Marching on Washington to Save Wild Horses & Burros
April 2nd, 2010 | 
Author: 
Last week more than 100 citizen-delegates gathered for the “March on Washington” in our nation’s capital. It was wonderful to see more than one hundred citizen-delegates, representing millions of Americans, gathered in our nation’s capital to demand that President Obama and Congress change course and fix the broken wild horse and burro program. Wild horse and burro advocacy groups and animal protection organizations united to step up the pressure on the government. IDA is proud to be a part of this distinguished group. Below is the statement read at the White House rally on behalf of Dr. Katz, IDA’s founder and president.
Dr. Elliot Katz, founder and president of In Defense of Animals, wasn’t able to be here today. He asked that I read this message on his behalf.
On behalf of America’s wild horses and burros, and in honor of Wild Horse Annie and all who have gone before us in this long fight, thank you for your work. We look forward anxiously to the day that, together, we finish this battle, and America’s wild horses and burros finally receive the protections they so desperately need and deserve.
I am sorry I am not able to be with you today as we express our solidarity and determination to protect the well-being and future of America’s wild horses and burros.
As a veterinarian who has seen first-hand the horrors that occur in slaughter houses and who has seen the videos over the years of the terrible mistreatment of America’s wild horses and burros, I am deeply gratified by your presence here today, and by the work that each and every one of you is doing to put an end to the cruel and unjust policies our government is following.
As one voice together, we ask for an immediate halt to the cruel, abusive and illegal roundups of these treasured beings. I am very pleased for the cooperative efforts of the groups represented here – it is through the combined work of wild horse and burro advocates, animal protection and animal rights advocates that we CAN achieve victory in this important fight. These combined efforts are exemplified in the presence of everyone out here today, demonstrating that together we can make a significant impact on the well-being of other species.
I am proud that In Defense of Animals has initiated a lawsuit challenging the legality of BLM roundups and long-term holding facilities, and that we have championed this cause for the past few years. As our lawsuit continues in federal court, we are deeply grateful to our legal team from Buchanan, Ingersoll and Rooney — Mr. William Spriggs and his entire team – and we are gratified to have such wonderful co-plaintiffs in renowned ecologist Craig Downer and noted children’s author Terri Farley.
This blog was contributed by Deniz Bolbol, IDA’s Wild Horse and Burros Campaign.
Posted in Featured News, Wild Horses & Burros, Wildlife | 
Tags: Days of Action, Demonstrations, Farm Animals, Government, Horses, Legal, Nevada, Washington D.C., Wildlife
38 Responses to “Marching on Washington to Save Wild Horses & Burros”
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Christie:
April 13, 2010 at 4:47 pm
What I don’t understand is how the BLM is not being investigated.
Anne writes: this is because no one has turned the BLM in as a criminal investigation; this is what I intend to do next ! thanks for posting ! A
Wonderful journey and experience.
What I don’t understand is how the BLM is not being investigated. There are so many issues from the way the round-ups are structured, shutting out the public observers, the hiring of a convicted horse thief and horse killer to round up herds in Oregon, the consistent misinformation on the Department of Interior’s web site revealing either incompetence or attempts at deception, the flawed adoption process, the continued abuse, neglect, and abandonment issues that follow many BLM horses after they are adopted and tremendous resources that horse rescue (not refuge) groups use caring for horses that have now only more abuse and more trauma in their lives. There is so much here.
Senator Harry Reid wanted President Obama to appoint then Colorado Senator Ken Salazar as BLM Secretary. Wonder who got what out of this deal. Secretary Salazar has no horse experience evident is his background. BLM Director Bob Abby has no evident horse experience. The BLM posts one picture on its web site and tells the American people that horses damaged the land. Anyone who knows anything about how horses and cattle graze can recognize that the pattern is much more typical of cattle.
This is not particularly profound, but someone once said, “Follow the money.” In this case, unless the BLM is making enough from the cattle industry to off-set the millions of dollars spent feeding horses once they have been captured, then the BLM is operating at a loss. This makes no sense and shoots a thorny arrow into the argument that cattle are getting land use priority becuse they produce food. Wish a thirsty investigative reporter would try to find out who’s getting the money and where it is coming from.
