horses is detrimental
to the health of America's range lands, other forms of wildlife
and shared wildlife habitats, the American people and planet
earth. |
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Our country's still ongoing HISTORY of
ignorant, extremely cruel and savage treatment of these animals,
beginning in the times of our founding fathers, is one of the
most shameful parts of our national heritage. We have established
ourselves as a nation that is dominated by human beings who kill
and torture, not only for personal power and profit, but just
for the the fun of it. |
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So much legislation, which
may have seemed necessary to deal with circumstances and
supposed problems of the times, had seeminly misguided origins,
only to have turned into politically corrupted LEGISLATION
BLUNDERS that serve as blueprints for today's greedy, corrupt, violent and
often deadly exploitation of wild horses and other wildlife species
that existed for centuries on our western lands.
(Some planned, minor addition to this page still are pending.) |
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(NOW POSTED, but incomplete -- With the amount of government corruption that exists in this area, this particular section NEVER WILL be even nearly COMPLETE!! ). |
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This section will deal will
the flood of totally false, erroneous and/or deliberately misleading
POPULAR PROPAGANDA from
government and special interest sourses, to serve their own best
interests and/or cover up their past mistakes. A
good example is the supposed, now familiar premise that goes,
"Because wild horses overpopulate public lands ...",
etc., which, in truth, would be akin to saying that the people
in the small, fictional home town of Mayberry would be over populating
that town, if the government had stolen nearly all of their town's
space, forcing them to live and work in just two square blocks. However, there is a fact based commentary on common misuse of the word "feral" by lots of special interest people, including lots of pseudo scientists,
(NOW
POSTED, but very much incomplete) |
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For openers, with no apologies
to Jay Kirkpatrick, "Just say NO to drugs" (i.e.: PZP injections
for attempted population control of wild mustangs who free roam
our western range lands and wilderness. This section will
attempt to explain to you why only half thought out, "easy solutions"
like PZP and private adoptions, just won't work, unless the goal
is the eventual, total extinction of the present wild mustang
breed.
( NOW POSTED, but only partially completed. ) |
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A multifaceted list of considerations
and proposals for action, all pointing to the same, single solution.
( NOW
POSTED, but only partially completed. ) |
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This is the LINKS page for our entire, combined website configuration, containing numerous links for Wild Horses and Environmental/Natural Ecology information and action websites. Sincere efforts have been made to review the contents of these sites carefully and periodically, in recognition of our implied endorsement of them. (This website's editorial position actually does not fully agree with many of the more "popular" views that appear on an apparent majority of other Wild Horse websites.) |
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( Using this link will take you to another website, requiring use of your website browser's BACK button, to return you from THAT site back to this one. )
With its more extensive resources for keeping current with day to day changes in certain specific areas of concern for wild horse preservation, The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) website is our most recommended link for certain details, such as continually changing wild horse related NUMBERS, which are presented here only in very broad, general terms. This editor believes that the major philosophies about wild horses are virtually the same on both that website and this one (although presented in a different editorial style and content selection manner). Probably the major exception is in the area of suggested "SOLUTIONS" to the wild horse preservation problem, which differences are discussed on this site's pages for PROPOSALS THAT WON'T WORK and THE SOLUTION, linked to directly above.
This editor's other preferred and recommended wild horse websites appear on the LINKS page for this site, which is linked to directly below. Some of these websites deal more specifically with particular herds, an example being Ginger Kathrens' website for THE CLOUD FOUNDATION, which is most specifically concerned for the Pryor's horses in the Arrowhead Mountains region of Montana. |
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