Facing national scrutiny …

These articles/news segment are musts to read/watch.

WARNING: Some photos/clips are extremely graphic of horses badly injured during roundups.

Facing national scrutiny, BLM struggles to explain wild horse and burro program

Cruel or necessary? The true cost of wild horse roundups

In the grand scheme of things and in wide comparison, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area and its mustangs are in a fairly enviable position.

Our range condition is not great. Our water sources are widely spaced (ensuring grazing dispersal) but of poor (salty, at least) quality. But, because of recent roundups and a dedicated group of local advocates, our current population ensures both healthy horses and decent, if not great, forage, even in these drought conditions.

A fertility control program using native (one-year) PZP was implemented with the 2011 roundup. This is the first year we’ll start to see results.

There has been no cattle grazing in Spring Creek Basin for two seasons (permitted through BLM for dormant-season only: Dec. 1 through Feb. 28). That likely will continue for at least the next two seasons until drought and/or regulations necessitate a change (for continued grazing or continued lack thereof).

I certainly don’t have large-scale answers, but in this little corner of the wild world, our mustangs seem to be doing pretty well. I hope we can find solutions for all our mustangs.

‘Unbranded’

With all the craziness surrounding the wild horse “issue,” here’s something that looks pretty cool:

http://www.unbrandedthefilm.com/

From the email that alerted me to this endeavor:

Backcountry  Horsemen,

This is Ben Masters. Myself and three friends are training 11 mustangs and riding them 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada starting in March. Our route will take six months through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. We’re making a documentary: Unbranded that aims to promote conservation of open spaces, inspire mustang adoptions and get people outside horseback.

We’re trying to promote our journey and documentary. We need your help by pledging your support and sending the information to others who like horses, the backcountry and conservation. Here is the video, it’ll put a smile on your face:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1978488989/unbranded?ref=live

For more info, our website is http://www.unbrandedthefilm.com/

Western Horseman’s blog over our trip: http://blogs.westernhorseman.com/unbranded/

Thank you,

Ben Masters

benmasters@unbrandedthefilm.com

Check out their story; I’m sure you’ll follow them as I will! Have I ever mentioned I’m an Aggie? Gig ‘em, Ags. What a ride it will be!

Mustang art in Ridgway (CO)

If you’re in Southwest Colorado, consider stopping by the Ridgway library on Saturday to see a show by Ouray/South Carolina artist Karen Keene Day and Ridgway artist Alice Billings.

The top painting, by Karen, features Steeldust. The lower painting features Liberty, adopted by Alice.

The art opening will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the library in Ridgway. The art will hanging in the library until Nov. 9. (I’m not sure this side of the card is legible, but I don’t have it in high resolution.)

This local art show featuring the work of local artists of our Spring Creek Basin mustangs aims to raise awareness of our local wild horses. The artistic tribute paid to our horses by these special women is best seen in person. If you’re in the area, stop in and say hello!

More water for mustangs in Colorado

June 20, 2012

Contact: Christopher B. Joyner, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 210-2126

BLM conducts emergency water operations; closes public lands for drought stricken wild horses

MEEKER, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management recently began delivering water to wild horses in several areas in western Colorado in response to extreme drought conditions. Today BLM also issued an emergency closure for areas in the vicinity of Texas Mountain south of Rangely to further protect wild horses where the situation is particularly severe.

BLM is closely monitoring the wild horse herds it manages in Colorado and has begun supplementing natural water sources in three of the four wild horse herd management areas in the state, including the Piceance-East Douglas southwest of Meeker, the Sand Wash near Maybell, and the Spring Creek outside of Dolores. These are areas BLM manages specifically to maintain healthy wild horse herds in balance with other uses of the land. BLM is also closely monitoring the water situation in the Little Books Cliffs Wild Horse Range outside of DeBeque, which currently is not requiring supplemental water.

BLM issued the closure prohibiting public access south of Rangley in the West Douglas Herd Area, which is an area not planned for continued management of wild horses because it is not as suitable an area. BLM recently discovered a group of approximately 40 to 50 wild horses completely lacking any natural source of water. In addition to providing a large, temporary water tank and three water troughs, BLM is closing this area to reduce disturbance while the horses adjust to a new water source. The affected closed area is on or near Texas Mountain east of BLM Road 1214 and east of BLM Road 1063. Livestock are not currently in this specific area or using this water source.

BLM is closely monitoring the situation in the closure area and in the remainder of the West Douglas area, which holds an estimated 135 additional wild horses.

“BLM is committed to maintaining healthy wild horses in the White River Field Office and in Colorado,” said Kent Walter, White River Field Office manager. “We will continue to monitor the situation here and elsewhere, and may need to take additional steps to ensure the wild horses are cared for humanely.”