By what right do a group of cattlemen have the right to use land that you and I own to feed their cattle, so they can go to the cattle market and become wealthier? Cattle are livestock, not wildlife and no one should be granting them feeding territory on public lands. Here in the East, people who want to raise cattle and sell it for profit have to own their own land or else rent it from someone else (not the government).
If we quit eating beef and get our friends and neighbors to quit eating beef, would anyone notice?
While it is true that some mustangs are very trainable in the right hands, others have to go through so much that by the time they get to a decent trainer, they hear helicoptors at the sight of a cowboy hat. Mustangs, for the most part, belong on the range in the wild.
In the wild the Mustangs were eating:
Pine Cones; Pine Needles: Pine Bark; Oak bark; Acorns; White Willow Bark; Wild Carrots; Yarrow Flowers; Milk Thistle; Mint; twigs; cactus; branches; leaves; seeds; wild sunflowers; red clover; wild buckwheat; wild wheat; wild Rye;
The Mustangs were consuming a wide nutritionally compact; healthy; varied diet; very high in fiber; whereas the Mustang has a effecient digestive track
The Mustangs were getting Sodium and Potassium from Dandelion Greens and Lecithin from the Dandelion flowers; they were Happy Healthy and Wise
Today @ Fallon these same Mustangs get:
Orchard Grass; Rye Grass; Alfalfa Hay and Foals may get Oat Hay or Pellets
and water…
No wonder so many of the Mustangs and Burros cannot make the transition !
and though there are WILD MUSTANG HAY MIXES avail. on the market…
The USA BLM.gov makes no attempt whatsoever to procure these special Hays;
and because of this: 80 or so Mustangs have died; countless Foals; and I think
the BLM should be put under Investigation for endangering health of Mustangs…
anne usa 1951 ps the mustangs should be getting “long stemmed hay; not grass !
(and they shouldn’t be laying in wet straw and sand either…: (
Health & Nutrition Robert M Miller website:
Q. Do you prefer feeding grass hay or alfalfa hay?
A. I recommend both, but grass hay such as timothy, oat, barley, orchard grass Bermuda, etc, comprise 75% of the hay fed.
from The robert M. Miller Website: Miscellaneous Q: What do you think of the recent popularity of wild mustangs and the “mustang makeover” competitions? Can they make save horses if they were born wild?
A: I am an enthusiastic supporter of the mustang adoption programs. When I started practice, mustangs were shot, roped, crippled, trapped, and most condemned to make dog food. Today, thanks to the art of what is popularly called “natural horsemanship”, mustangs born in the wild and never before handled by humans can, in a few days, be made tame, calm, bonded with humans, and trained to carry a rider. What other species, previously unfamiliar with humans, especially a prey species like the horse, can be so gentled and tamed?
I am happy about the trend for several reasons:
1) It provides a home for many mustangs which are terribly overpopulated costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
2) It enables people to buy good horses that are properly started, sound, and resistant to unsoundness problems common in horses started too young, and all at a low cost
Many of these horses are quite attractive, they have good feat and most are not too large. So many people ride unnecessarily large horses. Lighter weight horses tend to remain sound longer than heavy horses. After all, truce wild horses usually weigh between 600 and 800 pounds. That’s what nature intended. It was mankind that bred larger and larger horses for work and for warfare. Natural selection over several centuries has made most mustangs strong, agile, intelligent, sensible and inclined to live in a herd environment. So they readily bond with humans if handled properly.
But — not all mustangs go to good homes & there is no screening process at all. If you have the money (very small amount)– you have the horse. I was able to buy an elderly mare from her abusers of nearly 30 years. I gave her love, medical care and food for the remaining 2 years of her life. Her previous owners (of nearly 30 years) gave her a life where she was abused, neglected, kept in solitary, worked very hard, starved, left out in the elements in a tiny dirt pen. The adoption program is not a good one, unless it’s one of the few lucky ones who happen to find a good & loving home. Also, my mare was torn from her foal when she was gathered. It still breaks my heart knowing what kind of physical and emotional pain she endured. She was my best friend and I’ll always miss her.
