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Re: [RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CA - Sullivan

Jackie and all,

Given I have first hand observed a BLM adoption in my own county last
weekend (Lakeport, Lake County), I am going to offer a few thoughts here.

First of all, congratulations to you for apparently successfully adopting a
mustang, providing a good home and training, and probably obtaining title.
I do believe that some of these are successfully adopted by experienced
horse-handlers. Those horses are the lucky ones. It's also great when
Mustangs excell in equine sports.  However, the people who are taking these
animals and producing a well mannered and trained horse; are the people who
can afford to buy, feed and maintain a horse anyway, and I'll bet, have
years of horse experience..

After reading the forwarded press release, and coupled with my observations,
I have to express total disgust at both the pricing, marketing and attempt
to foist off basically wild amimals on an inexperienced and clueless public.
By comparing these aminals to Easter bunnies and chicks (we all know the
fate of THOSE), and offering them to the public for less than market
value(i.e. auction price), you only encourage every low-life, low rent,
welfare parasite, and I will repeat again, clueless person to easily come
home with a horse.  Tell me how a person, who cannot afford to pay the going
rate for a quality horse (one well cared for and trained) , can afftord to
feed, trim, vaccinate, worm, and generally provide basic care for a wild
one, when any professional  who has to risk their welfare to treat or handle
it (vets, farriers) are going to charge MORE.?

Lakeport was full of folks who had never owned a horse in their life,
adopting 2 or more animals. BLM was telling them to take a "young one", so
that they could all "learn together."  One BLM employee told a woman to go
sleep in the corral with her mustangs.  This woman lives up the road from
me, has never had a horse, has a 10 year old daughter, inadequate facilities
(falling down field fence with barbed wire), and yet, now has thee yearlings
in a 40 X 40 pipe panel corral, all crammed in together.  No access to
shelter.  Another former boarder of mine (I kicked her off for not bringing
hay for her horse), cannot afford to feed or do basic vet care on ONE
horse, still walked away with a cheap horse.  This facility, which was
approved by a BLM employee who delivered the horses, first of all, failed to
meet their stated requirements, and was certainly not adequate for a
domesticated horse, let alone a wild one. Now, there are thee yearlings,
lying in the mud, all wearing halters and dragging ropes, no hay in
sight........a 10 year old child sitting in the middle of the pen. It's a
disaster waiting to happen.

When these little yearlings need feet trimming in two months, who the heck
is going to do it?  What happens if they get injured in the next few
months....how the heck to you treat leg wounds on a horse you cannot touch?
If you have never, ever had a horse before,  how do you know how to monitor
for colic, take a temperature, etc, if you cannot safely handle the horse?
How can you "read" this animals signals- it is going to strike or kick, if
you have never had a horse and don't know how to interpret horse behavior?
I mean, the mind boggles!  These horse are a challenge for EXPERIENCED horse
owners!

I believe BLM is caught between a rock and a hard place.....haveing to
reduce numbers on the range, with no ability to cull or thin the herds in a
humane way, except for  this money-losing program.  What do you suppose
these horses cost the taxpayers by the time they are rounded up, given
shots, worming, foot trimming, fed for months, and transported all over the
country? When BLM tried to raise the price of adoptions under James
Watt....adoptions fell way off.  They could not get rid of the animals.  But
sometimes when you devalue
an animal (free or cheap), it gets treated like it is worth nothing.

Again, it sounds like your horse was one of the lucky ones. I know for a
fact, in a year or so, there will be underfed, unhandled, un-wormed and
vaccinated mustangs with 10" long feet.....standing forgotten in Lake County
pastures and backyards.  There are already some from people who had to make
a effort (i.e. travel) to get one in previous adoptions. Far better these
horses were dispatched with a humane bolt or bullet between the eyes, than
adopted out to some of the people that were there Saturday.

Several horses came off the trucks injured.  One little mare was slammed
into a pipe panel early Saturday morning and crunched her leg.  At 4:30 that
afternoon, all that had been done was to lower the price on her. Poor mare
could  not put any weight on that leg;

According to the BLM employee I talked to, there is no requirement of having
any kind of horse experience or knowledge....only the facility.  To me this
is wrong......just like adopting out shelter animals.....at least make the
requirements more stringent, and the price high enough to weed out the
low-lifes..

