Part II in a Series by R.T. Fitch ~ author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart”
Click (HERE) for Part I
A Whisper to the Soul
(Sept. 2009) We had been waiting for quite some time. The BLM guards told us that the helicopter was bringing in another family band of Pryor Mt. wild horses but the clock continued to tick. High up atop the observation bluff we equine advocates sat down and crouched behind a feeble jute fence, as ordered, in an alleged effort to “hide” ourselves from any approaching wild horses that would be some 200 yards away.
We were a small group but a potent one to say the very least, Ginger Kathrens, Ann Evans, Makendra Silverman, Ben Sussman, Pam and Tom Nickoles, Carol Walker, Elyse Gardner, Sandy Elmore, Terry and I were present with others who I may have forgotten to name. We sat, we waited and we prayed as the guard with the radio said that the helicopter pilot reported that he “had” Cloud and his family. All of us shared a collective shiver and drop in spirits, Cloud was running for his life.
At first we could hear the sound of the helicopter and after several moments we could see its blades just above a hill about 2 miles away. It appeared that it would try to progress towards the mouth of the valley and then it would retreat back out of sight and try again, back and forth. Someone whispered, “Give em hell, Cloud, give em hell.”
Sandy was on my left with a camera in one hand, Terry was on my right with a camera in her free hand as I had both of my hands in their spares and we squeezed hard and held on for dear life while we prayed.
“Run Cloud, Run” I screamed inside my head, “Don’t let them do this, don’t let them win, run free Cloud, run”. And that’s when we saw them. Cresting the distant hill like a darting and weaving black snake with a white head came Cloud’s band. A wiggling and darting line of horses first going to the right and then to the left in a ordered single file line they came down the hill and onto the valley floor. As we all inhaled a rouge gust of wind burst upon our faces and ripped my hat from my head, it shocked us, it moved us, the feeling of a great spirit rushing through and beyond us riveted us to the ground that we sat upon and no one uttered a sound. We only watched until someone remembered to breath.
Across the valley floor Cloud ran up the hills to his left only to be chased down into the valley by the marauding helicopter so Cloud would run, with family following, up the hills on the right only to be met again by the inhumane chopper. Back and forth, back and forth went the exhausting game of tag with the band inching ever closer with each pass across the valley.
“Make them work for it, Cloud.” I heard Ginger whisper.
Slowly the giant horse snake worked its way ever closer to the chute of the trap with the funnel of jute fencing that would force the horses into the awaiting jail cell. Foot by foot they came closer, closer and then close enough for Cattoor to release his “Judas” horse so that it would run into the trap with the wild horses right behind. Cloud never flinched; he never looked at the traitor to the horses; he simply slowed to walk, looked and realized what was ahead and quickly came to a full stop as his family gathered around him.
We were frozen by his intelligence and transfixed by the moment as Cloud slowly turned and faced the helicopter with a contemptuous stare; it seemed as if the wild horse and the mechanical bird of prey were locked in that deadly glare for hours but I am sure it was only seconds until Cloud slowly turned and walked into the awaiting jail cell with his family close behind. His speed on his terms, he made his way into the confining pen.
The gate slammed shut, the chopper flew away, the blood had been squeezed out of both of my hands, someone sniffed back a tear and Terry leaned into my right ear with tension and pain behind her strained whisper,
“This cannot go on, this has to stop.” She hissed, “We have to do something.”
Our souls were touched, our hearts were broken and the direction of our lives’ work was forever changed.
Tomorrow Part III: “Why are They Killing All the Wild Horses?”
Categories: The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Footnote: Cloud was released several days later with only a portion of his band and his mares zapped with PZP.
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Lucky Stallion ! only because most people; whether the establishment or just ordinary folk like you and me; have a High Respect for Ms. Ginger Kathryns; only due to Ginger’s Grace and intelligence did the Establishment and the Gov. allow Cloud to be returned; they did this because everyone respects Ginger ! see; if I could be like Ginger; I could get alot more people to believe in me
but that is not my fate; my personality is a talker; so this is what I do; I talk alot; I write alot; I collect pix of BLM abusing mustangs alot: I send alot of pix and comments to various US Officials too !
so Respect does work ! I applaud MS. Ginger and admire her too!
