“The Wild Horse Conspiracy” New book out by TCF board member, Craig Downer

Proudly announcing the publication of a pivotal book for America’s wild horses and burros that has been over 4 years in preparation

THE WILD HORSE CONSPIRACY

by Craig C. Downer, Wildlife Ecologist and Author  (Date of Publication: 1/18/2012)

This stirring and amply illustrated, 300-page book fully justifies America’s magnificent wild horses and burros while countering the biased machinations against them. Written by an ecologist who grew up observing these animals in the West, it presents new evidence concerning their history and evolution in North America then describes their many positive contributions to soils, plants, animals and people. Though true restorers of this continent’s ecosystem, they have been unfairly targeted for elimination. Over the centuries, they have borne our burdens and helped us along life’s way—which makes it doubly unfair that they should be blamed for what we humans have done. As always, they stand ready to help us do the hard work now so desperately needed to restore our shared home.

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An Update Video on the Divide Basin Roundup

Dear Wild Horse Champions; We invite you to screen the linked 10-minute story about our trip late last month to the vast, sage-covered landscapes of southern Wyoming. Lauryn Wachs and I attended the roundup of wild horses in the Great Divide Basin. As many of you know, I would rather be strung up by my thumbs than attend these sad and savage events. It blows me away that our tax dollars are still being wasted on helicopter roundups to scour the land of these beautiful creatures. But, the program speaks for itself—both to the beauty of the land and the horses.

On Location with Cloud – On his 16th Birthday

Sixteen years ago on this day, May 29th, Cloud tottered out of the trees not too far from this spot with his mother. We went up to his Pryor Mountain home to look for him on his “Sweet Sixteenth.” We found him with his band up on Tillett Ridge. A few bachelors came on to the scene, and Cloud proved his fitness and strength once again.

Action Alert: Wild Horse Abuse in Holding Facility

I hope by now you’ve seen our latest video of the squalid conditions at the Salt Lake City Wild Horse and Burro Center by Butterfield Canyon in Utah. For those of you who haven’t, please watch and share:

Last week and into this weekend, the federal government has been trying to avoid a government shut down and come to a budget cut agreement. In the meantime, the BLM is asking for an extra $12 million to conduct their summer roundup schedule to put those horses and burros in short-term and long-term holding facilities throughout the country. Many of these facilities are off-limits to the public, and it’s impossible to tell what kind of conditions wild horses and burros in those facilities are enduring.

We’re asking you to stand with us and tell Congress we will not stand for such abuse of one of America’s most treasured Western icons.

Call/write/email your Congressmen this week! Tell them you won’t stand for your tax dollars to be used to submit these symbols of the American West to cruel and unnecessary roundups and then be warehoused in holding facilities where they are forced to stand knee-deep in muck and manure and have no dry place to lie down! Only through a strong, collective voice can we make a difference!

Special thanks to Lisa Friday for going out there and providing the footage!

The Foundation’s corresponding press release

Lisa Friday’s full report

How to contact your Congressmen: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

Live from Phoenix! And Schedule of Events

The Phoenix Press Conference will be live broadcasted by Grassroots Horse TODAY! from 11:30am-12:30pm MST. Join Dances with Wolves Oscar-Winning Writer, Michael Blake, The Cloud Foundation’s Ginger Kathrens, RT Fitch, Madeleine Pickens and more for this special press conference. Click here to tune in.

The BLM Public Advisory Board Meeting will be follow, live broadcasted by BLM online here, beginning today, Thursday, March 10, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. MST (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. EST) and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MST), Friday, March 11 (10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST). From 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Friday, the public will present comments to the Board.
Watch online here and demand accountability from this public Advisory Board that is historically stacked against the horses and burros. Please watch online and support advocates in Phoenix!

New Media Advisory about events online here about events in Phoenix

 

Phoenix Advocates Schedule

Thursday, March 10^th, 2011

11:30—press conference speakers

12:00- questions

12:30 pm- press conference concludes

1:00-5pm  — BLM meeting

5:15- 6:45pm pizza party for advocates at The Brick restaurant (reserved for 40 under “Wild Horse”) 455 N. 3^rd St  in the “Arizona Center” – right across the street from the Sheraton, p. 602-258-3665. 455 North 3rd Street http://bit.ly/gJ1DNk

7:00- 8pm candlelight vigil (starting in front of Sheraton)

