Photographer Carol Walker seeks partners for ‘Galloping to Freedom’ project

Just Launched! Kickstarter campaign invites supporters to be part of the wild horse solution

America’s wild horse herds are in peril of extinction, but award-winning equine photographer Carol Walker is ready with viable solutions in her new book, Galloping to Freedom: Saving America’s Wild Horses. Through a campaign at web-based fund-raising platform Kickstarter, Walker invites wild horse supporters to be “part of the solution” by helping her print and distribute this important guide to ensuring the future of our legacy animals.

Federal Court Forces Interior Department to Consider Scientific Evidence Regarding Wild Horse Management

Judge Rejects Gov’t Attempt to Ignore Expert Declarations on Negative Impacts of Plan to Castrate Wild Nevada Stallions 

Washington, DC – May 10, 2012 – The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has rejected an attempt by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withhold and ignore critical scientific evidence in its decision-making process for the implementation of a precedent-setting plan to castrate wild stallions. At issue were expert declarations submitted to the BLM from leading experts in wild horse behavior and biology outlining the devastating impacts of castration on the health and natural behaviors of wild free-roaming stallions and wild horse herds. 

The ruling is part of litigation filed in December 2011 by the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC),Western Watersheds Project and The Cloud Foundation challenging the BLM’s  illegal plan to castrate hundreds of wild stallions in eastern Nevada’s Pancake Complex, as well as to eliminate wild horses from the Jake’s Wash Herd Management Area, which lies within the Complex. The ruling on this case will have widespread implication for thousands of the remaining wild horses living free and wild on public lands. 

Breaking News: BLM Decision to Remove Young Pryor Mustangs Issued

Major Removal Threatens Cloud’s Pryor Herd 

BLM expands removal plan for young Pryor Mustangs

BILLINGS, Mont. (April 5, 2012)—Yesterday, BLM issued their Decision Record to permanently remove up to 40 young Pryor mustangs from their home in the mountains of southern Montana. The bait-trapping operation would begin no earlier than June 4th and could continue until September 30th.

“Surprisingly, the removal decision exceeds the level they outlined in their preliminary Environmental Assessment,” states Ginger Kathrens, Executive Director of The Cloud Foundation. “Regardless of the nearly 10,000 comments sent to BLM requesting they proceed with caution, BLM has significantly increased the number of young horses to be removed. So much for listening to the wishes of the American Public.”

BLM’s Preliminary Environmental Assessment issued in December, 2011, called for the removal of 30 Pryor Horses in the 1-3 year-old category. This final Environmental Assessment ups the removal number to as many 40 young animals–two thirds of the young population.

BLM reports that they received only 1,000 comments, although it is likely they received 10 times that number. More than 4,000 comments were generated by American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) alone, but were only counted as one letter because they used “a sample letter or talking points provided from internet sites.” 

Thousands of comments came to BLM, asking that Cloud’s look-alike grandson, Echo (Killian) be allowed to continue to live free on the Pryors. Although Echo could be removed based on age, BLM has acknowledged his rare color and genetics, and has ranked him as a horse to be removed only if they cannot achieve their target removal numbers. 

# # #

Media Contact:

Lauryn Wachs

Lauryn@TheCloudFoundation.org

617-894-6939

Links of Interest:

BLM Q&A on Pryor Bait Trap: http://on.doi.gov/HhwIpi

BLM 2012 Pryor Decision Record: http://on.doi.gov/HhwMpg

Final BLM Environmental Assessment: http://on.doi.gov/HhwLl4

BLM Sets Sights on Another Massive Removal in Cloud’s Herd (Foundation release): http://bit.ly/tFeuWZ

What is Bait Trapping? http://bit.ly/HhurdO

Stop the Fencing in of Cloud’s Herd – Foundation video: http://bit.ly/vO4kvw

Petition to Dump Interior Secretary’s Pro-Wild Horse Slaughter Appointee

Dear Wild Horse and Burro Defenders;

Many thanks to all of you who contacted Secretary Salazar’s office yesterday to ask him to rescind the appointment of Callie Hendrickson to BLM’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. DOI & BLM received thousands of calls in protest all thanks to you!

Now, there is another important step you can take to stop the Hendrickson appointment. In conjunction with American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, Animal Law Coalition, Front Range Equine Rescue, International Fund for Horses, Protect Mustangs, Respect4Horses, and Wild Horse Freedom Federation, we’ve created a petition asking the Secretary to rescind Ms. Hendrickson’s appointment and stop BLM from creating an Advisory Board stacked with pro-slaughter members. The petition with everyone’s signature will be presented at the next BLM Advisory Board Meeting.