Don’t get me wrong…Mustangs are the best horses out there and I’d highly recommend having one to everyone and I do hope and pray they do adopt and save them from the abuse of the BLM. It’s just that not all adopters have good intentions. Please everyone, do adopt these beautiful ones. My girl had perfect teeth and hooves, was the smartest in the herd and a herd leader, even at her age. Other horses sensed her wisdom and leadership and showed her the utmost respect. The smartest horse I ever knew and I’ll always love her. Mustangs are the best without a doubt, so please everyone, save them and adopt!!
I wish I could have been there in Washington D.C., but since I couldn’t I send money to various organizations to help. I also believe in the e-mail. Keep the pressure on everybody. We have to save the remaining Mustangs. This is a horrible action, and the BLM should be fined and persons removed from their jobs.
Our most Beautiful wild Mustangs Must be protected they are our most precious symbols of Freedom… We must Plead with President Obama to restore the Roam act Imediately.
WHY??? This is my question…as I spend the time with my horse I ask why are you doing what you are doing as I’m sure you have no idea…Horse belong free to live off the land as they have done for years…I ask please let them be free to rome the land they have been on for many,many years…God Bless us all..
I am so grateful to IDA for taking on the legal battle against the BLM. I wish that I had been able to make the trip to DC. I am proud of the people who did go and took a stand for our wild horses. I am so appalled at the BLM (mis)management of the wild horses, I have started a website (www.4WildHorses.com) to help with this cause and I will do whatever I can to spread the word.
Hi! I´m proud about IDA labor in the effort for save the horses, I think is
very important for people to understand that animals have heart and have rights
to live in freddom too like humans. Thanks for all of you that march if I live
in your city I am march too but I am in Monterrey Mèxico……but I praid for you and all your activities. THANKS!!!
We all need to educate everyone in America and the world regarding the truth and mistreatment that these beautiful Mustangs have been exposed to from the BLM. These Wild Mustangs deserve and were promised to be protected on BLM land. Instead this promise was broken by greed to help the cattle ranchers. The Mustangs do not harm the environment, actually they help it. Give them back their freedom! We put them there and we wouldn’t have settled in the West without their help.
Taxpayers dollars should not be sent by putting them in holding pens which are unhealthy physically and mentally. Let them run free again.
Entierement d’accord avec Brandao. J’ai vu le me video sur Pita et ma reaction
fut le meme a la votre. Ce massacre doit cesser et pour eviter qu’il continue
il faut que les pays d’Europe et ailleurs cessent de vendre la viande chevaline.
STOP CRUELTY.
WHY MAN IS SO HORRIBLE.
WE MUST ACT AND SHOW IT ET VIEW
The video is: the video with the big W Word Press symbol; toward bot. of pg. A.
http://thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/independent-humane-observer-elyse-gardner-preliminary-report-and-update/
(copy and paste):
the action is in the first frames of the video; “the only thing Great Star did was “put his nose about one inch outside of the window;
for “just looking at the window; Great Star was “yanked out of a window ! Anne
“speak out; you’ve got to speak out against the madness; “if u dare…AW
The message I am trying to convey to people; and the message is very important;
This is the message: (in my opinion)
“When a Wild Mustang is rounded up from the Plains Range or Mountains;
a. the Mustang is kept overnight at a Pen at the Trap Site; at the Trap Site which is literally a man made trap for Mustangs: the Mustangs do not get Hay;
b. after the Mustangs spends the night at the Trap Site with NO HAY; (the BLM and Cattmoors place Hay on the Outside of the Trap Site as a placebo effect);
after the Mustangs go for up to 24 hours not given Hay; they are then “trucked for 4 Hours to Fallon Nevada; upon arrival @ Fallon these Wild Mustangs are fed
ORCHARD GRASS MIXED WITH RYE GRASS…THIS IS NO WAY RESEMBLES NEVADA WILD GRASS
Nevada Wild Grass is “fiberous; long stemmed; high protein and nutrients;
Orchard Grass is “light and fluffy; not dense like Nevada Wild Grasses;
Rye Grass can cause a Fungus in Equine which can cause “miscarriages…
c. After the Wild Mustangs are put on Orchard Grass mixed with Rye Grass which in NO way resembles the fiberous woody native Wild Grasses of Nevada;
the Mustangs: Have their Manes cut; freezebranded and given IM Vaccination
So in just 24 – 48 hours the Wonderful Wild Spirited Mustangs are :
a. deprived of Hay b. trucked for four hours c. given wrong type of Hay
“freezebranded; yelled at; flags whipped out; men and women running around
You can get a look @ the BlM processing @ “Great Star Scrambles thru Chute;
where you can see a Dr. Sanford; pull A MUSTANG OUT A WINDOW BY HIS MANE!
