Did You Know This About the Wild Horses?

Here is some information about what is happening to the wild horses in the United States.  I asked Laura Leigh of "Wild Horse Education", to give me some facts about the wild horses because she is a expert in this topic. Laura Leigh spends her days "in the field" and watches what is happening to the wild horses and sees first hand, the inhumane round ups and writes down what she saw.  

DID YOU KNOW....

1. We have more wild horses in captivity than on the range.

2. Horses and burros are allowed to legally exist on only 10% of public land. But the forage and water are used for livestock, mining and other purposes. The horses get very little.

3. The BLM says that populations can be 22, 12 or even as low as 3 and be considered a viable herd.

4. Wild horses do go to slaughter. The BLM sells horses legally through a loophole called "sale authority" to brokers. The brokers ship can then ship them to slaughter. BLM does not check up on sale authority horses.

5. The BLM has no humane care standard for wild horses and burros. Animals are driven by helicopter in extreme temperatures for great distances. There are issues with hotshots, rough handling, lack of water and helicopters even come in contact with exhausted animals.

6. Newborn foals are driven in the extreme heat of the desert in July and August.

7. BLM only uses 1% of their budget on range science.

8. BLM does not have one wild horse advocate on the Advisory board, but has several members that are openly pro-slaughter.

9. BLM tries to hide what happens to horses and burros at roundups and during handling. If they have nothing to hide, why are they hiding?

10. Wild Horses and Burros have an act of Congress to protect them. How come they are treated so badly?

Here are a few things I would like to add to Laura's information:

11.  After round-ups the wild horses who have been captured loose their freedom and live out their lives in "pens" if they are not part of an adoption program.

12.  There are currently over 40,000 wild horses living in pens.

13.  Wild horses are chased by helicopters during round-ups and have even been hit by the helicopters.

14. Wild horses do less damage to the land than the cattle who their homes are taken away for.

For more information about and from Laura Leigh and "Wild Horse Education", here is a link to their page on Facebook:Wild Horse Education Facebook Page 

And here's a link to their website: Wild Horse Education

If there is anything else you think should be added to the list about wild horses, please let me know.  ~Declan