My Friend and I have been bugged by some peoples' comments to this article..We were a lil stirred up by the news this morning and "Picken's"..Just thought I had another place to share. And feel free to comment. I know most who will read this will be full of understanding due to your way of living and knowledge of this issue..
Here is our comment:
"I was born and raised in NV, working and living at several different ranches. The wild horse is an obvious icon in our state. During the news this morning they spoke how people need to compromise in order to deal with the population of the horses. I don’t feel that the ranchers are close-minded and want to do away with all the wild horses. They enjoy these horses but their overpopulation threatens not only the beef industry that feeds more than half of America but also threatens the health and value of these horses. The wild horses are inbred, malnutritioned, and unable to thrive because of the vast numbers in relation to the land available to them. Millions of your dollars are being spent by the government to feed and maintain the "wild" horses in feed lots and areas where they are hidden from the public. These majestic horses are also adopted out across the nation where people struggle to keep a job and keep their own families fed. These animals are mistreated and starved when their meat could be used to feed American families and starving people throughout the world. Rather than spending millions of tax-payers' dollars to keep these animals alive in a feedlot, why can't we put them to use or manage them more efficiently. For those of you who are against the horses being ran by helicopters, seeing a horse skinny and not able to “make” it. If the amount of horses were managed there would be enough feed on the range to provide for their health. The government is flying these helicopters over a vast amount of range that has enough feed for maybe half of whats being bred out there. People unhappy about others who “interrupt” the “wildness” of these horses are some who can afford to feed their “pets” in their backyard. They see the charm and beauty of horses but do not think thru their actions when it comes to the land they are living on. This is the Great Basin, which is a desert, it takes far more acres to run an animal in NV than it does in most places around the nation. Those of you who eat beef, I hope value the fact that ranchers raise cattle to provide you with food.
A reply to a post above: I have been an employee of Mr. Ole Olson in the past, who some have spoken negatively about. I had been to a horse sale every weekend, riding horses he had bought from people who could not afford to feed them or could not handle them. He created usable horses as these animals were meant to be and had dispersed them to people who could afford to enjoy and provide for these animals, as well as earn a living for themselves riding them. Yes I admit this “old” man is set in his ways and has an opinion about almost anything, but deep down he has a heart for the horse like a 6 year old girl obsessed with a pony. He does buy horses at sales and from people that are going to be “canned”. He would sit there and ask my opinion on most if he should send it or not. If the horse was able to walk, was kind enough to be trained, or he knew it had a future home, he’d keep it and find it a home. I had asked him if he enjoyed selling horses one day, He said he had spent his life doing this to make a living. Right from 15 years old when he rode away from his Dad’s horse ranch in WA with 15 head of horses behind him headed to a sale and has continued to do so. Making a living actually just like any person that works in an office or behind a counter.
When the slaughter bill was passed to shut down the plants in the United States, it made an impact on the horse industry. I do understand people when they think it’s inhumane to slaughter horses. I love horses with every piece of passion I can obtain. But I can understand when a horse is on its last leg and no one to care for it, being as it cannot be cared for due to money or an issue with its health or injury. How is a person to disperse of an animal without taking a loss on what they’ve put into it. Some people make a living on horses, they breed, feed, and manage these animals supporting not only their families but also others with their high-quality animals. When these horses that they’ve put money into become injured beyond repair, are too old to survive a winter, or are maybe too much for a person to handle what is to happen? Should the States open a pit where you can dump a horse’s body after it has been “euthanized” and let it fill up taking up a chunk of land where nothing is being accomplished?
Just make a compromise. The ranchers are already required to maintain their cattle numbers to a certain number. What would be the harm in establishing a manageable number of horses as well? The government could provide jobs for those capable of training the wild horses that they gather wanting to keep the numbers down on the range. Some of you may thing that the mustangs are beautiful, wild, and majestic, but they actually compare to a runny eyed two headed cat. Because of inbreeding the mustangs have various diseases and the conformation is compromised. If high quality stallions were utilized and the herds dispersed to inhibit future inbreeding the animals would be worth looking at.
I had lived on a northern NV Indian reservation where hundreds of horses run on the desert and are gathered during the winter. Some have brands some are slick. The branded horses are turned over and brought in by their owners and the slicks are caught and given or sold to others who are looking forward to starting them for using ranch horses. But these horses are managed. If they aren’t worth a penny to be used than they are sold to be sent south or they are turned back out. But they are bred to be good horses. They aren’t a run of the litter. They are provided with some good studs or mares thrown in on top of “mustangs” where they can survive on the northern NV desert in the summers and winters. If only the government and those of you who want the “wild mustang” to thrive in the West still could see that you can’t just let an animal run free in this day and age anymore and take action to make sure we still have a wonderful animal to dream about and love. Why can’t anyone take affirmative action and step up for what’s smart economically and humanely right?"