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The world needs to see what you saw that day in the Pryors. If they watched Cloud struggle and the chopter roar at him, this administration would lose the vote soley over their tolerance of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s brutal wild horse management.
Does anyone have video footage of that day?
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I have footage……
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You two would make a great video, I am sure! mar
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I just don’t know what to say …………;-(
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Capturing Cloud’s herd was the biggest mistake the BLM could have made. It brought awareness to the public and pulled a lot of groups together to fight this bloody battle. Reading this brings back a lot of pain and anger; however, it can’t even begin to touch the surface of what Ginger had to be feeling that entire week. We just need to continue to work together and get the rest of these gathers stopped. The West Douglas horses have a reprieve; hopefully, others will follow.
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The rounding up of Cloud’s herd was yet another bonehead move in a long list of bonehead moves that seems to be so typical of that incompetent agency.
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Drumming my fingers and wanting to say something…which I can’t.
I can say I saw Cloud on Aug 9 and it was so special. I’d like to think that he knows the difference between horse advocates and the BLM.
He let me within feet of him. Never once laying back his ears or snaking his head at me. He just seemed really okay with me being there. It is a very special thing when a horse who doesn’t know you takes you on as a “friend”.
The only way I know to describe it is Cloud is like a dog in that–dogs can tell a doggie lover from a non doggie person. Cloud seemed that day to have that same sense.
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comment: what the BLM gov should do is: “have field trips of school children to see Cloud’s herd; then the children will see how beautiful the herds in nature are; seeing a wild horse is awesome!
I have seen only a few in California in the 1970′ in the woods; friends and I were walking in the woods and we see Mustangs !
a cool awesome sight ! anna
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Little did the group of advocates watching Cloud’s defiance know that in spite of the minute press coverage, their words and images reached an army. Glued to computers, we called the BLM that weekend since this could NOT be happening. Phones and faxes sang when business reopened after Labor Day. The effort only resulted in lies from the BLM and silence from those who could intervene.
Many carried the image of Conquistador in their hearts the following month until he, Grumpy Grulla and the others were freed by the advocates.
The BLM may not know it, but they are the ones in “long term holding.” The army is in this to the end and then some. During a short span, the evil history of BLM has come to light; each roundup adds evidence to lack of method and lawful purpose. Perhaps they should’ve thought twice and let “sleeping dogs lie,” rather than creating a “plan” and then deviating from it. Perhaps they should’ve afforded the horse advocates the same respect and access given the local ranchers. We will never forget the day R.T. describes; it became the catalyst.
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The killing machine rolls on……
All the evidence. All the protests. All the deaths. All the money wasted….and it just rolls on and on while wild equines disappear, are tortured, their habitat stolen, the legal system looks the other way, the President ignores us.
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I feel the same way Denise! We’ll have to keep up the good fight, and have to make new plans, approaches to help the “prisoner Wild Horses”. I’ll give you a call……I have some ideas……it’s all good!
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For those of you subscribing to and responding through email without being on site; I just installed two slide shows that we took while there. One of Cloud’s capture and the other the day that the stampede started with all of the advocates present…just an update.
Also, for clarity, this was not Terry and I’s first exposure to this issue but as many of you have noted, this is what galvanized us and the movement. The BLM, while blinded by ego, gave the plight of the American wild horse a face and a name…and that name is CLOUD!!!
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Please remember that we are building a public archive of our Letters to the President on this issue. I know that everyone here has written likely dozens of letters to our President and I’d like to encourage all to go to this blog http://wildhorseletters.blogspot.com/ and start pasting in copies of all your letters, old and new. The intent is two-fold: show the public, the media, our legislators, a collection of our letters which perfectly state just exactly what we are asking of our President; and, to let our letters to the President serve as inspiration to each other as we continue to fight for the wild ones.
