Story by R.T. Fitch ~ author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart”
Sorro - example of poor BLM care (Photo by Laura Leigh)
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has closed and locked the gates of the Broken Arrow feed lot facility outside of Fallon Nevada while disregarding public outcry over the insufficient care of 2,000+ wild horses being imprisoned there.
The BLM virtually zeroed out the wild horse herd from Nevada’s Calico Complex despite a warning from a federal judge that long term holding of public wild horses was most likely illegal and proceed with the roundup was not prudent.
The cruelty of a helicopter stampede driven round up in the dead of winter aside, the inadequate care and treatment of the horses while in captivity has prompted an investigation by the local Sheriff’s department. Shortly thereafter the limited weekly, 90 minute viewing of the horses was terminated.
Final observations by qualified observers indicate that two highly infectious contagious diseases are running rampant in the inappropriate “feedlot” like conditions. Both Pigeon Fever and Upper Respiratory Infections were obvious to visiting medical personnel during the last several tours. Observers pointed out a foal with URI during the final visit but it was too late to save the animal and the foal was found dead the following day.
Only one veterinarian is on hand to monitor 2,000+ horses and it is obvious to both public and press that the horses are not only suffering but dying due to lack of proper care. A concerted effort is being mounted in an attempt to escalate the cruelty investigation while a team of volunteer veterinarians is assembled to demand access to the herd for a proper assessment of the horses.
The death toll, less aborted foals, now numbers in excess of 100 horses.
Additional insight avaiable at:
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
I think about these horses numerous times throughout the day. I could be sweeping the floor and they will walk into my mind’s eye and I wonder how each of them is doing. I see horses that are already stressed trying not to just give up standing along side horses that are ill and knowing that they have little reserves left for fighting illness along with the trauma of their imprisonment. What frightens me is that now we have to rely on observation, statistics and honesty from the BLM. None of these have been their strong suit. I pray especially for the little ones knowing that in the eyes of the BLM they are uncounted mouths to feed and bodies to protect for many years to come. There is no way to track them–in BLM speak they don’t exist. I hope and pray that all goes right for once and all our horses make it through alright.
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Yeah, Morgan, I know how you feel. I can’t sleep at night for seeing all those horses in my mind’s eye, wondering how many more will die and how we will probably never know what happened to most of them.
I’m now giving fair warning – I wrote that letter, R.T I ccd all those people and I was reasonable, nice and just pointed out how easy it would be to release a few horses, or at least not disburse them until decisions were made about the several alternative plans that are now on the table. I also said that we were NOT looking for something to complain about, that we weren’t interested in politics – we were just concerned about the HORSES.
So. I’ll wait a while, but the minute they ship those horses out, off goes another letter. And this one will NOT be nice.
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Well, if the “wranglers” and experts at the round-up and holding facilities are really nothing more than psuedo-horse whisperers in bovine, greenback drag, should we really be surprised?
Nope! Rescues have the same problems from the bad owner, theives, auction, transport round ’em up, hold them and then whack ’em as quick and profitable as possible gang. Disease runs amuk with these cast offs whether livestock or equines. Ask the rescue and check the costs of treatment and quarrantine.
I appreciate the article and it’s importance. The facilitiy should in all reality be openned up to volunteers and knowledgeable equine/medical personnel to resolve, not hide this situation.
Let’s see, DOI and Congress have taught big business to hide, control and manipulate bad situations and have taxpayers pick up the tab (BP and Wall Street are doin’ it as we speak, for example with the Feds barely being held accountable for poor and corrupt oversight). Hmmmm…business as usual in DC. I’m shocked!
Keep the light on RT!
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The genetic viability of our Wild mustangs may be of critical importance to mankind. To this day 1/2 the worlds population depends on horses to sustain life. Sooner or later we all will be more and more dependant on them as we move beyond peak oil. If some strange malady ever impacts domestic horses or as our need for a strong stock of horses increases we must have literally millions of wild horses to survive. Will it be in 20 years, 50 years? Don’t know, but believe it we will run out of oil and nothing will ever take its place simply because nothing is as portable or full of energy. We must consider ALL our options if we expect to survive the future. Don’t believe it, prove me wrong. To let the BLM role the dice with our future is not acceptable. They are a land management agency not wild life stewards. Just look what they did to life in the Gulf. Wild life needs its own agency with power over oil, cattle, gas, coal, because someday oil, gas, coal and even the oceans fish will be gone. (only 10% of the ocean stock remains and most is toxic). Horses will be part of the solution because they can work all day powered simply by grass. We managed 100 years ago without oil. I hope we have horses enough and grass enough when the time comes. Some of us will.