Friday, March 11^th, 2011

8:00am- 9:00am — BLM meeting

9:00am-12:00pm – Public comment period

12:00-1:00pm – lunch

12:00- 2:00pm PROTEST with everyone in attendance (minus a few at meeting)    – some may start protesting at 10am but press told 12-2 focus time) – restart at 12pm in front of Sheraton

1:00-5:00pm BLM meeting concludes

5:45pm – Advocates dinner “going Dutch” at Sam’s Café (southwestern) at the Arizona Center- right across the street from the Sheraton, 455 NORTH 3RD STREET, SUITE #114
P. (602) 252-3545 http://www.canyoncafe.com/menudin1.htm –

BLM Violates Protocol & Puts Wild Horse Foals at Risk in NV Roundup

New press release from the Cloud Foundation: please share with local and national media— thank you

BLM Helicopter Roundup To Begin Despite Presence of Vulnerable Young Foals

BLM starts dangerous roundup, violating their own protocol designed to protect wild horse babies

Elko, NV (July 8, 2010)— Over 1,400 federally-protected wild mustangs are to be rounded up beginning tomorrow, July 9, in the Tuscarora area of Elko County Nevada during the hottest month of the year. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is violating their own set-protocol for waiting six weeks after the main foaling season, defined as March 1-June 30, so that young foals can escape the inherent danger of a high-heat summer roundup. BLM will dispatch privately contracted choppers to run the Tuscarora mustangs over miles of rugged terrain in a taxpayer-funded roundup expected to last three weeks and result in the removal of some 1,100 mustangs. Only last month, Oregon BLM wild horse managers postponed a planned roundup that would have started the day after foaling season—opting to begin instead in mid-August for the horses’ safety…. continued online here or via: http://bit.ly/NVsummerRoundupPR

Living Images by Carol Walker photo

Recent Articles of Interest

From the Westword, both excellent– they attended the Denver workshop/meeting

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/06/ken_salazar_frustration_riding.php and http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/06/hold_your_horses.php

Livestock grazing at taxpayer expense? from Planet green

Studies Track Horse Movements from thehorse.com

How Wild Horses Help Their Ecosystems by Craig Downer

Proposal for Wild Horse/Burro Reserve Design as a Solution to Present Crisis by Wildlife Ecologist, Craig C. Downer

Wild Horses and BLM’s promise of a new day dawning

June 5, 11:06 AMLA Equine Policy ExaminerCarrol Abel

Questions and controversy fly on the heels of Thursday’s  proclamation by  Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey of a “new day and fresh look at the wild horse and burro program”.  Abbey is requesting public input concerning a Strategy Development Document designed to implement Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s Wild Horse and Burro Initiative which is to be presented before Congress this coming September… continued here.

Carrol Abel, photo

New Press Releases, Articles and More

New Press Release from the Cloud Foundation: Another Salazar Disaster? Americans Call for Urgent Reform in Department of Interior’s Wild Horse and Burro Program The Gulf and Western Public Lands suffer under Salazar and Baca’s Leadership

New Press Release from In Defense of Animals: Salazar Lambasted for Choice of Industry-Cozy Bureaucrat to Reorganize MMS – Bob Abbey’s “Dismal” Leadership at BLM Bodes Poorly for Reform at Drilling Agency

Online you can read reports from Huffington Post and New York Times on who will be the BLM Director now that BLM-insider Bob Abbey has been chosen to reform the Mineral Management Services following the Gulf oil spill disaster. New reports state that it will be Mike Poole (former CA BLM Director) who will manage the day to day responsibilities of the national BLM Director.

Cloud's Son, Bolder-- May 2010

Nevada Wild Horse Case Turned Over to Prosecutors: A sheriff’s report on alleged mistreatment of wild horses at a government-funded Nevada facility has been turned over to a district attorney for possible prosecution.  Reporter: MARTIN GRIFFITH AP

Endangered wild horses born at Calgary Zoo – bravo to this fine team. Let’s not let our American Wild Horses get to this point!

BLM Wild Horse Auction tomorrow in Carson City– inmate trained horses in need of good homes. Reno Gazette Article.

New Press Releases from The Cloud Foundation

Read all our press releases online, please share with your media.

April 21: Accused to Stand Trial for Wild Horse Shootings in Nevada (and you can take action here)

April 23: Public Alarm Grows as BLM Castrates Captured Mustangs Behind Closed Doors

Just gelded- photo by Cat Kindsfeather, 4-18-10, at the Indian Lakes BLM Facility in Fallon

Moldy Hay- photo by Chrystie Davis, 4-18-10, Fallon