Chasing mustangs

["Karen Steenhof" <steenhof@cyberhighway.net>]

Hi Karen-

I have to ask.  Do the BLM people know you are chasing wild horses?  If so,
how do they feel about it?

Here in Idaho, the BLM has refused to permit a traditional endurance ride
and is trying to discourage recreational riding in a wild horse management
area because they claim equestrians are "harassing" the wild horses.  I
believe they claim that "harassment" is a violation of the Wild Horse and
Burro Act.  They are also concerned that recreational activity will "push"
wild horses off the public lands onto private lands, where they are
unwanted.  The area is one of my favorite conditioning areas.  I like to see
the wild horses, but I
don't like the fact that they are being afforded more protection than some
of our truly endangered species.  Is this not the case in Nevada?  Here in
Idaho, I wouldn't dare chase the horses, for fear that the area would be
closed off permanently to equestrian use.

Karen Steenhof
Boise, Idaho
steenhof@cyberhighway.net
(formerly with BLM now with USGS but expressing my personal opinions only)


>We regularly encounter herds of wild mustangs.  Any fit endurance horse
>will have no problem keeping up with them and running them until they can't
>go any farther (the mustangs, not the endurance horses).  Usually it is 10
>miles or less.  And yes, we go over rocks and very difficult terrain,
>usually we end up in places where there are no trails or roads. Just rocks.
> It's a lot of fun, if you can handle the adrenalin rush.  (sometimes you
>end up pretty far away from home) ;^)