According to Walter, hauling water to such a remote location is not likely a sustainable, long-term solution.

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This is what I call “the trickle” in Spring Creek *Basin* (why do people always leave out the “basin” part?). Right above the S in Spring in my signature (and yes, I know, but Spring Creek Basin Wild was a long URL) is a pipe out of which water flows from an old well. It’s not much, it’s salty, it smells like sulphur. But the horses drink here when the drinking gets scarce. By the end of next week, we plan to install a pipeline and a drinking trough. The new line will run downhill to the new trough, which will sit where the pool of water currently is accumulating, right in front of the big tamarisk. Water will be controlled by a float instead of trickling on down into oblivion.

In addition to BLM’s green light (Tres Rios Field Office, Dolores), Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners partnership and (BLM) Director’s Challenge funding, the project involves Forest Service labor from the Dolores Public Lands Office. Thank you to all involved! (And many thanks to the Forest Service’s HP, who brought handsome Jammer for me to ride while we GPS’d water seeps in the Spring Creek (arroyo) and another main arroyo this week in the basin – and more next week!)

Mapping weeds and counting horses

For 13 years now, members of the Durango-based Four Corners Back Country Horsemen have been visiting Spring Creek Basin every spring to help BLM monitor the mustangs. Members often set up work projects during the count weekends, and this year was no different, with help from Mike Jensen, the Tres Rios Field Office’s weed guru (I don’t know his actual title? he also was a former manager of SCB), and Kathe Hayes with San Juan Mountains Association. Mike gave a great talk Friday evening about the particulars of knapweed, in particular. Kathe readied maps and record sheets for the groups and led the horseback riders Saturday.

Special thanks to Pat and Frank Amthor, long-time 4CBCH members and organizers for most of the last 13 years of the count. Their knowledge and experience is invaluable! (And I have to give a special nod not only to the food in general but specifically to Frank’s awesome homemade strawberry ice cream!)

We had one group of horseback riders and one of vehicle drivers (horseless but not clueless – ha!). Between our groups, we mapped 14 sites for weeds – knapweed, musk thistle and tamarisk – so BLM can cut, dig, spray and/or “de-weed.”

One highlight of the weekend – besides the food (oh, the food!) – was the Irick family of Denver (area), who came with their Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Breeze (adopted in 2005) and Sage (adopted in 2007). Brother Luke stayed home, but Teresa and Steve rode with the group, and daughter Sara rode with our vehicle group and helped with recording the weeds.

Teresa and Steve riding out on Breeze, pinto, and Sage.

It was an emotional ride, Teresa said afterward, seeing the boys remember their home. They’re not the first who have brought their adopted mustangs home to the basin, and I hope they won’t be the last! These boys are so loved and cared for – part of their family.

I didn’t take any pix of the horseless few, but here are the rest of horse folks who rode their horses to inventory weeds:

Kathe giving the safety talk at the beginning of the ride. Crow has obviously heard it all before!

Todd and Judy and their horses, Red and Dandy.

Nancy and Aspen, who came all the way from Corrales, N.M., where Aspen holds the distinction of “pet mayor”!

4CBCH president Bob and his lovely horse – whose name I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t ask, though I was very taken with this handsome fellow (regular readers may know my fascination with dark bay horses!). Just a young guy – 5 – but he did very well.

Riders heading out in the morning.

Riding into the sunrise.

Thank you to the Four Corners Back Country Horsemen, BLM and SJMA – and to Mother Nature for the truly excellent weather. After Friday night’s wind and chill, Saturday and Sunday were simply spectacular! Weed inventorying and eradication is part of our partnership objective with BLM under the Director’s Challenge grant we recently received. What a great start!

SCB mustangs in the spotlight

Most readers of this blog aren’t local to this neck of the woods, but if you are, I’d like to invite you to the “Southwest Colorado Spring Creek Basin Wild Horse Management Program” at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango. It’s part of the center’s “2012 Program Series: Celebrating the Preservation of our Natural and Cultural Heritage.”

Guest speakers will be Fran Ackley from Canon City; Tom Rice from the Tres Rios Field Office in Dolores; and Kathe Hayes with the San Juan Mountains Association. Our Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners will represent our member groups – National Mustang Association/Colorado, Mesa Verde Back Country Horsemen, Four Corners Back Country Horsemen and SJMA – during the event. It’s a great way to let the public know about our groups individually and Wild Bunch as a whole, and educate people about our Spring Creek Basin mustangs and how we help, including being part of the Director’s Challenge award that netted our BLM office $25,000 for projects for the horses. We’re excited to be part of this educational series hosted by the Center of Southwest Studies!

The event will start with a reception at 5:30 followed by the program at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in the center’s Lyceum on the Fort Lewis College campus.

If you are local, or even passing through, we hope to see you there!