Obviously if our letters were being read, being heard, there would not be a need for this, but they are not. Thousands, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of letters begging for the lives, the very existence of our wild ones, are apparently just ignored. Once we send our letter, it’s supposedly open to the public due to federal regulations on government communications. We’re warned of this fact every time we use the http://whitehouse.gov/contact form. But, practically speaking, our letters may as well be going into a black hole – there is no response of any kind, no reply letter (not that everyone expects that), no mention of the issue in any formal communication, no change in this ongoing travesty that might indicate we were heard.
This blog is one more way to make our voices heard. Please participate. It’s not that hard to pull up from your word processor your past letters to the President in and just paste them into comments there. There’s no need, no place, there for discussion or debate, so it’s not even necessary to read the rest of the blog. There is one post, linked in the right column, that explains the premise and how-to of the blog comment process. That’s it, very simple. It’s just a place to show the world, the President and each other, our letters beseeching our President to take action for our wild horses and burros. Please consider adding to this public archive regularly. This is just one more way, a very simple way, to advocate for our wild ones.
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I too RESPECT Ginger, and proud to call her a friend for some times now. I most of all admire her COURAGE and SELF CONTROL, for I, would not have been able to endure to observe, Cloud being captured…..or any other Wild Horse. This is why I am keeping myself away from the roundups…..I would surely punch one of them burly BLM guards in the face, then pronto land in jail, and would not be able to help my beloved Mustangs. I am proud of ALL of the WH Advocates, for we are banding together and getting organized for the FIGHT OF OUR AND THE WILD HORSES LIVES!!
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My previous post wasn’t about quitting.
My previous post was about fact and while it can be continually overwhelming and disheartening, it is NEVER a lost cause.
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Fall Auctions to benefit The Cloud Foundation
September 29, 2010 by thecloudfoundation
Greetings to The Cloud Foundation and wild horse supporters. Thank you for a successful online HerdWatch auction in August. I am gathering donated items for an October and November online auction now. We are requesting handcrafted or unique items that could bring $100 or more. Please contact Christine at Christine@thecloudfoundation.org
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For those that haven’t visited Cloud’s blog in a while. The last auction was very successful and raised more money to put trained humane observers in the field. Wonderful place to do Holiday gift shopping.
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Were Laura’s possessions returned to her?
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You have to go onto Pam’s website to view photos:
Pam Nickoles Photography
Salt Wells, WY Wild Horses – July 2010
August 14, 2010
I didn’t know quite what to expect when we decided to go out to this HMA. A year or so ago, I was advised (by a BLM employee) that this area was extremely rough and remote and I’d better be very well prepared to spend a night or two in the event of a vehicle breakdown or rain (roads would be impassable) as it wasn’t a well travelled area. Well, that pretty much discouraged us from planning an immediate trip until I heard that these horses were to be rounded up this Fall. I hated the thought that these horses would disappear and few would know that they had even been a beautiful part of the environment since certainly the ruggedness would be a factor in how many people would have actually seen them.
So imagine my surprise when we arrived to find wide, graded roads within a lush, expansive landscape shared by all kinds of animals with abundant water sources and lots of forage. It was incredible and I felt cheated that I wouldn’t know these horses longer and better through what I can only interpret as misinformation designed to keep me from doing just that. Grrr.
While I was absolutley elated by the conditions of the range and the animals, there was a disturbing aspect as well. These signs were posted throughout and they made me cringe – they were in several locations where we stopped to photograph horses.
SIGNS: DANGER
ENTERING POISONOUS GAS AREA
Though the area is rarely visited (sarcasm), we stopped one of the natural gas guys on the road and asked him about the signs. He explained that everything was shut down at the moment since the processing plant didn’t have the capability of separating natural gas from the H2S (hydrogen sulfide). This is also known as “sour gas.” I asked what would happen in the event of a leak and was told that most of the gas would just dissipate into the atmosphere. And if someone or something was standing close by? It’s only a problem if you’re in a direct stream was the response. Though I wanted to continue, I quit asking questions at that point since the answer had created some obvious uneasiness. I decided I’d Google it when I got home. (This HMA is utilized by oil and gas developers as well as livestock interests. It is also checkerboarded with private land.) To break the tension, I mentioned that we were there looking for wild horses. I could tell he was relieved by my new line of questioning and he was more than happy to tell us where we could find some.
