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Re: [RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CA - TypefBeing the totally responsible person that I am, I would never adopt any animal I couldn't take care of. I know quite a handful of people who have successfully adopted Mustangs, some of whom are on RideCamp and have wonderful, loving companions now. But they were all horse people to begin with. I sent the press release to this list because we are all horse people here. I would never suggest that someone who doesn't already own horses adopt one of these animals. And yes, it does pain me that happens. Since I can't buck the system and these horses can't be put down instead of adopted, why not try to help by getting them to good, knowledgeable homes? It is truly unfortunate that there are people who will buy or adopt any kind of animal and not take care of it. It happens with every type. I also volunteer for Animal Friends Connection that works with cat and dog placement. The situation is no different there. Many of these animals are plucked from the shelter in horrible shape. Others have nice collars on with their names engraved whose owners turned them in stating simply they don't want them anymore. Rather than take the time to find a good home for them, they are willing to put themon death row. Here's a page on my little mare at KBR's Wild Mustang site. I'm extremely proud of her and hope to advance up to 50's on her this year. http://www.kbrhorse.net/mgal/munch.html Please feel free to browse all the other pages of happily adopted horses. Again, I realize they are not for everyone and the program is FAR from perfect. By the way, I also own a Quarter Horse, a Belgian/Thoroughbred and an Arabian (my latest adoption). :) Jackie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sullivan" <greymare@xxxxxxx> To: "Typef" <typef@xxxxxxxxx>; "Ride Camp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 10:47 PM Subject: Re: [RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CA Jackie and all, Given I have first hand observed a BLM adoption in my own county last weekend (Lakeport, Lake County), I am going to offer a few thoughts here. First of all, congratulations to you for apparently successfully adopting a mustang, providing a good home and training, and probably obtaining title. I do believe that some of these are successfully adopted by experienced horse-handlers. Those horses are the lucky ones. It's also great when Mustangs excell in equine sports. However, the people who are taking these animals and producing a well mannered and trained horse; are the people who can afford to buy, feed and maintain a horse anyway, and I'll bet, have years of horse experience.. After reading the forwarded press release, and coupled with my observations, I have to express total disgust at both the pricing, marketing and attempt to foist off basically wild amimals on an inexperienced and clueless public. By comparing these aminals to Easter bunnies and chicks (we all know the fate of THOSE), and offering them to the public for less than market value(i.e. auction price), you only encourage every low-life, low rent, welfare parasite, and I will repeat again, clueless person to easily come home with a horse. Tell me how a person, who cannot afford to pay the going rate for a quality horse (one well cared for and trained) , can afftord to feed, trim, vaccinate, worm, and generally provide basic care for a wild one, when any professional who has to risk their welfare to treat or handle it (vets, farriers) are going to charge MORE.? Lakeport was full of folks who had never owned a horse in their life, adopting 2 or more animals. BLM was telling them to take a "young one", so that they could all "learn together." One BLM employee told a woman to go sleep in the corral with her mustangs. This woman lives up the road from me, has never had a horse, has a 10 year old daughter, inadequate facilities (falling down field fence with barbed wire), and yet, now has thee yearlings in a 40 X 40 pipe panel corral, all crammed in together. No access to shelter. Another former boarder of mine (I kicked her off for not bringing hay for her horse), cannot afford to feed or do basic vet care on ONE horse, still walked away with a cheap horse. This facility, which was approved by a BLM employee who delivered the horses, first of all, failed to meet their stated requirements, and was certainly not adequate for a domesticated horse, let alone a wild one. Now, there are thee yearlings, lying in the mud, all wearing halters and dragging ropes, no hay in sight........a 10 year old child sitting in the middle of the pen. It's a disaster waiting to happen. When these little yearlings need feet trimming in two months, who the heck is going to do it? What happens if they get injured in the next few months....how the heck to you treat leg wounds on a horse you cannot touch? If you have never, ever had a horse before, how do you know how to monitor for colic, take a temperature, etc, if you cannot safely handle the horse? How can you "read" this animals signals- it is going to strike or kick, if you have never had a horse and don't know how to interpret horse behavior? I mean, the mind boggles! These horse are a challenge for EXPERIENCED horse owners! I believe BLM is caught between a rock and a hard place.....haveing to reduce numbers on the range, with no ability to cull or thin the herds in a humane way, except for this money-losing program. What do you suppose these horses cost the taxpayers by the time they are rounded up, given shots, worming, foot trimming, fed for months, and transported all over the country? When BLM tried to raise the price of adoptions