Dear Friends of the Wild Horses;
I had the honor of traveling to Montana to visit our families of older wild horses that had been removed from the Custer National Forest Lands. These older horses include 19 year-old Conquistador and 21-year-old Grumpy Grulla. 15 horses in all, comprising four family groups. We were able to buy and adopt them so they could stay together in their family units. Through the efforts of Laura & Carl Pivonka and Mike Penfold a large ranch was found just north of the Pryors where the horses could stay. When I arrived on Thursday…. Read the complete update here
Photo by Mike Penfold
thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com 
November 3, 2009 at 12:40 am |
We will continue to send a small donation to help out every month to TCF. Hopefully if others also do, it will begin to add up!
Thank you for the great update on these lucky ones the wonderful story of the preparations and release and the continued call for action and all the links.
November 3, 2009 at 4:09 am |
This is perfect news combined with progress on the Moratorium. These horses have waited all this time. Looking good, all, and Thank you, hugs, mar
November 13, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Someone has wiped out all my subscriptions to word press. I resubscribe and I hear nothing.
November 13, 2009 at 7:29 pm
This means the Cloud Blog, Rt and Spring Creek among others. Mar
November 15, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Me, too, Margo! I think WordPress “snapped” or something. . . now we actually have to check the blogs to see what is going on! Not so convenient!
November 3, 2009 at 2:56 am |
I’m sitting here drinking coffee from my Conquistador mug, wearing my Conquistador T-shirt and looking at these wonderful pictures over and over and over.
Beautiful.
November 3, 2009 at 12:24 pm |
My very frugal “better half” just said, yesterday, “You’d better start planning a trip to the Pryor Mountains . . . you won’t be happy, anyway, until you go!”
!!!!
November 3, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Janet, understand completely!!! my sister and I will be out there next summer, can’t wait to see this beautiful place and the horses,
I am so happy for them, it’s good to see them grazing and playing and being wild again,
November 3, 2009 at 2:24 pm
“Next year in The Pryors!”
November 3, 2009 at 3:29 am |
wonderful!!!!!
November 3, 2009 at 4:02 am |
So how much space do they actually get to roam on the ranch? All 2000 acres, or less?
Suzanne, how did the mug and shirt come out? I always like a bit of feedback on CafePress stuff I’ve worked on, just to make sure it comes out right.
November 4, 2009 at 3:26 pm |
The shirt and the mug are just great. I got the large mug, and it’s perfect for my morning coffee. I’m still wearing the shirt this morning – it is SO soft and light! It’s gonna spoil me for my other Ts. LOL!
November 7, 2009 at 3:39 am
Yay! I wasn’t sure the text was going to reproduce well, but I’m glad that all that work turned out well. 🙂
November 3, 2009 at 4:42 pm |
Just hopping about the web. . . came across interesting fact: The State of Montana is the fourth largest in all of the United States.
And it seems to have very few places for wild horses. I don’t know if this is because they were only “present” in a small area “originally” or if it is just erosion of their “natural ranges.”
November 3, 2009 at 5:12 pm |
JF, Except for the Pryors, all the horses were removed from Montana range by BLM. mar
November 3, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Good Lord what a crock, if you will excuse my French.
November 3, 2009 at 6:37 pm
JF, I hope, at some point, a wily researcher will chronicle the passage of the horses from the states and their range. They deserve a memorial to their freedom stolen and the agency that betrayed them, so it will not happen again. mar
November 3, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I wonder where all that info resides, plus, if it is available to the public.
November 4, 2009 at 11:36 pm
One thing the public hearing can do is have this info made available to the public. If it is requested. It is a government agency??? and should have done so all along. This may change. Let us hope. But, no, it has not been available to us. Freedom of Information Azct has been used at times. According to a woman I talked to recently BLM is more in line with State Agencies. The states can trump BLM. I think that is how the West Douglas herd got a reprieve. Mar
November 3, 2009 at 4:52 pm |
Once the gate is open to Apsáalooke Tribal Land , A 9-9-9 marker can be put Penn Cabin as the end of the BLM gathers here.
A week ago someone asked me about this place and Cloud.A memory helped the story.
A long time ago in this land I was covered in blood after a battle with a buck mule deer. I held the heart and liver in one hand.The buck in the other and lifted slowly up a (coulee stone wall seen in Ginger’s excellent films).
This was before the refuge was made.
November 3, 2009 at 4:57 pm |
The horses have been the great giveaway in this story, RJ. Honor them now, as we go.. mar
November 3, 2009 at 6:33 pm |
What are you two talking about. . . my age enfeebled brain can’t grasp Mr. Daum’s message nor your response.
thank you.
