Please read and add your comments to this article which has been picked up nationwide! read here
- The half-million acre Calico Complex herd management area is the last stronghold of the American mustang and was designated by Congress principally for the wild horses and burros. Millions of head of livestock graze at a cost of $1.35/cow-calf pair/month.
- Overall welfare livestock constitute a net loss of $123 million annually to the American tax payer.
- The scapegoating of wild horses and burros for range deterioration must stop—they comprise only a tiny fraction of animals and wildlife grazing on our public lands.
- Cows graze within a mile of water. In comparison wild horses are highly mobile, moving 5-10 miles from water and grazing on more rugged terrain.
- BLM does not adequately control cattle on the public’s land and has does not sustainably balancing use of the “forage”, water and space.
- A 1000-lb cow not only eats 26lbs. of forage daily but they consume as much as 30 gallons of water a day and defecate in it as well.
- Private and corporate livestock outnumber wild horses at least 100 to 1 on public lands.
thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com 
January 17, 2010 at 7:27 pm |
STILL TRYING TO GET LOGGED IN TO THIS LAST ONE.
January 17, 2010 at 8:10 pm |
I CAN SEE THAT SOME OF THIS BATTLE IS GOING TO BE FOUGHT IN THE PRESS–WITH A CONTINUOUS NEED TO COMMENT. HAVING TO CONTINUALLY REGISTER, COME UP WITH A PASSWORD,ETC. IS PROBABLY KEEPING MANY FROM ENTERING THE DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY WAY FOR ALL OF US TO POST OUR COMMENTS IN ONE PLACE AND HAVE THEM POSTED THROUGH THE CLOUD FOUNDATION–
SOMETHING THAT SIMPLIFIES THE PROCESS?
January 17, 2010 at 8:18 pm |
No, we need to keep doing it individually. Force in numbers. But we need to quit getting drawn into silly arguements. The temptation to blast some one who is basically screaming at you is strong but we need to stick to the facts. Constantly posting the facts brings the truth to more people than the people who apparently can’t tell when they are looking at a cow as opposed to a horse do when they yell about damage to the range.
January 17, 2010 at 8:22 pm |
Here’s a newspaper where you DON’T have to register. I found it with a Google search today.
http://www.senecanewsdispatch.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=130&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=508&wpage=&skeyword=&sida
What is the Seneca News Dispatch, you ask? Well it happens to be in southwestern Missouri town, and it’s Sheryl Crow’s hometown. Coincidence? I don’t think so. There was a letter from a woman and a response from Bob Abbey today. Forgive me, I couldn’t not respond. (Intended double negative.)
January 18, 2010 at 4:37 pm |
Don Glenn responded to this letter.
January 19, 2010 at 3:20 pm |
Why were my comments deleted?
January 19, 2010 at 7:39 pm
I saw your comment. And Don Glenns comment. Other than that I only see two other and I can’t post my own either.
January 17, 2010 at 8:32 pm |
i can tell u personally that cows are slobs – i grew up on a farm in iowa and the cows did not care where they pooped – barn where they slept, drinking water, etc.
January 17, 2010 at 8:35 pm |
LAURA, YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE TO TAKE EACH SNIPER AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUT MORE INFORMATION. HERE IS SOME FOR THE MOST RECENT ATTACK. PERHAPS SOMEONE CAN GET THIS POSTED, AS I’M STILL TRYING TO GET LOGGED ON:
RESPONDING TO THE MUSTANGS CHASING THE PRONGHORNED ANTELOPE AND BEING A THREAT TO THEIR POPULATION–THE 2009 WILDLIFE POPULATIONS OBTAINED FROM THE NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILFLIFE SHOW THE PRONGHORN ANTELOPE AT 7.3% WHILE THE WILD HORSES ARE AT 3.5% (REMEMBER THE PIE CHART?) IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT THAT THE FENCING OFF OF WATER CAUSES PROBLEMS TO ALL WILDLIFE, AS THE ANTELOPE CAN’T JUMP THE FENCES EITHER.
January 17, 2010 at 8:41 pm |
AS FOR JEREMY DREW, PRESIDENT OF THE SAFARI CLUB, SAYING THIS OPPOSITION IS “HYSTERIA”. I SUBMIT THAT THE PROPER WORD IS “OUTRAGE”.
January 18, 2010 at 9:22 am |
I would say we are calling them on their BS (pun intended)
January 17, 2010 at 8:48 pm |
AND–WHEN THEY BRING UP ANIMALS COMPETING FOR WATER–THEY ARE ALL GOING TO BE COMPETING WITH THE RUBY PIPELINE FOR WATER IF IT IS ALLOWED TO GO THROUGH AS THEY WOULD LIKE. REMEMBER THE WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION ON THE POST?