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Maybe that’s why that place in Texas is working on cloning horses. Saving wild horse dna too.
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Frank,
Seriously, I never even thought of this at all; but you are exactly right! Very, very profound thinking on your part.
I am so afraid that there will not BE any horses left to take the place of our Mustangs or even our domesticated horses because of the BLM and it’s tactics and because most male domestic horses are usually gelded.
As far as the grass to feed them on, ranches, the ‘Mom & Pop’ type that try to survive by selling hay are going ‘belly up daily’. The land is being built upon it seems immediate. It is the Government pushing them out.
No one will listen to ‘us’. All ‘we’ are is another ‘thorn’ in the side of the Government. ‘Bleeding hearts’.
Such sad times these are for both horse and mankind. I don’t believe that the BLM or the DOI has thought of the ‘what if’s’. I don’t believe they ever will, until it hits them right upside the head.
It certainly won’t be ‘their’ fault, will it? The Guilf Oil Spill was not anyone’s fault as far as I know?
Thank you Frank, for looking into the future just a few years and forseeing something that so many of us have probably not thought about!
What I don’t understand is that with so many of ‘us’ fighting for these animals, why and/or how can ‘our’ Government just turn deaf ears and eyes?
I’m ashamed to even say that it is MY Government. This one in particular… has a way of sweeping things under the ‘rug’ all too easily. What will the future one(s) do? It must be acceptable if others did it?
I’m afriad for our children and theirs…
I’m terrified for the thousands of MY Mustangs in ‘holding facilities’.
There is no comfort, there is no one saying we are doing the best we can, even?!
There is NOTHING!
Take care Frank, keep thinking ahead and keep us posted.
Bless you.
Most of all, God Bless the Wild Ones…
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Frank, I SO agree, the day of TRUE horsepower is not far away, even if cars become battery, fuel-cell, whatever fueled, what will be used to build them? Oil is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING we do and use; and the end of it is in sight.
I am making a point to find out how AMish people exist oilessly in an oil driven world. I want to know; I tell my horses daily that their lazy life may be coming crashingly to an end. I want to “get off the grid” as much as I can, before it’s no long er a choice.
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Right I never thought of my fat lazy horse earning his keep and nether dose he. But in reality the day is coming. There was a university study comparing the efficency of plowing fields with horses v. tractors. Tractors won by a slight margin then someone realized come replacement time a horse replaces himself a tractor takes much energy to build giving the advantage to horses. We may have electricity if we ultimately make it without fire, (wind, tide, solar) but as far as portable energy forget it. The government may have fuel and move food hear and there but horses will literally carry the mail.
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Upper Respiratory Infections = Moldy Hay is a big issue at Fallon. God Bless You for your work.
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6-13-2010 Highly Contagious Diseases via BLM at Broken Arrow new BLM Fallon NV facility? The highly contagious disease is BLM and its thug contractors.
This is the usual asinine propaganda by this new incompetent BLM facility. Akin to BP (British Petroleum) stating the clean-up workers were sick because of “FOOD POISONING”, ETC. Dr. Sanford a prior favorite BLM vet at the PVC facility is incompetent! This facility is also inadequate in taking the proper care of these horses. Blocking this facility to the public is only a strategy (cover) to continue killing these Calico wild horses behind “closed doors”. I suggest that Reno Rendering be subpoenaed for an inventory of the dead horses they have picked up at this facility so far, etc. I know for sure that on 3-17-2010 the driver of a Reno Rendering truck stated to me that he had picked up 100 dead wild horses from this facility in the LAST 3 WEEKS. And he was heading out there again on the 3-17-2010 to pick up more dead horses. So the reported count of dead horses by this facility is erroneous. Where is Obama?