Yes; you did read that correctly; Dr. Sandord YANKS A MUSTANG OUT A WINDOW
MUST SEE TO BELIEVE ! “great star scrambles through Chute…on U tube;
ps Sandpit Sandford the Vet. (the one who let The Calico Colt perish in a sandpit with no hay water medicine or shelter; is the Vet. in the pink shirt!
(Sandpit Sandford almost always wears a light colored cotton plaid shirt!
(Sandpit Sandford has personally authorized “the end for about 60 Mustangs; only about 15 of the 75 Mustangs who perished died naturally! Stop the Madness!
Helicopters should only be used to drop hay to the horses in the winter time when their food supply is limited. All the 30,000 horses in the pens and corrals should be put back where they were captured and the ranges should not be given to the ranchers wanting to put range cattle on it, or a pipeline be built where they roan (Ruby Pipeline in Nevada is this example.)
I agree the use of Helicopters is the number one cause of emotional stress for the Mustangs; this emotional stress combined with the “incited stampede”;
topped by the “terrible quality Hay mixed with Sand is a very big problem.
what was the admins’ response to US?
I hope it was positive.
Please continue your good work and convince more of your fellow citizens to understand the daily abuse that animals suffer, in the name of what? Keep pushing at the authorities hard, so that they do not go about their business with wreckless regard to the beauty of wildlife and its right to co-exist with the human race.
je viens de recevoir les détails relatés par une association qui s’appelle One Voice en France, ce que je viens de lire est au-delà de tout ce que les sadiques peuvent imaginer! vos chevaux sont emmenés dans les abattoirs au Mexique, ils voyagent plus de 18 heures sans manger, sans boire, sans se reposer et quand ils sont déchargés c’est avec un appareil électrique car ces pauves chevaux sont épuisés et ne peuvent plus marcher. Certains ont les jambes fracturées mais ils doivent quand même avancer dans la douleur que l’on peut imaginer. certains sont morts piétinés par les autres. Ils restent plusieurs jours dans des hangars froids l’hiver et surchauffés l’été sans eau ni nourriture; les blessés restent par terre sans soins. Le plus atroce vient maintenant; dans les abattoirs les tueurs piquent les chevaux dans la colonne vertébrale à l’aide d’un couteau souvent ébréché. Puis on les saigne par une patte. Ils se vident de leur sang alors qu’ils sont encore vivants.
ILS AGONISENT SUR LE DOS ET ON LEUR SCIE LES JAMBES SOUS LEURS PROPRES YEUX.
j’ai envie de vomir, de pleurer, de hurler avec eux dans leurs immenses douleurs effroyables . Mais comment un homme digne de ce nom peut faire souffrir ainsi un animal ? Nous allons en France avec One Voice faire des pétitions pour donner au cheval le statut d’animal de compagnie comme le chien ou le chat pour éviter, si la loi le veut, que le cheval soit abattu en fin de vie. Ensuite il va falloir faire une action de pression auprés des chaînes de supermarchés qui vendent de la viande de cheval, ainsi qu’auprés des présidents du brésil et du mexique.
Mais en France, peu de gens sont motivés pour se bouger le cul! hormis leur télévision et leur bière ils ne savent plus se battre. les français sont fainéants pour les belles causes humanitaires. Je peux le dire puisque je suis française.
Merci beaucoup ! http://www.one-voice.fr (this is France’s One Voice for Animals site;
It concerns me that there were only 100 people to speak up for our Mustangs! Where are the Millions of Horseowners,horse crazy kids and teens of our Nation?
Of what I hear of people I talk to is that they know only an (emotionally safe)fraction or absolutely nothing about the problem.
It is of utmost importance to spread the word (people learn through images faster than printed word,use the web!!) and to support organizations like IDA , Cloud Foundations and others with coin and any other means necessary to save those horses and burros.
