Our burros died from colic and now our horse is sick

[Bluey]

@moonlitoaksranch

For anyone wondering how to safely adopt a wild horse or burro in Florida, the best place I know of is the Wild Horse Rescue Center. They work with the horses they rescue and they are in various stages of training. I think she has international students working with the horses, so a variety of disciplines are available.

Other than that, an actual BLM Auction is safe because they have to follow procedures. Although I don’t see one scheduled this year for this area. With any luck, the excessive removals will slow down with a change in administration. For the first time ever, a Native American will be running the Department of the Interior.

Why would anyone that cares for the feral horses want them to overstock their ranges and ruin them for the horses themselves and the native species there?

It is as wrong for the government to mismanage land as it is for a private horse owner.
We should not ask from the department in charge of feral horses to not manage them properly and that means to control their numbers.

We don’t want feral horses reproducing to the point of becoming a serious problem, as they have in Australia, no matter which administration is in charge at any one time.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I understand your opinion well, because I’m from out West. Regardless of my personal beliefs, which differ from yours, the law allows for wild horses and burros. As such, healthy populations are preferable to sick and inbred ones. Too many HMAs with small numbers are far worse than a less HMAs with healthy, sustainable, populations.

[Bluey]

@moonlitoaksranch

I understand your opinion well, because I’m from out West. Regardless of my personal beliefs, which differ from yours, the law allows for wild horses and burros. As such, healthy populations are preferable to sick and inbred ones. Too many HMAs with small numbers are far worse than a less HMAs with healthy, sustainable, populations.

I was there in WY in the 1970’s and know very well what was intended with the laws passed then to protect feral horses.
The intent was not to make the West a horse range, but to preserve some feral horse herds as an historical symbol.

Managing ranges, if private or state or federal is about managing properly, something that gets missed so often.
Controlling thru stocking properly is one way to do so.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I agree with that. The biggest stronghold is Nevada, where Wild Horse Annie is from. It would make sense to manage them best there, but the HMAs are becoming more and more isolated from each other. The entire population would have to be in a single HMA to make a lasting herd in sustainable numbers.

[Bluey]

@moonlitoaksranch

I agree with that. The biggest stronghold is Nevada, where Wild Horse Annie is from. It would make sense to manage them best there, but the HMAs are becoming more and more isolated from each other. The entire population would have to be in a single HMA to make a lasting herd in sustainable numbers.

Nevada is where our feral horse came from, a wonderful horse he was for all the years we had him, until rickets in his knees, from growing up in droughts, as per our vet, caught up with him.

I know, managing properly is hard since politics and other issues became involved in feral horses.

Managing and controlling numbers as part of it is what makes sense.
How to go about it, that is for discussion, as a management question.

The book about the herds in Oregon, “Oregon Living Legends” tries to explain that.
Those seem to be well managed and the extra horses sought after by the general public:

https://www.amazon.com/Oregons-Living-Legends-Horses-Ranges/dp/0615363539

[moonlitoaksranch]

My lovely Bitsey is from Nevada as well.
I have heard (herd) about the Oregon herds. Good on them! Hopefully, Wyoming can find a way to manage theirs as well. Arizona (one place I grew up) has taken over the management of a herd near Phoenix. I don’t know how it’s going, but I think it’s a great idea. Much better than endless holding pen life. Arizona also has the biggest population of burros. The healthiest group is from Black Mountain, but they have removed too many to sustain them there. I don’t know what the solution is, but if they could find a way, it would be nice to keep a historic herd of burros from the old time miner’s stock.