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WHICH oil and gas developers? This is what armed guards are protecting?
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I called Makendra a few evenings and asked her the names of the bands captured and she would tell me how the day had been watching the horses come in. She told me about folks sitting around a motel room at night talking about what they had seen and felt. We had just moved from the desert to the mountains and had wifi for the first time. Back then I wrote my blog and kept correcting it as I got more info about the roundup. Matt added details at night and I used them, too. By the time the Cloud Blog began there was a small group of us, across the country, ready to start a discussion of this violence. The horses’ lameness after the releases were a new reality for many of us. There was much to learn.
It was a defining experience. The adoption and the sale of the Forest Service bands and older horses became another learning experience and effort to save wild horses and keep the families together. Only Meteetse was not able to join Conquistadore and the bands bought with the freedom fund. She was bid for by someone who wanted a Pryor horse as a status symbol. I hope she is well.
Advocates have kept working to save wild ones and done amazing things for the love of wild horses. We are building a history and a movement that will endure. mar
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oooooops.. m
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Mar, for CERTAIN, it was a defining moment.
Was Laura’s camera returned to her?
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I’ll never forget that day. It sure opened my eyes on this agency’s perversions and ill intentions and propaganda.
https://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/the-theft-of-an-american-icon/
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One reason for hauling the horses to the prison could be to get away from Congressional oversight, as stated in the inside documents
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According to two BLM internal reports generated in 2008 and obtained by advocates under the Freedom of Information Act, the BLM’s Team Conference Calls (July 2008) and Alternative Management Options (October 2008), wide spread sterilization measures were aggressively explored throughout as is also now included in Salazar’s proposed new direction for the Wild Horse & Burro Program.
From AMERICAN HERDS:
The following quotes were taken from these two reports and BLM has had two years to follow through on the discussions and recommendations regarding “similar vaccines” BLM was then putting on the table for our wild herds future.
STERILIZATION OF MARES USING SPAYVAC™ OR GONACON™
SpayVac™
“Spavac™ was used in the Virginia Range horses with the testing being done at the Carson City Prison.” With respect to what the Team called, “The Carson City horses”, they stated “11 out of 15 have not gotten in foal”.
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AMERICAN HERDS was supposed to be on the top–the entire quote is from American Herds. DO go onto the website and read the rest.
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That way they can keep the humane observers out.
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I am new to this and after spending several days reading and researching and trying desperately to get “up to speed” I just feel lost. I don’t know how you all do it, but I’m sure glad you are here and have been here. I’ve sent a few letters, but I keep finding things too late, after the public comment time is over. These “gathers” seem to be happening at breakneck speed. Is this unusual or just standard operating procedure?
Is any of the recent good news really good news or will they just continue on as they have in the past? I’ve read of some delays, but also many “secret” unannounced operations in other areas… it seems like they are very well practiced at this.
For those who have been at this awhile — are you seeing any signs that the tide is turning?
Thank you all!! I may be late, but I’m here now and willing to do all that I’m able to help.
Lori
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Well – I just had to say this one thing. Using a jute fence as a blind for wild horses just shows how ignorant BLM staff are in regards to wild horses. My mustang mare Libby can hear a deer in the woods 200 yards away, and her eyesight is equally as good. Both mustangs I have are acutely aware of EVERYTHING that is going on around them, and this “blind” would fool them for one millsecond. Libby ALWAYS knows when strange animals are around, and I’m sure she has gotten a little rusty from living with us for so long, but that jute fence it just stupid. Just had to get that out of my system.