under James Watt....adoptions fell way off. They could not get rid of the animals. But sometimes when you devalue an animal (free or cheap), it gets treated like it is worth nothing. Again, it sounds like your horse was one of the lucky ones. I know for a fact, in a year or so, there will be underfed, unhandled, un-wormed and vaccinated mustangs with 10" long feet.....standing forgotten in Lake County pastures and backyards. There are already some from people who had to make a effort (i.e. travel) to get one in previous adoptions. Far better these horses were dispatched with a humane bolt or bullet between the eyes, than adopted out to some of the people that were there Saturday. Several horses came off the trucks injured. One little mare was slammed into a pipe panel early Saturday morning and crunched her leg. At 4:30 that afternoon, all that had been done was to lower the price on her. Poor mare could not put any weight on that leg; According to the BLM employee I talked to, there is no requirement of having any kind of horse experience or knowledge....only the facility. To me this is wrong......just like adopting out shelter animals.....at least make the requirements more stringent, and the price high enough to weed out the low-lifes.. What I saw at Lakeport was an embarassment. I have been a big cheerleader for our local BLM office; in all their efforts to provide public work days, solicit public imput, expand trails and recreational areas, and work with,and encourage multi-use groups. But based on what I saw, I could never support this program. I do not believe it is in the best interests of the majority of these poor horses. Karen Sullivan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Typef" <typef@xxxxxxxxx> To: "Ride Camp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 5:17 PM Subject: [RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CAI thought I would pass this on for those of you in the market for an inexpensive project and future endurance prospect. My most wonderful,lovingMustang MC came from one of these auctions. The price is definitely right ... they've dropped it to $25 on some of them. They even mention endurance in their press release ... YAY! :) Jackie For Immediate Release: March 21, 2003 Contact: Doran Sanchez, (909) 697-5220; E-MAIL: dasanche@xxxxxxxxxx CA-CDD-03-33 BLM Schedules Special Wild Horse and Burro Adoption for Easter Most people may think of chicks and bunnies for Easter, but the U.S.Bureauof Land Management (BLM) has a better idea - - how about adopting a wild horse or burro to celebrate the arrival of spring? It may not fit in an Easter basket, but the animals can offer many years of pleasure to their adopters. The Bureau will offer about 150 wild Mustangs and 80 wild burros for adoption on Saturday, April 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at its Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corral Facility located 4 ½ miles east of Ridgecrest, California on the Randsburg Wash Road. The adoption will be conducted by first come, first served. To make this Easter adoption even more special, the BLM is reducingadoptionfees on many of the animals. Jacks, and Mustangs (geldings and mares)threeto five years old will be available for adoption for $25 per animal. Jennies, and Mustangs two years and younger (weanlings, geldings, mares) will be available for adoption for $125 per animal. Adoption fees may be paid by cash, check or credit card. BLM is reducing the adoption fees on the animals that have been in BLM corral facilities and sanctuaries for more that six months in an effort to place them in good homes. BLM has been conducting emergency gathers throughout the western United States because severe drought conditions and wildfires have destroyed thousands of acres of wild horse and burrohabitat,and now has more than 8,000 animals that need a good home. All theanimalshave been wormed and vaccinated and are in excellent health. Phil West will conduct a free horse gentling and training demonstration at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. After the demonstration, the Mustang will be offered for adoption. West, an officer with the Inyo County Sheriffs Department, has adopted and trained many Mustangs and uses his Mustang for Mounted Patrol. Mustangs make excellent riding stock, and properly trained some adopted Mustangs have become national champions in dressage, snaffle bit competitions, trail, endurance, and jumping. BLM wranglers and personnel will be available to answer questions and help adopters select their animal(s). Individuals must be at least 18 years old and have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals. Adopters also must have adequatefacilities,the financial means to care for the animal(s), and should have some experience training or raising a horse or burro. Qualified individualsmayadopt up to four animals. Adopters should bring a nylon web halter and 20-foot cotton lead rope for each animal. A stock trailer will be required to transport theanimal(s).Drop ramp trailers will not be allowed. The wranglers will load theanimalsinto the trailers. Private carriers also will be available to helpadopterstransport their animal(s). The process is called an ?adoption? because BLM retains title to theanimalfor one year after the adoption. During this time, adopters cannot sell their adopted animal. More than 195,000 animals have been placed inprivatehomes since the Adopt-A-Horse or Burro Program began in 1973. For more information contact Doran Sanchez, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, at (909) 697-5220. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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