November 3, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Honor the animal who gives life so you may live. The lesson of antelope, I think. I can’t speak for RJ. The ‘great giveaway’ is from the animal who dies to feed you. mar
November 3, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Janet,
Congressional Hearings have been announced and stopping the BLM. The Crow Nation,Apsáalooke have adjoining land to Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Refuge, Tribal leaders are deciding to open tribal land to the wild mustangs. This gives tremendous protection to the horses there.
The story was a graphic childhood memory of how wild and inaccessable the land is where horse could now have access.
I apologize for the confusion.
November 3, 2009 at 6:45 pm |
What is a coulee stone wall? This is my last question!
November 3, 2009 at 7:08 pm |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_Canyon_National_Recreation_Area
See picture of bakers landing . Image this before flooded with water and being lifted up the walls of the coulee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulee
as you would say pardon my french.
Please ask more questions and if you visit I can get you a guide.
November 4, 2009 at 11:40 pm |
It is a natural feature of stone that I think RJ recognized in Ginger’s film? Mar
November 4, 2009 at 12:51 am |
Are some of the mares pregnant? they look so from the pictures; that would be a happy thing!
November 4, 2009 at 1:03 am |
Thanks for the update and beautiful pictures! Good to see the horses are doing so well considering all they’ve been through!
November 4, 2009 at 2:06 am |
TCF, Thank you for the update! The horses look healthy!
November 5, 2009 at 6:17 pm |
What happened to the blog entry about the moratorium? What’s the progress? Thanks, Angie
November 5, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
It disappeared.
November 5, 2009 at 7:36 pm |
That stinks:( It was nice to see something positive for a change:)
November 5, 2009 at 7:52 pm |
Is it not somewhat wierd?
November 5, 2009 at 7:55 pm
That it has disappeared?
I was thinking — if independent college student newspapers could get “on board” with what is happening, more people could be informed about it (students, faculty, etc.) Not just colleges with equine programs, but any college with an independent student newspaper.
November 6, 2009 at 6:46 pm |
ON THE MORATORIUM–IT PROBABLY TAKES SOME TIME AND AN LOT OF DELIBERATING TO ACTUALLY GET IT MOVING. JUST KEEP ON WITH WHAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN DOING. THEY NEED TO KEEP HEARING FROM US.
November 7, 2009 at 9:12 am |
ANYONE THAT HAS A SCANNER–PULL SOME OF THE MORE TELLING PICTURES FROM THE VARIOUS WEBSITES, SHOWING WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE ROUND-UPS AND AFTER. ALSO, SEND ALONG ANY REPORTS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE. KEEP IT ACCURATE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT IT TRUTHFUL AND NOT COMING FROM A BUNCH OF “BLEEDING HEARTS”, WHICH IS HOW ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ARE SOMETIMES DISMISSED. IT WOULD SURE BE NICE TO HAVE SOME SENATORS PRESENT AT A FEW OF THESE ROUND-UPS, ONLY WITHOUT BEING NOTICED.
November 7, 2009 at 1:55 pm |
That’s the spirit, Louie … Has anyone heard anything from Green Mountain, or any other roundup in Wyoming? All this good weather after the snow and three days I heard Cattoors shut down must have made it easy to get in there. They will be leaving very few of these horses behind. I want to ask a Rock Springs journalist to look in on the horses corralled there over winter. There is also a ranch nearby where horses are gentled. Mar
November 7, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I wonder how much “power” the governors of each state have. If this material could get into their hands??
Note: sometimes you cannot send an “attachment” to hi level office in Washington on an email — they will not accept. Be sure to check first?
I had an idea — why couldn’t each herd have its own “Coat of Arms” or chevron or whatever you might call it “Shield” or whatever, designed by artists? Each shield could be used to summon “watchers” to the herd — used for Scouts activities — perhaps Scouts could become herd watchers and get “badge” with the herd’s “shield” on it, or something.
People could give $ to support a herd, an receive a “shield patch” or “button” or something in exchange for giving money or time and then over time perhaps might be collected to show the different herds one has helped???
November 7, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Or there could be “contests” to design the official “shield” design for each herd — open to all ages, or just children, perhaps????
November 7, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Could be sponsored at the State level by governor’s office or whatever????