IDA and you others: Thanks for your efforts!
Noted and sign !
I am Native American and what is being done to the wild horse is a direct comparison to the terrible unjust treatment of my grandfathers. These beautiful creatures shoule be considered native not domestic as they returned to the very same land where thier ancestors ran free. To me this is proof that little has changed over the hundreds of years that the goverment has been shaping this land to form what they see as an improvement on what our creator had invisioned for mankind. It is an insult to the creator that the word “God” is in any way mentioned concerning this goverment.A more accurate word would be “GREED” Ed Whalen
im thankful for those people in washington, who are speaking out to save our horses.
thank-you and with the lords help, and strength given to us by him, we may get the president alone to change what is happening to our horses, does any one keep the laws that were written back in 1971, it is so much about money,let madeliene pcikins do something huge that she is offering to do and that is purchase the land, and take care of the horses.
Without the magnificent horse the west would never have been won (neither would the north south or east). Don’t destroy these wonderful animals.
Thank you for everything you do!
The recent attempt to capture the horse named “FREEDOM” is a symbol of how much these beloved animals treasure their freedom and we, as their protectors, should be doing all we can to protect them and provide them food in the winter when they need it most. We should not use helicoptors to chase them into pens/corrals, with the possibly that they break their legs or, as another example of the same capture, a little foal who contined to keep up with her mother had such bad damage to her hoof that it was separating, and the beautiful foal was destroyed because of it. THat over sixty horses lost their lives in this Calico roundup is an example of how inhumane this treatment is. Helicopters should only be used to drop hay to the horses in the winter time when their food supply is limited. All the 30,000 horses in the pens and corrals should be put back where they were captured and the ranges should not be given to the ranchers wanting to put range cattle on it, or a pipeline be built where they roan (Ruby Pipeline in Nevada is this example.) Let all os us save these beautiful and majestic animals that were here long before we were and we should be protecting all of them.
I agree with you entirely. BLM defeats the very purpose it was created for…to ensure the protection of mustangs and burros from cattle lobbies. Instead they round up at the worst possible time when the foals are present by helicopter. When will government realize the errors of its horrible roundups to satisfy cattlemen? Our home has a reduction in purchasing beef until this ends. Our children deserve to view the American mustangs and burros; they are a part of our western culture and history. They are priceless.
Thunder beings are Sacred,our ancestors told us of legends of these very sacred horses,coming to man thru the heavens,to bring down luv,harmony and Peace on our universal mother,We must re-member that we are keepers and protectors of our native horses/mustangs,we all breathe the same breath of divine spirit,We are all One gifts thru the divine Source of illuminated spirit,walk the path of Heart with us, the ghostdancers,wakaya wakaya wakaya
i sure am hoping that ida can bring pressure on the blm and be able to get vet care for the sick horses at the fallon, nevada holding pens and separate mares and babies so no more babies get killed
It is almost frightening to watch America produce programs about the “Symbol of the West, the Symbol of Freedom’, the Wild Horse (think Hidalgo) while your own law to totally protect these horses is being turned inside out. The genocidal campaign of the BLM and other Agencies (which seem to us on the outside to be completely taken over by a small group of people who make their money from cattle grazed on Public Lands, and on providing the ‘service’ of running the wild horses literally off their feet/hooves), this very obvious genocidal and cruel ‘plan’ has already eliminated one herd that is known world-wide: Cloud and his herd, made famous by the National Geographic Channel!!! On the one hand, Praise and Laud them, on the other, destroy as many as possible as quickly as possible, hopefully while the majority of Americans still believe that the Law, (Wild Horse Annie’s Law, so loved and supported, especially by children) is being respected and followed. Makes a person wonder how many other laws are treated with such contempt and are thrown aside by the very agencies set up to enforce them?
I was there. When I saw the World Trade Center fall on Sept. 11 from my office window I said- Why? Everything about it was horrible. When I see what is happening to the horses in the West, I say again, Why? How awful to see events such as these in one’s lifetime…unnecesary and evil beyond reason. LR
YES….Obama, SAVE OUR WILD HORSES!!!!!
The horses are a symbol of American freedom. Both the Burro & horse are a part of western history. This has to stop & they need to be protected. We the people & these animals deserve that right. DF