What I saw at Lakeport was an embarassment.  I have been a big cheerleader
for our  local BLM office; in all their efforts to provide public work days,
solicit public imput, expand trails and recreational areas, and work
with,and encourage multi-use groups.  But based on what I saw, I could never
support this program.  I do not believe it is in the best interests of the
majority of these poor horses.
Karen Sullivan


----- Original Message -----
From: "Typef" <typef@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ride Camp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 5:17 PM
Subject: [RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CA


I thought I would pass this on for those of you in the market for an
inexpensive project and future endurance prospect. My most wonderful,
loving
Mustang MC came from one of these auctions. The price is definitely right
... they've dropped it to $25 on some of them. They even mention endurance
in their press release ... YAY!  :) Jackie

For Immediate Release: March 21, 2003
Contact:  Doran Sanchez, (909) 697-5220; E-MAIL: dasanche@xxxxxxxxxx
CA-CDD-03-33

BLM Schedules Special Wild Horse and Burro Adoption for Easter

Most people may think of chicks and bunnies for Easter, but the U.S.
Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) has a better idea - - how about adopting a wild
horse or burro to celebrate the arrival of spring?  It may not fit in an
Easter basket, but the animals can offer many years of pleasure to their
adopters.

The Bureau will offer about 150 wild Mustangs and 80 wild burros for
adoption on Saturday, April 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at its Regional Wild
Horse and Burro Corral Facility located 4 ½ miles east of Ridgecrest,
California on the Randsburg Wash Road.  The adoption will be conducted by
first come, first served.

To make this Easter adoption even more special, the BLM is reducing
adoption
fees on many of the animals.  Jacks, and Mustangs (geldings and mares)
three
to five years old will be available for adoption for $25 per animal.
Jennies, and Mustangs two years and younger (weanlings, geldings, mares)
will be available for adoption for $125 per animal. Adoption fees may be
paid by cash, check or credit card.

BLM is reducing the adoption fees on the animals that have been in BLM
corral facilities and sanctuaries for more that six months in an effort to
place them in good homes.  BLM has been conducting emergency gathers
throughout the western United States because severe drought conditions and
wildfires have destroyed thousands of acres of wild horse and burro
habitat,
and now has more than 8,000 animals that need a good home.  All the
animals
have been wormed and vaccinated and are in excellent health.

Phil West will conduct a free horse gentling and training demonstration at
11:00 a.m. on Saturday.  After the demonstration, the Mustang will be
offered for adoption.  West, an officer with the Inyo County Sheriffs
Department, has adopted and trained many Mustangs and uses his Mustang for
Mounted Patrol.

Mustangs make excellent riding stock, and properly trained some adopted
Mustangs have become national champions in dressage, snaffle bit
competitions, trail, endurance, and jumping.  BLM wranglers and personnel
will be available to answer questions and help adopters select their
animal(s).

Individuals must be at least 18 years old and have no convictions for
inhumane treatment of animals.  Adopters also must have adequate
facilities,
the financial means to care for the animal(s), and should have some
experience training or raising a horse or burro.  Qualified individuals
may
adopt up to four animals.

Adopters should bring a nylon web halter and 20-foot cotton lead rope for
each animal.   A stock trailer will be required to transport the
animal(s).
Drop ramp trailers will not be allowed.  The wranglers will load the
animals
into the trailers.  Private carriers also will be available to help
adopters
transport their animal(s).

The process is called an ?adoption? because BLM retains title to the
animal
for one year after the adoption.  During this time, adopters cannot sell
their adopted animal.  More than 195,000 animals have been placed in
private
homes since the Adopt-A-Horse or Burro Program began in 1973.

For more information contact Doran Sanchez, BLM Public Affairs Specialist,
at (909) 697-5220.


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Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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[RC] Easter Mustang Adoption in Ridgecrest, CA, Typef