January 18, 2010 at 9:25 am |
Yup. Water is involved. Maybe a water pipeline in the ROW next to the gas line? What do you think? Do you think that big Right of Way (ROW) will be limited to one natural gas line? How about the shopping malls? JK. Or am I?
Keep up the great work everyone : )
January 17, 2010 at 8:53 pm |
LAURA
You kind of loose me at the end there. Good point however, regarding keeping clear heads and getting the facts out there.
January 18, 2010 at 4:43 pm |
Sorry, I was tired. He was going on about the damage caused by horses so I figured maybe he just didn’t know which one was the horse and which one was the cow.
January 18, 2010 at 4:44 pm
wow, I really was babbling at the end there, wasn’t I?
January 17, 2010 at 10:19 pm |
most americans are eating less beef all the time. why the need for more cattle grazing lands?
January 18, 2010 at 2:46 am |
BOYCOTT MEAT
January 18, 2010 at 3:24 am |
This is a comment from the salt lake trib article by willis ….people DO shoot horses in Nevada…this should be turned in to the authorities….who do we call?
tt600: 1/17/2010 3:46:00 PM
0
I sort of like looking at a few wild horses myself. But if they are trashing the range then I have no problem with shooting a few to keep things under control. Same goes with cows, elk, deer, buffalo, wolves you name it. Out on Antelope Island they cull quite a few buffalo every year to keep things under controll. Likewise they trap bigorns to sell to other states. Why should horses be any different? Giving horses some artificial superiority over other range animals is wasteful and illogical.
Report Abuse | Ignore This User
January 18, 2010 at 3:57 pm |
If you follow the logic of (some) anti-horse people, they outta be trapping Big Horns and sending them (back) to another continent!
January 18, 2010 at 4:00 pm |
PS Nobody thinks horses should have “artificial superiority” over other range animals, all range animals have a place.
January 18, 2010 at 5:44 am |
I JUST HAD TO TAKE A SWING AT ONE OF THE SNIPERS ON THE SIERRA CLUB-SAFARI CLUB DEBATE. IF ANYONE CAN EXPLAIN TO ME HOW TRYING TO HELP THE HORSES TAKES AWAY FROM FEEDING THE CHILDREN–I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT.
January 18, 2010 at 6:47 am |
There was someone else making similar comments about a month or so ago on another article.
January 18, 2010 at 3:54 pm |
Where did this article/debate appear? I’m trying to stay up on all the news articles, but its very hard. I/we much appreciate updates here that we should be looking at or commenting on. Thanks to all.
January 18, 2010 at 4:47 pm
The one I saw was a comment on an article about a month ago and some one commented back about the french not wanting our horsemeat anyway because of chemicals. I’m not exactly sure, there’s been so many of them but I do remember that it was before the round up started and it was also when the comments were mostly anti horse.
January 18, 2010 at 4:36 pm |
ALERT: The letter to the editor that LindaH posted has a response from Don Glenn!
January 19, 2010 at 2:40 pm |
I have been a life long supporter of wildlife causes. My wolf adoption certificate is still posted on my office bulletin board and right now the geese are fighting over future nesting territory in my back yard (I live in a suburban neighborhood which is also a Giant Canada Goose nesting area because I am on a creek). I am appalled and shocked by the anti-wild horse and burro reaction from a few of the wild life groups, but most of them are just silent on the issue (such as National Wildlife Federation and Defenders of Wildlife), which I suspect is NOT a good sign. We need to have alliances with those who support wildlife – it is in the interest of both our groups. Let’s not attack them and alienate them further (although it is certainly tempting to do so). The issue isn’t whether or not the horses and the pronghorns get along around the watering hole; the issue is forcing the federal government to obey the law and restore the wild horses and burros to the ranges assigned to them by the 1971 WFRHB Act. Additionally, it isn’t a matter of whether the Sierra Club likes it or not – the law has been passed, it is on the books, it has not been rescinded, and I don’t think all the money in the world from special interests would entice Congress to harm the horses and burros unless political suicide is on their agenda! The right of the wild horses and burros to be on our Public Lands in certain areas is supported by the 1971 law, so the debate over whether they SHOULD be there is past history by almost 40 years.