Piece of the pie

“Nearly $US300,000 in funding has been approved by the Bureau of Land Management for 12 projects aimed at improving Western rangeland conditions where wild horses and burros roam.”

“* Tres Rios Field Office, Southwest District, Colorado, Spring Creek Basin HMA: This project is aimed at expanding the ongoing successful partnership with the Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners to include such actions as herd monitoring, fence repairs, invasive weed inventory and treatments, illegal route closures, and travel management sign installation. Funding amount from the Director’s Challenge: $25,000″

The Grand Junction Field Office also was awarded $25,000 for ongoing partnership with Friends of the Mustangs for the Little Book Cliffs herd. Congratulations!!

Read more about it.

Thanks to Wild Bunch’s Tif (adopter of Ze and Asher) for this news!

More Asher

I’m going to break these up into two posts from my recent visit with Tif and her mustang boys (and other boy and girls). Ended up with a lot of photos I wanted to share.

Be sure to check out this article about Tif and Asher in the Cortez Journal!

The indomitable Mr. Asher. A blessed boy is he.

From Tif: “The last few weeks have been difficult. I’ve had many milestones and some setbacks with my boys, it’s been amazing.”

“Let’s start with Asher … what a pistol!”

“I finally felt comfortable enough, and knew he was strong enough, to put him with all of my horses together. I was a bit concerned about Mimi, my ‘alpha’ mare, as she wasn’t too fond of Asher in the beginning. Asher needs the discipline, though. He is so strong, so smart, always seeing what he can get away with.”

Here’s Asher with Pepper, with whom he bonded right away when Tif brought him home, and Mimi behind them.

“He now runs during the day with my other four horses, his new ‘herd,’ on about 30+ acres, and he absolutely loves it. To see him running and bucking, jumping over bushes, chasing my daughter’s dog, it’s hilarious!”

He DOES love to run!

The boy is NOT shy with either mama Tif or strangers!

Baby-butt scratches are – of course – required!

Sure and that’s ecstasy!

“I still give him two quarts of milk twice a day, morning and night. I lock him in at night, in a fairly big enough indoor/outdoor area, because I want to be sure he gets his pellets. He eats several pounds of pellets, milk transition and creep feed high performance, in the evening and during the night. He’s eating me out of house and home!”

Asher with long-suffering Sundancer (she’s 30 years old!).

Luckily (for Sundancer), Pepper also is within easy reach!

Looking toward Ze in his round pen and Quest and Mimi in the big yonder pasture.

And he’s through the gate!

“I can’t believe his strength. He’s had his vaccines, his first trim on his hooves, he’s halter broken, loves to go for walks, but I think he most enjoys being with the other horses.”

“This is not to say that he doesn’t still follow me when he gets the chance! Discipline is in the forefront and always something we hand out when we need to, just like my horses do. He deals with it well and will appreciate it when he’s older.” 

Asher is drawn to Mimi like metal to a magnet, but he clearly has healthy respect for her!

Just like with Quest (in background).

What shall I be when I grow up?

A dressage star …

… maybe a racehorse!

Maybe a dog wrangler!

Playing with Selene!

His mane is coming in grey, just the ends are fiery reddish fringe.

Blessed and beloved.

Time

Thank you to all who have offered your support, your tears, your concerns, your optimism and hope. I can’t begin to tell you how much it means.

The last four years (and before that … 13 years back since others in our group have been advocating for our Spring Creek Basin mustangs?) have been difficult … The last few days have been more difficult still. It will get better. We have been working too long and too hard and with too much single-minded purpose to settle for any other outcome.

I’m packing now. I need to buy food. I’ll be at work till midnight, home around 1 a.m., and then I’ll be on the road to the basin in the morning. I’ll know more tomorrow … with probably no way to relay it here.

Again, BLM plans to have a hot line to call for information about each day’s roundup activities: (970) 882-6843.

I do not think I will have enough of a signal to connect to the blog via my cell phone for updates, so anything from me will have to wait until I return home, which probably won’t be until Monday.

The horses are strong. They’re in excellent health. They’re resilient and they are just damn tough. They will adapt. We all will – because we have to. The coming years will bring even more changes – positive changes. The roundup is not the end of the story, just the end of a chapter, and as time goes on and it’s further in our past, it will be yet another thing to learn from and channel our management into better forms. We have to get through this to get there.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you …

… for all your care.

Adoption flier

While we’re posting this flier about the coming training demonstration and adoption (Sept. 23-24) around the region, I thought I’d post the flier here on the blog as well. You never know …

Thank you to all the volunteers posting this in Farmington, N.M., and Moab, Utah, and as far away as Montrose and Grand Junction, as well as locally in Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, Norwood, Ouray, Ridgway and Telluride! Thank you!