Velvet, Echo (Cloud's grandson), & Jewel (Cloud's grandaughter) in the Pryors Photo by Pam Nickoles

Please take a moment to sign this petition on behalf of our wild horses and burros and share it with all your friends and colleagues. Some of you may have seen a petition or two out there on this subject. And we’d like to thank Debbie Catalina very much for agreeing to close her petition in order to support this unified effort.

Speaking with one voice we are a powerful force to protect wild horses still roaming in precious freedom as well as those held captive!

Happy Trails!

Ginger

Response to NY Times Green Blog Article

You can read the full article entitled “Wild Horses and Hard Choices” from the NY Times Green Blog, published Oct. 11, 2011, here. Below is Ginger & The Cloud Foundation’s response to the factual inaccuracies the article writes about.

I have been studying and filming the natural behavior of wild horses for 17 years, and I am truly appalled at some of the glaring inaccuracies in this article. I find it shocking that the NY Times would allow something this grossly inaccurate to be posted.

Bachelor stallions in Sand Wash Basin, CO

New Discoveries atop the Pryor Mountains

Losers, Winners, and New Life

Dear Friends of Cloud, his family and herd;

On July 27, Lauryn, Erin (our summer intern) and I drove from Colorado Springs to Lovell, WY, to visit Cloud and the wild horses of the Pryor Mountains. Aside from the terrible sadness we felt at losing two of our very special friends, Admiral and Climbs High (aka Kapitan), we had a wonderful trip, full of amazing moments and, as always, new discoveries. For most of our trip, advocates Carla Bowers and Jim Grass were our enthusiastic companions. Together we journeyed into the Pryors. 

Admiral & Climbs High – Photos

In honor of the lives of the “Greeters at the Gate:” Admiral and his son, Climbs High, whose lives were ended by a drunk driver on July 24, 2011, we’ve assembled a few photos of the two and their family.

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Admiral (2000 – 7/24/2011) & Climbs High (5/21/2010 – 7/24/2011)

 

To the Mountaintop

Summer in Montana & the Return of Conquistador!

Dear Friends of Cloud, his family and the Pryor herd;

Cloud Foundation Board Member, Ann Evans (proud owner of Cloud sisters, Smokey and Mahogany and my co-owner of Cloud’s brother, Sax) traveled with me to Montana for an unforgettable journey with wild horses. Our Irish Terrier side-kick, Quinn, accompanied us. Although he is an experienced ranch and horse dog, my one year-old could not have been prepared for the sight of nearly 100 horses roaming and running across wide-open meadows atop the Pryor Mountains.

Quinn

Planning to Visit Wild Horse Country?

Here are some tips from Ginger…

Dear Wild Horse and Burro fans,

Happy Summer! I know many of you will be traveling to wild horse and burro country to get a glimpse of our treasured icons of freedom.  At least, I hope so.

Below are the rules I abide by in wild horse country.

• How do I interact with wild horses and burros? I don’t. The last thing I want is to be stared out by a wild horse or burro or any wild animal for that matter.

• I speak in a low voice if I’m talking to other wild horse watchers. We have entered their home and I try to show them respect by being as benign as possible.
  

  Using a longer lens helps you keep your distance but still lets you get that shot!

• What do I do if they are paying attention to me? I am too close and I move farther away. In general, if I am impacting their natural behavior, I am too close. I want to observe them behaving naturally, attending to their daily horse duties with their families. In the Pryors the distance to achieve this result is usually 100 feet. It may be much farther in other herds.

• How do I get good pictures if I am far away? Get a longer lens. Then wait with your camera and long lens. Be patient. Park yourself in a place that is visited by the horses, like a waterhole or a well-used trail.

• What do you I do if a curious foal approaches me?I pick up some small rocks and aim for their feet and legs. My goal is to keep them away and let them know that I am not one bit interesting.

• It goes without saying that no one should ever attempt to feed wild horse or burros.  In my opinion, trying to feed wild horses and burros is the ultimate in disrespect.

Being patient & not interacting will get you great natural behavior

It is a wondrous experience to be in the presence of such majestic creatures. I try not to abuse this rare privilege.

Have fun! Hope to see you on the trail.

Cheers,
Ginger

 

Action Alert: Wyoming Wild Horses

How You Can Help WY Wild Horses Submit your comments by May 6th! Wild horses in Wyoming currently need your immediate help! With Congress fully funding the BLM, the summer roundup are slated to take off starting in July. Thousands more horses are slated to lose what they value most… their freedom and their families. The BLM has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) that attempts to justify the roundup of two herds in that area: White Mountain and Little Colorado. The area comprises over 1 million acres. With a roundup, these two herds will be decimated to a mere 274 horses!  Meanwhile, nearly 6,000 head of cattle or 30,000 sheep are allowed on these same herd management areas (HMAs).