Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I always seem to be compelled to speak up when it comes to talking about mustangs.  Guess it's a topic near and dear to my heart.  I have such mixed feelings about the whole mustang situation.  Humans have created this problem and now we've gotta fix it.  I sure wish we could come up with a better solution than this.

The part of the bill that bothered me most was the part that referred to horses who had been offerred for adoption three times being sent to auction, and presumably to slaughter.  I couldn't help but think about my mustang, Ranger.  He was in a couple of different holding facilities for about a year and a half before I adopted him.  It's likely that he'd been to three or more adoption events before that time.  Now he's not the most gorgeous horse in the world, but he's nothing to scoff at either.  When I asked the BLM officials why he had been in holding facilities for so long, they said it was likely that he was passed up at adoption simply because he's a plain ol' bay, as opposed to having a flashy color pattern that is popular with so many adopters.

Ranger just finished his first 25 at the Lone Star ride last weekend.  He was cool as a cucumber and we both had a good time.  After I take a "maternity" break, I hope to get him on some more rides.  He's not fast, but he does the miles, and he's a nice, safe ride, exactly what I want in an endurance horse right now.  

If it were just old or crippled horses who were eligible for slaughter, maybe this bill wouldn't worry me so much.  But the "3 adoption events" clause means that horses with Ranger's potential could also go to slaughter.  Kinda breaks my heart.

Ed Kilpatrick, your post on this topic reflects my feelings as well.  I'll be right there with you trying to "make a difference one horse at a time."  I really admire your efforts with these horses, and hope to meet you on the trail sometime.

Karen N.

---well, i guess every one who knows me, knows that i really like working with those blm mustangs.  and yes, this is a topic that many will get very passionate about.  oh, and just to note here,   white people are not native to western range lands, either, and i am not so sure that they are "managed" any better than the blm horses.   :-)
 
the way i read this new language(recently passed? yet to be voted on?) it refers to horses older than ten years, and those that have been offered for adoption three times, and were not adopted.  i have read a few comments about the ones that arent adopted, i.e.  unmanageable, untrainable, etc., and just wanted to share this.   my most recent adopted mustang is a five year old stallion.  i got him back in may of this year at the marianna florida adoption.  i didnt go over there to get a horse, just saw this stallion and liked his looks, so i got him.  he was cheap because he was a "frequent flyer", that is, he had been through three adoption/sales and nobody wanted him.   five year old stallions scare some people, and quite honestly, they are not for everybody.  well,  long story short,  i rode this horse in a 50 mile endurance ride on nov. 13th, the hahira river run.  he behavior was excellent, and he finished with no problem at all.
i am sure that for every success story with these horses, there may be "failure" stories as well.
there are management issues with these herds, and there must be ways of dealing with these issues. it is not an easy task.   i might not be able to make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but i can make a difference one horse at the time, and will continue to do so.       ed