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Nell…to shed even more light on it the jute fence is both required and supplied by the contractor, the world’s leading authorities on wild horses, the Cattoors….”DOINK”
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Lori, it is NEVER too late. Write to your Senators and Representative and express your outrage and call the White House Comment line at 202-456-1111 and tell the President that you want a MORATORIUM on all Wild Horse and Burro round-ups. I do that every day. Some days it is hard to get through as the lines are busy.
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Thank you Louie. I will do that… especially now that I’m among the many and growing numbers of unemployed — I have plenty of time!!
I was thinking it would be good to have a place where all the letters people send are also posted online, in plain view for everyone to see — so that they can’t claim they didn’t receive them.
Not sure where I found this, it might have been here? But here’s a place to put copies of letters sent the the President: http://wildhorseletters.blogspot.com/
I still have a lot to learn, but I can at least see that there is nothing to be gained by keeping thousands of wild horses in holding pens while spending even more money rounding up more horses to add to the numbers that need to be ‘cared’ for by the BLM — and of course, paid for by you and me. Ridiculous.
Thanks again everyone!!
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IDA (In Defense of Animals) has a weekly e-newsletter with alerts to wild horse and burro roundups with sample letters that you can edit and send through their website. http://ida.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/sign_up. It was suggested on the American Herds blog that if you send comments by mail you should get a Return Receipt Requested label from the post office so you will receive proof that the BLM got your letter.
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Lori, there was a place on this site for Letters to the President, but I don’t see it there now. You could contact R.T. and inquire.
Something else you can do–go to the sidebar under blogroll and click onto Cloud’s Blog. Go onto Cloud Foundation website and fine HERD WATCH. Contact them and they will put you to work–they are looking for any and all volunteers. They mostly need people in the field to collect data, but I’m certain they will be glad to have any help you can offer.
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It does help to have a structured and organzied “to do” list every day. We have plenty of group leaders here. We just need to link up.
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Lori, on this site, under blogroll–WILD HORSE LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT
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Thanks Louie. Yes, I have checked on Cloud Foundation site, but the Herd Watch links go around in a circle… and land on a site that doesn’t seem to be “up” yet. It’s a little frustrating, but I’m not discouraged! I’ll keep trying!
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Ok, nevermind. I stand corrected… I tried again and found the site. I will contact them, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!!
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Lori, Herd Watch is in transition and will be there soon. If you wish to join please write me at herdwatch@gmail.com and I will send you materials. mar
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As I look at the land…I think of the creator, Wakan tanka. I look at a pice of land that is unfarmable, uninhabitable and a terrain where the humans…the Wasichu’, couldn’t even survive.So why do we KILL? Why is it so important to KILL these horses who are part of the land and all that was created before us? The brave Cloud, doesn’t fear the chopper.He is a warrior like the great”TSUNAKE’ WEETKO”( his crazy horse)……protecting his family, protecting his birthright, and protecting his freedom. This will be posted to my profile page, as I fight for the wild mustangs which came long before we did…………Long may they Live!
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My heart is so sad when I read that the terrorism continues. We shouldn’t be dismayed at terrorist attacks in this country. We ARE the terrorists. Oh, that the human species will someday find the humility to STOP, WATCH, and LISTEN to those who are so in tune with the Universe. There is so much we can learn from them, these magnificent creatures of the Universe. Is that why we are so eager to kill them or put an end to their freedom? Besides greed, is it fear of what we don’t know and fear of what we might learn if only we would take the time? I pray that those hearts that have been hardened somewhere along life’s path might someday see the error of their direction and change to seek their higher selfhood.
I am so grateful to all of you who are out there watching over our horses. I praise you for your self control in the face of the terrorist attacks on them. I don’t think I could do as well.
I have been praying to see the Hand of God intervene to put an end to this nonsense. He is watching, too. What goes around comes around. It’s called Karma. Run for your lives, pretty ponies. Don’t let them win. We love you.
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Why why why aren’t there enough wild horses in captivity………Lord Jesus help set the mustangs and burros free and the captures heart free from the greed of $$$$$$$$$$.. the Mustangs don’t bother anyone ………God we who love the mustangs have done our best now Lord you take care of the rest in Jesus Name……………..
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