I issue a direct challenge to special interests and Corporate America: try using you wealth to corrupt our judiciary as you have corrupted our Congress and Executive Branch and I think you will be sent directly to jail. So, my point is, by moving the issue to court, we have put it out of reach of “all the money in the world” – there is no Congress to bribe this time, because the 1971 law is already passed and we do not need further law to achieve our ends. Also, with a vigilant citizenry helping the court keep tabs on everything, money will not easily buy the decisions and management of the BLM/DOI on our Public Lands in the future. We need to fight special interests and Corporate America, not each other. For once, the enemy is “out there” – it is not “us”. Have you noticed how short the nasty comments are from the horse haters? That’s because they aren’t very smart, they aren’t educated, and they like it that way. Our outreach has to be to the ordinary American citizen, who doesn’t know what to think about this issue and needs reliable information. The vast majority of our citizens love the “wild ones” and want them well taken care of. That is why I am so surprised and ashamed, really, of the reaction of some of the wildlife groups. However, I would guess that the problem is at the management level, and not “in the pews”, so to speak, of these organizations. So, if you are a member of the Sierra Club, for instance, call your state chapter and protest against any discrimination against the wild horses and burros. If members make clear that such discrimination is unacceptable, the leadership will have to go along. You might mention to your state Sierra Club that the only different between the wild horses and burros and other wildlife is that they are not hunted for meat. There is a good reason for that – Americans are not disgusting barbarians who eat horses, as is true in some other parts of the supposedly civilized world.
January 19, 2010 at 3:24 pm |
Why are my comments deleted
January 21, 2010 at 4:45 pm |
Excellent comment, Sandra!
January 21, 2010 at 6:00 pm |
Thank you, Suzanne! Everyone’s comments are excellent when it comes to supporting the wild horses and burros, because they are so dear to all of us. We write, “straight from the human’s heart”, to give a little different twist to another horse lover’s words. I have been thinking about our horses and burros needing much more protection. A few months ago I wrote to my “friends and relatives” that we need groups of mounted and armed law enforcement officers of impeccable background and sterling character to guard our wild horses and burros. Now, as time passes and events move forward, I think our wild ones already have that – us! I can leave my grandfather’s 12 gauge and my own .410 at home, though – we are armed with the law! And computers, aerial surveillance, mechanized vehicles and TV make it “almost” possible to be there in person. So, we are the bodyguards, and we need all our fellow citizens to “join up”!
January 22, 2010 at 1:52 am |
I’m starting to see more pro-horse comments than I used to. Of course, there are still the ignorant/biased/haters around, but we can post the truth to counteract their propaganda.
I believe most Americans love horses and would support them if they knew the TRUTH about what is happening.
January 22, 2010 at 2:59 am |
I have a lot of thoughts about this whole area, Suzanne. To begin, I had NO IDEA that our wild horses and burros on our Public Lands were being so mistreated. So, I think, this dialogue and argument had been pretty much confined to the ten western states in which the horses and burros live. Therefore, in those states you have had continuous, ongoing arguments between the pro and anti wild horse and burro factions, and it must seem to those who live in this environment that there are huge numbers of horse haters (I call them the despicable loonies of the West). However, I am sure you will find as knowledge of this problem spreads throughout all 50 states, that the vast majority of the American people continue to have the same opinion about the wild horses and burros as they had in 1971, when WFRHB was passed. I want you to know that my sister and I have cried our way through this issue since we discovered it in August, around the time of the “Mustangs on the Hill” gathering. Care2 had a petition drive about it. Because I have a lot of political experience through several years of working to stop amnesty from being given to 12 – 20 million illegal aliens (another area where our federal government refused to enforce its own laws, the 1986 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, in this case), I immediately started educating those on my friends and relatives list about the wild horses and burros. Two relatives and I are in Indiana, my sister is in Tucson, my nephew is in Mexico City teaching at the University, my niece is in Edmonton, Canada, four are in Michigan, 2 are in Alabama, one is in Utah, and one is in Virginia. We are a diverse group, geographically. I depend on everyone to get my information out to those on their own friends and relatives list. Writing on the Internet is like tossing a message in a bottle into the sea – you never know where it will end up, and I always write with that in mind. Take heart – I am sure the American people are with us! It is the truth that we are ALL trying to get the out. Have you read “BLM’s Final Solution for the Wild Horses and Burros” on the Animal Law Coalition web site, which contains information gained through the Freedom of Information Act about meetings held in 2008 and 2009 by the BLM? These people are SICK (I mean, mentally ill)! Everyone who participated in those meetings should be fired, and some of them might need some jail time. I just feel terrible about the horses already lost, but as my Grandfather Harding, DVM, always told his family, “Take care of the living – don’t mourn the dead”, and I think he is right!