November 7, 2009 at 6:42 pm |
JF, Yes, I think everyone should be involved and that having an identity for a herd’s area that represents it would be wonderful. ‘Scouts’ should be all interested people. I don’t think age should matter except you don’t want kids out in the wilds without adults, anyway. But ‘shields’ are a tradition in Native society. The women would make the shield’s design and decoration. It would be like ‘pony societies’! There could be material published each year that tells the herd’s story. Sell that and raise money for the viewers and guides.
I do think the Governor’s could be asked to stop the roundups, one day they would be glad if they did. I think we will want to be involved with the horses and burros in a whole new way and no one will say ‘no’ ever again. Mar
November 7, 2009 at 7:30 pm |
I CALLED THE GOV’S OFFICE IN MONTANA WHEN THEY WERE ROUNDING UP CLOUD’S HERD. STAFF WORKER TOLD ME THAT BLM WAS FEDERAL AND THEY COULDN’T DO ANYTHING. IS THAT REALLY SO? A FRIEND POSED AN INTERESTING QUESTION–WHAT IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ON FEDERAL LANDS–WHO RESPONDS–LOCAL AGENCIES, OR FEDERAL?
November 7, 2009 at 8:02 pm |
Louie, According to what a person doing research has said, BLM must defer to what the state says. If a governor’s office will not allow you to get your message across then they are accepting what BLM is doing. But BLM has Regional Offices that coordinate with the state. It is another aspect of what the public cannot approach. Apparently there are different guidelines for the herd areas and that all depends upon the state. If state people make a noise they are more likely heard than out of state. I know that from experience out here. mar
November 7, 2009 at 7:51 pm |
WONDER HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO HAVE A BILLBOARD ON A MAJOR FREEWAY SHOWING WHAT WE ALL WANT EVERYONE TO SEE?
November 7, 2009 at 8:03 pm |
Thousands
November 7, 2009 at 11:12 pm |
Alot of billboard companies do public service ads. That might worth a shot in a big city.
November 8, 2009 at 3:28 am |
THE GOVERNOR OF MONTANA IS NOT A FRIEND OF HORSES–WILD OR OTHERWISE, APPARENTLY. I WAS TOLD THAT HE SIGNED THE HORSE-SLAUGHTER BILL. DIDN’T THE BURNS AMMENDMENT COME FROM ONE OF THE MONTANA LEGISLATORS?
November 9, 2009 at 11:19 pm |
I am just putting this up here because Just found it on web. It is called The Western Governor’s Association.
I can’t wait to read. . .
http://www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives/fire/index.htm
November 8, 2009 at 6:47 am |
PULL UP ANY WEBSITE THAT TELLS THE STORY OF WILD HORSE ANNIE–YOU WILL ALL FEEL LIKE REALLY DIGGING IN AND HOLDING GROUND. SHE WORKED SO HARD AND IT TOOK 10 YEARS. SHE WAS UP AGAINST ALL THE SAME FORCES. THE WORK THAT EVERYONE IS DOING NOW CARRIES AND CONTINUES HER WORK FORWARD.
November 17, 2009 at 5:21 pm |
i googled did former president bush know about the burns amendment – found literally hundreds of websites – one called bush, oil and wild horses is a film on youtube, found a website for willie nelson on trying to save horses, and one i think i came across before mustangs 4 us – lots of good stuff and u can email the owner
also article written in washington post – just google they really do shoot horses
there is lot of info on the web about the horses – just takes time to look up and then need someone to put ti all together –
November 17, 2009 at 5:24 pm |
i so agree with Louie Crocroft – hope that is right and remember wild horse annie did this without THE INTERNET AND FINDING HORSE PEOPLE ONLINE – she got school kids to write letters – think i read someplace salazar made comment that only little girls dream about wild horses – well if we could find millions of those little girls and have them all write letters – maybe would wake up washington
November 17, 2009 at 7:50 pm |
Jan S. This an issue I keep hearing and if little girls cannot dream about something tangible in this nation and if public officials insult them by implying that what little girls care about has no relevance or meaning, it is a crying shame. Does Salazoo have a daughter? Do ranchers only have sons? They may as well according to a very revealing book by a rancher’s daughter a few years back. It makes me mad to think that Salazoo is insulting Annie and her accomplishments which were in keeping with the American Way which is fast fading. Who says that women and girls in this nation have no rights? DOI/BLM? It is all relative and I see a monster that needs slaying on this quest to free our wild horses and burros from Bureau of Monstrous Lies! The Department of Insults…. Mar
November 21, 2009 at 9:01 am |
DO YOU THINK ALL THOSE LITTLE GIRLS WOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED TERRORISTS?