Betty Kelly
Carson City NV 89704
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“”Rendering be subpoenaed for an inventory of the dead horses they have picked up at this facility so far, etc. I know for sure that on 3-17-2010 the driver of a Reno Rendering truck stated to me that he had picked up 100 dead wild horses from this facility in the LAST 3 WEEKS. And he was heading out there again on the 3-17-2010 to pick up more dead horses. So the reported count of dead horses by this facility is erroneous. Where is Obama?
Betty Kelly
Carson City NV 89704″””
Thank you for posting this. I too find the closed from view BLM attitude very upsetting. The BLM have a long history of harming wild horses and I don’t think after 40 years they got better, just more sneekie! I want those records and the records of every single wild horse the contracter was paid for rounding -up over the years. And exactly what happened to those numbers the contracter was paid for. We know he is paid BY THE HORSE, so there IS a record of the exact numbers the BLM rounded-up. And those dead horses for render, who paid for those and where are the records.
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To Laura and others..
This may be the sickest of thoughts.
I believe with my gut that the BLM introduced Pigeon Fever and the Upper Respiratory Infections and God knows what else to our Mustangs.
In the wild, these horses are NOT exposed to these things.
Oh, they say it’s in the soil, the dirt, the moldy hay.. (yes I do know they can get URI from moldy hay..) But, why are they feeding it to them?
There is something else going on behind these closed gates… They are sending them to slaughter and don’t want us to know.
They are literally killing the others with infectious diseases!
They are NOT counting foals, hopefully because they will ultimately die, and who cares! (According to the BLM.. NOT me, I CARE!)
I think we do need to contact the rendering facility, do a fly over, stand outside those gates and stop the trucks as they haul horses.
We need to be more vigiliant than ever now!
They are OUR horses, wild or not, they belong to those who care about them, to any American citizen who pays one penny in tax dollars!
We’ve played by their rules, it’s time we made some rules of our own. We’ve been ‘nice’. I for one am sick and tired of being nice. It’s gotten us NO WHERE.
If the BLM can play ‘dirty pool’, why can’t we!
I’m ready, willing and able. I KNOW that you all are too!
Don’t visit the BLM Lands.. Don’t pay the Park entrance fees.. Just DON’T!
They have double our money in the public lands AND in holding our Mustangs!
I’m sick and tired of their B.S. and it’s time they KNOW we are not going to take this lying down any longer.
They laugh at our petitions, our letters, emails and phone calls. I want to be one laughing at them, open those gates and set our Wild Ones FREE!
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The contracter uses the same panels system and runs the horses right into their trailers during each round-up. Who knows what he uses those trailers for inbetween? taking lots of sick horses to slaughter?
Those wild horses could start being exposed to diseases soon as they touch those panels or load in those old trailers.
Then using that old cattle feedlot for stressing wild horses, bad moldie feed, not enough water or salt. The BLM sets themselves up for disease, what do they expect people to say when these conditions are noticed.?
It’s like the 1950s with canine distemper. Entire kennels would catch distemper because people were ignorant of proper vaccines and procedure.
There is no excuse in these modern times!!
I guess the BLM hates the internet, it sure is hard for them to hide with the info. internet highway!
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6-17-2010 Laura, I believe that in the past that the capture “contractor” was paid by the horse, but now I believe they are only paid by the job to capture them.
Betty Kelly
Carson City NV
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please can someone fund a fly over and access condition of the horses by air.? I believe the facility is 320 acres, we have never seen what they have hidden in the back acres.
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To run the facility with that many horses and only one vet is not good management; unless you intentionally want to REDUCE the numbers of horses to be kept and fed and that is what appears the BLM is doing. To close the facility is to hide behind closed doors. The BLM could use Veterinary college students or even vet techs to observe and report outbreaks of disease that are going to occur in that disgusting feedlot.
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High densiity holding, poor layout lacking shelter, stressors (separation, holding, lack of movement), poor handling techniques, unqualified contractors, poor feedstuffs and feeding techniques, bovine equipement that probably wasn’t sterilized, insufficient staff and inadequate medical monitoring and treatment have caused this. It could be that the site selection could have been used in the past for other species or infected animals and is therefore contaminated from the get go.
Great info on the rendering…should be able to get that via FOIA or just freaking following the track. Sad.
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Sorry, “truck”, not track. jeesh!
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Ok so what are we all going to do about this, we need to start emailing the BLM, what are their contacts details so we can all get on board and help these horses which are starving too death…
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